We Are Home

[Lucy]

Carrie has a birthday!! I'm not telling her age, but I think it might be 34 if you want to guess. Actually it was yesterday that I posted it on the Lani, but we did not hear from her, so she must still be orienting herself around the time change and all the goings on of her new place.

Remember to Wish her a Happy Birthday and tell Tony to get her whatever she wants!

When you get some sleep, let us know how it is in your new house, since you have just been there going on your sixth day or so!
What is life like in Hawaiian Shores?
Better than you remembered it!

Also today is Gina's Birthday too! Happy Birthday to her also and I am sure that you will be talking to her and making it special!

Aloha,
Lucy


Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai

Edited by - Lucy on 09/29/2006 08:37:37

[Carolann R]

Aloha Lucy and thanks for your kind words...no such luck as 34...I was just pulling your leg...but I'm not telling...it's just wrong. LOL

We are tired, but very pleased with our little house in Hawai'i...it's so nice to have half the area to clean! Mom and I did a little bread baking today, 'cause dang! Those bread prices are not a good thing. I wonder how much humidity plays a part in the rising of the dough...Mom used to own her own bakery and we had a little trouble with the baking process. Anyone with tips...whazzup?!

We are still trying to acclimate to the time change...guess our inner-clocks are more stubborn than I thought. But the coqui are right on time...4:59pm today...

We went into Pahoa town to get Tony and Mom haircuts at Jan's...that was so fun. Mom said it reminds her of Steel Magnolias...I said "yeah, but Hawai'ian style!"

Tony and I rented a couple of movies from Pahoa Video which has a surprisingly large selection.

We went to Cost-U-Less today and really for me, I was not impressed with the prices...I think we can do better at Wal-Mart (sorry, I hate 'em too, but can't deny their prices) and Safeway (when you shop the sales with your card).

I am very impressed with Chuy - he's doing so well. We have been walking in the mornings together and Chuy didn't freak at the major doggage on our journeys...he just kept eyes forward and his pace quick. We saw a group of hens walking down the easement of Puni Mauka...he didn't even flintch...just kept on with our walkabout. He is fascinated by my neighbors cats as they keep their distance and go into a staring kinda trance thing. He's really never been exposed to them aside from the ones he's chased a couple of yards distance in Arizona. Now, Chuy is only 6 pounds or so and very cute...but thinks he is a big guy and is all boy (Except of course at night when the crook of mine or Tony's leg is his nest.)

That's the update for now. Not into too much activity just yet...but will definitely check out Makuu for our veggies, etc. on Sunday. Need to connect with Da Banana Boys and get some bananas at a reasonable price...cracks me up so expensive on this island...oh well.

Mom and I are gonna do baking and some canning, etc. Anything we can do to lighten the financial load! Many Mahalos to my neighbors...cyber and otherwise!


Carrie

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm

[Lucy]

Carrie,

Just some thoughts here--
One of the easier things to grow are bananas. If you find some type that you like the taste of at the markets, ask them what kind they are. Then plant one of each kind and you will get bananas and lots of plants. You might connect with Tony who is out there checking up on spares from the Classifieds here and see if he has come up with any that he doesn't mind sharing some of. You won't get bananas soon, but you eventually will. Plus since bananas get ripe the same time on a stalk, you might just find someone who is willing to let you have some and can give you as much as your heart desires...

I prefer the baby bananas and have to eat two or three at a time, but that is because I usually don't get them that often. They sell them here, but they are pretty high. More than our reg. 39-42 cents a lb kind of Chiquita's or Dole.

Bananas are good for you and great for breakfast along with papaya, so if you clean some seeds of those and stick in a pot and then maybe some in the ground, you can see where you want those put later. I use them here as an ornamental. You will be amazed at how fast one of those shoot upward. If you buy a pineapple, save the top with enough around the green center attached to root. Let it dry out for maybe a week and then, stick it in the ground.

I always like to plant the arugula mix and some other greens and this can be in a long row planter and they do well that way. Although you might need to do two planters if you like it weekly, but space out your planting and throw some seed in often and you'll continually have it growing for you.
Lots more of ideas that others could share with you on what works growing there where you are, based on what your food preferences are.

If you have a freezer and don't mind thawing out bread if you get tired of making it, in Kailua, there is a wholesale day old place for Orowheat bread. Worked fine for me while I was there and I also loved that Poppy seed Hazelnut kind from Safeway...mmmm, wish I had that here. Also we prefer some of the meats from Costco over all and usually buy it there and freeze some and works that way real well for us. At least here in Tx. the quality is tops when comparing the prices at other grocery stores.

Maybe someone can give you a rundown on where the best bargains are and I think it was Steph or Carey that did that before on here somewhere. Maybe you'll find that in the search, like you say it is the usually here! LOL, just trying to be helpful, actually.

Glad to hear that you all are having so much fun. I remember how it was to wake up and your first mornings in Hawaii, even though it was always 3 am LOL!! Then the birdsong would be so sweet and I could lay there listening for hours feeling good until the rest of the household got up and then I would be so tired that I could fall asleep and take a nap!

It would be so cute to see Chuy checking out the neighborhood cats, flora and fauna.

Aloha,
Lucy

PS you did give me your actual age in a private email, but hey, I'm not telling, girl!

Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai

Edited by - Lucy on 09/30/2006 21:13:28

[Carolann R]

Thanks Lucy...yes I did give you my actual age...NOW - on to bananas, etc. We have more bananas than we will need and it'll be about another few weeks and we will be freezing some for future smoothies LOL! We also have papaya, which we're enjoying now, and avocado, coconut, noni (anyone want some NONI?), pineapple (none right now 'cause I think the feral pigs were enjoying them in our absence).

We've compared a few places and frankly Wal-Mart, Safeway and KTA look to be a good combination. When the freezer gets here on the truck mayhaps we'll make a trip to Kona to Costco...maybe not...depends on what we find here. It's a fuel investment for sure but if we can find good buys here locally, I'm into that! Makuu Market is for our weekly veggie run and future canning depot LOL! We're gonna invest in a few canning jars and get the whole business of stocking up started. Just makes sense with prices like they are.

Mom's bread came out fabulous...mine was rising a little too long and looks a little unhappy haahaahaaaa...

We went for a ride up the Hamakua coast yesterday...mom never saw it and was amazed. Didn't know WHERE to look first. Something was happening downtown Hilo, but not sure what - big faire of some sort...we bypassed that and headed for Tex's for malasadas and some lunch (which proved to be an indulgent combo).

Tony's laptop is proving invaluable since it's keeping us connected to cyberspace...we just can't print anything - but come to think of it don't really have a need to.

So here it is 4am...just typical since can't seem to shake Arizona time yet.

I go for morning walks with Chuy around Puni Mauka Loop...it's a pretty walk and I usually come back with lots of wild orchids and I don't know what that vine that creeps over the trees is - with the big yellow flowers? But - it's pretty on the table in a vase. We'll find our routine here I'm sure...it's breathtakingly pretty and I'm willing to be patient since this is what I get to look at ))


Carrie

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Bono
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm


Edited by - Carolann R on 10/01/2006 04:46:33

[jdirgo]

Last night was KWXX's annual Ho'laulea -- huge party in downtown Hilo with tons of bands.

John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com