Almost home

Hello, friends,
This will probably be the last entry I write from Hawaii.  It has been a wonderful time filled with many adventures and connecting with friends.  I am sad to leave but I will be glad to be home and see my family and sleep in my own bed and get back into the routine of life.  But I have most of a day left here yet.

Yesterday my friend P went to her Gallery Management class (learning how to curate art exhibits) - she's really enjoying it.  She takes all kinds of classes, mostly in the art realm, and she is a splendid artist.  She paints, does stained glass, makes jewelry, and currently is making leather bowls for a craft show later this year.  No wonder we get along so well - I have way too many hobbies, too.  She proudly showed me her craft room, which she said was party inspired by my workshop I set up in my garage this past year.  She has her things much better organized than I do.

While she was gone, I went for a run.  Well, an "interval" run.  I went almost 5 miles in the nearby neighborhood, which is fairly hilly, walking some and running some.  I'm not used to running when it's 76 degrees, so I got a good workout.  I remembered the route I ran a few years ago when I was training for my very first race.  The scenery was stunning.  It took me quite a while to cool down.

After that, P had returned from her class, and we got in the car and headed out.  We went to a couple of beaches (I don't remember the names of them, but P would).  We were going to go beach combing, but the surf was really high and dangerous.  It was exciting to watch, and the colors of the ocean are always fascinating and so difficult to capture on film.  (well, on digital).  We drove out up the coast, stopped at the craft store for some materials (we're going to work with some metal clay today) and at the supermarket for some exotic syrups (coconut, guava) for me to ship home.  We also stopped and split a sandwich at a little bistro.

Refueled, we headed northwest up the coast. We went to a really cool store with a lot of locally made clothing and items.   We stopped at a scenic overlook to watch the surf splashing up the rocks.  We walked down another beach that was at high tide.  There were not many pickings; most of the stuff washed up consisted of pieces of plastic - very sad.

Eventually we landed at the Polynesian Cultural Center to look in the shops.  P and I bought some jewelry from the artist, and she gave us a great deal (especially compared to some of the other kiosks).  The weather was off and on misty, cloudy, and sunny, but it was balmy and the company was fun.  P's car does not have a working cigarette lighter so we were unable to charge our phones.  I had enough charge left to call my kids to wish them a goodnight, at least.  Before we left we got some chocolate-covered salted caramels, and I got some ice cream.  Yum.

When we got home, R was there with two of their grandkids.  Shortly after that they took them to a restaurant for dinner.  I declined and stayed here to get some things packed and work on my blog.  

This morning, P is at class again, but she plans to come home early so that I can take her and R to lunch, and then we are going to make some metal clay pieces.  My plane leaves at 8:45 tonight, so we'll see what the rest of the day holds.

My apologies for the sometimes pedestrian flow of this blog; often it was more for my own remembrance than a writing exercise, and I'm sorry to say I have not waited for the Muse to show up.  Days here have been full, with not a lot of time for contemplation these days.  I am also sorry to say that I am now acclimated to this time zone - just in time to head home and be off 5 hours.  Sigh.  Oh well, it will take me a week or so to recover.  Wish I had another week off....  ;)

Thanks for following me so far.

Blessings,
W