...or at the very least, "not now."
I have a friend at church who, like many here on Maui, loves to fish, and has the boat to facilitate this (hopefully) productive pastime. He also is a waiter at our favorite high-end restaurant, and has served us for a couple of celebrations. Our last visit to this fine restaurant was a celebration that turned out to be premature, when the escrow that had opened died an ugly death just a few days later. oops. Recently, we have been planning another such celebration, and when I told Ron that we would be up only AFTER this current deal closed, having learned out expensive, albeit tasty, lesson last year, he agreed. "Don't want to throw the gaffe too soon!" was his wise counsel. Having been raised by a fishing dad, I knew what this meant: a gaffe is a large iron hook on the end of a wooden pole, and is used to hook a fish in the gills as the angler is reeling it into the boat. Gaffe too soon, you risk missing the gills and knocking your prize catch free. Soon Nemo is off telling other fishies the cautionary tale of his encounter with what looked like a free meal, while on the boat a very angry angler is looking at the eager-but-errant gaffer, weighing the pleasure versus the consequences of tossing his buddy overboard to go after the said escaped fish. Don't gaffe too soon.
The bible even has all kinds of cautions about boasting and predicting and making plans before God's time. James 4:13-16 says it clearly, in case the subtle didn't work - "you say 'today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and make a profit' yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring..." As much as I love the book of James, and read it often, somehow, I was still ready to ignore it. I made plans and predictions and boasted about what we would do and where we would go once this latest deal closed. We threw the gaffe.
Fortunately, the proverbial gaffe was only in the form of plans and boasting, and not a fancy dinner at Chez Yumminess, but it is still tough. We thought that a sizable deal that Don had been working on since October would close - first in January, then February, then March (sense a pattern!?!?), then finally, on my birthday in April. Finally last week, the deal, which had been on life support, had the plug pulled. weeeeeeeeeeep...flatline. On top of that, I was supposed to be doing a wedding for their horse trainer on their new Big Island property. ah, well.....
I must admit, this trial that Don and I have been undergoing is getting a bit...trying. But if it were easy, it wouldn't be much of a trial - a kind of Judge Judy, where everyone gets scolded, the winner gets paid, but so does the loser (read that one any way you want), just not as much. I would take coming in second right about now, truth be told. But, I am again reminded in Isaiah 55:8 "your thoughts are not my thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." Yeah, true. But at least maybe I could give an opinion or have a vote or something! On second thought, as I look back on my more-than-a-half-century of living, my opinion, votes, and somethings more often than not lead to much trouble and infinite drama.
A couple of weeks ago, Don and I were enjoying a morning of watching waves and praying. My beloved made the observation, "except for the money part, our life is great!" I cracked up, but it's so true! We are blessed with an amazing church family, who keep praying for us through thick and thin. We live in a place of breathtaking beauty. Don's business - believe it or not - is quite vibrant, with a few clients poised to pull the trigger (so fire, already!!). Most importantly, we are feeling that we are used by God in really amazing ways. Well, maybe amazing isn't the word. Surprising is more accurate. From nursery to coffee cart to putting girl-stuff in the park ladies' room for 10:30 service, we are kind of thriving in the mundane - but Jesus did some of His best stuff in the day-to-day and ordinary spaces of life - teaching at a dinner party, taking a walk during a cruise, and hosting thousands at a picnic when the young caterer was, shall we say, underprepared.
So, we still are in our shabby-without-the-chic condo and still without our doggy - but she is safe and so are we. We are learning to adapt and adjust. SInce it is peak season right now, the island is chalk full of visitors and potential clients for Don. But since it is peak season right now, all those potential clients are occupying everything, so Don doesn't have a space to have an open house to meet any potential clients. ADAPT!! Don decided to hold this place open again. PANIC!! The phrase "putting lipstick on a pig" comes to mind. But then realizing that the primary purpose is for Don to meet folks, we'll just try to make this place look not scary.
Tonight's bible study was on Proverbs 10. Verse 25 tells us that "When the storm passes by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm". WHEN the storm passes...not if. And I'm not naming names on the wicked - that's up to God. And I am certainly not claiming to be righteous. I can only strive to do that by being obedient. And instead of whining about God not answering the many prayers coming from this home and many others who are praying for us, I need to accept that He is much, much smarter than I.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Epilogue
One week ago today the world seemed to be the normal level of messed-up that we have all become sadly accustomed to - unrest in the Middle East, a crazy little dictator in North Korea threatening to blow up the world, and the economic woes of this nation beating its citizens about the head and shoulders. Our televisions had a rotation of grim-faced experts telling us the sky is falling...still. Seven short days later and these images have been replaced by the horrific scenes from Japan. No B-director of disaster movies could do more. It keeps all of us here mindful of how small our issues are in comparison - but that's like kind of telling someone who had his finger cut off that it doesn't hurt because the guy in the next room had both legs cut off. Pain is pain.
In looking back over the past few days, and after a few trips around the island to see how things are, one thing has struck us: the resiliency the people here. On Saturday, Don and I toured the Central Maui area, near the airport and Kanaha Beach - world renowned for it's appeal to kite boarders and windsurfers due to the powerful trade winds that blow through from the north. The parks were closed. The place was a mess. Tangles of branches and tree limbs and trash was pushed up against fences and railings, and a long mass of it lay in the flood control channel, easily a hundred yards from the beach. There are homeless who live there, and while the police had evacuated the park residents, much of their meager belongings remained behind to be pushed up along with all the rest of the debris - bright colors in the brown and gray muddy masses. Parts of the guardrails had been knocked down.
