One Eyeball Shot,Two Anniversaries, Four Frogs, One Pair of Twins

 [Note: this is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.] 

6/5/21

 Aloha All –

This has been a busy week.  As expected, I did need another eyeball injection, but even so there was good news from my retina doctor: I have a nicely shaped macula.  He meant that instead of being misshapen from edema that it actually was near normal, except for the one spot that is still oozing a little.  Anyway, he used the minimum numbing drop method and I had very little problem with the shot itself, both at the time and the next day.  With continued luck, I’m good for another 3 months, though I’ll go back in 6 weeks for a checkup just to make sure.

This week was our yearly double celebration of the last day or working and the first day of retirement. This was number 21, which is very hard to believe. Both of us retired at the same time in 2000, which makes it easy to keep track of. Neither of us has had any difficulty adjusting to retirement, and though we enjoyed our careers we have certainly enjoyed retirement too. We don’t do much to celebrate except having half a bottle of champagne and appetizers at each of the two sunsets.

This week I achieved a personal best in coqui catching – 3 in one night!  And the next night I got another one in the same area for a total of 4. Our continued wet afternoons have really revved them up, and although we don’t have many that manage to move in, our neighbors are producing a never-ending supply of interlopers.  I attribute my increase in catching ability mainly to practice.  I can now more easily discern where they are perched from their calls – which is often not at all where it sounds like.  I’ve also gotten better at seeing them because I've learned to look for a tell-tale shape despite their excellent camouflage. Finally, my grabbing technique is also better from practice, and I’m now more comfortable with the sensation of having one in my fist.  As I’ve mentioned before, the most sure-fire and humane way to kill them is to put them in a plastic bag and toss it in the freezer.  Bam!  Coqui-cicle.

Next week we will be hosting some special guests.  A former colleague of Karen’s is bringing her orphaned twin grand kids to visit.  They are 11-year old girls, very smart and mostly well-behaved, but also full of energy.  This will be a challenge for us.  We’ve been planning as many activities as we can that they might be interested in, and we’re hoping a lot of time in our pool and at the beach will also work.  Of course, this has required some extra house-prep, too, since it will involve both of our guest rooms instead of just one.  The one where the kids will be staying is usually Karen’s she-cave – and so it has required some attention it usually doesn’t get in terms of stowing stuff and cleaning. Anyway, as we understand it they are very excited about coming to Hawai’i and have been counting down the days.  Should be fun but exhausting for us.  I’ll give you an update next week.

Okay, there’s more but I’ll stop there. Off to market and beach breakfast picnic.