Becoming a Bogey Man, Lockdowns Looming

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

8/21/21

I’ll get right to the good news of the week.  On Wednesday Karen and I played golf again at Makalei.  This was the same mountain course where she regularly plays, the one with the peacocks and Nenes.  It

Happy Bogey Man

was a beautiful day again for my second outing – clear, sunny, great view of the ocean.  It was a bit wet to start from the rain the day before, but that wasn’t a problem (in some places the course is so steep that people often spin their golf carts when they put on the brakes too hard).  Karen did exceptionally well and I did too, including getting what I understand are called “bogeys” on two holes – one stroke over par.  I’m now a bogey-man!  We still didn’t finish all 18 holes, though – I pooped out after 14, which is three more than last week.  I’m not hooked yet, but it was certainly a good experience.

Now for some bad news.  The unvaccinated pandemic is much worse. We have now filled the available beds in our local hospital and all but one of the Covid patients are unvaccinated.  The number of active cases on the island now exceeds the number at any time last year, and over 90% are unvaccinated.  Testing centers have reopened and are doing a brisk business. Some people have seen the light and are getting vaccinated at an increased rate – a bit late to stave off this sh*t storm, but still a hopeful sign.  The Governor and the Mayor are soon going to reinstate some of our previous restrictions, including reducing gatherings on beaches, closing the libraries, parks and other public facilities where people come into close contact.  Loosening the distance requirements in restaurants is on hold after being very close to being relaxed. Also likely is the reinstating the requirement of a negative test to travel between islands, even with a vaccine certificate.  This may even be extended to travelers from the mainland as well. (Oh, a note to visitors: some have been caught with fake vaccination certificates, an offense with a justifiably stiff fine and quarantine.  Stay home, please.) We tried to get booster shots this week, which I think we qualify for, but the only vaccine available right now is the Moderna, and we need Pfizer.  At any rate, we’ll get one as soon as we can, hopefully before our Mexico trip next month.

Our rainy weather in Kailua continues – about 3 inches for the week at our house.  However, to the north there was another wildfire on saddle road.  Fortunately this one was controlled before it got very big.  The record-breaking fire around Waimea and Waikaloa is now contained, some good news.  Remember, we’re only talking about 40 miles between being soaked and being burnt. I believe there was some rain in that area late in the week, and that may help.

Today I see my retina doctor again.  It's been 6 weeks since my last injection and I might need another. I'm going to have a bit of a timing issue, though, because of our upcoming trip. I don't think I can last from now until we return, and so I may need to have another just before we leave -- but that's shorter than the usual interim. Hmmm. I'll let you know how this turns out.

Ok, I guess that’s about it.  Hopefully we’ll be able to have our beach picnic this morning if the beaches haven’t been closed.  Take care everyone.  This, too, shall pass.  Let’s hope it will be soon.