On Wednesday, son Greg arrived from the mainland, and we drove the short distance to Kanaha to show him some of the damage. To our surprise, the place was almost entirely brought back to normal. County workers had been busy - and still were - cleaning up the mess. The parks were open, kiters resuming their sport, and the only sign of the tsunami's calling card was the piles of debris in the flood canal and the as-yet unrepaired railing.
Last friday, as the tsunami continued its surging and receding, we saw the damage in Lahaina Harbor, and in the surrounding waters. Most of the boats stayed out of the harbor until Saturday or Sunday because of the ongoing event and the unpredictability and apparent capriciousness of the waves. But some had not heeded the warning, resulting in a few boats being swamped or overturned, or even breaking apart their own dock. Pieces of planking could be seen floating off the Lahaina sea wall. Ma'alaea Harbor sustained damage to both boats and docks, with the surge completely engulfing the parking lots, and the recession draining nearly all the water. The water beyond the harbor had the color and consistency of watery beef gravy. The snorkel and whale tours that use these harbors only lost a day of revenue, and were up and running by the weekend.
Closer to home, the pool here that was a total mess, filled with mud, sand, and all kinds of debris, was open for business on Saturday as though Friday's mess had never existed. The only lingering effect was the lack of sand at the base of our sea wall, but it is slowly being brought back by the sea.
Maui is breathing a collective sigh as we all return to normal, with our only souvenirs being the stories we share.
Our neighbor island to the southeast did not fare so well. Ali'i Drive, the main drag through Kona Town was completely inundated by the surge. It swept through businesses and hotels - including the recently renovated King Kamehameha Hotel. Don and I were there last October and admired all the new furniture, artwork, and the new shops with their large glass display windows. All destroyed. One shop owner had just opened, and most of her new garments and other merchandise were pulled out to the streets. The five-star Four Seasons Resort in Hualalai in North Kona sustained a devastating hit and won't be open for four to six weeks. But the most astonishing is also the most wrenching - an entire house was swept off into Pristine Kealakekua - or Captain Cook - Bay. The sight of this large two-story home floating along is remarkable, but the scene below is sickening. Pieces of the home's contents are strewn on the fragile reef - a dishwasher, with dishes still in the drawers, a mattress and box spring, a door from some unnamed inner room. But all of this is being addressed and repaired with speed and care.
So, a week ago, as I finish this up, we were waiting for our second siren to sound. And now that we've had a week to clean up, and swap tsunami stories (tstories...!??!), we can offer all our praise and Thanksgiving to a merciful God who spared us, and pray for those in Japan who would give anything for our level of "damage"
In looking back over the past few days, and after a few trips around the island to see how things are, one thing has struck us: the resiliency the people here. On Saturday, Don and I toured the Central Maui area, near the airport and Kanaha Beach - world renowned for it's appeal to kite boarders and windsurfers due to the powerful trade winds that blow through from the north. The parks were closed. The place was a mess. Tangles of branches and tree limbs and trash was pushed up against fences and railings, and a long mass of it lay in the flood control channel, easily a hundred yards from the beach. There are homeless who live there, and while the police had evacuated the park residents, much of their meager belongings remained behind to be pushed up along with all the rest of the debris - bright colors in the brown and gray muddy masses. Parts of the guardrails had been knocked down.
On Wednesday, son Greg arrived from the mainland, and we drove the short distance to Kanaha to show him some of the damage. To our surprise, the place was almost entirely brought back to normal. County workers had been busy - and still were - cleaning up the mess. The parks were open, kiters resuming their sport, and the only sign of the tsunami's calling card was the piles of debris in the flood canal and the as-yet unrepaired railing.
Last friday, as the tsunami continued its surging and receding, we saw the damage in Lahaina Harbor, and in the surrounding waters. Most of the boats stayed out of the harbor until Saturday or Sunday because of the ongoing event and the unpredictability and apparent capriciousness of the waves. But some had not heeded the warning, resulting in a few boats being swamped or overturned, or even breaking apart their own dock. Pieces of planking could be seen floating off the Lahaina sea wall. Ma'alaea Harbor sustained damage to both boats and docks, with the surge completely engulfing the parking lots, and the recession draining nearly all the water. The water beyond the harbor had the color and consistency of watery beef gravy. The snorkel and whale tours that use these harbors only lost a day of revenue, and were up and running by the weekend.
Closer to home, the pool here that was a total mess, filled with mud, sand, and all kinds of debris, was open for business on Saturday as though Friday's mess had never existed. The only lingering effect was the lack of sand at the base of our sea wall, but it is slowly being brought back by the sea.
Maui is breathing a collective sigh as we all return to normal, with our only souvenirs being the stories we share.
Our neighbor island to the southeast did not fare so well. Ali'i Drive, the main drag through Kona Town was completely inundated by the surge. It swept through businesses and hotels - including the recently renovated King Kamehameha Hotel. Don and I were there last October and admired all the new furniture, artwork, and the new shops with their large glass display windows. All destroyed. One shop owner had just opened, and most of her new garments and other merchandise were pulled out to the streets. The five-star Four Seasons Resort in Hualalai in North Kona sustained a devastating hit and won't be open for four to six weeks. But the most astonishing is also the most wrenching - an entire house was swept off into Pristine Kealakekua - or Captain Cook - Bay. The sight of this large two-story home floating along is remarkable, but the scene below is sickening. Pieces of the home's contents are strewn on the fragile reef - a dishwasher, with dishes still in the drawers, a mattress and box spring, a door from some unnamed inner room. But all of this is being addressed and repaired with speed and care.
So, a week ago, as I finish this up, we were waiting for our second siren to sound. And now that we've had a week to clean up, and swap tsunami stories (tstories...!??!), we can offer all our praise and Thanksgiving to a merciful God who spared us, and pray for those in Japan who would give anything for our level of "damage"
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Inundation Zone
March 10, 2011
11:36 P.M.
