Mountains and Islands

I've definitely got a nuckle - oma . Yep. I do. Let me explain. Some time ago, a dear friend of mine was complaining of some soreness in her thumb. The joint was stiff and had been troubling her. We jokingly decided it must be cancer and dubbed it her " thumbanoma ." My thumbs are fine (for now) but the first two joints on my index and middle finger, right hand, are acting up. They're stiff and sore and a little inflamed . Nuckle - oma . Friday, I started studying for the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test). Why, you ask? I guess my answer to that is, "Why not? I'm not dead yet." It's just an experiment really. If I study (or, more accurately practice) for the test and score miserably, then I'll know I'm not, nor was I probably ever law school material. If I score respectably, I'll apply just for giggles. If I get accepted, I might just go. Why not. I'm not dead yet. And the jobs in my field aren't exactly plentiful here. Ron conti

Ron loves this place. That's ironic really, since we really never go anywhere or do anything. We eat out ever-so-occasionally. We never go to the beach. We never go hiking, even though we have a national park 12 miles from our house. We hang out here, in the rain, day after day. So I guess when he says he loves it here, he means literally here. This very spot. We take trips to town to make exciting purchases like a new tarp for the car port or a pressure washer to blast mold and algae off the driveway. Yesterday, we had to fix a leak under the kitchen sink, so we ventured all the way to Ace in Kea'au for pipes, tools and other assorted parts. Tools are a big need for us here. They have all been what Alton Brown of Food Network fame would call unitaskers. On this trip, we bought a tool designed to unscrew the place that goes over the big washer at the base of the sink. When we first moved here, we bought a wrench designed exclusively for removing the filter on our water pump.

Before I begin, I'd like to express my sincere condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of the Virginia Tech students. May their spirits live on in the hearts of those who loved them. Funny bumper sticker of the day: So many freaks, So few circuses So there I was, sitting at the salon getting a trim and some highlights, when three official looking men walked in. They identified themselves as inspectors from the State. After looking around then jotting lots of notes on pads attached to clipboards, they asked my stylist for her license. She has one, but did not have it posted or with her. It was at home. She had never bothered to bring it in because she was told by the salon owner that there was no hurry. Nobody had ever been in to ask for hers. The inspectors asked for my stylist's driver's license too. They also wanted to see her business license. She does not own the business. She just rents chair space from the owner. She did not know she needed a busines

Hua li'i I ka waina Au hau'oli I ka wa au inu Hua ' li'i Wau haawi hoihoi A i'ini nui i ka wa au Nana ia oe Au kuuipo I nu ho'omahalo ka'ua I ko ka'ua aloha mau loa These words may not seem immediately familiar. But you have heard them before. Loosely translated, they mean: Tiny bubbles In the wine Make me feel happy Make me feel fine Tiny bubbles Make me warm all over With a feelin ' that I'm gonna love you till the end of time I read today that Don Ho added them after being hoodwinked into singing the song, which had nothing to do with Hawaii. Ho had everything to do with Hawaii. Yet Tiny Bubbles, his least Hawaiian song, became his biggest hit. Don Ho was an entertainer known the world over. More importantly, however, through all his years of fame and fortune, he remained a local boy, true to his island roots. I actually remember Don Ho's television show way back in the 70s. The great Don Ho has passed on and all Hawai'

What is it Doc? What is it boy? Is it a kitty? Is it a pig? A mongoose? This week began the 40th annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo Town. The Merrie Monarch is the Olympics of Hula, the premier hula competition in all the world. Halau (hula schools) from throughout Hawaii and the US come to dance, along with groups from throughout Polynesia. The event also celebrates the life of King David Kalakaua, who reigned from 1874-1891. While the king was a Christian, he was also a proud Hawaiian with a strong penchant for reviving Hawaiian cultural practices. Kalakaua insisted that hula be performed at his coronation. This may sound innocent enough. But at the time, hula had been condemned by the Christian missionaries, who had convinced Kalakaua's predecessors to ban what they deemed pagan rituals, and the lewd and lascivious gyrations of hula that were seen as an offense to God. Many Hawaiian cultural and religious practices, including hula, went underground, taking place only in the

I am SUCH a SLACKER! Sheesh ! No excuses. Just lazy. Our veggie garden, as limited as it is right now, is going well. Here's a pepper I picked. Considering that bell peppers cost about $5 per pound at the supermarket here, it's a good choice to supplement the home food supply. We've also got cabbage and peas growing nicely. Friday was Good Friday. Thank goodness that venerable institution known as the New York Stock Exchange is so old school. They were closed. So Ron had the day off. We ventured over to Kona for a Costco run, thinking we would find short lines and thin crowds. Wrong. Apparently, lots of people in Hawaii have Good Friday off. Go figure. Anyway, we chose sushi for our lunch and happened into a place called Kenichi Pacific . We learned it was actually a chain, serving a Hawaii roll, an Austin roll - names taken from locations where they have restaurants. The review: so-so. It was kinda OK though not the most authentic sushi. The place was also way overpric