3.10.2008

I'm back, sigh . . .

So I'm back in L**** now, freezing and trying to keep the dry cold from cracking my flesh open. My efforts are only marginally successful.

Anyway, yay for the Hawaii numbers game!

6: Days without eye twitches

1: Impulse to blog. That was on the first day. Quelled it successfully. Plus there aren't a lot of Internet cafes on Kauai. Which is one more reason to love the place.

3: Minutes spent thinking about work, and those were by accident in response to direct questioning

36: Chocolate-covered macadamia nuts eaten

0: Local youths seduced (tragic)

78: Sighs of contentment and/or bliss

1: Sunburned nose (on the last day, of course)

4: Pounds of fresh pineapple eaten

2: Books read--The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson, which had me giggling on the plane there, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which made me sob on the plane home.

8: Naps on the beach

80: The age of the sweet couple next to me on the plane, who kept urging me to share their food with them. "Here, have a sausage, it's really good. You'll need a cracker to put it on, here you go. I bet you'll like these trail mix bars, they come from Costco." For the last 5 years they've spent a month every spring on Oahu. I can get behind that.

1: Kayaking adventure on the Wailua River

6: Separate humpback whale sightings

3,429: Chicken sightings on Kauai. A bunch of them got loose during the last hurricane and now they're everywhere, with no real predators. The guy at the kayaking place says you can eat them but they're so lean you don't get much meat. He says they're great for stewing, though. But to be sure to get them from the mountains where you know they haven't been raised on tourist food and cigarette butts.

0: Good hair days in Hawaii. My hair does not like that place, but I don't really care what it thinks.

So yes. Blissful, heavenly vacation. And now I need to go to work. Will post pics soon.

15 comments:

Desmama said... [reply]

Oh, I'm so glad you're back, but I'm also glad you had such a lovely time. Looking forward to pictures!

Saxon said... [reply]

at least 1: number of jealous readers from the UK who would love to go on Holiday to Hawaii but can't and are instead stuck at work and the weathers all wet, windy and generally not nice in the slightist.

emandtrev said... [reply]

Ahh lovely! So glad you returned home safely and had a fantastic time. I too could get behind a yearly trip to Hawaii. Can't wait for the pics!

blackjazz said... [reply]

Glad you've read the Thunderbold Kid. I read it on holiday in Lanzarote in December 2006 and really enjoyed it. It's not only funny, but a fascinating (and, no doubt, exaggerated) insight into what it was like to grow up in Iowa in the 50s and 60s.

Nemesis said... [reply]

I actually thought of you, Blackjazz, and wondered if you'd read Thunderbolt Kid yet and what you thought of it. Now I know! :-)

blackjazz said... [reply]

Nice to know I'm not forgotten :-)

My memory of the book is a bit faded now, but I do remember there were a couple of Bryson's friends who kept experimenting with home-made explosives as pranks.

I also liked his observation that the kids then were immune to things that nowadays are known to be harmful, such as DDT.

BTW - I'm visiting Utah in early August. Blackjazz junior is going to EFY in Provo.

Anonymous said... [reply]

Have you read Three Cups of Tea? I think you might like it. I did! Seems like something you would like. ( just from your book selections in the past..)

Anonymous said... [reply]

>1: Impulse to blog.

I was out taking snow photos sometime last week. On my way back, I stopped to grab one to show you what you were missing....

FoxyJ said... [reply]

I am so jealous. We still haven't been to Kauai--much of Hawaii that I've seen is stuff like the inside of Long's drugs or the backyard of my MIL's house. Sort of kidding-we do fun stuff there too, but it's different visiting family. And I agree on the chickens--wild chickens should be one of Hawaii's state animals or something.

Frey said... [reply]

Free Ranged Chickens!! LOL. I guess I should check the label to see where the "range" was. Or at least that the cigarettes were organic.

Sorry the weather here doesn't like your skin. Speaking of the weather, I'm looking forward to the bad hair day pics.

5: Number of times I checked MissedNemesis.blogspot.com.

Nemesis said... [reply]

Desmama, thanks! Everyone, Desmama was the reason I actually slept on the red-eye home. She lent me these amazing noise-blocking headphones, which rather than giving back I may possibly take to Canada and marry.

Saxon, I'm sorry you're stuck at work, and in what I'm hearing is some VERY nasty weather.

Thanks, Emandtrev. Pics coming right up!

That's cool, Blackjazz! It would be fun to meet up if possible. :-)

Anon, I've actually checked that one out but returned it when I realized I didn't have time to read it. But it's on the list!

Before, I wouldn't say I was missing it . . . ;-)

Foxyj, yeah. I'm sure it would be LOTS different when visiting family. I do hope you and Master Fob can make it out there alone some time. So, so very nice and relaxing.

Frey, I know! The free-range chicken bit just made my heart glow. I fantasized about kidnapping baby chicks and taking them home with me. Little things were so darn trusting and happy I probably could have. And as for the bad hair pics, don't worry. They're coming.

AmyJane said... [reply]

Oh, Kauai! I miss that place. Did you parents like it?

Also, how much sunscreen did you go through and what shade of brown is your dad now?

MadMadameMim said... [reply]

Grrrrrrr!!!!! We went to Hawaii the last week in Feb. We even payed $150 to take us and our kids on our whale watching cruise and didn't see a single whale! Perhaps my two year olds excited squeals scared them all away.

Mad Hadder said... [reply]

YES oh YES Thunderbolt Kid! What great choices of plane books!

Lippy said... [reply]

Oh I am SO jealous. I can only imagine how nice it was to be there, but your pictures help! Glad you had a good time!

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