Aloha from the Fletchers!

Whale Counting 101

2011-01-30T12:21:00.000-10:00

Wear sun screen! The Hawaii sun is like a friendly enemy. You don’t know the damage it is inflicting until it’s too late! I had a blast and enjoyed my first whale counting experience but did pay the price that night from not wearing sun screen. But it was worth it. I consider myself lucky because I saw more than I thought I would from the shore.

There were about 20 of us for whale counting at La ie Point. A couple who has been married for over 20 years were our Site Leaders. They've been doing this for 9 years and 8 at this same location. Whale counting takes patience and time! We sat in one place for 4 hours. At this location there is no shelter or bathroom. It started out a bit overcast for the first hour or so and then the sun came out. But with the perfect trade winds it never seemed like it got too hot and I didn't realize the sun was that strong. So no, I didn't use sun screen, but I had it with me.

Whenever anyone saw something we'd holler out so everyone could look and hopefully see. I thought we'd go out to the end of the point but our site leader said from the cement wall we could see over all the rocks and have the best view. They like you to work in pairs for counting and recording. Both will watch the ocean and when you start seeing you have to count the number of whales you see (and if any are calves) and the type of activity you see. Spout (most common), breach, slap, dive, etc. We worked in pairs so I worked with Roland. He's a retiree who has moved to the island with his wife. His wife was supposed to be here but she recently made a trip home to New Jersey and got caught there due to the snow storm. .

I feel lucky because I personally saw about 9 instances of a whale breaking the water. I saw one breach while looking through the binoculars that was cool! It was actually about 2 miles away but through binoculars seemed much, much closer. I also saw one break the water off in the distance (no binoculars) where the sun sparkled off the skin but not sure what part of the whale actually came out of the water. In the morning most of the sightings were about .3 to 1 mile off shore, which is considered close. As the morning went on the whales were further out, closer to 2 to 4 miles off shore, which is more common.

Ah, you may be wondering what I mean by spout, breach and skin? I hope this helps.
Typical humpback whale behaviors include:
Blow – this is the water that a whale pushes through it’s spout when it comes ot the surface. On average, adults’ surface and breathe every 10 to 15 minutes but can stay submerged for up to 45 minutes. Calves (or babies) must come to the surface every 3 to 5 minutes.
Head Rise or Spy Hop – this happens when a whale rises vertically toward the surface with only it’s head out of the water. Some think this allows the whale to see the activity going on above the water.
Tail Slap – this is when a humpback raises its tail flukes out of the water and slaps them forcefully on the surface. A lot of times this happens in rapid succession. Some think this is a warning of some sort.
Pec Slap – this happens when the whale slaps the water surface with one or both fins at the same time. This may be a communication.
Head Slap – this is a competitive display when the whale lunges forward with only its head raised above water.
Penduncle Slap – when the whale throws its tail out of the water and in the process slaps its penduncle on the surface.
Dive – the humpback will arch its back up out of the water. The tail may or may not been seen. If this happens the whale will not be seen for sometime after.
Breach – the whale uses its tail to launch itself out of the water then lands back on the water with a slap.

I wish I could share pictures of everything I saw but it’s impossible. Things happen so quick you don't have time to react. There is definitely practice needed to whale count and as the day went on I felt like I started to get the hang of it. It takes patience! They break the 4 hours into 30 minute sets and for the entire time you stare out into the ocean hoping to see something. It's easier to see when the water is calm and the winds are calm. The spouts from the whales (water in the air) will stay in the air longer for easier viewing. As the sea got choppy, the swells got larger and the winds picked up it was hard to tell the difference between white caps and whales and the water would dissipate much faster. I'm definitely looking forward to February 26th, the next time we count whales.

The only reason they count whales between 8:00 am and Noon is for volunteers. They wanted to pick a time that would allow people to still have most of the day to do whatever they needed so it didn’t seem like a big inconvenience. And counting on the last Saturday of the month is for consistency. And when doing the whale counting, it happens on the same day at the same time on all islands at all locations. This way, if a whale is spotted at one location you know it isn’t the same whale spotted at a different location at the same time.

A few bits of information I learned:

The humpback whales migrate to the warm waters of Hawaii for birthing and teaching the young how to hunt for food.
You might see one whale, or two or three together. Many times you’ll see one large spout which is the Mom and a small spout which is the baby. Sometimes there will be another large spout and it is the escort. They don’t know why there is an escort. It could be a male looking for something from the female or the father of the baby, who knows.
January is usually the slowest month for sightings. February should be better and weather permitting March is the best. The numbers for February are a bit skewed from last year since the count was supposed to take place at the same time as a tsunami warning. So counting didn’t happen as in past years.

And for me, no trip to the North Shore is complete without stopping at Sunset Beach. The waves were about 10 to 12 feet and the surfers were having fun. I still can’t believe they can navigate the surf without injury; at least today.

So until next time; love, hugs and prayers to my faithful followers, if your still out there!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

2010-12-31T20:54:00.001-10:00

How are you, or did you, spend New Year’s Eve? Mine has been smoky and loud! I can’t take credit for writing everything below but I can take credit for sharing it with you.

LOUD: Oahu appears headed for a loud and smoky New Years' Eve. Almost 2,000 more permits for firecrackers were sold this year than last. In 2009 8,050 permits were sold. Thursday afternoon, when the city stopped selling permits for the 2010 New Years celebration, 10,008 permits had been issued. Each $25 permit allows its holder to purchase strands of 5,000 fire crackers. Fireworks can only be used between 9 p.m. December 31st and 1 a.m. January 1st. As of January 2nd, 2011, most consumer fireworks will be banned on Oahu. Sparklers, fountains, snakes, and other ground-based fireworks will be illegal to possess and use. But firecrackers will still be available with the purchase of a $25 permit.

SMOKY: Tradewinds are departing with the old year, which means Oahu is in for very hazy and smoky conditions for New Year's Eve. Persons with respiratory problems should take precautions because of fireworks smoke.

TRADITIONS: Many people serve or eat sashimi for New Year’s Eve and New Years. People flock to fresh fish markets looking for the best quality fish for the right price for the New Year's party. Prices for the higher end quality ahi were hovering around $30. Friday morning, some supplies of certain grades of fish were already running low. Some shoppers were waiting in line even before markets opened!

What is sashimi? Sashimi is a Japanese delicacy. It primarily consists of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces, and served only with a dipping sauce (soy sauce with wasabi paste or such condiments as grated fresh ginger, or ponzu), and such garnishes as shiso and shredded daikon radish. The word sashimi means pierced body.

NEW YEAR’S DAY: Fukubukuro (lucky bag, mystery bag) is a Japanese New Year's Day custom where merchants make grab bags filled with unknown random contents and sell them for a substantial discount, usually 50% or more off the list price of the items contained within. The low prices are usually done to attract customers to shop at that store during the New Year. Fukubukuro usually are snapped up quickly by eager customers, with some stores having long lines snake around city blocks hours before the store opens on New Year's Day. Formerly, Fukubukuro were an easy way for stores to unload excess and unwanted merchandise from the previous year, due to a Japanese superstition that one must not start the New Year with unwanted trash from the previous year and start clean. Nowadays, Fukubukuro are pushed as a lavish New Year's event rather than a way for stores to get rid of excess merchandise.

WHALE WATCHING: To Hawaiians, the whale is a representation of the Hawaiian god, Kanaloa - the god of animals in the ocean. Humpback whales (na kohola) are found in all oceans, although they generally prefer near shore and near-island habitats for both feeding and breeding. Since adult whales rarely feed in Hawaii, many of the behaviors are specific to mating.

A large percentage of the North Pacific humpback whales migrate to the main Hawaiian islands during the winter months - November through May - each year. The round-trip distance they travel during this annual migration is approximately 4,000 miles, one of the longest migration distances of any animal species. During their stay in Hawaii, they do not feed, but rely upon stored energy. Near the islands, the whales devote most of their time to mating and giving birth to their calves. While visiting the islands, kohola have become renowned for their various acrobatic displays.

2011: The first weekend of the New Year may be a wet one for Oahu! Another disturbance is due in Saturday night with scattered showers and maybe even a few thunderstorms through Sunday. More normal tradewind weather is due back Monday. In Hawaii these winter “disturbances” can be similar to a winter weather watch or warning back in Kansas. This means heavy rain coming straight down (no wind), for days; brown water advisories and winds out of the south. Winds out of the south are also known as “kona” winds since they come from the direction of the big island. These winds bring vog, poor air quality and high humidity. Brown water advisories mean to stay away from brown water in the streets, yards and ocean. The water becomes brown from the chemicals, pesticides and other “crap” in the ground.

A FULL MOON: A box jellyfish influx is expected 7 to 11 days after a full moon. Typically warning signs go up during these periods, people are warned to stay out of the ocean and the influx is included in the weather forecast on local tv.

Until 2011, love, hugs and prayers to my faithful followers, if your still out there!

