We got to the Kona Airport at noon-ish. I went to the Car Rental place to pick up our car. I was so nervous about that cost because the last time I looked at my confirmation email, It said, "This is Your Estimated Cost". Yikes. I figured they might just decide I couldn't rent it for the posted price on my SUU discount page and instead charge me the Kona prices. But it looks like that's really what it will be--which is a third of what we paid last time, so that's cool. I went back to the airport and picked up the rest of our gang and all our massive amounts of luggage--why did I bring so much??? We got in our car and went to find a place to have lunch in Kona. So many people. So many cars. So crowded. We ate at a nice little Chinese place. He'e Or perhaps it was more Hawaiian. I couldn't really tell, but it was good. Japanese? I had a Bento plate, Mike and Gayela had teriaki chicken and Mom had Panko shrimp. Nice mix, yes? Yummy. Andy expensive. Wow. Mike goes, "Well, lets not do that very much!" ha . I know we have one good meal out coming, so that will be nice.
We drove to the Kailua Kona swap meet/ outdoor market down on Alii drive. We knew Kay Johnson would be there in her booth. And she was. We visited a bit. One of the first words out of her mouth were, "Oh, I'm so sorry my place wasn't available for you." That was a bit of an alarm. I knew she was referring to her rental apartment that we used last time. But still...she didn't counter it with anything hopeful and we thought she was hosting us for many days!! No one here was sure when we were arriving or leaving because I wasn't really clear when I communicated that to Berenice and her communication to all these folks took place both before and after tickets were purchase, etc. Proposed dates and actual dates had changed, we were here a day earlier because I just couldn't bring myself to pay (or have Berenice pay) $1,500 per ticket for the days initially proposed instead of the 5 to 6 hundred I'd told her they would probably be. That was when I was researching months ago, and since we were so late in deciding and purchasing, they ended up being over $700 each as it was. Yeah, it was an ordeal just to get them. And we traveled a long time... and we were tired.
Eventually we were comforted a little by Kay when she said, "Just let me know exactly when you'll be there because I have to check with my husband and I have to clean and get the rooms ready." I told her that she didn't have to do the beds, just leave the sheets and I would do those for her. She said she'd just hosted a Family Home Evening for some ward members lately, so she'd cleaned up most of the downstairs where we will be staying. Mom and Gayela will be in the one big downstairs bedroom. Mike and I get to stay in the guest "shed". So we do have a place to stay, but not until later...
Then came the phone calls. It was 3-ish pm, and I called Doug Barton, one of the other people who had told Mom on the phone, "Sure you can stay here for a few days, we have plenty of room," but when I called him, he was at work (of course! it was only 3 pm) but he wouldn't be back until late. He suggested we call his house where his Daughter-in-Law was, but when she answered...we were actually texting. I was texting. On Mike's dinosaur phone because I actually got the map thing to work on MY phone to find Doug's house and wasn't about to risk losing that! Texting on Mike's phone is tedious, to say the least. I should have just called. Any way, she said, "Please take your time getting here as I have just started a piano lesson." Okay. We were just 11 minutes away, according to Google Maps. Decided to drive on while I called more of Berenice's people. Marshes were home, but they were just leaving to go to the Kona Temple and sub for some other workers that evening. She did tell us that the Waimea 2nd ward Christmas party was that night at 6 pm, so we dicided to crash that party. So Mike Drove on up north on the Island toward Waimea. I called Veloria's. No answer, but I think I left a message. I love phones and phone calls about as much as my mother does. But Mike was driving and Berenice can't hear on Mike's or any other phone unless it's on speaker phone and cranked way up, so I called. And Called and CALLED again. I'm not sure if Veloria's phone got my message because it didn't "beep" before I left the message. Oh well. I called Sheryl Sproat. She didn't answer, but I left a message and we drove on out to her place at the end of the road. Pololu point? Literal end of the road. Funny, though. NONE of the road signs ever say that it's not a through street or anything. We get to her place. I wanted to call one more time. No service. Since I'm the only one who can walk, I hiked alone
up the very very steep driveway to their newer home to deliver a Christmas Card from Berenice. I was happy to see that no large ferocious dogs came out to eat me alive. We have been there before and there have been dogs. I knocked, I hello'd , and eventually Sheryl suspiciously asked, "Who's there?" I delivered the card, chatted a bit, we walked back down the hill and she was able to visit a while with Berenice and Mike and Gayela. Sheryl's health is not good. Berenice had asked previously if she had room for us during this trip, but was denied due to these health problems Sheryl has had (eyes and back). Poor lady. But she was sweet to visit a while.