So, it's all the news. We are waiting for our second tsunami in a little over a year.
Don and I were watching CSI tonight, and one of those annoying testing-of-the-Emergency Broadcast System warning buzzes interrupted what was becoming a verrrrry important plot twist. Only, it wasn't a test. They reported a Tsunami Watch. hmmm... By the time they upgraded to a warning twenty minutes later, we knew who did the deed(s) on CSI and we headed across the street to the local grocery store. Not wanting to look like we were rushing or panicking or even the slightest bit concerned, Don and I just meandered casually through the lobby with our canvas grocery bags - cool, calm, and environmentally sensitive. The parking lot was already filling up and we were joined by about half of West Maui and a few thousand worried tourists. Ice was already gone and people were getting all the water they could carry. We already have plenty of water, but since we just got a new fridge to replace the one that died, and we had to replenish all our food, water and ice was not our need. Lots of fruits, veggies, and things that looked healthy. Don can always get ice from the little market in the resort to pick up ice...and ice cream.
I would like to say that I'm not worried or a little bit scared, but that would make me a big, fat liar. We're on the 3rd floor, and we should be safe. But it is still quite unnerving - especially seeing the aerial video from Japan that shows a wide wall of water racing across the sea. The wave was longer than the camera's wide lens, and as straight as a brick wall.
12:25 a.m.
Sirens. The second that we've heard. These things wind up to a long, sustained wail that lasts for a full minute. It is literally giving me chills. They are coming once an hour now, but as it gets closer to the first wave (about 3 a.m.) they will be more frequent.
The thing that I think about now is what can be damaged or lost if the 6-foot surge does arrive: Duke's, The Gazebo Restaurant, Hula Grill. We could lose some oceanfront homes, including the bungalow that we lived in for a couple months in the fall. And our beach park church sanctuary could be damaged.
As I write this, we have only talked to Greg - John and Kyle were both presumably asleep before we knew about the upcoming excitement. Either that, or their declared affection for us has been greatly exaggerated. But Greg is our perpetual night owl, so we knew he'd be up. We had some loving and fun text chats, including him informing us that even PORTLAND was under Tsunami warning!! He assured us that he would move to higher ground....like out of the basement. We'll deal with the mainland family retroactive worries tomorrow.
12:49 a.m.
A firefighter friend has just informed us through Facebook (don'tcha love modern communication!?!?) that the water and sewer will be shut off in anticipation of the tsunami, so we are to fill our bathtubs and anything else we can with water - not for drinking as much as for sanitation (potty flushing). The pumps are shut down to prevent saltwater contamination. As they told us a year ago, better to have no water or sewer for a day or two than a few weeks as they try to clean out a damaged and contaminated system. I agree.
1:26
Siren #3 - and my husband is sleeping through it!! I'm also online chatting with a friend who is in South Maui. She and her husband are on the beach on the second floor. I'm kind of worried about them. The reports from Midway Island have an 8-foot surge - which means that essentially the ocean raises up 8 feet, not like a nice 8-foot surfable wave. So look around you. You might have 8-foot ceilings. Now imagine that sea level is now that much higher - not like high tide, but the entire power of the ocean 8 feet higher than it was moments before.
So, now I think about things that could be damaged or lost in the south: Fred's Mexican Cafe, Kealia Pond, the lifeguard tower at Charley Young Beach. There are lots of homes in low-lying, or what is called "Inundation Zones" - and yes, we are in one.
The trade winds are blowing so beautifully tonight. I hear a cat yowling. I wonder if someone told him to move to higher ground...?
2:08 a.m.
Waiting for the next siren. The first wave should be hitting Kauai in about an hour, although they're still not sure exactly the size. The reports from the buoys to those "theys" who know about these things say that it is still likely a 6-8-foot tsunami. I'm looking down at the parking lot below our unit and there are still a remarkable number of cars. Don just said "rentals". We are adjacent to a four-story parking garage for this resort, and our cars are on the third floor near our place. Normally, the uncovered spots on the top level are empty - but not tonight. There are still people trying to move their cars up there - rentals or not - and we're only an hour or so away from getting our waves! Theses are likely the same people who gripe about the long lines at department stores on December 23rd.
Waiting for this siren has me all jumpy. Don's still asleep, but he did wake up for a bit AFTER the end of the siren wound down. I feel like I'm in some kind of scary movie and my date is snoozing and I want him to protect me!!
Siren. So spooky - especially when it is in the middle of the night.
2:37 a.m.
We're getting moved up to the 4th floor or higher. Guess I can't keep blogging right now.
3:37 a.m.
We're such rebels. We opted to stay on our 3rd floor as opposed to moving up ten feet to the 4th floor. Daredevils.
The first surges have hit Kauai and O'ahu. Don't know if Maui has started seeing changes - I know that we haven't seen any in the parking lot. No, I'm not being funny. The parking lot extends along the north side of the building to just shy of the beach. We also have a flood control ditch next to us, which will be a good conduit for any surges. But nothing yet.
The scene in O'ahu has just gotten more dramatic. More ominous. The reef at the foot of Diamond Head, and one at Waikiki has been totally exposed. This is real. The waves are returning, but they're small. The surge is just coming back and forth.
4:05 a.m.
I'm in a Facebook dialogue with my sister in Minnesota. I'm sure she'll get a more accurate report from me than from the news geeks on the networks that say we are being "slammed". We are being sloshed. Not getting sloshed, mind you. Well, maybe some are. Mostly, it some very dramatic receding in between some short waves in a tall sea. They don't look like
Kahului Harbor has the largest rise in level at over 6 feet. This could decidedly do some damage, but they'll see in the light of day. They are telling us this will keep going for another couple of hours, and the biggest waves may still be out there. Egad.
