The following day, we ran errands in sunny Vancouver before returning to Langley to visit with my parents over dinner at NY's Indian Grill Restaurant. On the 5th, we did several chores, including pruning trees and bushes and cleaning out gutters at our Nanaimo rental duplex, before finally returning home. |
March 1st was our last day visiting my cousin and her family in Hawaii. We flew back to BC overnight and attended our niece's 2nd birthday party on the 2nd. I barely managed to stay awake for UFC 235. Lisa made some more house calls for LifeLine. We both spent time cleaning in Honeymoon Bay. We gave up our PO Box, and we had a short visit with Debbie and Shaun. While running errands in Duncan, we checked out Somenos Marsh. St. Patrick's Day was so warm and sunny that I joined the boys for some beers at the end of the neighbours' driveway next door. The final day of Winter was gorgeous, so we spent much of it enjoying drinks in the sunshine on our deck. The weather held for the first official day of Spring, so we hiked Cobble Hill, and then joined Robin aboard "Easy" in the afternoon. That evening two deer came right up to our back fence. More sun on the 21st allowed us to begin tennis season. Continued sunshine meant continued use of the deck. Anthony "Showtime" Pettis provided a thrilling knockout of Stephen "Wonder Boy" Thompson via Superman punch. We continue to be blessed and grateful. We made another trip up Cobble Hill on the 27th. Afterwards, we spent much of the afternoon enjoying time on the deck. We were delighted that Shelley was able to lead us on Ladysmith's 7km Holland Creek loop trail in between our errands in Nanaimo & Duncan. It was sunshine and cherry blossoms in our own neighbourhood. Justin "The Highlight" Gaethje collected another one with a KO victory. We continue to enjoy watching movies. I read five more novels and a book of short stories in March. Despite seasonal allergies wreaking havoc with Lisa's eyes and contributing to another painful ear infection, she was able to begin cycling season with three rides in the month of March.
0 Comments
We were fortunate to be able to spend time with family on Oahu. We met one year old Kaleo in person for the first time and were pleased that four year old Nova liked her Russian Matryoshka doll enough to take it to bed with her. Nerf wars brought out nine year old Eli's sense of humour and strategy when he appeared wearing four layers of clothing! My cousin Bronwyn and I pulled an all-nighter, visiting the entire first night of our six night stay. In the morning, we wandered the Sunday swap meet outside Aloha Stadium and enjoyed some snacks. We were glad that the kids liked visiting the Kahala Resort where we watched a pregnant dolphin undergo an ultrasound while another received infrared medical attention. We also saw sea turtles up close before enjoying the resort's beach access. After returning to Schofield Barracks, Lisa and I took Nova to three separate playground areas within their neighbourhood. We spent most of day #2 exploring Oahu's North Shore. Our first stop was Green World Coffee Farm in Wahiawa (I may or may not have sampled every variety available) before heading into Haleiwa. We saw a rainbow, but no turtles, at Laniakea Beach. Kaleo played in the sand while Nova and I braved the surf at Waimea Bay Beach. Afterwards, we grabbed a bite to eat from the food trucks near Shark's Cove. Finally, we stocked up on supplies for the week from Costco. The following day, Lagoon 4 at Ka Olina provided tamer waters for Nova & I to play while Lisa walked the coastline path connecting the lagoons. Ellis's schedule allowed him to join us on the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail, where we ran into Larry, Hanne, and their friends. Bronwyn hadn't realized what she'd agreed to, but was happy once she'd reached the top. We had just enough rain and wind to cool us down, but clear enough views to spot several breaching whales. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with fresh baked Leonard's doughnuts. On Thursday, we headed to Tracks Beach. Nova and I hit the water again at White Plains Beach at Barbers Point, while Lisa, Bronwyn, and a monk seal, enjoyed the sandy beach. I tried my hand at boogie-boarding, but had more fun playing in the surf with my funny buddy. On our last day on Oahu, we all hiked to Ka'ena Point. Having conquered Makapu'u, Bronwyn agreed to tackle the much longer trail to the island's most western tip, where we witnessed the mating dance rituals of the Laysan Albatrosses and saw another lounging monk seal. It was a pleasure swapping stories and sharing laughs with relatives we rarely see. We were happy to get to know each other better and will treasure the time we were able to spend together with our ohana. While playing board games, completing homework assignments, sharing meals, and just spending time together, we gained an appreciation for everyone's unique personalities and developed stronger bonds of love. Once again, our flight schedule allowed us to watch the Hilton's Friday night fireworks display prior to heading to the airport.
Mahalo to the Riggins family! |
Archives
January 2024
Categories |