And we drove on. Mike was hitting his sleepy stage on the way TO Sheryl's, so I drove part way and he slept. On the way FROM Sheryl's he let me drive so he could enjoy the scenery. And we did. It's gorgeous in the Waimea and North and South Kohala areas. Parker Ranch and big, fat beef cattle. Soaring trees, lush green hills. It's so pretty. The roads are narrow and windy, but well- marked with slow-ish speed limits. It was a pretty drive to the Waimea Chapel where we crashed their Christmas party. Sadly, there were only a few people there Berenice knew and that we knew, but it was a nice party with great attendance, good food (soup buffet), welcoming and friendly folks. For part of the time, since we were not really sure if Doug and his family were expecting us or not--he never mentioned it, neither did the daughter-in-law...I was just so unsure that we really had a place to go for the night. (And we were SO TIRED) I went to a quiet classroom, looked for hotels online on my phone. It was slim pickings for sure. Most everything is sold out. I did even try the Marriott just to see if we could get one on the Friends and Family plan that we have available to us for another few weeks. But, no. Really expensive ones I didn't want to pay over $500 per night for might have been an option. But not for me. So I got brave and just asked Doug, in a text, if he was expecting us or not because if we'd misunderstood, then I needed to make some arrangements really quickly. But he called me back right as we were leaving the party around 8 pm and said, "Yes, that was the deal all along. Sorry today was just really crazy and we didn't know when you'd be here..."
So we drove on. Mike drove the winding mountain road from Waimea to the Palisades above Kona to Doug Barton's house. He and his (now deceased) wife had seven children. All are grown. One oldest son, wife and 4 children lives with him and the youngest son, who has just recently become engaged. Others live elsewhere (four on the mainland). One was at the Waimea 2nd ward party with his family. Nice folks and so gracious. And we were SOOOOoooo tired. when we arrived at the Barton's close to 8:30 pm. I just wanted to go to bed. But they sat up and chatted for a while. Berenice fell asleep on the couch while Mike, Doug, Gayela and I visited and watched the youngest son (Kaleo?) baking cookies for his ward Christmas party. Kaleo is quite the baker, apparently. The home is large and lovely, fairly newly remodled. And came with two dogs. Mike and I had a couch to sleep on (large comfy living room sectional) while Berenice and Gayela had the guest room with a double bed to share. It was one of the worst nights' sleep either of them had had in a long while. The bed was comfortable; however, Gayela can only sleep on the outside due to her bad/weak arm, which left Berenice on the inside over against the wall and she simply does not have strength to scoot and wiggle herself off the bottom of the bed to get to the bathroom. Or to get up to walk out cramps in BOTH her legs which she did all night long. Or to stand and shake out her hand with carpal tunnel syndrome in it. Which also happened that night. Gayela ended up sleeping the recliner in the room so her Mom would be able to get up if she needed to. But Gayela said her legs aren't strong enough to actually push hard on the foot rest to get up and out of it comfortably, either. As I type this on Saturday morning, they are ALL in the living room, snoozing on the sofa. ZZZZZzzzz . So after the most tiring day in the world, they all had the most tiring night in the world, too. I slept fairly well--as good as I do in any place that isn't my bed.
At the Waimea 2nd Ward Christmas Party. Berenice with Sister Kealamakia, who is 95. The lady in the hat is a Bertleman
These are gorgious clouds off the coast of North Kohala. We are at the end of the road at Pololu point, where Sheryl Sproat lives. I want to paint those clouds in watercolors someday.
Sheryl Sproat and Berenice
The road we just drove down to get to Sheryl's property. Cars are parked quite a ways up the road here. It's a tourist destination for hikers. They hike down into the Pololu valley and back out. There is a black sand beach at the mouth of this valley.
Looking down into the coastal area at mouth of valley.
Vivid blue sky and rolling green hills of Waimea and Parker Ranch.
Polulu Point lookout area. Looking up toward the valley. Sorry it's so dark. We were there close to dusk.
Looking back to our rental car at Sheryl visiting with the folks.
This morning, Saturday the 16th, we were able to meet all of the grandkids who live here. Today is one of their birthdays. He's 12. I cannot remember any of their names. It's a nice mix of Tahitian and Hawaiian. The mother, Vaina, is from Tahiti. We had breakfast with the mother and her children, met the dad (Doug's oldest son) when he came in on a break from work. Such nice people and SO NICE to host us for a few days. We just had cold cereal with the kids this morning. Well, Mike and I did. Gayela and her Mom had juice and toast. I guess they don't like Apple Jacks. ha. When we saw Kay at the Farmer's Market/Swap Meet at her booth yesterday, she gave me a bag of tangelos. I juiced those this morning to replace all the juice we drank. I also purchased pineapples there from another vender and brought one in to the Barton's. I guess I should cut that up so they can eat it. It's very ripe.
The first picture at the top of this post is the view from the large, breezy lanai at the Barton's home. The view is looking westward, toward the sea. The tree is a mango, I believe . . . but not bearing any fruit at this time and in the neighbhor's yard, anyway. :-)
It's beezy out here, cool and comfy. And so far I only have one mosquito bite from Sheryl's visit. Not bad for me.
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