Life is one long weekend

It is easy to lose track of time here. The constant sunshine and feeling of permanent vacation just gets you in that mindset. Our job makes it even easier to do so. With our schedule, we have a week on and then a week off. Which essentially means we have a Hawaiian vacation every other week. Not a bad gig.

During our weeks off we have been living the ultimate Hawaiian fantasy. Secluded beaches, surfing, cliff-jumping, endless amounts of fresh fish. Life is good here.

Our most recent find is this place called "The end of the world". It's about a 10 minute drive from our house and is a cliff-jumpers fantasy. Huge rocks to climb only to jump in to the most crystal clear water you could imagine. It takes some guts at first, (it took me a few hours to get the courage), but once you jump...woo! what a feeling.

Another wonderful feeling is standing up on a surfboard. Now, I am not quite a pro at this one yet. I am much better at falling and crashing in to the reef and being terrified of eels, sharks and any other animal with teeth biting my toes off. However, Tommy is hooked. Paddling out, watching the swells and then using every muscle and ounce of energy in your body to catch a wave and ride it...it's invigorating.

Me, I'm more of a stand up paddle board kinda gal. It's the new craze apparently. Longer, thicker surfboards with a paddle that enable you to catch every wave and just cruise the water. I love it!

When we're not surfing, cliff-jumping or riding waves, we're usually paddling. We've joined a Polynesian canoe club that goes out Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings. An Outrigger canoe is essentially a longer canoe that typically holds a team of 6 people. There is a small

ama attached to the side which helps keep it balanced. The paddling part is nothing like canoeing or rafting as you have to press down on the water instead of pulling back. But once the boat gets moving...you can really haul! It's even better to go out in the mornings and watch the sunrise over the mountain as dolphins swim right next to the boat. It truly is paradise.

We miss you all like crazy and hope that you are able to come visit and experience these things with us. We can promise a fantastic time! Hope to see you soon. Aloha.

Halloweenie

In the beginning, we were a little hesitant to celebrate Halloween on the Big Island. We had heard endless stories of how lame the Big Island is in regards to parties and that Honolulu was the place to be. Unfortunately, with the hospital ordeal and our tiny bank accounts-Honolulu was out of the question so we risked it in Hawaii.

And boy are we glad we did. We spent that night at our friends house called "The Dirty Shack". It's basically just a huge plot of land with "shacks" on the property that overlook the gorgeous Kealakekua Bay. Well, the dirty shack certainly knows how to throw a party with dj's, fire twirlers, and tons of fun.

We started off the night as Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton but ended it looking more like trashy rednecks. (not far off).

A few work friends joined us and we had a fabulous time. Whoever said that the Big Island does not know how to celebrate Halloween has clearly never been to the Dirty Shack.

Blast from the Past

Have you ever come upon an experience that felt like it had the ground work laid out for you before you were even born? And then over time evolved and grew and finally found a way to enter your life? Dani and I had had just that experience this past weekend.

Decades ago Capt. Edwin Allen owned a four seater Comanche plane. He used it to buzz around the cornfields and take his children out to breakfast in a different part of the state each Sunday morning. Eventually he sold his plane and it traveled the country with different owners, even making it up to the last frontier, Alaska. Which is where Capt. Allen had resided years earlier before it was even a state. But the Comanche missed meeting him there by a few decades. By the time the plane come into the ownership of its current pilot, Mike S., it had lost its original red and white paint job and gained a patriotic white coat with blue and red stripes. Mike decided that like most things and people, this plane wanted to be in paradise. He commissioned a another professional pilot fly the plane from California to Hilo, Hawaii. He made the 13 hour flight alone (the three other seats had been removed and shipped to make room for auxiliary fuel tanks). So there, across the Pacific, on the east coast of the Big Island, making charter air tours and flying auxiliary for the Coast Guard, lived Pilot Mike and the Comanche.

A few years ago, Capt. Allen found his old plane and new owner through the federal aviation registry. He wrote Mike a letter describing his adventures and his connection with the aircraft that went beyond mere ownership and sat satisfied reconnecting with a piece of his past and knowing it was still making people happy.

And then Capt. Allen learned that his grandson (me) was moving to the Big Island of Hawaii. Grandpa was beyond excited to give me the story and pictures and contact information for his old fly machine. I took the papers and went on my way to Hawaii and like with the majority of other aspects of my life, procrastinated to get a hold of Pilot Mike. I was also nervous to call up a stranger and try to get through that first few minutes of trying to explain how he should care about talking with me- "Um, you have plane... I have Grandpa... And ummm... " and the like.

A few weeks ago I was able to muster up the effort and call him. And of course, it wasn't nearly as awkward as I was making it out to be and Mike was very nice. He said that he remembered my Grandpa's letter. He said that he had been contacted by other former owners of the plane, proving that this machine makes a connection not easily faded away. Mike told me that if Dani and I were going to be over on his side of the Island to give a few days notice and we could come take a look at the plane and maybe even go up in it. This was more than we expected.

This past weekend it worked out perfectly. A friend is moving off island and we went to Hilo to send her off right with a hat and sunglass party and the next day we were able to meet up with Pilot Mike and the Comanche.

