'Twas the Week Before Christmas

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

12/23/23

 

Mele Kalikimaka!  ---

 

It's hard to believe that Christmas is just TWO days away!  I guess I'm ready, and I've been trying hard to get into the spirit of things -- we have lights up inside and outside, the tree is decorated and we've been lighting it each night during dinner and throughout the evening, our Christmas cards are mailed, we've been to several festive events and get-togethers with friends, etc.  I've noted that each year we send fewer cards, partly because this tradition has been fading universally, and partly because of the sad fact that fewer on our mailing list are still upright.  Also, we've taken to sending Season's Greetings by email, a convenient, cheap, but less expressive way of keeping in touch. 

On Sunday we attended a presentation by the Kona Choral Society of Handel's Messiah -- well, the part that focuses on the birth.  It was very well done and featured four soloists, three of whom were exceptionally good.  We know a couple of people in the chorus, including the wife of my old fraternity brother who lives here now.  In fact, we had a delightful dinner with them on Wednesday in their new house that replaces the coffee farm they sold this year.  On Monday we went to a holiday party hosted by the women's organization that Karen belongs to -- one of the fun things they did was to stick a famous name on each person's back and the person had to guess the name by asking any of the other attendees three yes/no questions.  I was Tom Cruise..... Last night we hosted dinner for two of our Ohio friends who are here on their yearly visit to their daughter, a teacher at a private school up north in Waimea.  They are now living in Wisconsin, and have shown the wisdom of their years by coming here during the winter.  It was a real treat to catch up with the three of them, and certainly appropriate to the season. Whew! I'm sure that this much socializing is routine for many people, but for us it is way more than normal.

 

Karen and I have decided to forgo personal gifts this year (except for her new Iphone), and instead we've designated a few items for both of us as Christmas presents -- a new kitchen scale, a portable carpet cleaner, and an electric blanket (!).  Jingle bells!

Early in the week we received our Kenya e-visas (we already have them for Ethiopia).  This eliminates one more obstacle to our trip.  Now all I need is for the Circuit Court Judge to let me out of being on the Grand Jury, something I won't find out until January 5th.  Cutting it a little close, I'd say.

On Wednesday Karen and I played nine holes of "aqua-golf" at Makalei.  It started out sunny, but by the

Where's the Hole?!

fourth hole it began misting, and by the seventh it was raining at a pretty good rate.  We slogged through the ninth hole and then aborted.  Too bad, because although I started off poorly, I was doing much better around the time it started to rain, including one bogey and some satisfyingly good shots.  After the rain started the peacocks ran for cover, but before that we saw quite a few, and also saw our first baby Nene of the season.  Cute little guy!  Actually, our Kona weather has been kind of sucky lately -- night temps have dropped to a frigid 62d and it has been cloudy and rainy parts of most days.  This resulted in a rare monthly electric bill that exceeded our maintenance charge because our pv panels just couldn't cover our usage. It was paid from our surplus credit, but it wiped out our reserves.  Because of the lack of sun and the cold nights, our pool temp has fallen below our wimpy geezer threshold, so we haven't been in for several days this past week.  Oh, the hardships of winter!!!!!

 

Our RSV vaccinations gave neither of us hardly any problems at all, much less than our Covid updates and flu shots. I had a *very* slight sore arm for about a day, but otherwise felt fine. It's a bit of a relief for me to have the extra protection, especially prior to an international trip.

 

Ok, we're off for our usual stop at Farmer's Market and then a beach picnic breakfast.  Take care. Stay warm and healthy.  Merry Christmas!