At least there are no more sirens.
4:40 a.m.
Just noticed light reflecting off the water in the flood control ditch. I've never, ever seen the water that high. Can I admit that I think that it's pretty cool?
4:43 a.m.
And now the water is gone. Very cool.
5:05 a.m.
It's still going on, but it looks like the worst might be over. Might. One of the geologist tsunami expert guys said that there may be "energy trapped" in the islands, with some of the tsunami waves essentially bouncing around between islands. eeps! But it looks like damage will be moderate at most. Despite the "slamming."
There is going to be more damage done by the hyperbolic, hyperactive media. With verbage like "slamming", "barreling down", barrage of waves" it is scaring the heck out of people with plans to travel here. And it is spring break! Thanks, media, as Hawaii was beginning to grow in tourism again after a few rough years. Who needs economic health, after all?
Okay. I am getting more and more cranky. Don is sleeping in bad, now, instead of the couch. Sounds like a plan....
8:00 a.m.
What a night. But it still isn't over. Even though we have been downgraded from warning to advisory, it is extremely dangerous, but we think we'll go check it out... from a safe distance...
9:38 a.m.
We just returned from witnessing something so extraordinary. I have never seen anything like it and I am privileged to have seen it. Stunning.
We live in an oceanfront resort - if not an oceanfront unit. The beach itself is down about five feet and narrow from wall to waves. The pool is a beachfront pool, with large acrylic panels protecting sunbathers and pool dippers from the wind off the sea. The pool and spa are both the bright turquoise that come from a bright white plaster bottom, and both are surrounded by dozens of lounges that are daily filled with sizzling tourists trying to catch up on some reading, a tan, or much needed sleep - every day except today. The entire pool and spa are filled with debris and sand and mud. There is an inch of sand on the sidewalk that lies flush with the top of the lava rock beach wall, and runs along the beachside acrylic panels of the pool. The debris line is at least 25 feet in some areas. The restaurant in the resort next door already has the carpet cleaners in in hopes of feeding their guests as soon as possible.
But the thing that really stopped us in our tracks is when we realized that the tsunami event was still ongoing - and in very dramatic fashion. The waves had been hitting the sea wall moments before, but when Don and I looked out, we could see reef being exposed. Reef that is NEVER exposed. We stood and watched for a minute, and then the water began returning - slowly at first, but steadily and increasing in speed.
Juxtaposed against this power was an assortment of nimrods, knuckheads, and numbskulls who decided that taking a walk on the wide beach and then to raise the level of idiocy, play in the oncoming waves. I wouldn't have been quite so disturbed, except one dad thought it would be fun to take his ten-year-old daughter in wading with him. It was literally terrifying as we saw this man gripping his daughter by the wrist as they struggled to make it back to the still dry sand, with currents sweeping back and forth and all around. Praise God, they did. Others stood around and laughed - including mom. The workmen came to start work on the pool - two big Hawaiian boys. One could nearly read their minds as they looked at the scene with disbelief..."crazy haoles..."
The surges have stopped, I think It has been about half an hour since one came up the flood control. maybe it's done. We had been told it could be hours, simply because of the nature of the islands. Apparently, these things like to bounce and ricochet n and around and between and against all the islands. So, after 6 1/2 hours, it seems to be done.
The damage will have to be assessed over a matter of days. Maui and Hawaii Island (Big Island) have taken the hardest hit. Kahului Harbor and Waiehu Beach in Central Maui, Kihei in South Maui, and a number of places in Lahaina, including the entire first floor of Cheeseburger in Paradise. Some roads are still closed because of debris. In Kona, on the Big Island, water came onto the main road, flooding a resort hotel lobby and sweeping tables and chairs out of Bubba Gump's in Kailua Town. There are many homes in the area, so we know we still have more to hear about those.
But at the end of this day, eleven hours and eighteen minutes after the first entry, we're all still here. It's all gonna be okay.
God is still so very, very, good.
11:36 P.M.
So, it's all the news. We are waiting for our second tsunami in a little over a year.
Don and I were watching CSI tonight, and one of those annoying testing-of-the-Emergency Broadcast System warning buzzes interrupted what was becoming a verrrrry important plot twist. Only, it wasn't a test. They reported a Tsunami Watch. hmmm... By the time they upgraded to a warning twenty minutes later, we knew who did the deed(s) on CSI and we headed across the street to the local grocery store. Not wanting to look like we were rushing or panicking or even the slightest bit concerned, Don and I just meandered casually through the lobby with our canvas grocery bags - cool, calm, and environmentally sensitive. The parking lot was already filling up and we were joined by about half of West Maui and a few thousand worried tourists. Ice was already gone and people were getting all the water they could carry. We already have plenty of water, but since we just got a new fridge to replace the one that died, and we had to replenish all our food, water and ice was not our need. Lots of fruits, veggies, and things that looked healthy. Don can always get ice from the little market in the resort to pick up ice...and ice cream.
I would like to say that I'm not worried or a little bit scared, but that would make me a big, fat liar. We're on the 3rd floor, and we should be safe. But it is still quite unnerving - especially seeing the aerial video from Japan that shows a wide wall of water racing across the sea. The wave was longer than the camera's wide lens, and as straight as a brick wall.
12:25 a.m.
Sirens. The second that we've heard. These things wind up to a long, sustained wail that lasts for a full minute. It is literally giving me chills. They are coming once an hour now, but as it gets closer to the first wave (about 3 a.m.) they will be more frequent.
