My Boat is So Small

On rare occasions, I burst into tears and cry uncontrollably for several minutes.

At times, this is because there’s an ASPCA commercial with abused puppies and kitties.  At other times, it’s because I find myself so overwhelmed with the beauty of the drive along H3 that it’s impossible for me to make it through the tunnel dry-eyed.

And then, there are times like five minutes ago.

I went searching for a quote to post to Facebook.  You know – one of those fun little ditties about how I miss my husband, but life is great, and so am I?  I turned to an old favorite, InspirationPeak.com, and this is what appears on the homepage:

“Dear Lord, be good to me

the sea is so wide

and my boat is so small.”

-Irish Fisherman’s Prayer

Yeah.  It’s like a green light that you’ve been waiting for that suddenly comes along and you just have to gun it out of the gate – except this is with tears, and they don’t exactly zoom, but they do fall.

This past year has brought so much change.  So much change that all I want to do is sit here, not move, and make time slow down.  Except, that would mean it would take longer for Keith to get home, and no matter how stressful the days can be, I’d endure each and every one if it brings me closer to him.

In this last year, we’ve:  renovated two bathrooms, done other major renovations to our kitchen and outdoor space, packed up and moved our entire lives thousands of miles away, and visited Michigan, Minnesota, Canada, Pennsylvania, downstate New York, St. Thomas, St. John, the BVI, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

I’ve left my job for consulting, and Keith’s has gotten a whole heck of a lot more complicated.  We’ve said more good-byes than I ever wish to again, and set off on a whole new adventure where we’ve made new life-long friends.  I’ve started school to achieve my CPA and Keith is gone about 1/2 to 2/3 of the time.  Oh, and yeah, Jack got cancer.

In the midst of all of this, we received some difficult news that pregnancy is not possible for us, and that’s something that will change your life forever.

So, let’s see – on the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, we score a 493.  Yeah.

But, Keith and I are resilient, and I am quite aware of that, given the fact that I am still alive and kicking at this very moment.  But it doesn’t mean that every day is easy, or that tomorrow will be easier than today.  It actually doesn’t mean much other than it’s sink or swim.

The crying still comes often.  Today, I randomly fell into watching “New Year’s Eve” – you know, that stupid little movie about a whole bunch of people and their inter-relating lives on New Year’s Eve in New York City?  All those famous people are in it, like Bon Jovi…

Well, the reason that movie brought me to tears is this:  There’s no Christmas like a New York Christmas.  There’s no shopping like Macy’s in December, or ice-skating like Rockefeller Center.  There’s no show like the Rockettes, and no one can prepare you for the fun of FAO Schwartz.  But, the better part is the time spent in the smaller shops – at the Comedy Cellar just a few feet from Dave Attell.  Eating cookies from Levain and perusing the Frick on free Sundays.  There’s nothing like the Hudson Valley when it snows (and I don’t mean the crappy road conditions).  There’s just something magical that happens with so few neon lights and so many beautiful views.  Nothing like the food of High Falls, or my mom’s holiday dinner table.  And in Toga, New Year’s is so special.  Not that New York doesn’t top it (and believe me, New York City New Years is rockin’), but there’s something simple in First Night Saratoga that just makes me feel good about what’s to come.  Being warm, wrapped up in puppies with hot chocolate, watching the lights on the tree flicker and the snow fall outside.  Damn, I miss that!  I want that!  So yes, this movie made me ache for that.  And then, like cruel jokesters, they threw in a scene with Halle Berry talking to her husband, deployed in Iraq.  Not the same as Keith being underway, but it might as well have been.  Great oceans started pouring from my eye sockets.

But, we just got here to Hawaii, and I have to give it a chance.  Nothing’s going to live up to 31 years of pure holiday bliss, but even now, as I type and cry and wish that time and space would listen to my every command, I can’t help but watch my puppies sleep – all curled up in a ball, snug and dreaming away of chasing cats across the field…  And then I think, my boat might be small, but it’s filled with wonderful things.  And that makes this great ocean crossing bearable and worthwhile.

Hawaii Highlight: Star of Honolulu Dinner Cruise

So, sometimes you just have to be a tourist in your own town.

I’m not certain that I’d consider the island of Oahu to be “my town” just yet, but it’s certainly already become home.  After leaving Saratoga with so many things undone – so many restaurants not visited, so many trails not hiked, so many New York City landmarks not photographed – I realized that we need to take advantage of each and every moment that we are here.  Thus, we planned a little “staycation” on Oahu.  One of the highlights?  The Star of Honolulu Dinner Cruise.