The Holidays

2010-12-25T20:25:00.000-10:00

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the land where palm trees sway!

By the time you read this Brent and Tammi will have made it through their first Thanksgiving and Christmas apart since being married. How was it? Now we can say it was okay but on those special days it was rough. Tammi immersed herself in work preparing for year end in payroll and accounting by working 16 hour days. Brent volunteered to be on call for Thanksgiving and Christmas staying busy with work and household chores. Tammi started a Hawaiian Christmas tradition of spending time at the beach and putting her toes in the water. Brent enjoyed some good home cooking as his parents made the trip from Fulton to Wichita for both holidays.

So, you know what Thanksgiving and Christmas are like on the mainland but you may be wondering what they are like in Hawaii. Well, basically the same just a little warmer. For Thanksgiving, meals differ from family to family as they do on the mainland. Most people I talked to had the traditional turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. Some have never tasted scalloped potatoes or my famous, fattening mashed potatoes but the menus seem to be the same. Oh, but add rice to the meal! I think rice is served with every meal here! For Christmas most people I talked with were having ham, turkey, beef or prime rib for dinner. A few were heading to the mainland to enjoy some skiing and others were heading to another island to be with family.

The big retail stores were selling fall decorations but there didn’t seem to be the large selection that I remember in Kansas. I also didn’t see many decorations as I travelled around Oahu. Of course, I don’t go very far now that I’m working long hours. Christmas is Christmas is Christmas. The stores were full of decorations, gifts and shoppers! People go all out here decorating just like they do on the mainland. The major differences I see in Hawaii are the weather and the people. It was 80 degrees and sunny on Christmas Eve and Christmas on the leeward side of the island. The windward side wasn’t as lucky! Christmas Eve it rained like cats and dogs (so heavy they said it was coming down at the rate of 2 inches per hour for awhile)! The windward side of the island happens to be where the Obama’s are staying.

About the people. I can’t believe the number of people who were out and about on Christmas! Waikiki was packed with tourists and the stores and restaurants were open 10 am to 10 pm. As they say in Waikiki, every day is a holiday. I don’t miss the days I spent in retail! Most gifts on the shelves seem to be the same that you would find on the mainland but add a bit of an Asian feel. Lots of rice cookers and small food items that are popular in Japan. It makes sense since most tourists here are from Japan and I think most everyone living on the island has Japanese ancestry.

Oh the lights, the lights, the lights! If you ever get to Oahu in December be sure to check out the Honolulu City Lights! Very nice! However, at this point I don’t recommend visiting Hawaii in December unless you like rain! Winter in Hawaii is the rainy season. Although, if you want a white Christmas I can guarantee one in Hawaii; white sand! And while it may rain the temperature remains around 80 and shorts are still the best attire!

I promised some interesting holiday facts or trivia about Hawaii in my last post. Hopefully this fulfills my promise…

Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas. The words "Mele Kalikimaka" are a phonetic translation. When the missionaries and other Westerners first brought the custom of Christmas to the islands the Hawaiians had difficulty pronouncing Merry Christmas and turned it into words that rolled more easily off their tongues.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou - Happy New Year. The western Christmas and New Year fell during this same time of the year that the Hawaiians traditionally honored the earth for giving them plenty to eat. This period of resting and feasting was called Makahiki (mah-kah-HEE- kee). It lasted for 4 months, and no wars or conflicts were allowed during this time. Because makahiki also means "year", the Hawaiian phrase for "Happy New Year" became "Hau'oli (happy) Makahiki (year) Hou (new)"(how-OH-lee mah-kah-hee-kee

Mahalo Nui Loa - Thank you very much. When you receive a nice gift or are treated to a s pecial meal or beautiful song, you'll want to express your appreciation for the kindness.

Until New Year’s eve, love, hugs and prayers to my faithful followers, if your still out there!

I See Familiar Faces in Strangers

2010-11-09T14:11:00.000-10:00

Wow! I’ve been a bad blog owner. I’ve been so caught up in work and my boys that I’ve neglected my blog. I appreciate all the comments I hear from people asking why I haven’t updated my blog. It’s nice to know someone out there is reading and I thank you for that.

Yes, the boys arrived safe and sound and in the past 4 months have made themselves right at home in our little Hawaiian apartment. Zosimos loves lying in the front window and passerby’s love playing with him through the window. Some people have even stopped to take his picture while he’s lying in the front window! Achates likes to lie in the bedroom window, or in the top of the closet or under the bed. He still hides from me often but I can always figure out where he is. The boys love it when I leave the front door open. They like to lie in front of the screen door and watch and listen to everything going on outside. They like to act like big cats but when a loud sound comes echoing our way they run and hide like little kittens. But they are my boys and I love spending time with them. They have made my life in Hawaii seem much more like home.

I guess I am feeling a bit home sick after living in Hawaii for almost 8 months. It seems as if each day I see someone walking nearby and I could swear they were someone I know from back home but after looking closer they are simply a stranger. I’ve seen old co-workers, favorite school teachers, best friends and even my chiropractor in the face of strangers walking by but no one I know has actually walked by. Oh, and I’m beginning to recognize the same homeless people in Waikiki. It’s sad to know that these people live on the streets and don’t know where their next meal will come from yet at the same time it’s comforting to see them because it means they made it one more day in this world. From what locals tell me, you don’t want to give money to the homeless, stop to talk to them or anything like that. Some can get violent and some just aren’t right in the head. So what I do is leave my recyclables in plastic bags by trash cans. Recycling plastic and other items is very popular in Hawaii; you can get 5 cents for one plastic bottle! It took me 2 months to save enough plastic to get $5 and since I have no storage space for my plastic now I leave it by a dumpster for a homeless person to collect.

As my family and friends in Kansas head into fall and winter we too here in Hawaii are heading into fall and winter. The highs during the day are now between 83 and 87 and the lows fall to about 70. I’ve been able to sleep with the windows open a couple of nights so far but it can still be pretty muggy here so not every night. With fall and winter here comes the rainy season. So far it seems to rain a bit more often each day and the weather forecast predicts rain much more often as well. I am actually finding myself getting cold in my office at work and a bit chilled when I leave work at night now. So I guess my blood is thinning and I am acclimating to the weather on Oahu.

Hawaii does not participate in daylight savings time. So until spring I am only 4 hours behind Kansas. That extra hour sure does make a difference; more than I thought it would! The time change is still one of the biggest challenges to having family in Kansas but we are making it work. Now as we head into the holiday season we are facing new challenges and trying to tell ourselves that we can make it work. This will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas that Brent and I will spend apart in the 13 years we have been married. Neither one of us plans to decorate (who am I kidding, Brent wouldn’t decorate even if I was home) for the holidays; it just doesn’t seem right since we won’t be together. Airfare to Hawaii goes up in the winter and the most expensive day each year to fly to Hawaii is December 26th so that isn’t an option either. Brent has volunteered to be on call with his work and I will be working long hours during the season so hopefully we’ll make it through the first holiday season apart without too many tears.

On a positive note, I’ve learned about another beach on the island from some locals. Sunset Beach on the north shore. They tell me it is the most beautiful beach on the island. I am hoping to have a free day soon to go check it out. That maybe how I spend my Thanksgiving. But you have to be prepared during the winter months if you plan to travel to the north shore. The waves are huge during the winter months on the north shore; we’re talking upwards of 20 feet! This is the time of year that everyone flocks to the north shore to either surf or watch surfing. It normally takes about an hour to travel from my apartment to the north shore but this time of year I’ve been told it can take triple that time and finding parking can be impossible. But I am really looking forward to seeing some experienced world class surfers this winter!

How would you like to spend your Thanksgiving camping on the beach? That’s what many people do in Hawaii. Unfortunately, they have to camp out to get the camping permit! Yes, I said that right, people are camping out in front of government buildings so they can purchase the limited number of camping permits that are available for this Thanksgiving. During the winter months only certain beaches allow camping unlike the summer months. And one of the beaches campsites are all taken by homeless people so the number of permits available is very limited. Kind of reminds me of Labor Day at the lake in Kansas. Oh and the typical Thanksgiving meal in Hawaii is turkey and dressing. I thought it would involve spam or pig but it is the same as back home.

I hope I haven’t rambled too much and I hope you’ve learned something new about Hawaii. I’ll try to dig up some interesting holiday facts about Hawaii for my next entry. So until then, love, hugs and prayers to my faithful followers, if your still out there!

Like Being an Expectant Mother

2010-07-27T21:14:00.001-10:00

What does it take to get 2 cats from Kansas to Hawaii? Time, patience, organization and money; but it is so worth everything (I think)!

They say that it takes 6 months to go through the entire process but I would plan on a year so you can also save money so it isn’t a big hit to your bank account! We managed to do it thanks to a great Vet Assistant and a great company’s relocation package. So why does it take so long and where do you start?

