Big Birthday, Lost Passports, Rumbling Volcano

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

5/11/24

 

Aloha All -- 

 

Well, today is Karen's xxth (censored) birthday-- but she's keeping it low-key. She had lunch with a couple of friends yesterday at  the Four Seasons resort up north, and tonight we might have dinner somewhere up north.  However, the weather has turned so yucky that we may put that on hold. A rather big rain system is moving across the state this weekend and part of the positive experience of eating out here in Hawai'i is that you eat truly out -- outside, that is.  But not when it's raining. She was adamant that I not get her a gift, but I couldn't let that happen and got her something simple to wear -- a risky thing to do, but she seems ok with it.  Although the event is low key now she's chosen to return later in the year to southeast Asia  (Thailand and Cambodia) as her way of  celebrating the occasion.  This will be in November. and we've begun planning the trip.  

Karen's driver's license expired this year and the renewal process led to the discovery that our passports are missing.  She wanted to use her passport as proof of ID and citizenship, but couldn't find it in the usual place where we keep them.  We had them when we re-entered the US on our return  from Africa in February.  We landed in San Francisco and spent the night before flying home.  We're sure we put them away and used our driver's licenses when we checked in for our Kona flight the next morning, but now we

Yeah, Those

can't find them anywhere in the house.  We spent a few days looking in every drawer, crack, piece of luggage, clothing, etc. --- everywhere and anywhere they could conceivably (and inconceivably) be -- before concluding that we had to replace them,  This is very puzzling and frustrating because we are usually very, very careful with them and have a set routine when we use them to travel.  Anyway we have bitten the bullet and started the process of getting new ones. This turns out to require filling out a form reporting them missing, which immediately and permanently invalidates them, and then applying for brand-new ones, a process that requires documentation of citizenship and identity in the form of birth certificates, driver's licenses, and an in-person visit to a designated passport acceptance center -- in our case one of our local post offices.  We made an appointment and on Tuesday had our interview, only to find out that our photos weren't acceptable because we had smiled, and I had printed out the online form doubled-sided while the original is on separate pages (!). We made another appointment for the next day, hustled to the passport photo department in Walmart for new photos, and reprinted the applications.  Back again the next day and mine passed inspection, but Karen's didn't because her driver's license is only a temporary one until she gets her permanent card.  Sooooooo, we will hope we can get her application in soon --- our deadline is in July, when we leave for Canada.  It should work out, but I hate the uncertainty. 

My final bit of news is that Kilauea is rumbling again.  For about a week starting April 27th the volcanologists detected magma rising and recharging the summit and an area called the Upper East Rift Zone. Then it seemed to quiet down for a few days, but as of yesterday it is rumbling again.  The two main indicators of unrest are small earthquakes (hundreds of them) and ground inflation of the areas where magma is intruding.  Here's part of the volcanologist assessment from yesterday: "Magma continues to pressurize the system...,activating seismicity along faults in the upper East Rift Zone. At this time, it is not possible to say whether this increase in activity will lead to an intrusion or eruption in the near future or simply continue as seismic unrest at depth. Changes in the character and location of unrest can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption."  In other words, maybe, maybe not.  However, it is certain that Kilauea will erupt again -- it is a very active volcano and the quiet, vog-free period we've been enjoying is the exception to a fiery past.

 

That's it for this week other than to mention that I'm continuing to enjoy our new car, we got our new license plates,  I played a so-so round of golf on Wednesday, and I received my eyeglasses Thursday.  They definitely help, but aren't quite as helpful as I had hoped.  I'll get another injection next week.  Also coming up will be the installation of our replacement pool solar system and an ultra-sound examination of my aorta  Exciting times!

 

Hope your weather hasn't been as extreme as some people have been experiencing.  Enjoy whatever good weather you get,   Take care, stay sane and remember that there really is a middle ground  -- try not to lose sight of it.....