The thing that I think about now is what can be damaged or lost if the 6-foot surge does arrive: Duke's, The Gazebo Restaurant, Hula Grill. We could lose some oceanfront homes, including the bungalow that we lived in for a couple months in the fall. And our beach park church sanctuary could be damaged.
As I write this, we have only talked to Greg - John and Kyle were both presumably asleep before we knew about the upcoming excitement. Either that, or their declared affection for us has been greatly exaggerated. But Greg is our perpetual night owl, so we knew he'd be up. We had some loving and fun text chats, including him informing us that even PORTLAND was under Tsunami warning!! He assured us that he would move to higher ground....like out of the basement. We'll deal with the mainland family retroactive worries tomorrow.
12:49 a.m.
A firefighter friend has just informed us through Facebook (don'tcha love modern communication!?!?) that the water and sewer will be shut off in anticipation of the tsunami, so we are to fill our bathtubs and anything else we can with water - not for drinking as much as for sanitation (potty flushing). The pumps are shut down to prevent saltwater contamination. As they told us a year ago, better to have no water or sewer for a day or two than a few weeks as they try to clean out a damaged and contaminated system. I agree.
1:26
Siren #3 - and my husband is sleeping through it!! I'm also online chatting with a friend who is in South Maui. She and her husband are on the beach on the second floor. I'm kind of worried about them. The reports from Midway Island have an 8-foot surge - which means that essentially the ocean raises up 8 feet, not like a nice 8-foot surfable wave. So look around you. You might have 8-foot ceilings. Now imagine that sea level is now that much higher - not like high tide, but the entire power of the ocean 8 feet higher than it was moments before.
So, now I think about things that could be damaged or lost in the south: Fred's Mexican Cafe, Kealia Pond, the lifeguard tower at Charley Young Beach. There are lots of homes in low-lying, or what is called "Inundation Zones" - and yes, we are in one.
The trade winds are blowing so beautifully tonight. I hear a cat yowling. I wonder if someone told him to move to higher ground...?
2:08 a.m.
Waiting for the next siren. The first wave should be hitting Kauai in about an hour, although they're still not sure exactly the size. The reports from the buoys to those "theys" who know about these things say that it is still likely a 6-8-foot tsunami. I'm looking down at the parking lot below our unit and there are still a remarkable number of cars. Don just said "rentals". We are adjacent to a four-story parking garage for this resort, and our cars are on the third floor near our place. Normally, the uncovered spots on the top level are empty - but not tonight. There are still people trying to move their cars up there - rentals or not - and we're only an hour or so away from getting our waves! Theses are likely the same people who gripe about the long lines at department stores on December 23rd.
Waiting for this siren has me all jumpy. Don's still asleep, but he did wake up for a bit AFTER the end of the siren wound down. I feel like I'm in some kind of scary movie and my date is snoozing and I want him to protect me!!
Siren. So spooky - especially when it is in the middle of the night.
2:37 a.m.
We're getting moved up to the 4th floor or higher. Guess I can't keep blogging right now.
3:37 a.m.
We're such rebels. We opted to stay on our 3rd floor as opposed to moving up ten feet to the 4th floor. Daredevils.
The first surges have hit Kauai and O'ahu. Don't know if Maui has started seeing changes - I know that we haven't seen any in the parking lot. No, I'm not being funny. The parking lot extends along the north side of the building to just shy of the beach. We also have a flood control ditch next to us, which will be a good conduit for any surges. But nothing yet.
The scene in O'ahu has just gotten more dramatic. More ominous. The reef at the foot of Diamond Head, and one at Waikiki has been totally exposed. This is real. The waves are returning, but they're small. The surge is just coming back and forth.
4:05 a.m.
I'm in a Facebook dialogue with my sister in Minnesota. I'm sure she'll get a more accurate report from me than from the news geeks on the networks that say we are being "slammed". We are being sloshed. Not getting sloshed, mind you. Well, maybe some are. Mostly, it some very dramatic receding in between some short waves in a tall sea. They don't look like
Kahului Harbor has the largest rise in level at over 6 feet. This could decidedly do some damage, but they'll see in the light of day. They are telling us this will keep going for another couple of hours, and the biggest waves may still be out there. Egad.
At least there are no more sirens.
4:40 a.m.
Just noticed light reflecting off the water in the flood control ditch. I've never, ever seen the water that high. Can I admit that I think that it's pretty cool?
4:43 a.m.
And now the water is gone. Very cool.
5:05 a.m.
It's still going on, but it looks like the worst might be over. Might. One of the geologist tsunami expert guys said that there may be "energy trapped" in the islands, with some of the tsunami waves essentially bouncing around between islands. eeps! But it looks like damage will be moderate at most. Despite the "slamming."
There is going to be more damage done by the hyperbolic, hyperactive media. With verbage like "slamming", "barreling down", barrage of waves" it is scaring the heck out of people with plans to travel here. And it is spring break! Thanks, media, as Hawaii was beginning to grow in tourism again after a few rough years. Who needs economic health, after all?
Okay. I am getting more and more cranky. Don is sleeping in bad, now, instead of the couch. Sounds like a plan....
8:00 a.m.
What a night. But it still isn't over. Even though we have been downgraded from warning to advisory, it is extremely dangerous, but we think we'll go check it out... from a safe distance...
9:38 a.m.
We just returned from witnessing something so extraordinary. I have never seen anything like it and I am privileged to have seen it. Stunning.
