Cheers!

Yesterday we headed into the afternoon heat with the intention of snorkeling. We decided to do something closer to home instead of driving all the way to the north shore. Lydgate Beach Park is close and we heard it's a great place to snorkel. We forgot it was mothers day so the park was loaded up with folks, the waves were rough and the only place to snorkel was in the "kiddie pool" with a lot of other folks. We decided to go see Iron Man 2 instead. 

As we pull up to the small theater (4 screens) we see a long line wrapping around the side of the building. Deciding to give it a shot, we stand in line. A man comes out and says seating is very limited, we may not get it. So, we head back home. We wanted to do something so we had drinks at our favorite bar the Oasis in the Sheraton Beach Resort. It's completely open and backs right to the beach. Perfect!

 

"Inside" Oasis

Three Mai Tais and several apps later we are making some friends. Early on, sitting at the bar we met Scotty. We had seen him before at the Home Depot and learn he is a DJ for the local community radio station KCCR. His show, Surf Stories, is about surfing. He interviews big time surfers all the time. We are impressed when he says he interviewed Laird. His family, originally from Florida moved to Colorado before coming here 12 years ago. 

Jenny and Joel, the bartenders, have friends and family at the bar. Jenny's friend Amy and Amy's boyfriend Zach are to our right and live in town. Joel's mom Bobbi, sister Jen and family friend Mark (who Bobbi calls her second son) are to our left. We made instant friends with Bobbi who collects sea glass and shells when we gave her some we found earlier in the day. Jen and Joel have dogs and we plan play dates with Bobbi. Jen is an event coordinator and wedding planner at a garden up on the north shore so we make plans to go check that out.

Today is my first day working for the farm, after a quick chat with Jillian I will get to work. At 2pm, Dan and I are driving about 45 minutes south to meet with the folks I am doing the catering job for. They want to sample my macaroni potato salad and poke to make sure it's local style. Then we are heading over to the boat house, where the party will be, to meet with the owner and check out the kitchen. 

I am thankful for my friends and husband who can kindly tell me where I can improve. Realizing that I am a perfectionist and of course struggling with the transition of moving here, I am able to let go. And look, 3 posts in 2 days!

The produce isle at Papayas looking to the left, Dan is getting it mostly local. Jillian's book choy, carrots, beets, kale, onions, daikon, bananas, papayas, dill are on display. Going into the store and seeing produce you've grown and or harvested is as cool as seeing a spot you edited on air!

To the right

Perfection

Jillian and I are rushing to fill the Papayas order. It's hot and we, like the produce, are wilting. "I'm just so nervous about this order, I mean it's for Dan and he is such a perfectionist." I say. To which Jillian replies "Well, look who he married." I don't know if she's saying I'm perfect =) or I'm a perfectionist also. Later that evening, I tell Dan and he suggests that I am indeed a perfectionist. Shocked I defensively reply that I have standards and that doesn't mean I'm a perfectionist. We laugh, I see in essence I am arguing semantics.  Something new to contemplate, I have never seen myself as a perfectionist. But I can see it coalescing in my minds eye, little things that point towards perfection and the desire to get things done right. This blog for example, I have not had the time to write posts that sort of bring you here. I like to describe what I see, feel, taste, touch and smell so that you can feel like you are here experiencing it with me. This takes a lot of time and I have not had that time so I have not posted. Several weeks ago, my buddy John (congratulations on the promotion!) suggested I write shorter posts more often so he could keep up on what is going on. Makes sense and even takes some of the pressure off but...did I do it?

What is going on? A lot! I am trying not to feel overwhelmed, trying to focus on all the beauty. I mean we live in paradise right? As my loving friend Deb pointed out, this is traumatic. I replaced my whole life; "security", everything and everyone I know with something totally different. So, instead of expecting everything to turn out perfectly well, I should relax, enjoy the ride. Easier said than done. I guess I am someone who needs to be gainfully employed, have everything perfectly planned out and busy. I do have a job now, working with Jillian at the farm. Instead of being happy about it (which I am) I am struggling with the lack of structure, something that Deb chalks up to island style or island time. So right now, I am learning how to take myself less seriously. Lower my "standards" (expectations) and go with the flow.

Dan is happily supplying Papayas with as much local produce as possible, being social and making connections, relaxing on his days off or fixing things around the house. We have a lot of plants from the farm or local farmers (avocado, taro, thyme, oregano, and Jamaican lilikoi) that need to be planted.

We are busy, so much going on the details overwhelm me so...none of that. This afternoon we are going to snorkel, have a little fun and relax. Tomorrow, we are meeting with the folks I am catering for in June. Last weekend we celebrated Lei Day (May Day) and went to the 97th birthday of the lighthouse in Kilauea. I am trying to be imperfect and go with the flow. Right now, the flow is telling me to post some pics and get on to something else like a nap or a good book!

Our fellow student and friend Tiana won an award for her lei made with veggies and herbs from the farm, the first time she has ever entered the competition!

Outside the Kauai Museum on Lei Day

Award winning leis

Exotic Ni'ihau (The Forbidden Island) shell leis

How they are made

Inside the Kauai Museum where all the leis were on display

This Ni'ihau lei goes for $2400.00, we saw one for $10,000.00!

You could make your own lei for $1.00!

On the way to the lighthouse Dan stopped and got me a lei

97 year old Kilauea lighthouse celebration. Once a year you can go into the lighthouse, it's closed the rest of the time. In July it will be closed for 3 years for renovations. You will be able to go to the lighthouse, you just can't go inside. We made it in the nick of time!

The view from the lighthouse

The beach in the distance is Secrets Beach. We climbed down that cliff to get there. The houses on the left are the ones movie stars (George Clooney and Johnny Depp at the moment) rent for $6000.00 a night! 

We had our first whale sighting. For 20 minutes we watched a mama and baby breach over and over again until they were out of sight.

Time to go up! The lighthouse was the first thing people traveling from Asia would see.

The 250,000 candlepower Fresnel lens weighs 4 tons and is made of 400 hand ground glass prisms.