Another Try...

I haven’t updated this blog in some time now…and some of you who check(ed) it were quick to call me out on that fact. It’s almost been a year of living in Hawai’i for me now and I cannot believe how fast the time has gone! I’m on my way back to Hilo right now, waiting for my island-hopper at the Honolulu airport. As I watch the sun beginning to go down behind the Waianae (west Oahu) mountains, I’m trying to remember when I started appreciating sunsets…was it back at Manhattan beach looking over Trout lake, or looking out over the pines in Lino Lakes? Either way, it makes every day seem special. Now most sunsets I see in Hilo are muted by the afternoon clouds looming over Mauna Kea. So when I get to see a clear one it makes me remember all the sunsets I’ve seen and those I’ve shared them with back home. In between clear sunsets I can settle for incredible sunrises on my drives to work…
I had a great visit with friends and family, getting a new sister-wait- I guess a whole new side of the family! Tess’ family is so much fun, great hosts of the best wedding in the history of weddings! But, it was an emotional wedding to be a part of. I have to admit I cried, but I know I laughed more because my face still hurts. I may have a new research idea too…can I prove that laughing can cure hangovers almost better than puking (maybe the bridesmaids would be interested in participating…). I’ll need every bit of this 5 week ‘vacation’ before my sis’ wedding next month!
Between now and then, I will be moving into another rental house, working 3 weekends and napping my afternoons away on the beaches of Hilo. I’ll have two roommates, an x-ray tech from MN and a middle school teacher from Colorado. We’ll be living 5 miles north of Hilo in a town along the Hamakua coast. We’ll be just across the highway from a beautiful 4 mile scenic drive and we’ve got all kinds of tropical fruit trees in the yard! I hope to start regular training again for the Honolulu Marathon in December. Hopefully with more regular training I can dip down under 3 hours again.
Since my last blog entry, as I told some people…I’ve traveled to Oahu 4 times and Maui once. I’ve yet to make the trip to Kauai. On the Big Island I’ve explored more as I had two tour groups of visitors come in March. I‘ve watched a few sunrises from nearly 14,000ft, kayaked across Kealakekua bay, hiked to the top and bottom of waipio valley, run a marathon in Hilo, and one in Kona (west side, pics on www.hawaiiphotoman.com my bib #s are 113 and 143 for the races), snorkeled a good bit , surfed some (more like paddled for hours). I also joined an outrigger canoe team only to get injured a bit, having to quit. I’ve been adventuring with and dating a traveling speech therapist who has decided 3 months wasn’t long enough to be assigned to Hawaii.
My work is becoming habit; I’ve settled in to a routine at the hospital and get along with everyone I work with. They’re always interested in hearing my stories from weekends touring the islands, funny they rely on me to remind them that we live in paradise.
I’ve got to board my flight now, I hope this serves as a good enough blog renewal and hope some of you who read this make questions and comments to feed the fire and keep this blog going! Mahalo!