We live in an oceanfront resort - if not an oceanfront unit. The beach itself is down about five feet and narrow from wall to waves. The pool is a beachfront pool, with large acrylic panels protecting sunbathers and pool dippers from the wind off the sea. The pool and spa are both the bright turquoise that come from a bright white plaster bottom, and both are surrounded by dozens of lounges that are daily filled with sizzling tourists trying to catch up on some reading, a tan, or much needed sleep - every day except today. The entire pool and spa are filled with debris and sand and mud. There is an inch of sand on the sidewalk that lies flush with the top of the lava rock beach wall, and runs along the beachside acrylic panels of the pool. The debris line is at least 25 feet in some areas. The restaurant in the resort next door already has the carpet cleaners in in hopes of feeding their guests as soon as possible.
But the thing that really stopped us in our tracks is when we realized that the tsunami event was still ongoing - and in very dramatic fashion. The waves had been hitting the sea wall moments before, but when Don and I looked out, we could see reef being exposed. Reef that is NEVER exposed. We stood and watched for a minute, and then the water began returning - slowly at first, but steadily and increasing in speed.
Juxtaposed against this power was an assortment of nimrods, knuckheads, and numbskulls who decided that taking a walk on the wide beach and then to raise the level of idiocy, play in the oncoming waves. I wouldn't have been quite so disturbed, except one dad thought it would be fun to take his ten-year-old daughter in wading with him. It was literally terrifying as we saw this man gripping his daughter by the wrist as they struggled to make it back to the still dry sand, with currents sweeping back and forth and all around. Praise God, they did. Others stood around and laughed - including mom. The workmen came to start work on the pool - two big Hawaiian boys. One could nearly read their minds as they looked at the scene with disbelief..."crazy haoles..."
The surges have stopped, I think It has been about half an hour since one came up the flood control. maybe it's done. We had been told it could be hours, simply because of the nature of the islands. Apparently, these things like to bounce and ricochet n and around and between and against all the islands. So, after 6 1/2 hours, it seems to be done.
The damage will have to be assessed over a matter of days. Maui and Hawaii Island (Big Island) have taken the hardest hit. Kahului Harbor and Waiehu Beach in Central Maui, Kihei in South Maui, and a number of places in Lahaina, including the entire first floor of Cheeseburger in Paradise. Some roads are still closed because of debris. In Kona, on the Big Island, water came onto the main road, flooding a resort hotel lobby and sweeping tables and chairs out of Bubba Gump's in Kailua Town. There are many homes in the area, so we know we still have more to hear about those.
But at the end of this day, eleven hours and eighteen minutes after the first entry, we're all still here. It's all gonna be okay.
God is still so very, very, good.
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Perks, Perils, and Peculiarities of Paradise
Life here in Hawaii is certainly unique - then again, every place has its own quirks and uniqueness. But, when one lives on a little island in the middle of the Pacific...
We are still in the little condo with the view of the loading dock, but we hope to be out of here fairly soon. This is a very good thing since the large fluorescent lights in the bathroom are going out, the ancient microwave is very indecisive about actually heating anything, the couch has teeeeeny ants that love to bite only me, the utensil drawer in the kitchen is coming off it's runner, and the refrigerator is dead. To make things more interesting, the place is in foreclosure. I know this because while I was drying off after a nice shower (Praise God, that still works!), there came a knock-knock-knockin' at my door. More precisely, there came a pound-pound-poundin'. This guy has a bad job, and he is as polite as he can manage, but he wouldn't go away until I threw on some stuff and got the notice from him - a copy of the one he had attached to the door. This begs the question: why couldn't I just get the one from the door?!?!?!!? Anyway, I guess this place is in limbo, meaning there is no one to call about things falling apart, so we just live in this Charlie Brown of a condo until the Lord moves us on. Usually, I'm a total sucker for C.B. and all underdogs, but I'm ready to gooooo.
I still have to really think about what month it is, let alone what season. So, I can tell by our calendar with our beautiful grandchildren on it that the month is March. I can tell by the number of tourists slowing down on our highways, for seemingly no reason, that it is whale season. Mauians love their whales, but tourists create their own type of road hazard when they see one of these guys spout off (ahahaha!! Get it!?!? SPOUT off!?!??! I crack myself up....). Anyway, the population on the island must double this time of year, so we're used to the increase of traffic, but, as a firefighter friend puts it: "you have all kinds of different driving cultures, driving down a two-lane highway at 60 miles-an-hour looking at whales and texting." Perhaps he exaggerates. But only slightly. There is even a sign I have seen that states, "Whale watching is NOT an emergency - KEEP DRIVING!" But you can hardly blame them. This year there has been what seems like a larger number than usual, and we are all blessed for it! There is no describing how amazing these animals are. I love how all residents of Hawaii - native Hawaiians, long-time residents, recent transplants - love their whales. But ya just gotta be careful to not get hurt while admiring them...