Zosimos has no idea about the long journey that he is about to embark on!

The answer begins and ends with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Hawaii is rabies-free. Hawaii's quarantine law is designed to protect residents and pets from potentially serious health problems associated with the introduction and spread of rabies. All dogs and cats, regardless of age (puppies and kittens included) or purpose, must comply with Hawaii’s dog and cat import requirements. Luckily, the web can be your best friend when oceans separate you from the state you are moving to! http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/info

The next thing to know is that your animals will have to undergo 120 days of “quarantine.” If you follow the checklist on the web, plan accordingly and be patient, the animals can undergo the 120 day quarantine while in the comfort of their own home. At one time all animals had to go thru the 120 day quarantine in Hawaii, in their kennel near the airport. How awful would that be! Because our cats could go through the 120 day quarantine at home we proceeded with our plans.

Zosimos relaxing at his home in Kansas, the night before moving to Hawaii

Rabies Vaccinations: Your animal must have been vaccinated at least twice in its lifetime and these must have been more than 30 days apart. The last shot has to be given more than 90 days before the animal arrives in Hawaii. The pet’s most recent vaccination must not be expired when the animal arrives in Hawaii.

Microchip: Your pet must have an electronic microchip implanted. This also has to be done before the blood test is performed, and I haven’t gotten to that part yet. And you also have to ensure that the microchip has been scanned by a Vet to verify that it is working and that the number matches the documentation. They mark this as important on the form so I am guessing people have gotten microchips implanted and then they didn’t work. Go figure!

Achates has no idea what he is about to experience!

Blood Test: This part can be technical. For example I could tell you that the OIE-FAVN Rabies Blood Test results must be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml. But leave that to the Kansas State University or the DOD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory in Texas. In simple terms you have to have your Vet draw blood from your pet and send it to KSU for tests to prove that your pet doesn’t have rabies. Oh, and make sure the blood samples reach K-State more than 120 days but less than 36 months before your pet arrives in Hawaii.

I warned you that you had to be organized! Luckily our Vet Assistant was used to handling animals moving from country to country so this was a tad easier than that!

Then again, maybe Achates does know about his upcoming journey and is trying to talk Dad out of it!

Quarantine or Waiting Period: Early arrival into Hawaii will mean that your pet is disqualified from the airport release program and will have to undergo quarantine at the facility. This would be horrible! Bottom line is this: once you get the good blood test result your pet must wait at least 120 days before arriving in Hawaii. Luckily, our cats were able to do this in the comfort of our home in Kansas!

Documents: Remember that you are dealing with a government body so there is lots of paperwork that must be completed properly, submitted to the right place at the right time with the right money! If you do this, have all papers completed in BLUE ink. Trust me that this will save you time and frustration in the end. So what papers do you need? Ready? Original ink signature rabies vaccination certificate for the two most recent rabies vaccinations your pet received. These must be in English and have specific information like vaccine name, lot or serial number and so on. An original health certificate, once again in English, must be done within 14 days of arrival in Hawaii. Also within 14 days of arrival you must have your Vet treat your pet for ticks and this must be noted on the health certificate. All documents, except the Health certificate must be sent to Hawaii more than 10 days before your pet arrives in Hawaii. Oh, and yes, there are forms on the Hawaii web site that also have to be completed, notarized and submitted as well.

The window seat in Hawaii is ready and waiting!

Let’s review the documents needed:

Completed Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-278 which must be notarized.
2 original rabies vaccination certificates with actual veterinarian signature in ink.
Cashier’s check for $165 to $224. One check for each animal.
Pet’s microchip number.
Keep copies of everything just incase!

Direct Release at Airport: This can only be done between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:30 pm due to budget cutbacks. If your pet arrives after 3:30 pm it will have to be held at the facility until the next day. Once again, awful! Your pet will only be released to someone listed on Form AQS-278 that you had to have filled out and notarized. The original health certificate should travel with your pet.

The litter box is filled and waiting!

So, do you still want to send your pet to Hawaii? Because we aren’t done yet! We’ve only got the paperwork taken care of and I really skimmed over it. There is a twenty some page document on the web that goes into great detail about everything that has to be done and completed! So, now we need to think about the cats and what they will travel in. Of course any old pet carrier will not do. You have to have one that is FAA approved and big enough but not too big. For our cats we were told to have one that they can stand up in, turn around in and still be comfortable. And there can’t be any openings on the top of the crate. The brand Pet Taxi was recommended and we had one so we went with that in a medium size. And one crate per animal; you can’t double up animals in crates no matter the size. Then you have to have 2 water dishes that can be attached to the inside of each crate. It was recommend that we fill them with water in advance and freeze the dishes before transport. This way, as the cats travel the water will thaw and be there if they need it. You’ll also want to put lots of shredded paper or potty pads in the bottom of the crates because you know there will be messes. Oh, and include a t-shirt or towel with a scent familiar to the pet in the crate. Brent put t-shirts of his that he had slept in, in each crate to help comfort the cats. It is also recommended that you attach a small baggy with some hard food to the crate just in case. I doubt our cats will eat or drink anything during their transport but its there in case. And I took it one step further! I made Brent tape a current, color picture of the cat to the top of the crate. Just incase there was an escape or something!

Whew! I think I covered everything! Oh, what about the plane ticket? Duh! Because Hawaii is a quarantine state the animals are not allowed to travel in the same cabin as passengers; they have to travel with the luggage. Yes, this was very upsetting to me and I asked lots of questions of anyone who would listen. I was promised that the temperature and air pressure is maintained in the luggage compartments and that our cats would not be exposed to extreme temperatures. I also learned that it is best to let the cats travel alone and not with a person. This allows the people arranging everything to concentrate on the cats comfort and needs and not be bothered with the people.

Cat perches have been bought, assembled and waiting to be torn up!

Did you catch that? This allows the people arranging everything to concentrate on the cats. We were very fortunate to have a company hired for us to help coordinate the entire process. This is the part where they really worked. There are NO direct flights from Kansas to Hawaii. And try getting two cats from Kansas to Hawaii during the heat of the summer! There is a potential for the cats to spend time on a tarmac in the heat which can be deadly. Also remember that I am writing this the night before our cats begin their journey so I only know what I know until now. I am going on pure faith in the company hired to coordinate this, the airline and God. I could easily point out all sorts of horror stories about animals who have been transported by air; and one very recently from Hawaii who didn’t survive. But there are also lots of animals who have travelled and never had a problem. So continued prayers until you see an update, please!

So here is the game plan for Achates and Zosimos and their journey from Kansas to Hawaii. The boys will get tuna for breakfast the morning of their flight. Brent and his parents will lovingly prepare the boys for departure and the boys will be picked up at home around 2:00 pm CST. The boys will fly from Wichita to Atlanta on Delta airlines. In Atlanta they will be met by an animal service company who will pick the boys up and take them to a facility where they can get out of their crates and be together in a cat condo type setting. The boys will leave Atlanta at 10:50 the following morning and fly directly to Hawaii. They should arrive in Honolulu around 2:30 Hawaii time. Once in Hawaii they will be picked up by two agents of the Little Friends Pet Care and they will see that the boys pass inspection and are released. From there Little Friends Pet Care will then transport the boys to my apartment. I’m getting excited and teary eyed just typing this part. I will leave work around 3:00 pm and anxiously be waiting at home for my boys. I also plan to work from home on Friday so I can observe the boys and ensure they are doing good physically and mentally.

Even bought the "As Seen on TV-Cat Emery Board" for the boys!

So there you have it. The process from beginning to end of how to get two cats from Kansas to Hawaii. I plan to take pictures of the arrival Thursday and everything that happens that night and Friday. I’ll update this blog as quickly as possible incase others are interested. So please continue to pray for Achates and Zosimos’s safe travel to Hawaii!

Until then, love and hugs to my faithful followers; if your still out there!

Do I have enough toys for the boys?

I Slept Thru the Fireworks and Almost Drowned!

2010-07-05T16:54:00.000-10:00

What a week this has been! I learned that my landlord (of the apartment I lived in first) was being foreclosed and the unit was going up for sale on August 31st! Needless to say I was shocked and worried. After much worry, several emails and a phone conversation I decided that my landlord was not being honest and hadn’t been honest from day one. I won’t bore you with the details but I began searching for a new apartment. Finding an apartment that meets my needs near Waikiki is very easy EXCEPT finding one that allows pets! In the end I found a cute little apartment on the west end of Waikiki that allows pets and is the same rent as my first apartment. The entire apartment complex is owned by a reputable Hawaiian businessman and women and is managed by a company. I found it on Craigslist. Funny thing is this apartment complex has been on Craigslist for longer than I have been in Hawaii. I ignored it because I thought I wanted to live in a high rise building. This is considered a low rise building; less than 4 floors.