You have to understand that my expectations were high.  Perhaps it’s silly to say, but after having such lovely dinner cruises aboard the steamboats in Lake George, I really thought this would be fabulous.  And, though it was, it was not fabulous in the sense that I imagined.

The dinner cruise is not quaint, or quiet, or sweet as the sun sets.  There are so many people packed into a single deck that if you’re not a size zero, it’s difficult to navigate – and almost impossible to sit down on the booth side of the table.  Not to mention you feel as if you’re eating dinner with your neighbors.  That’s all right for me as most restaurants in New York City also maximize space and it’s not too awkward.  However, it just wasn’t what I expected.

The boat ride was rather touristy, as you’d anticipate.  There was lots of dancing on the part of the crew, singing, and even some interesting displays of cultural heritage from around Polynesia.  What was missing was the dancing on the part of the passengers.  Though, truthfully, it was so incredibly hot, I’m not sure that I’d have wanted to break even more of a sweat!

The food was reasonable – what you’d expect.  We got the “three-star” dinner, which included lobster and steak, and a whole bunch of other appetizers.  You get two drink tickets too, and I have to say that I enjoyed the daiquiris – at least before they melted!

What was best, though, was the view.  Stepping out onto the little deck and seeing Honolulu from a postcard.  It was just gorgeous, especially as the boat turned and the sun began to set.

In the future, I hope to do something like this, but without all of the dancing and singing and drum-playing and sitting so close to my neighbor that I could tell you more about her than my actual neighbor neighbor here in Pearl City.  Crazy, right?  But, that’s what they’re there for.  It was definitely worth the cost (which was not cheap), but I wouldn’t say that we’d do it again.

Honolulu

Keith on the boat

Michelle on the boat

Yum!

Honolulu

Lobster!

Steak!

Keith and I

Sunset

Dancing

Dancing

Costumes

Visitors: Emilee the Fabulous!

Our very first visitor to Hawaii was one of my very best friends in the whole wide, wide world:  Miss Emilee!

Emilee visited in early April, just a week before her and her equally fabulous husband celebrated their fifth marriage anniversary (congrats lady!).  We had an ah-mazing time together.

The week started out with a drive around the island, and some time spent on Lanikai Beach – one of my very favorites.  Emilee gushed at how green the windward coast is, and we took some time to watch the surfers ride the ending winter waves at Pipeline.  Definitely nice to be low-key!

This day around the island was followed by a ridiculously incredible food tour!  If you haven’t gone, be sure to check out Hawaii Food Tours.  They’re awesome.  Really awesome.  They took us everywhere – from Liliha Bakery to Chinatown’s Royal Kitchen and ending up at Leonard’s.  The food was delicious.  We sampled coco puffs, manapua, noodles, hot buttered rolls, smoothies, dragon eyes, Jackie’s jerk chicken, fried pork and duck, malasadas, and more!  It was well worth the time and money, though our tummies decided we wanted nothing to do with food by the end.

The tour guides were very knowledgable, and not only told us about the food that we were eating, but about the communities that we were visiting (mostly Chinatown).  We had time to peruse the market and let our stomachs settle before filling them up again.  After which, we got a ton of recommendations for local restaurants and events – some of which I continue to visit today.  (This tour was so great that I ended up taking Keith out for a day to walk in our footsteps.)

We also spent a day in Hawaii Kai, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.  I think we may have gone too early in the morning, or when the moon was full, since the tide was extremely low and it felt nearly impossible to get out to the deeper waters.  So many people were standing on the coral, despite being told not to – it was awful!  The Bay itself is gorgeous, as is the beach.  It’s definitely a view worthy of a postcard.  Plus, everything you need is available (though at an added price).  Expect to pay for parking, entry, and then an arm and a leg for lockers, snorkel gear, and even a ride back up to the exit!

Emilee and I got to know some local restaurants, like the Waimanalo Beach Cafe with its awesome “gorg” croissant, which we visited before spending time lounging at Waimanalo Beach Park – which was one of Emilee’s favorite spots.  That was a fun day, particularly when we almost got swept out to sea by the strong currents!  Okay, maybe we didn’t quite get swept out to sea, but there were some pretty large waves!

The rest of the time was spent doing the norm – beach and sight-seeing.  A week was definitely not enough, and I truly look forward to Emilee visiting again soon!

