We have waited two years for the contractor to fit us in for our new septic tank but guess when they started work - less than two weeks before Christi is coming! I so wanted everything to look at least tidy. Thought you might like to see total disaster...
They have also disapeared until at least the end of next week to do a County job...
This is a huge hole for the tank don't you think? The leach (sp?) field has yet to be dug up and will extend another 21 feet....
Not to worry, Jen. Just glad they have at least finally started for you. We are not royalty, just plain folks. The visit is not about the yard, it is about you and Frank and Mom. Can hardly wait.
Christi
Christi,
How many more days, hours, minutes and seconds? LOL I know you have to be getting anxious by now!
11 days. Got to get my camera all ready. Probably have Mike take over the camera duties. I get all excited in the moment and forget to take pictures.
Usually have 5-6 in the beginning and well....you know.
I am sure you will bring us all back some beautiful pictures from Jenny's!
Tammy, you and I both be missing out on the laughter Christi would be having with Jenny! I'm sure the visit is like a long awaited family reunion.
This message was edited Feb 2, 2008 11:06 PM
Oh I can only imagine the laughter that is going to roll, probably like thunder! LOL
You bet. Mike has already discovered our cell phone will work to back home on the same minutes plan we are on. I asked him, why would we want to call home?
That's the worries we are leaving behind if only for a short time. Going to paradise. From 3700 miles away, nothing we could do anyway. Surely this bunch can live without us for 8 days! ONLY 10 MORE DAYS!!! WHHHOOOOHOOO.
Are ya packed yet!?
Ah! You have already got the Island attitude! No worries! You are going to be shocked at how quickly a week goes by here on Maui, used to be that when we got here we would think we had a whole week ahead of us, lots of time, next thing we knew we were packing to go home!
Not yet. Probably start about Wednesday. Do have a neat set of luggage from Costco. Somewhere, you gave super good instructions about how to stay healthy on a long flight and a lot of other good tips. I can't find it. Must have been in the middle of a thread where we went OT. Can you believe that could happen? hahahaha As in right now. If you get time, would you D-mail this info so I can save and print? Trying to figure out what we can pack and what we can't with all this security. I have the face of a criminal so will probably be pulled out for a full search.
LouC
Ohh....can you please do a Vanna White presentation of your luggage...!!
LOL..that what I was imagning while I was reading...
Good Morning, Jenny. Keep thinking I need to clean house. Ha! What a waste of time. Be all dirty when I get back anyway.
Forgot to mention, yesterday when I was "working" so hard in the garden, a gulf frits butterfly kept lighting on first one shoulder and then another. Rare to see a butterfly in February. The bird feeder and bird bath is covered with birds today. Several different varieties. Headed that way myself.
Poor girl, she is so homely. Watch Wheel 6 nights a week. Think that is some kind of indication of our age. I will be imagining you as the audience as I open each piece and try to stuff everything in it. hahahaha
You've really got a good imagination to put Vanna and I in the same phrase.
Haven't got time to try to find Randy's tips for you, but my advice is to have two glasses of water for every MaiTai you have! You can pack most anything except inflamatories (is that a word?) in your checked luggage, it's the hand luggage you have to be careful with. All medicine you are going to hand carry must be in a ziplock bag and I think you have to put it out for hand luggage inspection..How about camera equipment Randy? Does the xray mess up the film? I know here that we have to NOT pack film into checked luggage....
Glad to hear that you were well enough after your stint in the hospital and the injection to work in the garden, take it easy!
Xray doesn't do anything...if you have a moment ..there are some good tips about packing and xray myths at TSA.gov
I even went to it when I THOUGHT I was going to Alohaland.
When I travel, I have a carry on that has 1 change of clothes..meds, electronic devices etc. And I have used it before!
I forgot..were you going via LAX or SFO? If SFO, watch the weather there carefully..they have been on ATC delays alot...as a matter of fact let me check delay cities......YUP...they are on a ground delay program of 31 minutes...ooh...but now I'm remembering it was LAX, cause I was telling you how huge it is to connect there. It will be fine through there...you probably change terminals, and it's by bus...they are every few minutes.