I’m not sure how people look for apartments to rent on the mainland because I’ve never had to do that. I do know that in Honolulu many people use Craigslist and it’s been successful for me. But a hard learned lesson and warning to anyone reading this who may rent an apartment or house: rent from a reputable company or person. There are many people out there trying to make a buck who are not honest. They may mean well but they are still dishonest. I’ve also learned that there have been laws passed for renters during this time of uncertainty with home loans and mortgages. These laws are in effect until 2012 but there is a bit of help there for renters who are affected by foreclosure.

With the move on Wednesday and working long hours on Thursday and Friday I was exhausted by Friday night. Guess I am getting old because Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights I fell asleep before the fireworks! Yes, we had fireworks all three nights. We have fireworks every Friday night courtesy of the Hawaiian Hilton Village, on the west end of Waikiki. They go off between 7:30 pm and 8:15 pm every Friday night. Saturday and Sunday we had fireworks for the 4th of July. Saturday night fireworks were about 1 mile west of me and I couldn’t tell you what they were, how long they were or if they were good; I was in dreamland. But Sunday night fireworks I could see from my bedroom! Kind of cool to lay in bed and watch the sky light up above the apartment!

Evidently, on this island you have to buy a $25 permit to shoot off your own private fireworks. Due to the budget crisis the state has begun what they call “Furlough Fridays” where the state offices are closed one Friday a month. This past Friday the offices were closed so there were a lot of people who couldn’t buy the permits for fireworks and were upset. Oh, and the island is so dry that there ended up being 10 brush fires ignited from fireworks. I think all are out now but it is pretty serious here. They say the big island is the most drought stricken state in the US right now. And the island of Maui has had too many large fires in the last month.

I spent part of my Sunday trying to find a beach to enjoy! Usually the beaches are packed by noon so for a change I decided to head towards a beach by 10:00 am. I picked Lanakai which is nearby, great for swimming and beautiful. I decided to go early because parking can be tough as you have to park on side streets in a residential neighborhood. Big mistake! Can you say “high tide?” Evidently, high tide was right around 10:00 am Sunday morning because there wasn’t a beach to sit on! The tide was high enough that 90% of Lanakai beach was under water! After unloading the car, walking down to the beach, seeing no dry beach, walking back to the car, loading the car and driving for another spot 3 times I decided to go to Sandy Beach to watch the surfers. I got to Sandy Beach early enough to get a good parking spot and unloaded the car and trudged to a good spot on the beach to watch people and surfers. After about an hour on the beach I wanted to get wet by taking a little dip in the water. Mind you, Sandy Beach is for surfers and experienced surfers at that. But I love the water, consider myself a good swimmer and didn’t think the rough water was too rough so off I go.

Ankle deep water, feels good. Calf high water feels even better. Knee high water, perfect. Thigh high water, oops! Here comes a huge wave and down I go! I’m not talking a slow, graceful slip onto the soft sand. I’m talking a pounding surf, picking up a heavy girl and slamming her into the hard, wet sand! A couple more waves like that and I finally got control of myself and moved back so I could sit on the beach. Still being hit with water but not pounded. By this time my heart was beating so fast I should have had a heart attack! I just knew a lifeguard was on his way over to save the fat old lady without a brain! Nope! But a lady nearby was watching me with her mouth open like I was going to die. After what seemed like hours, I got enough control of myself to get out of the water and walk back to my chair and towel. Once sitting I realized I was covered in sand! I’m not talking sand on the feet from being wet. I’m talking sand EVERYWHERE between my skin and my swimsuit; and in places my doctor has never seen! I am okay and have a new respect for surfers! Especially anyone who surfs at Sandy Beach! If you have the pleasure of vacationing in Hawaii, please visit Sandy Beach but DON’T go in the water!

It seems like this post has been one long ramble and I’m sorry about that. Welcome to my mind! Brent and I did make it through our first 4th of July apart since he proposed to me in 1996! It was a tough day for me but anyone who knows me knows that I am an emotional person and cry easy. Needless to say I used my share of Kleenex. Now I’m not writing this to make anyone feel sorry for me; simply telling you what it’s like to live thousands of miles apart from your best friend and husband. Brent also went back to his hometown for the first time since I moved to Hawaii for a family wedding. He had a strange trip as he usually has me with him nagging along the way about his driving, needing to stop for the bathroom and other unimportant things. But we made it!

As you can imagine, living over 2,000 miles apart and sharing one checkbook and checking account can be a challenge. But thanks to cell phones, email and texting we manage and haven't overdrawn or bounced a check yet; knock on wood!

Below are several pictures of the new apartment. This one feels more like a home than the first so I'm thinking all the hassle I went through was worth it. This apartment reminds me a lot of the small house my Mom lived in before she passed away. Once I get the finishing touches up I will share some pictures of the finished apartment. But here's a small bit of trivia for anyone who watched the TV series Lost. I live right behind the Hawaii Convention Center that Lost actually turned into the Airport on the series. Even though the apartment is in a very busy area of town it is tucked away in a quiet, residential area. Maybe one day you can visit and enjoy our cozy, little Hawaiian home!

Until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

The walking path in front of the apartment buildings. This is the Ala Wai canal that begins at the ocean and leads to a dead end (they never finished the canal).

The front of my apartment building. There is another building next to this one that is identical.

The view from the kitchen of the living room. I love the color of the front door!

The view of the living room and kitchen from the front door. The little "cubby" hole to the left of the kitchen will be where the litter box is hidden.

The kitchen corner. There is tons of storage in this small pie shaped kitchen!

Ready for the cats!

The backside of the apartment building I live in. And Elliott in his reserved parking space!

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

2010-06-21T18:52:00.001-10:00

Now I can laugh at the week I just had
It would have been okay if it was just “bad”
But it was the worst, and that’s not a rumor
But now that it’s over I can find a bit of humor

There were so many things that seemed to go wrong
For a while there I thought I’d not last very long
You probably won’t believe half the things I say
Believe me it was worse than just having a bad day

To start with, I came down with a nasty old flu
The stomach virus got me, hope you don’t get it too
Many trips to the porcelain bowl left me weak
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Then I found out I could have unexpected exposure
My landlord announced the apartments going into foreclosure
I just moved in… now another castle I must seek
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Five of our pond fish died, for no apparent reason
How does that happen? Is it that time of season?
If left floating on the water they begin to reek
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

What happened to the electricity? Where is the power?
For hours the whole block in the dark had to cower
If I can’t use my laptop soon, I’ll just freak
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Why does my living room carpet feel so boggy?
There’s a lot of water coming from somewhere, making it soggy
Oh look, my air conditioner has a leak
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Oh no! The cats broke the thermometer glass
Of course, the dogs had to see what’s come to pass
Now they’re all cut up ‘cuz they just had to peek
It was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

I’ll spare the other details of the week I just had
Just so you know it got pretty sad
But I kept trying to think positive, down to the letter
And thought, “Hey well, you know, it can only get better!”

Written by Dave Twelker
Inspiration provided by Tammi Fletcher

Haleakala Volcano, Maui, Hawaii 2007 courtesy of "Knitting Bitch"

What if you were blind?

2010-06-13T00:02:00.001-10:00

If you’ve ever had a night when you couldn’t sleep and spent too many hours playing channel roulette you no doubt would come across plenty of infomercials selling vacuum cleaners, exercise equipment and diet products. But have you ever come across a train wreck and couldn’t help but look? You know those half baked dating shows where the couple on the date is either going to end up hating each other or sucking face on screen! We’ll I’ve seen plenty of these over the last 4 or 5 years and occasionally I see something interesting or cool that I’d actually like to do with my friends or husband,

During my husbands’ trip to the island we both got to experience one of these events that I thought would bring us closer, be very sensuous, very exotic and rather sexy! It’s called “Dining in the Dark.” I found a rather nice restaurant in the nearby town of Kaneohe and I signed us up! This was going to be a four course gourmet dinner that we could have with wine or without wine. The restaurant is known for there wine so they offer a special wine with each course. We opted for soda pop and water rather than wine. Just haven’t developed a palette for wine.

They bring you thru the restaurant to a small gathering area and here they blindfold you. You cannot remove your blindfold at any time. If you need something you speak up or raise your hand. If you break something you sit still and let the people waiting on you handle everything so you don’t cut yourself. And if you have to go to the bathroom you raise your hand; you are escorted to the bathroom and taken inside. Once you are inside and alone, with the door shut, you can remove your blindfold to do your business. But before opening the door you must put your blindfold back on. You will not be told what you are eating and will not know or see anything until the dinner is completed.

As they place drinks and dishes on the table in front of you they tell you “coming from left” or coming from right” or something similar so you know where everything is being placed. There are no extras on the table, no tablecloth, only your silverware, dinking glass and the course you are eating then. We figured our pre course (not big enough to be called a course) was a small square of watermelon with something pureed on top and it was really good.

Dressing up is not required since everyone is blindfolded!

