Exhausted!

This morning, Mom and I headed off bright and early to climb Diamond Head. It was a pretty good walk – quite a few stairs at the end and I’m out of practice – it’s been almost 10 years since I was climbing St. Paul’s on a biweekly basis! But the views at the end were worth the effort – and now when I watch my favorite MST3K episode, I can say I’ve been there!

Then Louisa suggested that we go to see the Buddhist temple in the Valley of the Temples – and I’m glad she did because it was very pretty. It’s a replica of a 900-year-old temple in Uji in Japan (and has some of the biggest Koi fish I’ve ever seen!).

And then it was on to Kailua Beach for a bit of swimming and relaxing. Seeing as it’s March, even in Hawaii, it’s not as warm as it could be, especially when the sun goes behind a cloud, but the water was very nice (after we got past the initial shock!).

And the last photo is the view from our condo’s balcony. With a rainbow. Like you do.

p.s. – The markets here are called Foodland which I really like. Much more self-explanatory and descriptive than Schnuck’s or Jerry’s IGA. “What do you sell?” “Food.” “A lot of food?” “A land’s worth of food!”

p.p.s – I saw a Mini with a personalized license plate that read DONUTS. I need to find this person so I can marry them.

Graphic Novel/Memoir

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

I couldn’t sleep this morning and once the sun started to come up and the birds started to chirp (and for once were not drowned out by the wind tunnel that is our condo here), I gave in and got up. It’s already a beautiful day, so I decided to sit on the balcony and finish French Milk.

If I hadn’t already been a fan of her art and her writing from reading her blog (I’ll have to cone back and add links when I get home – I don’t know how to do it in Edward’s WordPress app), her book would have convinced me from the very beginning. She has a very intimate way of writing – I felt like she was just telling me (italicize that) about her month and a half in Paris. And her sketches (and occasional photograph) of her and her mom and the things they see (I want to go to Paris again now), the things they eat (so hungry), the things they bought (I long for the coat she found at Marche aux Puces), and the things she was thinking (she was just finishing her studies at the Art Institute and about to face the real world) all add to the cinnection she creates with the reader.

And it’s also a charming love note to Paris. I know I’m in Hawaii now, but I wish I were in Paris all of a sudden! She’s reminded me if all the things I still need to see there.

So, yeah, a great book – I hope to see another from her soon!

My rating: A

Off to climb Diamond Head – not feeling so dizzy as yesterday, so I don’t think I’ll fall off after all. Hopefully.

The Day

Today was Cayt and Ryan’s wedding and it was beautiful! This is actually only the second wedding I’ve ever been to and not since sixth grade – I’ve always been out of the country or on the wrong side of the country (or got the time wrong…). The wedding was held on a terrace of a very posh hotel, overlooking the ocean and they couldn’t have gotten a better day for it!

After the ceremony and lunch reception, they bussed us out to their favorite beach for some photos, Lanaikai Beach. Again, gorgeous!

They had arranged to meet at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for fireworks but I’ve been feeling like I’m on a boat even though I’m not on a boat (I think the flight over must have done something to my inner ear), so we didn’t go to that so I could have a cat nap instead, before meeting back up with everyone for drinks and snacks at The Banyon Tree.

Tomorrow the happy couple are off to Maui for their honeymoon and a well-deserved rest after all the wedding planning!

And our sightseeing itinerary jumps onto high gear, starting with a hike up Diamond Head tomorrow morning – cross your fingers that I don’t fall off!

Also, a poll: Should I take my parents up on their offer to take me parasailing? It’s not the parasailing that frightens me or even the becoming detached from the boat and gliding away somewhere – it’s the nomming by sharks when I land that gets me. What do you think?