"Today is a Good Day to Drive!" .....Van-Go

KoOlina Beach Resort is located about an hour from where Justin lives.  We have a rental car so off we went and arrived.  After checking in at the main desk we moved into our room. We headed out to the beach and watch the sky, listened to the ocean and felt a peace flow through our being. Nothing like looking up at a palm tree. Breathing in ocean air. Getting our feet wet with salty ocean water and feeling sand between our toes. Our resort. Full moon! Movie on the lawn. OH MY GOODNESS!  Look what we found! We headed over to the Longboard and listened to music and watched the hula dancer. Then we got a call from Justin. A tsunami was headed our way from an earthquake in Canada.  We asked at the front desk about it and they said they were working on evauation of the lower floors to upper floors.  We could go to the third floor lounge.  So, we did.  We packed our bags and sat up in the lounge all by ourselves wathching the TV news about Hawii's evacuation...

It was late morning.  We had just returned from a shopping spree at Lowes.  There was a small quiet beep and all eyes turned to the floor where Justin's sweeper left its dock.  We had moved the dock and wondered what this little robot cleaner was going to do. The round computerized sweeper worked its way around the edges of the house then began it's zig zag picking up all the bits and pieces it could find.  It was fascinating to watch it learn the new positions of items and work its way around.  After twenty minutes or so it worked its way back to the dock and in its new position it took it several tries, but finally got it right and settled home to be recharged for another run tomorrow. Kathy made lunch, a spaghetti meal with sweet Hawaiian sausage, garlic toast and salad. Will and Justin mounted the TV on the wall!!  They measured. They drilled; see the stud finder hugging the wall.  It is magnetic and hugs the nails in the studs. And then put the TV...

The kitchen was ready.  We had cut up all the ingredients and prepared for an evening of conversation. This is Forrest's famous burrito mix; we just have to add the pepperjack cheese. We enjoyed some quiet time in the living room. Justin carved the pumpkin. We put out our jack'o lantern to greet Melissa. While waiting Justin and Will played a new computer game. Kathy got the table set. And Melissa arrived bearing gifts. We spent time chatting and catching up. And enjoyed a good Tex-Mex meal together.  Melissa is such a sweet person.  Check out her company, UnLeashed Studio.

    Shopping in Hawaii is a treat; there are so many different foods from around the world to choose from.  Everything has to be shipped in so the cost is a bit more.  Our regular Fiber One cereal is about $4; here it is about $6.  A fresh pineapple in TN was $1; here it was $3.  The pumpkins in the states were $3.88; here they were $5.88. We cut up all the veggies, cooked down the chicken, browned the sausage, cut open the pumpkin and prepared the seed for later. We mixed all the broth and veggies and let it cook. Harvest soup served in a pumpkin. This dinner was inspired by Ammon Walker who told Kathy about their family Halloween tradition. As you scoop out the soup you scrape the edges of the pumpkin too; yum. You want some, don't you. Served with a side salad and crunchy garlic toast.

Check out this view!  We found this windy zigzaggy road that went up through the rain forest and had so many incredible views. Loved those hanging roots! Lots of hiking trails went off into the greenery. This historic home on the mountains edge is for sale; have a few extra million?  The view is fantastic! The trees were so tall! Loved the bamboo and the fence along the road! Diamond Head in its fullness. On our way down we found Puu Ualakaa State Park! There is an overlook there; you can see all around. Very interesting plants, trees and chickens too!