The next course was a leafy salad with some type of fabulous chunks of meat, some sweet bits that tasted like oranges and a couple of very bitter bites. But overall it was awesome! The third course was some type of stuffed ravioli in a sauce. It tasted like a wonderful cheese mixture but other than that we had no clue.

No, she was not the hunky waiter I described! She was our server!

By this time we were getting pretty good using our fingers to figure out the size and shape of the plates being placed in front of us, where drink glasses were and how to get the food on the fork and in our mouths. The food had more flavor than I’ve ever experienced before and the room sounded huge and caverness. Our waiter stayed with us at all times in case we needed something and actually told us we were doing pretty well with guessing what we were eating.

Now comes the fourth course of meat. How would we do with a knife and fork? Luckily the meat was so tender and juicy that a butter knife was all we needed. The meat tasted like a prime rib but in big chunks that had been slow cooked but had a smoky taste. The meat seemed to be on top of some sort of mashed potatoes that had baby onions mixed in. I still can’t explain the meat taste but it was incredible and filling! Up to this point we had cleaned all of our plates and Brent did on this one too but I couldn’t. About this point Brent got to experience the trip to the bathroom and no luck seeing anything without the blindfold.

Finally was desert and we nailed this one! It was a small round cookie/pie crust with a pudding of some sort that had strawberries, berries, kiwi, and another berry on top. And on each side of the plate was the best chunk of chocolate I have ever tasted. And anyone who knows me, knows I know my chocolate. By this point I figures out how to steal one of Brent’s pieces of chocolate but was so proud of my discovery that I told him and let him have it back. But good job Tammi!

Yeah, Tammi needs to think about loosing weight after seeing these pictures!

When we were finally done we reviewed what we thought each course was and what our waiter looked like then the blindfolds came off. I was way wrong on the waiter. He talked like a surfer dude so I figured a white person who moved to the island who now had a great tan, medium length wavy sun kissed brown hair and rather hunky. Wrong! I forget his name but he was a young local man in his 20’s, of Hawaiian decent with nicely styled short black hair and still very hunky looking! He then started sharing the pictures of what we ate and compared what we guessed with the real thing. We did pretty well.

The pre course we said was a watermelon square with something pureed on it. It was watermelon with special green olives puréed with virgin olive oil and scooped onto the square. I had no idea I liked green olives!

Course one we knew was lettuce with oranges and something bitter and chunks of a delicious meat but the meat wasn’t beef, chicken and didn’t taste fishy. Well it was fresh lobster tail. They split the tail between the two salads. There was some type of vinaigrette dressing that I liked despite not liking vinaigrette dressings. And the bitter was new that night. They added bits of lime to see how the bitter interacted with the other flavors.

One of my all time favorites!

Course two we had pretty good too. It was filled pastas but the dressing was a combination of chipotle and very expensive vodka. I don’t like chipotle because of the spice but thus combination was wonderful!

Course three was actually prime rib tips slow cooked on top of celery mashed potatoes with baby onions. And we nailed the desert which was actually a yellow sponge cake base with a vanilla pudding that had the fruits layered on top. And the chocolate bits were truffles! They were out of this world!

Large portions for a gourmet restaurant!

Look at those chocolate truffels!

I know there are many places on the mainland that have dining in the dark experiences. If you want adventure and love food try it. You will be amazed at how quickly your other senses become heightened and make up for the lack of sight. A very eye opening experience that was actually very sensual and yummy! Oh, and the room was one they use for larger gatherings of 30 to 50 people and we were the only two that night which is why I said it sounded large and caverness.

Here’s a teaser for the next entry for my faithful followers…

Until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

2010-05-31T16:32:00.001-10:00

I guess because of the long holiday weekend I’ve had some extra time to think and I decided that I’d tell you the truth. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been telling the truth with every entry in my blog; but perhaps I’ve chosen to tell you the good stuff; the stuff that I try to focus on so I can stay positive and make it from one day to the next. So can you handle the truth?

Over the past 11 weeks or so Brent and I have learned that being over 3,000 miles apart takes a lot of hard work. We’ve cried, laughed, and we’ve missed out on parts of each others lives that we wish we hadn’t; and it is not getting any easier. Please don’t feel sorry for us and please don’t say “I told you so.” We knew going into this it was going to be hard and would require a lot of work from each of us; but until you actually experience the separation you have no real idea what it will be like.

I’m sure many people will think how can Tammi complain? She’s living in Hawaii and getting to experience things many have never dreamed of let a lone could ever afford. And you’d be right; how can I complain? I’ve spent weekends at some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches, I’ve seen breathtaking views and I’ve experienced the beauty of a Hawaiian sunset. But as the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side…

From my perspective Brent is living the dream life. He is in the home we bought together and spent hours working on and fixing up. He gets to snuggle with Mo Mo, have Achates nip at his ankles, listen as Porsche tells him how her day was and rub Boston’s soft, white belly. He gets to pet Bell and Lexie and play outdoors with them. He can take the greyhounds for a walk when the mood strikes and most importantly, when he misses me he can seek out the affection and love of a cat or dog to comfort him. When I’m missing Brent all I have is a pillow to cry into…

Would we do this again if given a second chance? Right now we’d like to think we would do the same thing. Ask us again in a year and see if our answer is the same. The bottom line is that we did what we thought was necessary to provide financially for our family. I’m sure there are thousands of families across the US who have sacrificed much more than we have to provide for their families. No, we shouldn’t complain and yes, we should be grateful for everything and everyone we have in our lives.

But the next time you see a person sitting in a restaurant eating alone, or at a movie theater alone, or sitting on a beach alone you just might be seeing someone trying to escape the loneliness and fear of being separated from there family and hoping that the decision they made will make them and their family stronger. And be grateful you haven’t had to make the same decision.

All my love and hugs from a quiet apartment just outside of Waikiki…

Maps, Street Names and Beaches

2010-05-22T20:20:00.001-10:00

Do you know how to read a map? No, seriously; do you know how to read a map? You know, the top of the map is North, the bottom is South, the left side is West and the right side is East. And there is always a guide letting you know the scale of the map. Here this now; these traditional map guidelines do not exist on all maps of Hawaii! Brent and I found this out personally as we drove around the island of Oahu recently.

While Brent visited me in Hawaii we took one day and drove around the entire island; or at least as much of it as we could. There is a stretch on the North end of the island that has no paved roads. We started the day around 9:00 am and finished the drive by around 5:00 pm. What fun and what an experience! If you ever want to do this plan on at least 2 people for the trip. One to drive and one to read the map!

A pineapple farm on the drive to the North Shore.

Maybe Hawaiian officials don’t think tourists will want to drive the entire island so they don’t put the entire island on a map. Or maybe they don’t want tourists to know about some of the more secluded and gorgeous parts of the island. I hope it’s the latter of the two!

We spent some time in the largest town on the North Shore, Hale’iwa. Please don’t ask me how to pronounce the town’s name, but it is a cute town! I’m guessing it has a population similar to Mulvane or maybe Rose Hill and a few cute shops. We did a little shopping and lots of looking. My favorite place was the Aloha General Store. Not like the general stores back home!

We also ate at a local Mexican restaurant called Cholo’s. You definitely get plenty of food for your money! And it was pretty good!

One of the beaches we stopped at is called Turtle Beach; wait for it…because of the turtles that are found at the beach! Now this isn’t your typical Hawaiian beach where you lay out to work on your tan or watch the surfers. It’s a fairly small bit of land and very rocky. Way to rocky to attempt to swim or surf plus you may encounter a turtle and guess what; they can bite! There are volunteers that spend time at the beach (daily during day light) to ensure people don’t hurt the turtles, touch the turtles, get to close to the turtles and answer questions. We were fortunate to see a large turtle they call Brutus sunning himself on the beach. These guys are huge!

Can you pick out the turtles in the water from the rocks?

Meet Brutus!

From Turtle Beach we continued our drive along the North Shore. I can’t begin to tell you the names of all the beaches we stopped at but I can tell you this; each one was breathtaking and beautiful in its own unique way. No two were alike. I could get used to life on this island! Oh, and the houses! Some are gorgeous and some have the most incredible views! Then again some are, how can I be polite when saying this? I can’t so I’ll just tell you how it is. Some are dumps! I’m not talking about a house that is aged and needs a little loving; I’m talking about a house that I have no clue how it is still standing and can only imagine that in Kansas it would be condemned. Brent and I played a game we called “Nice, Nice, Dump.” Think of “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Okay, maybe we’d had too much sun, but it was fun at the time!

One of the many beaches we stopped at…

Our PT Cruiser on a beach by the ocean! Who would have thought this car would be in Hawaii when we bought it in 2002!

Another beach we enjoyed. Many of the beaches we stopped at were once locations where Lost was filmed.

We eventually made our way back to civilization, just kidding; but we did make it back to more populated and commercial parts of the island. Yet, they don’t know how to name streets! I’m not kidding when I tell you this; and we have pictures to prove it! Not only were Brent and I in unfamiliar territory, we had maps that didn’t follow the standards we are used to and streets have numerous names. Seriously! One street can change names three or four times and you never turn off of it!