One of the most astonishing things about having honeymooning and birthing humpbacks in the neighborhood is the experience of hearing them sing underwater. It is a beautiful, haunting chorus sung by only the males, and it sounds a little like every planet on the original "Star Trek". Really! I promise!! This winter has been so busy that we haven't had the opportunity to go to our favorite spots where the whales can be heard quite clearly. One of them is Black Rock on Ka'anapali Beach, and the other is what is commonly referred to as Airport Beach, on Ka'anapali's north shore. Valentine's Day fell on a Monday, which is Don's day off, so the day was ours. We opted to have a day long posh picnic and purchased smoked ahi spread, brie, smoked gouda, sardines, and other treats to enjoy at two of our favorite beaches - starting at Airport Beach then going to Olowalu. Sounded sweet and romantic. ahhhh.... We got to Airport for our first course and our first trip into the water. This place has an awesome reef when the conditions are optimum. Unfortunately, conditions were not optimum. They were pretty much all kicked up and poopy. This place is also known for its many rocks that line the beach, leaving only a few places for safe entry and exit. It is also important to be able to see said rocks and safe places before you enter said water and waves. The surf wasn't too big - but then again, it wasn't too little, either. We assured ourselves that we knew where the sandy entrance was, grabbed our gear, and entered between sets. or so we thought. Don entered without much trouble and I followed along, even though it was so kicked up we literally couldn't see our own feet. I looked out and just beyond Don was a swell that I knew would be the one to carry me on out. Not so much. I saw it begin cresting just over my hubby's head, had enough time to yell "WAVE!", then it smacked Don as it sucked the water out from underneath me, then rocked me back up and around, knocking me into one of the invisible rocks. Oh, yes. Did I mention that these are lava rocks?!!? And that these lava rocks are very, very sharp?!?!?! In a split second, I knew I was in trouble - and shouted such to my husband who was surfacing after being clobberd by the wave. So, less than sixty seconds after entering the water, we exited. At first glance, I thought I had simply scraped my leg...and then the red stuff started a-flowin'. Don walked with me over to the shower where there was a nice man who filled the shoe part of his fin and poured it on my long boo-boo. He was very kind and sympathetic - until he found out that we're local and should definitely know better. Don had come back with a towel by then and was doing his best to stem the tide, but all I could see was that it was ONE OF MY BEST TOWELS THAT WE'VE HAD FOREVER!! My priorities are just fine, thank you. Bottom line is that I had several parallel cuts, with one kind of serious one. They were about nine inches long, but even the worst was only deep enough to be gross. Having raised three sons and being a perpetual klutz, I know a ton about taking care of such boo-boos. A few hours later, I had washed it with betadine, added some neosporin, then we got it as closed as possible with wound closure tape, topped it with gauze, finally wrapping the entire thing with the stick-to-itself-bandage tape. Good stuff. Yes, we still had our romantic picnic...on the couch in the living room. Almost three weeks later, and I still have not been in the water (not wise to go in until this is totally healed), I still have not heard the whales singing, and I'm getting pretty cranky. All land and no sea makes Denise an unhappy wahine...
Not all perils are so dramatic. In fact, I have seen some that are pretty fun. Case in point: a couple of weeks ago we attended a birthday party for one of the kids at church. One of the cool things about living here is that when a kid has a birthday, EVERYONE is invited for the celebration! This was a fun bbq at one of the best family beaches on Maui, DT Fleming beach. This is not a beach for snorkeling, except at the extreme north or south of this long crescent. Mostly it's surfing and boogie boarding. On this particular day, it was Presidents Day, so all the kids were out. The birthday boy and his buddies were joined by about a million other kids on their boogie boards. Looking out at multi-colored boards with multi-colored boys wearing multi-colored board shorts it looked like someone had tossed a bag of skittles out on the waves. What was more fun, though, was watching all these kids ride the waves. Instead of being competitive over waves, these guys purposely merged together until there was about a 27-board-and-boy-pile-up in the surf. Instead of looking cranky and ready to rumble, the happy demolition derby boarders laughed, then paddled out to do it again. Too fun!
Among the perks that go along with living in a small town like Lahaina is the access and involvement among local businesses and celebrities with us regular people. One is able to hear Grammy Award winning musicians perform for free at a local restaurant or outdoor pavilion a few times a month. World renown chefs love to participate in local charity events. And just a few days ago, I was having lunch at Duke's with a young friend from church. She had brought me a freshly baked mini-loaf of banana pecan friendship bread. The manager came by, and long story short, Priscilla is "auditioning" her baked goods for the restaurant, and another local restaurant is offering their kitchen for her to do her baking. Too cool huh? Now, Priscilla is naming her new company, getting her business license, and making out her list of baked goods for Duke's and others. By the way, that banana pecan friendship bread? So good that Don and I almost cried over the last bite...
So, we live on this wonderful little island where we can live in a resort and go down to the ocean every night before we go to bed, go worship the Lord every Sunday morning at a park by the ocean, and where our dog - though not with us - has made a new best friend at the lovely kennel/home she is staying at for now - and that friend just happens to be a pig. While it isn't always smooth going, this place never ceases to make me smile.
We are still in the little condo with the view of the loading dock, but we hope to be out of here fairly soon. This is a very good thing since the large fluorescent lights in the bathroom are going out, the ancient microwave is very indecisive about actually heating anything, the couch has teeeeeny ants that love to bite only me, the utensil drawer in the kitchen is coming off it's runner, and the refrigerator is dead. To make things more interesting, the place is in foreclosure. I know this because while I was drying off after a nice shower (Praise God, that still works!), there came a knock-knock-knockin' at my door. More precisely, there came a pound-pound-poundin'. This guy has a bad job, and he is as polite as he can manage, but he wouldn't go away until I threw on some stuff and got the notice from him - a copy of the one he had attached to the door. This begs the question: why couldn't I just get the one from the door?!?!?!!? Anyway, I guess this place is in limbo, meaning there is no one to call about things falling apart, so we just live in this Charlie Brown of a condo until the Lord moves us on. Usually, I'm a total sucker for C.B. and all underdogs, but I'm ready to gooooo.