I wish I was going with you, just to share in your wonderfuly youthful exuberance!
You are in such good hands there, wow what a first trip ! It simply doesn't get better than that!
This message was edited Feb 3, 2008 11:57 AM
AAAWWWW. How sweet. I still feel I am living in a dream and boy, what a great one. Thanx. Will be checking it out.
LouC
Sure hope this doesn't turn out to be a typical Lucy outing. Not from Jen's but the airport adventure. Don't want to be Tom Hanks and wind up living in the airport. Just getting into and out of DFW by car is a trip!
hahahaha
Also, you may want to grab a snack at LAX. The airlines are now selling snack packs on the planes, but from what everyone says they are very expensive and only a bite or two...I never get on a plane without a full tummy because I truely dislike the food that is served - mind you I have never gone First Class or Singapore Airlines, which is supposed to be great! Carol says Japanese Airlines are great too....
Randy, interesting that xrays don't bother the film. At OGG we have notices about removing the film in checked luggage, I expect we will catch up sooner or later!
My camera uses mini-discs...no film. Any problem with the rechargable batteries?
Are you sure they make you take it out for the reason you think?
I'll go check out that site...sound interesting.. ...
Not sure Randy, big notice at the desk to take all film out of suitcases and carry on in hand luggage. Funny to see everyone having to open their suitcases and dig through them to retrieve their film, no-one expects to do that...as I said could be just a Maui thing, would be interested to know.
Jenny, did you get slammed with all that rain I've been reading about? Hope Carol's place is okay for her to come home to! I was thinking of your big hole - lot's of rain - not a pretty picture. Please let me know if you are okay!
Concerned,
S
Another of those things that I have missed because lately I have declined to join the news of the world. Hope all is well.
C
Aloha.
We have only had brief showers here in Kihei, but some places on the island have had heavy rain. The news was talking about really bad weather in Carol's area, they really have had a wet winter over there. Not to sure when Carol gets back from her adventure, but I think it must be pretty soon now..
Visitors are pretty fed up with the lack of sun and we have had quite a few stopping by work to try to change their accomadations because they have been staying on the west side, and have been rained out. Can't do much to help them because town is full. Hopefully we will have more settled weather for Kilikina's visit.
Nothing much happening with my hole in the ground, the men came one afternoon last week and buried the tank and then made a whole new hole in the ground for the leach field. By island standards I suppose you would call this progress, I call it aggrivation! I have given up on cleaning the floors, rain and earth = mud, and I have dogs with very large paws! GRRR.
My SIL and DD are flying in on Thursday evening and staying over until Monday night, and Christi comes Wednesday! Going to be a busy time in the next few days, what with work too, but I am so looking forward to meeting Kilikina at the airport - just a week from today!
Warmest Aloha
J
Very glad to hear that you weren't part of the flooding. With the hole and all, it would certainly not have been fun. And no more complaining about those big feet - they would look really odd with small ones!!! Don't you just love the excitement of visitors and all?? I sure do, and this year is going to be one of those for me too. Sure hope Carol's place is okay - she really has been hit hard these last few months! As for meeting Kilikina at the airport...you won't have any problem identifying her...she'll be the one walking about 3 ft off the ground! Mike will have to hang on to her like a balloon she will be so much "in the clouds"! Hmmm, wonder who will be holding Mike down???
They will both be "floating"!!!!!!! That won't end until they have been back in Dallas for a couple of weeks.......or more! LOL! Or 42 years.......(sniff sniff)
Oh goodness. I can hardly wait!!!! Jenny, dear, please, please don't stress about anything. I have dogs with a doggie door and they come and go and have yet to wipe their feet. With all this "new" dirt in the beds they are digging to China all the time. I am quite capable of changing sheets. Just throw them on the bed and we will do the rest. I want this to be a time of fun and relaxation for you, too. Don't worry, be happy. (Shari, I can't find the notes, followed the directions but musical notes?). Now say this with me: I will not stress, I will not stress, I will not stress, I will no..