Here is one example; I hope you can tell from the picture. On the left is the street name “Kailua” but on the right the same street is named “Oneana.” We found this very confusing!

Same two streets, just from a different view…

Here is another example. The large street sign hanging from the light is “Hamakua.” Yet the smaller street sign in the picture is; okay you’ll have to take my word for it. I can’t read the small print.

Brent and I had a grand day with lots of laughs, lots of beautiful scenery and many pictures to share with others. If you ever get to Oahu I encourage you to rent a car and drive around the entire island. Make sure the car is filled with gas, take a cooler with pop and water and bring a towel and maybe your swim suit. You’ll at least want a towel to clean the sand off your feet from each beach. I know why they call this paradise! Until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

Guess what my next entry will be about???

Poem for the Newbies

2010-05-18T09:39:00.001-10:00

The poem below was written by a co-worker of mine, Dave Twelker. Dave has been with DFS for a little over a year. He is the Benefits Manager for the West Group. Dave is from California and seems to be enjoying life in Hawaii. I have learned much from Dave in the 9 weeks I have been working for the company. He is a very intelligent person with a great sense of humor. The poem was written by Dave in one of his rare occasions of "inspiration." He made this up for one of our department lunches a few months ago and it kinda sums up his impressions of working at DFS. I certainly agree with his view and wanted to share it with you. So from myself and Dave, please enjoy - -

DFS: Celebrating the Years and Days
By Dave Twelker

Day One at DFS, I just love this store!
We’ve got Emilio Pucci, Cartier and Dior
The people are fantastic, everyone cares
And talk about luxury, there’s a Starbuck’s downstairs

Look at these brands… Marc, Ralph and Tag
Burberry, Chloe… I’ve just got to brag
I don’t want to go home, I just want to stay
Whattayaknow, I made it one day!

Day Two is here, it’s going fairly well,
There’s a lot of work to do, but I’ve got my Dell
Phone calls come in all hours, night and day
And mail comes from countries whose names I can’t say

Today I learned about Ex-cel and Ex-pat
An Intranet article tells how to sell a scarf with that hat
We strive to service our customers in many creative ways
Whattayaknow, I made it two days!

The next days were more challenging as I came into work
I should probably learn another language as an added perk
I should also learn SAP so I don’t look like a geek
Whattayaknow, I made it one week!

But first to dial Hong Kong… anyone know how?
Then what time is it in Singapore?...or in JFK, or Palau?
The fires are waning, the smoke’s beginning to clear
Whattayaknow, I made it one year!

There’s always time for some food and some fun
Sure, there’s a lot of work to be done
I wonder if they’re still hiring at Sears?
Whattayaknow, I made it two years!

Our office is moving? All our furniture, our whole clan?
Yes, we embrace change as part of our plan
Working at top speed, running in high gears
Whattayaknow, I made it five years

It’s special to celebrate the Years and the Days
As the calendar flys through the Aprils and Mays
We remember the beginnings, both the work and the fun
And all the special people we’ve met since Day One!

Book ‘em Dano

2010-05-18T08:46:00.003-10:00

The lead story on the local news last night was kind of exciting. CBS has picked up the re-make of the old crime series Hawaii Five 0! The new series will be in the CBS line up this coming fall! For Oahu this means 130 million dollars could be spent on the island during filming and from tourism based on the series. They announced who the two stars will be and only one was familiar to me because he was one of the regulars on the series Lost, which is ending this television season.

So in addition to the numerous movies that are in various stages of production in Hawaii we can now add Hawaii Five 0 to the list. You might be asking who are some of the “stars” who have been or will be filming in Hawaii. Jennifer Anniston, Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman have been filming a movie in Maui. Johnny Depp and the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean will be on my island this summer for the fourth installment of the pirate movies. George Clooney was here in April filming a movie and Steven Spielberg is said to be coming to the island to film. I may need to schedule some time off so I can stalk some of these film crews!

Back to reality! Did I tell you there were no “bugs” in Hawaii? Man was I wrong! Have you heard of the 757? I’m not talking about the airplane; I’m talking about the cockroach! Thank heavens I haven’t seen one, yet; but I’ve been told about them! I have however, killed my first cockroach in my apartment. And without screaming!!! Yes, Hawaii has bugs and most notably the cockroach. But there are no snakes in Hawaii!

There are more than 40 species of ants in Hawaii and centipedes, usually between 5 to 6 inches in length, can be found here as well. There are several types of mosquitoes in Hawaii but the higher up in a building you live the fewer flying insects you meet! My least favorite insect is also on the island; spiders! But not the brown recluse!!! Luckily several frog and toad species can be found on the islands along with geckos. I’ve seen little geckos playing on the ground and in trees while walking and sitting in the drive through at McDonald’s. The geckos, frogs and toads seem to do a good job of eating the insects and it is considered bad luck to kill a gecko.

And while I’m trying to end rumors about Hawaii I’d also like to caution you and warn you to start reading the fine print! You know the fine print at the bottom of your television screen during commercials. Okay, you need to get your DVR in working condition and record some commercials then watch them back in slow motion. When the fine print appears, freeze the screen and read; you might find it interesting; especially if you plan to visit Hawaii or Alaska.

Take for example the Subway commercials promoting the $5 footlong sub sandwiches. Great offer as long as you don’t live in Hawaii or Alaska. The fine print clearly states “not available in Alaska or Hawaii.” Oh, and those yummy Pizza Hut commercials that blast out all the special prices on different sizes and types of pizzas. Yeah, not in Hawaii! Nor the Dollar menu at Arby’s and I could go on and on. I guess it’s the “price” you pay for living in paradise!

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything on my blog and I apologize to my faithful followers for leaving you hanging and ignoring you. As they say, life happens. I had a great visit with my husband and look forward to sharing some of our adventures in upcoming posts. So keep your internet connection up to date as I just might be posting fast and furious the next week or two! So until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

Quick Comment

2010-04-21T13:01:00.000-10:00

Just taking a few minutes out of the business day to share a few comments with my faithful followers. That's kind of cool; "faithful followers." Or rather disturbing depending on your outlook! Anyway a few items of note:

Brent will join me on the island May 5th for a one week visit. This will be his first visit to the island since I moved here March 20th. We both have become creatures of habit over our 13 year marriage so it will be very interesting to see how our habits work together during this visit!
My two little boys, Zosimos and Achates, passed their medical tests so they should be ready to fly to Hawaii on July 28th! I'll be sharing much more on this process as time passes. I think the process of moving these two boys to Hawaii will be much more interesting then my quick move to the island.
The food in Hawaii is wonderful! I have experienced so many different types of food in the 5 weeks I have been here. Most of it I like and only a few items I can do without. Needless to say I'm moving the wrong way on the scale but hope it settles down as I continue to settle into island life!
My co-workers and office mates are still being very nice and welcoming to me. Perhaps we are still in the honeymoon stage or perhaps this is the way of life in Hawaii. I tend to think the later!
I found myself frowning at a driver this morning as I walked to work. The driver was very impatient and kept honking his horn at those infront of him. As he kept honking I kept getting irritated at him and thinking "just chill!" So I guess I have given in to the island way of life and am enjoying some parts of the laid back life! Now if I could just get payroll to slow down a bit...

Until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

Officially I am a resident of Honolulu, Hawaii

2010-04-19T21:06:00.002-10:00

The "legal" definition of Resident is: A person coming into a place with intention to establish her domicil or permanent residence, and who in consequence actually remains there. Time is not so essential as the intent, executed by making or beginning an actual establishment, though it be abandoned in a longer, or shorter period. My resident is 2122 Lime Street, Apt 403, Honolulu, Hawaii 98626. Notice I picked a street name that a "normal" person can pronounce!
Since my last blog had no pictures, I thought I'd overwhelm you with pictures this tme. These are all pictures of the closet, er apartment I have rented for a bargain price of $1400 a month! This is before I began any cleaning, designing and making it mine! I'll share the after pictures in a few weeks. My household goods won't be here until about May 12th. So until then it's the $500 worth of "stuff" that I needed to complete the apartment and make it comfortable for me, Brent, Zosimos and Achates!

This is the view from the front door. You get the living room and kitchen in one quick glance! I think there's actually room for all my dishes that are coming by boat!

The other side of the living room and kitchen from the hallway. See, you don't miss much from the front door! But I've already moved the rug, added another end table and curtains. And the loveseat is sooooo comfortable. There will be many nights slept on that love seat! Oh, and I think the picture above the couch will be replaced with wedding and greyhound pictures!

A close up of the kitchen in case you blinked! And whatever you do, don't look inside the oven! It is DIRTY, NASTY and might get cleaned! Not sure what I can do here except add some Hawaii magnets to the fridge. Maybe add some greenery on top of the cuppoards. Any other ideas?