I still have to really think about what month it is, let alone what season. So, I can tell by our calendar with our beautiful grandchildren on it that the month is March. I can tell by the number of tourists slowing down on our highways, for seemingly no reason, that it is whale season. Mauians love their whales, but tourists create their own type of road hazard when they see one of these guys spout off (ahahaha!! Get it!?!? SPOUT off!?!??! I crack myself up....). Anyway, the population on the island must double this time of year, so we're used to the increase of traffic, but, as a firefighter friend puts it: "you have all kinds of different driving cultures, driving down a two-lane highway at 60 miles-an-hour looking at whales and texting." Perhaps he exaggerates. But only slightly. There is even a sign I have seen that states, "Whale watching is NOT an emergency - KEEP DRIVING!" But you can hardly blame them. This year there has been what seems like a larger number than usual, and we are all blessed for it! There is no describing how amazing these animals are. I love how all residents of Hawaii - native Hawaiians, long-time residents, recent transplants - love their whales. But ya just gotta be careful to not get hurt while admiring them...
One of the most astonishing things about having honeymooning and birthing humpbacks in the neighborhood is the experience of hearing them sing underwater. It is a beautiful, haunting chorus sung by only the males, and it sounds a little like every planet on the original "Star Trek". Really! I promise!! This winter has been so busy that we haven't had the opportunity to go to our favorite spots where the whales can be heard quite clearly. One of them is Black Rock on Ka'anapali Beach, and the other is what is commonly referred to as Airport Beach, on Ka'anapali's north shore. Valentine's Day fell on a Monday, which is Don's day off, so the day was ours. We opted to have a day long posh picnic and purchased smoked ahi spread, brie, smoked gouda, sardines, and other treats to enjoy at two of our favorite beaches - starting at Airport Beach then going to Olowalu. Sounded sweet and romantic. ahhhh.... We got to Airport for our first course and our first trip into the water. This place has an awesome reef when the conditions are optimum. Unfortunately, conditions were not optimum. They were pretty much all kicked up and poopy. This place is also known for its many rocks that line the beach, leaving only a few places for safe entry and exit. It is also important to be able to see said rocks and safe places before you enter said water and waves. The surf wasn't too big - but then again, it wasn't too little, either. We assured ourselves that we knew where the sandy entrance was, grabbed our gear, and entered between sets. or so we thought. Don entered without much trouble and I followed along, even though it was so kicked up we literally couldn't see our own feet. I looked out and just beyond Don was a swell that I knew would be the one to carry me on out. Not so much. I saw it begin cresting just over my hubby's head, had enough time to yell "WAVE!", then it smacked Don as it sucked the water out from underneath me, then rocked me back up and around, knocking me into one of the invisible rocks. Oh, yes. Did I mention that these are lava rocks?!!? And that these lava rocks are very, very sharp?!?!?! In a split second, I knew I was in trouble - and shouted such to my husband who was surfacing after being clobberd by the wave. So, less than sixty seconds after entering the water, we exited. At first glance, I thought I had simply scraped my leg...and then the red stuff started a-flowin'. Don walked with me over to the shower where there was a nice man who filled the shoe part of his fin and poured it on my long boo-boo. He was very kind and sympathetic - until he found out that we're local and should definitely know better. Don had come back with a towel by then and was doing his best to stem the tide, but all I could see was that it was ONE OF MY BEST TOWELS THAT WE'VE HAD FOREVER!! My priorities are just fine, thank you. Bottom line is that I had several parallel cuts, with one kind of serious one. They were about nine inches long, but even the worst was only deep enough to be gross. Having raised three sons and being a perpetual klutz, I know a ton about taking care of such boo-boos. A few hours later, I had washed it with betadine, added some neosporin, then we got it as closed as possible with wound closure tape, topped it with gauze, finally wrapping the entire thing with the stick-to-itself-bandage tape. Good stuff. Yes, we still had our romantic picnic...on the couch in the living room. Almost three weeks later, and I still have not been in the water (not wise to go in until this is totally healed), I still have not heard the whales singing, and I'm getting pretty cranky. All land and no sea makes Denise an unhappy wahine...
Not all perils are so dramatic. In fact, I have seen some that are pretty fun. Case in point: a couple of weeks ago we attended a birthday party for one of the kids at church. One of the cool things about living here is that when a kid has a birthday, EVERYONE is invited for the celebration! This was a fun bbq at one of the best family beaches on Maui, DT Fleming beach. This is not a beach for snorkeling, except at the extreme north or south of this long crescent. Mostly it's surfing and boogie boarding. On this particular day, it was Presidents Day, so all the kids were out. The birthday boy and his buddies were joined by about a million other kids on their boogie boards. Looking out at multi-colored boards with multi-colored boys wearing multi-colored board shorts it looked like someone had tossed a bag of skittles out on the waves. What was more fun, though, was watching all these kids ride the waves. Instead of being competitive over waves, these guys purposely merged together until there was about a 27-board-and-boy-pile-up in the surf. Instead of looking cranky and ready to rumble, the happy demolition derby boarders laughed, then paddled out to do it again. Too fun!
Among the perks that go along with living in a small town like Lahaina is the access and involvement among local businesses and celebrities with us regular people. One is able to hear Grammy Award winning musicians perform for free at a local restaurant or outdoor pavilion a few times a month. World renown chefs love to participate in local charity events. And just a few days ago, I was having lunch at Duke's with a young friend from church. She had brought me a freshly baked mini-loaf of banana pecan friendship bread. The manager came by, and long story short, Priscilla is "auditioning" her baked goods for the restaurant, and another local restaurant is offering their kitchen for her to do her baking. Too cool huh? Now, Priscilla is naming her new company, getting her business license, and making out her list of baked goods for Duke's and others. By the way, that banana pecan friendship bread? So good that Don and I almost cried over the last bite...
So, we live on this wonderful little island where we can live in a resort and go down to the ocean every night before we go to bed, go worship the Lord every Sunday morning at a park by the ocean, and where our dog - though not with us - has made a new best friend at the lovely kennel/home she is staying at for now - and that friend just happens to be a pig. While it isn't always smooth going, this place never ceases to make me smile.
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