We drove the back roads to the old Hilo airport and were met by Mike to walk out onto the runways after passing through security (a gate). We walked by WW II era crop bi-planes and after passing a few rusty t-hangars, we saw her. Sitting shiny in her home, not looking a day over 10 even though turning 50 this year. We walked around the plane while Mike explained everything thats been upgraded on her and just what makes her such a sought after plane. Of course this aviation jargon was completely lost on our ears but we still understood. It is a beautiful aircraft. We took pictures, asked rookie questions and just waited for him to ask it. And then he did, "So you guys want to go up for a quick buzz?"

First we had to be outfitted with awesome flight/flotation jackets and given the slightly terrifying 'If we have to land on water' speech. Mike took us up 1000 feet above the coast of the Big Island and for about 30 minutes we marveled at coral structures, lush jungle farm lands and waves crashing against lava pouring into the ocean. And feeling really cool the entire time because we got to talk through those awesome headsets. Mike explained the reason for the more air turbulence over the land and we tried to pretend we weren't getting woozy as we prepared for landing. I always wondered what landing was like in those little planes. If you have a great pilot like Mike, they're like buttah.

We helped Mike put the plane back in its hangar and completely wore out the phrase 'Thank you so much'. I told him how much it meant to do this and how thrilled it will make Capt. Allen. Mike told me how touching he found my grandfather's letter.

Capt. Edwin Allen has led and continues to lead an amazing, even legendary life. Dani and I left this experience wondering what we have done in our lives that has set the wheels in motion for the possibilities of amazing experiences for our future family and friends.

Go out and live.

Hilo Hospital

To all of our bloggers out there-I'm sorry it has been a while since our last update. This past week has been a little hectic to say the least.

Last Wednesday I was feeling some slight back pain. I rubbed my favorite remedy (icyhot) on and headed to work Thursday morning. Unfortunately, Thursday night turned in to an all night affair with excruciating back pain and discomfort. I was taken out of the field and spent the next few days at base sleeping and trying to rest up to head back to work.
Unfortunately, that plan didn't quite work out as planned and Tommy took me to Hilo Hospital Monday morning. After a ton of tests including MRI's and CAT scans, I was diagnosed with a kidney infection and lesions on my kidneys.

For the next 4 days Tommy and I cuddled up in a hospital bed watching non-stop cable tv and having nurses poke me all day to take my blood, vitals and IV's. Not to mention, listen to our old Hawaiian roomate who had some serious issues with her bowels. We won't go in to detail there.

After some extensive antibiotics the doctors released me on Thursday saying I was healthy enough to go home. Days later I felt phenomenally better-almost like nothing had happened. I am still on antibiotics but am feeling immensely better. Despite being on an island what feels like millions of miles away, I am so grateful for our supportive friends and family who sent warm wishes along the way. In addition to wonderful doctors and nurses who treated me with such care.

It seems like it should be illegal to have a dog in Hawaii that doesn't like the ocean. But surprisingly...we have one. She doesn't hate it. But she doesn't love it. This past week was dedicated solely to Munson loving the ocean. Code name "Doggy Diving".

We have found the dog beach which helps Miss Munson not only make friends but also play in the water. It is official-Munson has more friends than we do. So that was a success (I guess). Her loving the ocean as much as we

do though... we're working on it. She's not quite there yet.

She flops and flails and doggy paddles here way back to shore but my god is she cute when she does it. Here are a few pictures to prove it...

A new pup and a new home.

With a new addition to our family it has become quite necessary that we move out of our teeny tiny studio apartment. The three of us in one room and hardly any yard just wasn't going to cut it anymore. Before we went to work last week we began looking in to some other houses in the area. The only requirements were that it had a yard and was walking distance to the beach. Little did we know that we were going to land the perfect beach bungalow.

We found a house on Plumeria Street (how Hawaiian) that we were a little hesitant about at first. It resembled somewhat of a shanty town with hardly any lights, tarps used as roofs and trash everywhere. But with a little elbow grease, some bleach and new lumber we were able to make this house a beautiful home. Tommy has been working diligently with his fancy new tools to make a fence and gate for Munson, a kitchen table and knick knacks for the home. While I have been busy gardening, painting any piece of furniture I can get my hands on bright colors and cleaning.

Our new home is a 2 bedroom house. Though one of the rooms is more like a bonus room that we like to call the Kapua Suite for our guests. (Consider this the formal invite). It has hardwood floors throughout the house, french doors that open up on to our deck, a beautiful stained glass window, a big yard for the pup and a backyard full of papaya and banana trees. (Note: the banana trees will be ready in about 3 weeks!) Not to mention, it's a 5 minute walk to a beautiful secluded black and white sand beach.

We've turned our backyard in to an island getaway with hanging lights, lounge chairs, candles and plenty of flowers and herbs. I feel very at home in our new place and am looking forward to another new beginning and adventure in Hawaii. We hope to see you here soon.

Love, Dani, Tommy and little Miss Munson

Miss Munson

A few more pics of our adorable pooch...Miss Munson.