This is the hallway that leads to the bathroom, hall closet and bedroom. All in 10 steps or less! And still trying to figure out where the cat liter box will go!

Your first look at the bathroom. I've cleaned this room the most! The walls, the countertops, the shower walls and even the floor on my hands and knees. I've changed the shower curtain, added two rugs and bought a shelf to go over the toilet. It will look like a cool bathroom when I am done!

A second look at the bathroom. Can you see me? I actually think with the stand I bought we will have plenty of storage space in the bathroom. Surprise!!!

The hall closet. Okay, there are actually 5 shelves but the hallway is so narrow I can only get 3 in the picture! Once I put all of the landlords stuff in 18 gallon crates and store them on the closed end of the lanai, I think this hall closet will be the perfect size for us!

The bedroom at last! The bed will be removed as I have my own. But look at the lanai (or balcony for you foreigners)! That table and lamp in the corner I moved to the living room. I've got a better table to go there. And the rug on the floor here got moved to the living room. Still trying to figure out how to get curtains up on this wall. May require my husbands help!

View of my closet in the bedroom. What's funny is that this is actually a huge closet for an apartment this size and cost! The stand in the corner will stay, I think it's kind of cool. But the big clock got moved to the living room and the other stuff got put in 18 gallon crates on the lanai.

View from closet of my only air conditioner and the Lanai. Remember what a Lanai is? I actually think I'll have enough room in the bedroom for a loveseat against this wall and the dresser next to the closet on the other wall.

For the women reading this, I thought you might want to see the inside of the closet. It has great potential!See the moulding half way down? I put a tension bar there to hang my bras on. Yes, I hang my pretty work bras. Then I'm going to create a small shelf to rest on top of that moulding to place my purses. See...potential!

Most any girl with this size closet will be pleased with my finished product! And at a bargain price!!! I got some great space saving hangars from Sam's Club (not the ones in the picture) that will help on space plus some space saving hanger things as seen on tv from my Mom in Law and a long tension rod to create another layer that I can hang clothes from. So I should be able to get plenty in here. Now I just need to figure out the shoe placements!

Take a look at this beauty! This is my Lanai and on the perfect day ~ just about any day in Hawaii ~ this will be my special room...Imagine my white rocking chair and matching white table on the balcony. I'll put some PartyLite outdoor decorations and a few windchimes and it will be our own paradise close to the beach.

This is the end of my Lanai where I can store items and protect them from the weather by closing this section of the lanai only. It just gets better...Storage room at no extra cost.

This is the view from the closed end of the lanai. Somewhere out there, past the tall, tall buildings in Waikiki is the ocean...These two sections can also be rolled down to create a totally enclosed room but I like them up for the breeze and view. But how to keep the cats from jumping off the lanai???

This is the view from the other side of the lanai. Way, way back there are the mountains; I promise!

I can't wait to share the after pictures. Brent will have been by for a visit and I'll have some comments from him as well. Yes, I know this is a very small apartment but it's in decent shape. You should have seem some of the places I looked at. Much larger but I wouldn't dare use the toilet, shower or sink in them. I learned that an apartment kept in good shape is better than a large apartment kept in poor shape. It will be a cozy love shack for Brent and I. Oops! TMI so time to close. Much love and hugs from Honolulu!

Take My Word for It

2010-04-12T19:38:00.002-10:00

There is so much to tell you about the island of Oahu and Honolulu but I don’t know where to start so you’ll just have to trust me on these random thoughts as I have no pictures to share this time!

Space is at a premium but what is the population of Honolulu? Great question with several answers. For the incorporated city of Honolulu the population is around 371,657. For the city and county you are looking at closer to 909,863. Then there’s Oahu and Waikiki. I’ll let you Google those. Let’s just leave it with this fact: Oahu is the most populous of the islands in the State of Hawaii.

Space cost money! If you want to live in the heart of everything you want to live in Waikiki, but it will cost you. Don’t expect to see green grass everywhere and don’t expect to hear lots of horns honking. Waikiki is full of high rise buildings and landlords who want to charge a premium for their unit. And people are willing to pay it! In Hawaii you don’t honk your horn. You are supposed to be relaxed and enjoying the island and go with the flow.

The streets or infrastructure had no thought put into it. I’m serious! One street can change names 4 times and there may only be two signs telling you the street name! Some street corners lack a street sign period! Put this together with tons of one way streets and the inability to make U turns and it could take you awhile getting someplace!

Can I buy a consonant? Yes, you read that right. The Hawaii alphabet is made up of 5 vowels and 7 consonants and consonants can’t touch each other! Don’t believe me? Try these common street names that I’ve come to know and love:
     Kapiolani Boulevard
     Kalakaua Avenue
     Kamehameha Highway
And they don’t all start with a K (although they are my favorite):
     Ala Wai Boulevard
     Beretania Street
     Halekauwila Street
     Ala Moana Street
     Ewa Street (the w is pronounced as a V)
Then there are the one’s that make me feel at home:
     King Street
     Paula Drive
     Fletcher Avenue
     Main Street

Some of the roads here rival I-70 through Missouri. Rough! Although it may not seem as rough since the speed limit doesn’t go above 60 mph and that stretch is only about 2 miles in length! Most of the speed limit signs on the high ways I have been on max out at 50 mph! But they are in desperate need of repair!

It rains just about every day; or it has in the past 3 weeks! Luckily if it rains in Waikiki it only lasts a few minutes and it’s a very light, light rain. It rained most of Easter but that was inland and closer to the mountains. It got heavy a few times but for the most part it’s a light mist and I haven’t heard thunder or seen lightning.

The entire island of Oahu is not a tropical paradise. It might be a paradise but not tropical. One weekend I took a drive towards the North Shore but only went about 20 miles and hit terrain that reminded me of a desert. It was very dry, mostly dirt with not much greenery. There is a rain forest on the island but it still isn’t as green or as humid as San Juan.

Sam’s is upstairs and Wal-Mart is downstairs. I’m not kidding! The two stores share one complex and Sam’s is upstairs. The parking garage is four levels and luckily there are elevators. I’d say the selection at Sam’s is about 75% of the one in West Wichita but the Wal-Mart I would guess to be about 50% of what I am use to. I definitely can’t do all my shopping in one place now. And I’m still not use to seeing wine and hard liquor sold in regular grocery stores.

The water tastes good but don’t drink the salt water! I actually don’t mind the taste of the water out of the faucet here. It tastes very fresh and clean and doesn’t taste of chlorine. I still refrigerate my water because I like it cold but I’m saving money on bottled water and water filters!

You can’t drive up to a store, park, run in, pick up a few items and leave. Shopping here involves either walking to the store or driving around looking for a parking spot. I spent way too much time trying to find a parking spot during a recent trip to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. This place is huge! 4 stories of shops and restaurants and parking to match. I only spent 3 hours there and this only involved 3 stores and lunch! I miss the shopping strips back home! What I’d give for an Eastgate Shopping Center right now!

One last thought…there is no Kohl’s, Olive Garden, Slumberland, Quik Trip, Timberline Steakhouse or Mr. Goodcents in Oahu. And I miss Cherry &-Up!

Sunscreen and the Single Person

2010-03-27T19:02:00.001-10:00

I've officially been in Hawaii one week and officially have my first sunburn! I took advantage of not knowing much at work and still going through orientation and spent a Saturday beach hoping! After seeing my hubby via Skype and talking about our week and weekend plans I set out to find an uncrowded beach near Waikiki. One hint to anyone travelling to Honolulu and looking for an uncrowded beach near Waikiki...go early! I left the area around 10:30 am and wound my way through the local streets to the seaside roadway and along the coast. The first area I came to had signs posted that the lot was full! I kept cruising along at 25 to 45 mph (no 65 mph speed zones in Hawaii) and finally came to the famous Sandy Beach. I was lucky and only waited 3 or 5 mintues for a family to leave so I could get their parking spot. I guess this is one of the "hazards" of living in Hawaii...

Sandy Beach was wonderful! There was a great breeze, not too many people and the sound of the ocean was so comforting! I wouldn't realize for several hours that I had one problem...I couldn't get sunscreen on my back! Yes, my back is "as red as a lobster" and as warm as hot, fresh bread right out of the oven! I'm guessing I need to buy spray on sunscreen or take my back scratcher with me next time! The seas were a bit rough and warning flags were posted on the beach but I still had the chance to watch some surfing and enjoy the warmth.

I won't bore you with all the little details of the drive to the next beach (like the view of the ocean as I meandered along the coast with the warm, gentle breeze wisping my hair off my face)... Let's just say I found anouther beach that had even prettier water and I took more time to enjoy the view and get more sun on my back!

Life in paradise does mirror life anywhere else. After some fun in the sun it was back to the room for some chores. Laundry, dishes and some cleaning was on the schedule. Here is where I can ruin your idea of paradise...it costs an arm and a leg! Some examples:

The 2 french dips for $5 at Arby's - not here. The regular combo of the french dip will cost you $8.99.

