So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

The man in the khaki-colored shorts (second from left) and ponytail is our friend Kaipo. He kept us in good spirits for much of our stay at Haena.

So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

Then the meat was shredded.

So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

There was a little assembly line to get the four platters from the ground onto the table.

So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

Oscar at the table along with Oscar Jr. and I don't know who the other guy is, eagerly await the food. In the background you can see the pavilion area where we all would hang out at night. Also, if you find the guy with the red shorts and look to the left look what you can see? That's right! The van!

So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

This is another shot of the imu. It was buried, filled with lava rocks, somehow set on fire and covered in the banana leaves and these tarps. We attracted quite a crowd with the tourists.

So what Thanksgiving was three months ago?

Sure thanksgiving was months ago, but here are some pictures from our t-day 07 at Haena Park. This picture shows Alakai, Randy and Russell digging up the turkeys and ham from the imu (underground oven). They had stayed up the entire night to keep the dogs from digging up the food and were starting to get a little punchy-tired at this point.

Some writing

It's a quiet Sunday afternoon with light trades blowing the venetian blinds intermittenly causing the blinds to tap lightly against the window screens.

For those who do not know I have accepted a full-time position with the local newspaper; so far I have written stories about music acts, a Pearl Harbor survivor and I got my first front-page story with the sailboat that mysteriously drifted from Dana Point, Calif., to Kauai.

I really do enjoy my job. I'm also learning paginating which is basically composing the text and pictures for the page layout. I proofread two times a week and spend the rest of the time with the community calendar, obituaries and the occasional story or two.

We just had our first visitor last week and it was fun to have someone come hang out with us, which reminds me, in case you didn't know we are now gladly accepting visitors. Before between the four jobs and tight sleeping quarters, your visit would not have been as pleasant as it will be today.

But enough of me selling you on that one...
Last night it took us about four hours to get home from the main town because there was a four-car accident on the main highway and traffic was diverted through a golf course and an emergency dirt road. Unfortunately, one person died in the crash.

We did a little gardening today as Neil helped me plant a Rhambutan seed into a pot. Rhambutans are delicious fruits that look like they came from a Dr. Seuss book. They are bright pink and dark magenta, basically round with soft spines growing out of them. You bite into the spiny casing and suck out the clear fruit, like the texture and color of a skinless grape and suck the fruit off of the seed. Believe me when I say that all of that effort is worth it because the fruit is delicious. Therefore, I'm hoping to grow these little freakish treasures on our back patio.
I hope I've inherited the green thumb of my mother and it will be a success. (image courtesy http://www.sifaa.nl/rhambutan)