Kilikina
LOL, I am so far in the hole ('scuse the pun) that it is pointless to worry! Working some extra this weekend so I can take time off when Kilikina and Mike are here. The contractor turned up today (I forgot to tell you that the three men doing this septic tank are all close to 70), well anyway they all looked into the hole, walked around the hole, talked story for a bit, and then left with promises to be here -probably tomorrow! However I am not holding my breath...
And so the beat goes on..
Got to hand it to these old fellas, this is a picture of the slope they drove the digger up. My Mom was standing by with a first aid kit because the digger kept slipping downhill. I forgot to tell you my Mom was probably Florence Nightingale in another life, she is always trying to stick bandages on me, or rub arnica on bruises...LOL
If you look just a little bit to the top of the guys you will see a beautiful mountain island with white clouds like cream on the top. And just to right in the picture is some sort of gorgeous magenta flowers blooming. Oh, just smell the delightful aroma. I told you we would work in the yard. That's our thing. Just plain, plain folks. Don't even know any royalty.
C
Oh..were there guys in the picture! LOL..that's exactly what I saw too..and instantly was transported in a day dream to trade winds and palm trees.
Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. Today I also see rocks/boulders that I covet for areas in my yard. They cost a pure fortune to purchase and then takes a crane to move them. When you've waited so long for this project, I am just thrilled that it is finally underway. Jen-baby, just chill, as my grandson's says "it be alright". Little Erin is now saying with much enthusiasm "Awwwight!
Gotta teach 'em young to roll with the punches.
Ahoha and yokwe,
Kilikina
I went to the rock quarry this week and looked at rocks..I am going to buy a pallet and use them in the area in the back by the green house as part of the re-landscaping..also considering the crane, as I want to but 2 huge flat boulders as sort of a boulder couch back there...prices were pretty reasonable too.
Go for it!
You can get a truck load of rock here for $10. Or a trailer load.
Oh stop it you guys, with your rocks and boulders! When we were visiting Carol, I asked about getting some lava rock and she and Bob started laughing at me,and pointed all around! I never did get my lava rock...I would love to be able to put rock around some of my barer areas to keep the mud and muck under control, but all I have is coral...woe is me!
Just stopping in....got home this morning...so far up for about 48 hours trying to drain the swamps!
Bob said 25" of rain in 6 days...and that was only 6 days out of the whole time I was gone. Same period brought 46" (do you know how many feet that is???) up where the University Experimental station is. Cheech!!!! UP PERISCOPE.
All wood in the house looks like it is flocked...all grass is floating so we don't drive anywhere and it is WET!!!!
LouC - I once had an awful sinus infection just before a trip to Mexico. My EENT told me (and I have followed this and NEVER gotten sick on a plane - except for when I didn't follow it):
2 hours before you board: 2 Benadryl (and it will help you sleep or relax) and squirt Afrin in your nostrils = you dry up the mucos membranes and there is darn little for the Rhinovirus to stick to...you will be "weller".... Keep up the proceedure every 6 hours.
I have promised an article of the trip for 'STEMMA' - an online newsletter for Hoyas and Dischidia...but when the chaos settles down...I will post a bunch of photos and copy. The trip was amazing...Malaysia is magical...gingers I have never seen or heard of, Nepenthes in the forest along with all sorts of exotics. WOW!!! Only gained 5lbs. - groan -
Toodles....
Carol
Glad you enjoyed yourself, Carol. Randy gave me the very same formula with the Benadryl and the Afrin for the same reason. Would the real Hawaii please stand up. Seems things are not always as the tourist pictures show. But I am sooo excited to soon be there and enjoy it if even for a few days. 4 more days!
Aloha,
Kilikina
Aloha Carol - welcome home! I had heard about the awful weather over on the BI, man you have been hit hard! We have had lots of rain too on some parts of Maui - although I don't think it's been as bad as you've had. Kilikina d-mailed me this am that you would like to go whale watching with us while you are over, let me know which day would be better for you. I will check back while I am at work today and get a trip set up.
Nice idea Randy to make a couch from some flat rock, will be interested to see what you come up with...
Good thing you didn't take lava from the island Shari, you know what Madam Pele feels about that....We have people mailing back lava rock to Maui every year because of the bad luck! LOL!
Off to work this morning, have a wonderful day everyone!