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay

Waimanalo Beach Park

Hawaii Highlight: Driving the Leeward Coast

Maipalaoa Beach

Since we’d seen Honolulu and Waikiki, the Windward Coast, and the North Shore, Keith and I decided to head out west and take a trip up Farrington Highway, along the beautiful Pacific waters, until we couldn’t drive any further.

We started out just enjoying the view, and then decided to check out a local beach.  They were all rather quiet, and a few were diver-focused (and now listed on a to-do list for Keith’s diving).  We stopped at Maipalaoa Beach, which is a lagoon beach meaning that you ought to bring water shoes so as to not hurt your feet or slip on the coral and lava formations.  It was ridiculously quiet with only a few patrons (tourists seem to avoid Waianae).  We spent some time taking in the sun and enjoying the view.

From there, we continued along Farrington Highway until there wasn’t any more road to follow.  There, we found Yokohama Bay at Ka’ena Point State Park (the other side of the point from our off-roading

Beautiful view on Yokohama Bay

adventure).  What a gorgeous, quiet and undeveloped stretch of beach!  Although there’s ample parking, a lifeguard, and a few food/craft trucks, it was a very serene environment.  During the winter, the waves can get a bit out of control so we didn’t spend much time in the water, but we did enjoy the comforts of the soft sand beach.

I’ve heard that you can watch both the sunset and the sunrise from Yokohama Bay, and that’s something I’m willing to wake up early to check out.  But the most surprising memory from our day at the beach didn’t happen until the following day when we heard there was a shark on the beach, right where we were swimming the day before!

The drive is well worth the numerous lights.  Not only do you get to enjoy the view of the ocean, but the mountains are glorious.  Quite different from the lush green mountains of the Windward Coast, it’s like an entirely different climate.  It doesn’t rain very much, which makes the land dry, and it’s much more of a residential, local Hawaiian community.

Don’t avoid the Leeward Coast.  There’s no reason to.  It’s beautiful and well worth the visit!

Check out our photos of the beaches here!

Hawaii Highlight: Off-roading on the North Shore!

Oahu’s North Shore is famous for surfing, but it also boasts one of the best off-roading trails on island.

The Pacific is so blue!

Since Keith had just purchased his new Jeep, we took a drive up north to Ka’ena Point State Park.

This would be my first off-roading experience and I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the jolting and jarring that results from traversing the unpaved roads and challenging canyons.  But – the sights you’ll see along the trail you won’t see otherwise, unless you hike, and it can be quite a hike (though TOTALLY worth it).

The main trail is bumpy, but it’s the side “roads” that bring you closer to the coastline that really test the vehicle and driver.  We stopped quite a few times to enjoy the view.  The lava rock formations are awesome.  Because of the big, breaking waves, you can see little pools of water here and there – sometimes with a fish in them.  What’s even more fun is watching the fish traverse the rocks back out to the sea after a rough wave.

Hidden Beach

But the absolute coolest moment was stopping to have lunch at Hidden Beach – a beach that very few people ever get to enjoy.  It’s gorgeous, and the sand is not yet refined, so looking at it, you’d think it were made of very small, smooth rocks or glass.  We were the only people there, and it was sweet, romantic, and just plain gorgeous.  One of the Top Ten beaches on quite a few guidebook lists, it’s one not to miss.

At the end of the trail is a bird sanctuary, and the continuation of the hiking trail that will take you to the Waianae side of the island.

You’ll want to wear sneakers or hiking boots, and remember there aren’t any restrooms here.  Be polite and unless you’re experienced, don’t go alone.  No dogs are allowed in the park, and no glass or open fires.  Please leave with what you brought, and respect that this landscape is slowly declining.  But don’t miss it while it’s still gorgeous!

Check out more photos from off-roading here!

Hawaii Highlight: Hickam Air Force Base Beach

Every now and then, the military surprises me – in a good way.  And that’s certainly the case with the

Watch the planes take off

Hickam beaches at Hickam Air Force Base.

Hickam Beach, for short, is the main swimming beach on the base – and really the only open-every-day swimming beach there is since Pearl Harbor is a no-swim zone.  To get to it, you first pass the dog beach (which itself deserves a nice blog post – best dog beach EVER), drive past the marina, and you’ll find the beach just beyond Sam Choy’s.

The beach itself is not huge, but even on a crowded day, it’s not like you can’t find a place to plop your stuff.  The swimming area is designated and has a very gradual decline so it’s very kid-friendly.  The waves are generally nearly non-existant given the harbor and remnants of the past and, because of the location, it’s rare that you come across Portuguese Man-o-Wars or box jellyfish.  My only complaint is that it can be a little rocky, though not enough to truly complain.

