Lucky We Live Kauai

Dan went back out Tuesday morning to catch the sunrise.

I am so grateful to Kauai for taking my dreams and spinning them into reality. Things are lining up so nicely, I couldn’t have planned it better myself! A big concern of mine, and a recurring theme on this blog, has been money. Not only are we sustainable, but we can actually save. Plus, we both have health insurance. We will be staying in the treehouse for another year or so, and stockpile money and toys, before we find a bigger place.

After I post this, I’m going to get cleaned up and head down to the farmers market in Lihue. I’m going to pick up some locally made feta cheese (made with goat milk-Greek style) and do some networking. My client Larry works there, he is part of the farm bureau. I can't remember if I wrote about it, but I cook 10 meals every two weeks for him. It pays for my twice weekly workouts with Paula.

Here’s some of the feed back I’ve been getting from Larry. They come in the form of a quick email and go like this, “The pork chop dinner was to die for. It's like living in a restaurant and you don't have to talk to or tip the waiter and there is no dress code . . . The chicken dish was fabulous last night. Now, instead of thinking of dinner as something I need to do in order to survive, it gets my attention and I stop every now and then and think about the wonderful taste, texture, aroma, etc. It is like culinary sex. This was such a smart idea!”

How excellent is that! Of course I’m happy that he likes my food, that he thinks it’s worth the money, but to know that he is enjoying it so thoroughly is really satisfying! He’s the perfect client; easy, easy, easy. He likes all kinds of food, so I get to cook what I like and not worry about it. 

I got a ton of ginger last week from the farmer, so I made some ginger popsicles. A great way to cool off in the heat.

People are starting to contact me to cover their restaurant or event. Last week I got an email from the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association. They were having a fund-raiser (they’re a non profit) and they were showcasing local food. The president of the Kauai chapter happens to read my column, so she knew I was into local food, and she asked if I could cover it.

Working out is paying off as I am able to get into this dress again! This is what I wore when I met the former mayor.

I got to sit with the former mayor of Honolulu Mufi Hannemann, and a farmer from Oahu who works with Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi, two legendary Hawaiian chefs. I also sat with the president of the Kauai County Farm Bureau, and I got to interview local boy and executive chef of the Kauai Marriott resort. It was an awesome night, and Dan and I ate really good.

Now, I get to decide who I want to write about for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years! Fun, Fun! 

Lucy being her amazingly cute self! I was making dinner and I turned around and saw this, I had to get a shot!

Thanks to Facebook, and my weekly chats with mom and dad, I know the weather is turning for cooler temps on the mainland. Here on Kauai, as summer turns to fall, I don’t notice a difference in temperature. I am basking in sunshine and trade winds in the land of Forever Summer. 

Baxter basking in the morning sun.