The Big Mac combo with a large drink will cost you $6.99 in paradise.

One load of laundry will cost you $1.50 in quarters (not counting the soap).

A gallon of gas is now $3.49.

A box of generic kleenex will cost you $1.66 at Wal-Mart

A half gallon of chocolate milk will cost you almost $4.00

But the view from my itty bitty deck of the ocean and the mountains is priceless!

I won't kid anyone, the week has been rough. My new co-workers have made me feel very welcome and remind me of people in the midwest; very down to earth, warm and sincere! The hardest part has been being away from my wonderful husband and furry kids. Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends and other family as well but lets face it, I spent all my time in Kansas with my husband and kids and coming back to a small room every night by myself can be pretty depressing. Lots of tears have been shed by myself and Brent but at the same time we've talked, texted, emailed and Skyped so it could be worse!

Thank you to everyone for the emails, text messages, comments on facebook and prayers. I know things will be rough but will eventually get better. Until next time, keep dreaming of your own paradise and remember that dreams do come true!!!

Am I a College Freshman Again?

2010-03-21T10:15:00.002-10:00

I started my day in Kansas during a winter storm warning on the first day of spring and ended my day in the tropical paradise of Hawaii with high surf warnings. Can one day get anymore extreme than that?

My flight from Wichita boarded on time but due to the snow and ice we sat on the tarmac for about 45 mintues while the plane was de-iced before we could take off. Needless to say we landed in Houston about an hour late and I had 10 minutes to get to my conecting flight. Now if anyone knows me, you know I am currently out of shape and not known for running! But I made it to my connecting flight just in time! As I was huffing and puffing and trying to walk as fast as I could I kept hearing my name on the speaker system: "Would passenger Fletcher please join us at gate 4 for the flight to Honolulu." I pannicked and tried to run faster. Luckily the agents at the gate knew my plane had just arrived and were holding the plane as long as they could. I was the last to board but did find places for my luggage on the 100% full flight!

The 8 hour and 45 minute flight went well. I got to watch a favorite movie, The Blindside, 3 times! I highly recommend flying Continental airlines! They were very friendly and even fed us 2 meals and a snack without asking for more money! I landed in Honolulu at about 2:00 pm and began the journey to my temporary home away from home away from home. I am in a very nice building that is mostly a hotel with a few rooms that are owned by others who rent them out. I am on the 16th floor and have a view of the mountains, the ocean and lots of tall buildings. On the way to my temporary home I stopped at Wal-Mart to buy some basic food to get me through a few days. I'll tell you about Wal-Mart and Sam's another time, it's very unique!

I am unpacked and trying to get organized. I feel as if I am a freshman in college again. I very clearly remember my first week at Emporia State University. I went a week early so I could go through Rush to meet people and it was the worst week of my life! I called my Mom at least once a day in tears saying I wanted to come home. I knew no one and no one was friendly and I hated it and wanted to come home. My Mom kept telling me it would be okay and I would make friends and everything would be good. While she was right it was pure torture getting through those first few weeks. I feel like I am experiencing the same thing now. I know no one, I am in an unfamiliar place, I am alone and I want to go home and be with my family. I know the first few weeks will be torture but I am hoping that now, as then, I will get through it and become a better person. But I will ALWAYS miss my best friend, husband, lover and rock - Brent!

Here are a few pictures of my new location. Are you jealous?

The small kitchen that includes an apartment size fridge, two burners and a convection oven. But I have to wash dishes (no dishwasher)!

This is the view from the front door and kitchen. There is a queen size bed, love seat, table and two chairs. When you sit on the love seat you sink all the way to the floor so getting out is not very ladylike!

The 42 inch flat panel tv and stereo system. Perfect for watching the Final Four or Football!!!

One wall is all windows! There is a small balcony (about 3 feet deep). Can't do much on the balcony but the views are incredible!

It's rather cloudy up in the mountains this morning but I can see the mountains from the balcony.

A view of Waikiki beach from the balcony. Look how clear and beautiful it is!

Just incase you couldn't tell, here is a closer picture of the beach from my room!

Emphasis on the 7

2010-03-18T09:35:00.001-10:00

I made it to the first big deadline: the movers! I've been gathering "stuff" from around the house for the apartment in Hawaii for the last week and I never thought I'd see it all packed up and gone! Heck, I never thought I'd see the dining room table again! Picture an average size dining room with an oval table and 6 chairs covered in pots, pans, glasses, silverware, plates, cups, small appliances, storage containers and everything you need to furnish a small house! You could barely move about the room and when I did I usually knocked stuff over. What took me almost two weeks to carefully gather took 3 movers 3 hours to wrap, pack and haul away.

Two shippments are now on their way to Hawaii. One shippment of clothing, books and pillows will go by air and should arrive in Hawaii in 5 to 7 days (emphasis on 7) and the other shipment of household goods, some furniture and more clothes will travel by ship and should arrive in Hawaii in 5 to 7 weeks (emphasis on 7 again)! Our little PT Cruiser (Elliott) will be picked up tomorrow and transported by truck (ya' know the big semi trucks you see cruising down the road with all the cars in the racks) to California then placed on a ship and scheduled to arrive in Hawaii in 7 to 9 weeks (emphasis on the 9). I'm going to be very busy in about 7 weeks unpacking and setting up house on a tropical island.

With one big task completed I begin another task: worrying. Did I take enough? Did I take too much? Do I have enough clothes? Did I take too many shoes? Did I take my blue purse and did I remember to pack enough towels? Will I have enough to furnish an apartment? Will the apartment be overflowing with "stuff?" How many pairs of flip flops do I need? How many swim suits do I need? And will I really want to burn candles in a tropical paradise? So this worrying will continue for 7 weeks; or so...

My next big task is packing my 2 suitcases, 1 carry on and back pack for the flight on Saturday. I worry about stuffing the suitcases so full that they will weigh more than 50 pounds each and cost me even more to check through and I worry about how I will manage basically 4 suitcases when I get where I'm going! I've always had Brent with me to help with the luggage but not this time. I figure no matter how I pack Brent will end up at the UPS store or the Post Office shipping me some boxes next week because I won't be able to fit everything in the suitcases! Thankfully they won't take 7 weeks to get to me!

Spring Forward in Kansas

2010-03-12T12:13:00.001-10:00

11 days and counting and I think the "To Do" list is getting longer! I'm beginning to think Hawaii is a foreign country and not part of the United States! As part of the relocation package a company has been hired to assist us with transporting two animals to Hawaii and I'm thankful I have their help! The rules, laws and paperwork to get two small cats to Hawaii is almost as big as the National Budget!

If you are planning to move to Hawaii and want to take fluffy with, be prepared for a 6 month adventure! Because Hawaii is a state with no cases of rabies (and they want to keep it that way) they have very strict rules about importing animals to the islands. Their directions are actually pretty straight forward but very lengthy and expensive. The goal is to basically quarantine the animals at home versus in Hawaii. With this I am hoping the cats will either be directly released to me when they arrive in Hawaii or at the very least spend one night in quarantine.

We are trying to become accustomed to the time difference from Kansas to Hawaii. This weekend Kansas will "Spring Forward" while Hawaii will not. So come Sunday morning Hawaii will be 5 hours behind Kansas instead of 4! I'm hoping I don't get the urge to call Brent when it's 7:00 pm in Hawaii; he might not be too happy with a Midnight phone call!

The weekend will consist of more preperations and gathering so everything will be layed out and ready for the moving company on Thursday. I'm glad someone else will be packing and responsible for broken items but it's hard to hand over that control! I also can't believe it will take 5 to 7 weeks for my household goods to arrive in Hawaii. When they say "A slow boat to..." they really mean it.

I've received the information about the temporary housing being provided and I'm hoping the web is honest this time! The "apartment" is located in a hotel complex and looks very nice! I'll know more in about 8 days but until then here's a picture of the building:

The location is west of Waikiki beach and is supposed to be away from the crowds and noise. I'm just hoping I can hoof it to the beach the day before work so I have a little bit of color in my cheeks when I start work!

Don't forget to "Spring Forward!"

What the Heck was I Thinking!

2010-03-11T10:33:00.002-10:00

It is 12 days until I start my new job in Hawaii and my head is swimming. I'm trying to get all my affairs in order, trying to get everything ready for the movers and trying to keep some order in the house for Brent and the kids. Needless to say I'm not sure I'm doing a good job of juggling everything!

The idea of starting a blog about my adventures in Hawaii came from my procrastination and the fact that I can be the "Queen of Unfinished Projects!" Hopefully this blog will keep family and friends current on our life in Hawaii and Kansas. We'd also like to keep family and friends posted on what we and our furry kids are doing.

So, if you don't mind me rambling or blogging about anything and everything sit back and enjoy the ride! We are going to have one heck of a time!!!