Outside of the swimming area, you can rent kayaks, paddleboards, and more.  Take them on a spin of the harbor, which is generally very calm and easy to navigate.  The cost is extremely reasonable thanks to MWR and the hut is open most of the day.

A typical crowd

Hickam Beach does have lifeguards, bathrooms, and showers.  There’s a really nice grassy picnic area and you can rent one of a dozen cabanas to barbecue or just hang out.  Alcohol is permitted, but no glass.

The ambiance is not as romantic or sweet as other beaches, and the view isn’t exactly the most beautiful.  The airport is right there, so you can see the planes landing and taking off.  Plus, there’s generally a bunch of kids, and on the weekends, is overwhelmed with yelling and screaming little ones enjoying the day out.

There’s another beach at Hickam called Honeymoon Beach, but you can only access that if you rent it for the day.  I’ve heard it’s a good location for weddings or parties and reasonably affordable, but I’ve never actually visited.

I have to admit that though Hickam is not my favorite beach, it is my most frequented since only DOD or

Pretty waters!

military are allowed and I feel much safer doing solo trips and leaving my stuff for a swim.  Plus, I pass what I consider the better Commissary on the Air Force side on my way home.  A definite convenience!

Check out more photos of Hickam Air Force Beach here.

Hawaii Highlight: Bellows Field Beach Park

You can see the islands off Lanikai in the distance.

Bellows Field Beach Park is a beautiful white sand beach within the grounds of Bellows Air Force Station (Bellows Field), in the Waimanalo area of Oahu’s Windward Coast.  Because we’re New Yorkers, and because we could, we visited on Christmas Day.  Unfortunately, the winter weather brings some unruly waves and currents, so it wasn’t the most ideal swimming situation – not to mention a Portuguese Man-o-War warning.  But, don’t let that discourage you if it’s gorgeous weather with a good, calm surf report.

We didn’t see a lifeguard, but that could be because it was a holiday, or that we were in the “public” area not beyond the barrier leading to the cabins.  The beach was fairly deserted and if we saw a dozen people, I would say you’re overestimating that number.

The sand was nice, but not like the fine sand of Lanikai, and I did find the trip to the water to be a tad bit rocky on the feet.  Nothing unusual for many oceanside beaches.  If you want to learn to bodyboard or are a beginning surfer, this beach is for you.

So pretty!

Closed to the public on weekdays (except holidays), it remains accessible to military families so long as the resident Marines are not training (generally 8am to 12 noon).  It’s a nice, long stretch of open beach lined with palm trees and, if you drive a little further up the beach, cottages and campsites accessible only to active duty or retired military families.

Check out our photos of Bellows Field Beach Park here.

 

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Our Hawai’i Home

Okay, so no one says “Aloha” here in Hawai’i.  And, it seems everyone spells Hawaii as “Hawai’i.”  You

Our house at Pearl City Peninsula

also put a hefty “e” on the end of Hawai’i when you say it.  I’m getting used to the language, and slowly but surely pulling back from asking Keith how to pronounce every single street that we pass and every town that we happen to drive through.  There are several that I still just cannot say, but I’m determined to get my tongue untied soon!

One thing I can pronounce is our street name, Lowella Avenue, and our city – which you can pronounce too – Pearl City.  I have to admit, it’s not the nicest city on Oahu, but our community is pretty awesome.

You may recall that Keith and I weren’t interested in Pearl City Peninsula, mostly for two reasons:  it’s a gated community and not in our favorite location.  Turns out we also didn’t like that the house isn’t a house, but rather a townhouse.  When we met with Navy Housing, we figured we would turn this place down immediately, but alas, we chose to at least tour the property – one of our smartest decisions since moving on island.

Pearl City Peninsula is tucked away down a long road that accesses an actual peninsula.  It’s gated, but by gated I mean one man in a t-shirt and shorts checks your ID as you drive through.  So, no armed guards, no barbed wire, no feeling like you’re cut off in some kind of military-crazed housing complex.  As we drove in, we saw that there’s a gas station and a small mini-mart (aka Mini-Nex).  How super-convenient!  Further on, we passed the dog park, which has two enclosed areas – one of which has to be close to 2/5 of an acre.  If you turn right at the dog park and drive two blocks, you’ll arrive at the pool and the playground.  The pool’s not huge, but it’s never crowded – at least, not since we’ve been here.

