When Too Much Rain Is Fun...

There has been a lot of rain on Oahu, especially up by

Sunset, Waimea.  I came across Waimea Park flooded... by all the rain.

when I came around the bend I saw guys on the beach and had an idea what they

were doing.

You can see the river water blocked on the right in this photo.

There are guys digging a trench to let the water out...

random guys coming with shovels,

when I came back about an hour later, I could see that the crowd had grown

and caught a quick look...

 I found a short video that shows why they were doing it.

it's short-lived but looks like fun

I just wonder about all the dirty, brown water, yuck!

Another One Bites the Dust...

it's been tough on the big covered bus stops on the North Shore.

I snapped a photo of this one today up across from Foodland in Sunset.

Must not have happened all that long ago because it was still there.

Last month we lost the one in Haleiwa.  Found out yesterday that

someone actually hit that one with a truck and knocked it down by accident.

Now they have to pay to replace it.

This one looks like it could have been something like

that since even the concrete was smashed.

careless drives= busy bus stops with no place to sit,

Aoki's & Iwa...

On May 31st, both of these long-time Haleiwa businesses will close their doors.

Kamehameha Schools (the land owner)  has given them the final date.

Aoki's has been in that location for 30+ years and their building is 90+

years old.  Iwa Gallery's building I would't be surprised is probably older.

This is all part of Kamehameha Schools Master Plan for the North Shore

and Haleiwa.  This will include a parking garage, new buildings,

side walks, trams to shuttle the tourist, etc.  Our friend owns

Iwa Gallery and can't afford the rent in the new buildings.

Kamehameha Schools plan
for Haleiwa will bring huge change to our sleepy town.  As it is now,
the traffic on the weekends is especially bad...tourist don't want to stay
in Waikiki anymore. They want to experience the "real Hawaii" and our
beautiful beaches.
I understand that in an economy that is tourism driven, must attract those
dollars...

but isn't taking away the charm and replacing it with new
taking away the "real Hawaii" that so many come to see?
Is the North Shore going to become the next Waikiki?

I hope not.

Country Fact of Life...

We live in the country.  There are regular sewer lines in very few places

here on the north shore.

If you live in any type of "older" home, chances are you have either a

septic tank or a cesspool.  We happen to have a cesspool.  We've had it

checked and it's fine.  If we had done the construction, we would have had

to put in a septic tank, which are about $14,000 total. So needless to say

we still have the original one. We "feed" it yeast once a month, and watch

what goes down it.  Seems to be just happy!

So a regular sight out here are the pump trucks. Just a fact of life.

Keep the Country Country!

Wall Street comes to the North Shore

I came across this protest the other day.  A guy told me it was a fragment group

from the Wall Street protest that are going on in town.  This was across

from the Turtle Bay Resort.

Right next to them was this group of HPD officers, part of the

special task force.  I knew this because they were wearing their

"aloha shirt uniforms". 

These new "uniforms" are supposed to help the officers blend in :)

We don't get much of this type of thing going on out here...

most protesters don't want to drive out this far.

Just thought it was funny because if you've ever been to Turtle Bay,

there's not a lot of traffic like Haleiwa.

I caught one of the officers taking a picture of the group...wonder what

that will be used for?  

plein aire Haleiwa

Another reason I love the early morning in Hawaii.  I came across these

two paintes down by Haleiwa Joes, painting the Rainbow Bridge, with

Anahulu River.

It was so quiet and they were just busy working away.

Can't wait to see the finished product.

Beach BBQ

Last night a group of neighbors got together for a bbq down at Mokuleia.

A ton of food, burgers, hot dogs, shrimp and ribs.  The kids said the water was

great. Liam and Jodi brought down their floating platform, so the big and little kids could play.

Ed did all the cooking (thanks, Ed).

I didn't get to stay for the som' mores, since I had to go to the airport to p/u hubby.

It was the perfect evening, food, friends and fun.

(Thanks Molly for the great sunset photo)

Light Show...

I'd been hearing about the Geminid meteor shower that was going to

peak tonight. 

I stepped outside onto the front porch and saw two right away.  The moon had already passed

overhead, so it was pretty dark.

I tried taking my own picture, but they were just too fast.

We see a lot of falling stars out here because it's pretty dark (except next door),

but there were definitely more tonight.  Pretty cool.

The First Jewel...

in the Triple Crown of Surfing got started on Monday.

It was supposed to have gone last week, but due to the Andy Irons Memorial

it started this week.

It's held at Ali'i beach, the west side of Haleiwa Harbor.  Today the waves dropped

from yesterdays 15-20 feet. 

I was only able to drive through the parking lot because even early in the morning all of the spaces

are gone.

I was looking at their artwork on the tent and I really do like it...sort of mellow.

So another winter surf season has started.

Sunset is next and ending with the Pipe Masters.  Wouldn't it be something if the Eddie went

off again this year?  I don't think it's ever been held two years in a row.

Something to look forward to.

Good friends + good food= Good Times!

Last night after many, many months of trying to get together, our good friends from town FINALLY made it out to the North Shore. 

We brought dinner down to Kaiaka and waited for the sunset.  It was the most perfect night.  The weather was perfect (so much so that we stayed down on the beach until after 9pm), the food was the best...Paalakai fried chicken, homemade cole slaw, homemade spam musubi, homemade kim chee, a yummy egg dish, Paalakai butter rolls and my lemon poke cake.

Gary and Benita live in Ewa and Dave and Iris live in Hawaii Kai.  They were amazed that there wasn't really anyone on the beach (a few people swimming and another family bbqing).  The reason we stayed on the beach was that (other than it was so stinkin' nice) were all of the stars.  You just don't see stars like that in town.

Thanks guys for coming "all the way out here" it was worth the wait and the drive!

Big Surf~ Day 1, Second Swell, con't

a few more pics from Saturday

today is the BIG one!

sounds like a constant freight train all night!Oh, Really?!

spectators at Waimea

Sharks Cove

Laie Point

Waiamea, it was crazy with all the peopleopposite side of The Bay (see the church) Iliohou Street

Same spot

Wish you could appreciate just how big this stuff is! It really is something to see! The sound, the mist, the power!