Heading out for dinner at Harmen and Donnas - Big Island Brewhaus must miss us
Just like it always happens - the holiday is drawing to a close and you just get in the rhythm of things. The snorkelling is getting better and better - aquarium like conditions - hardly any waves - plethora of turtles and fish. I'm starting to get on top of my asthma - diving deep is an immediate cure for shortness of breath - I think the pressure on the lungs helps force the air from the closed airways! We finally got the dehumidifier working - so now at least our dry clothes are not getting wetter as they hang there. We are on the cusp of maybe figuring out how to fill the japanese soaker tub. All in all we are settling into a happy routine. I'm just on the cusp of sending for the dogs as a tiny surprise for Joop and Kyr. Nobody would love lying on the lanai and perusing the ranch lands more than my Herm. Probably Rooster and Archie would still be indoor dogs.
That is one thing that this holiday has shown me - I can't live without animals. I have never been away from animals for so long - even in Greece every restaurant and hotel has resident cats and dogs. Right now the only animals I see are horses in the distance. I'm getting desperate. Yesterday when I was diving at Mauna Kea beach to find neat shells I noticed that repetitive diving in an area attracts these small fish. Because I am not a skilled diver it takes me many attempts to retrieve anything - just enough time to collect a whole school of these little fish around me - finally friends I thought! I wonder what they hope I'll find? Some great tidbit? The experience has served to show me that I chose my career well without even knowing it.
We traveled to the Hawaiian wildlife centre the other day near Hawi - a centre designed to preserve native Hawaiian birds and one bat. It is quite sad to reflect on how little of the original plants, animals and insects survive. Such a short time and almost nothing left but invasive species. I guess it is really evident on such a small land mass. And then I feel guilty for loving the landscape of the ranchlands because it is definitely all foreign plants and animals. I so desperately worry about the ocean changing now that I have a window on it from snorkelling. It is all so fragile. Who knew that Hawaii didn't even have earthworms? Not necessary apparently.
Had supper at Harmen and Donna's yesterday. Paradoxically Kyr was socializing with all of the UBC O students - comes to Hawaii just to get corrupted by the same students that he just left - forcing him to play beer pong of all things!
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