Volcano Snorts, Foil Fixes, Workout Mania

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

2/5/22

Aloha Ohana!

All is well here. Hope that's true for you too.

I realize I haven't mentioned anything about our volcano for quite some time, so I'll catch you up.   It's still active, but not doing anything newsworthy. Basically it's gone into a pattern like someone

sleeping who has an occasional brief snorting episode as they turn over. All activity is in the summit caldera of Kileaua, inside a vent called Halema'uma'u, where a lava lake formed about 1 1/2-2 years ago.  Most of the surface of the lake has crusted over, but there is a spot near the edge where fresh lava spews then shuts off for a week or so. For about the past 6 months these cycles have been very regular. When the lava is flowing the SO2 levels rise, which produces a slight amount of vog along our coast, then things clear again when the lava stops.  The Volcano National Park is open and draws a lot of tourists, but parts of it are still closed and there really isn't much of a view of the current activity.  

I managed to fix the keyboard of my old computer.  As you recall, it died right after I transferred all the files to the new one.  I still want to keep the old one accessible, though, in case I need something I might have overlooked.  I cleaned out the battery compartment of the keyboard and this week I examined it very closely.  One of the contacts was very badly corroded, and much of it broke off when I tried to scrape off the corrosion. This meant the new battery wasn't making hardly any connection. Hmmmm.  In a flash of ingenuity I tried taking a piece of aluminum foil and stuffing it between the battery and keyboard contacts.  Voila!!  Kindasortamaybe fixed!!  So, let's see. To everybody's toolkit should be added bailing wire, duct tape, and aluminum foil.  

Karen and I worked out at Planet Fitness on Monday to earn our Vietnamese Lemon Grass sandwich on the beach afterwards.  Very few people were in the gym at the time, so we felt pretty comfortable.  Besides being a very large facility with great equipment, we like this venue because the motto is "No Judgement,"  which draws people of all ages and body types.  Sure there are the trim and firm youngsters, but there are also many of us who...uh....aren't.  On Thursday Karen played golf and I went back to the gym again.  Wow, two workouts in one week.  I may have to buy some "muscle" shirts.

That's about it.  We are watching the mainland weather with sympathy and maybe a touch of amusement.  Just remember, Spring will come eventually.  That was the change of seasons I remember loving.

Take care.  Stay healthy and warm.