Our house is located smack in the middle of the two – a block to each – which couldn’t be more perfect.  On first inspection, we both hated that it was a townhouse, albeit connected to only one other townhouse, but not a stand-alone home.  However, on the outside, you don’t really feel like it’s a townhouse.  The driveways and doorways are separate, and we have a tree in between our respective properties.  A beautiful tree, blossoming even in “winter” with pretty white and yellow flowers, surrounded by a hibiscus bush that produces red, yellow, and pink hibiscus flowers.  There’s a good amount of space between our house and the one next door, with a few trees and well cared for bushes.

When we opened the door, I have to admit our jaws dropped.  No, this is not our dream house.  No, this is not the most perfect house in the world.  No, this is not amazing, but yes, this is nothing like what we were expecting.  This house was livable.  You walk in to a great, huge living space open to the kitchen and dining room in a sort of L-shape.  Loads of natural light and windows.  Faux hardwood floors throughout.  The front of the living space had a raised ceiling, and there’s a wall diving a small hallway with the half-bath that’s a straight shot to the kitchen.

The kitchen is small, but…  There’s a very large pantry in it, plus a gigantic laundry room with more shelves than I know what to do with.  After putting all of our enormous amount of kitchen stuffs away, we found that we still had room.  You just need to plan wisely, and put the non-essentials in the adjacent laundry grand hall.  As for the laundry room, it may be taken over in part with small kitchen appliances, but it also turns out to be absolutely perfect for my office – wine fridge included.  Loads of natural light, a pretty view, and a quiet retreat for working hard (or hardly working) in Hawai’i.

The garage is only one-car, but even if we have two – it’s enough space, and there’s no snow to worry about.  The back of the garage has a giant storage area where we’ll put all of Keith’s tools and my elliptical.  There’s a window, which lets in natural light, and a small colony of geckos that seems to enjoy the garage light.

Heading back out to the outdoors, our backyard is tiny.  Tiny compared to the .4 acres we had in New York, but perfectly manageable and enough for the dogs to do their business and have some outdoors time.  I can’t complain when there’s a gigantic dog park a block away – with its own water fountains (one for the dogs, one for the dogs’ best friends).  The neighborhood is quiet and there are speed “humps” throughout, so taking the pups on a walk isn’t an issue.

Upstairs is lovely.  We have three bedrooms – one for my mom, one for visitors, and a nice, good-sized master bedroom overlooking the mountains on all sides just for us.  It’s big enough that Keith no longer has to climb over me to get up for work and we have our own bathroom and enough closets for Keith to have his own!  There’s another good-sized guest bath and a huge walk-in storage space upstairs.  Again, faux wood throughout with windows, windows everywhere!

After our tour, we got back into the car and drove to see a few other houses off-base.  Throughout the day, the both of us kept asking ourselves (and each other) why we would take something out in town.  All of the homes we saw were similar in size, but a further drive, and we wouldn’t be paying much less – if not more – to rent them.  Here, we at least have our utilities covered and there are a lot more services available for me, “the spouse,” when Keith is out to sea.  There’s quick access to two gigantic malls and movie theaters, just about 15 minutes from the Commissary, and a bike path that Keith can use to ride into work.  The only downside is that the traffic can be heavy and coming home from the base can take 30-90 minutes on Kamehameha Highway, plus the schools are dreadfully awful, but otherwise – it’s a fit.

So – yes, we gave in.  Or, rather, we took a beautiful near-perfect home in an okay location that could be moved into right away and provides peace of mind for the hubby when he’s out to sea.  No more needing to walk the dogs constantly, or getting calls to come home from dinner because they won’t stop barking.  No more living without our stuff, or worrying about absent landlords.  And plenty of space for all of our stuff and then some!

Thus, here we are – home!  Perhaps not for our entire time in Hawai’i, but for now it’s where our hearts are.

Check out our new home on Flickr.

Hawaii Highlight: From the North Shore to the Windward Coast

People always ask me if I’m afraid Oahu will be too small.  If I think I’ll come down with “island fever” within the year and wonder why in the world I would stick myself on a teeny tiny rock in the middle of the Pacific.  What those people dont’ realize is that Oahu isn’t small, and it’s much more than a rock in the

Dutchess at Lanikai Beach

middle of the Pacific.

In fact, Oahu is approximately 120 miles around, and driving from our house to the North Shore, down the Windward (i.e. East) coast, and back home took over three and a half hours.  Oahu is diverse in its topography and its offerings.

The North Shore was pretty amazing.  I was awe-struck as we came up over the mountain and looked down into the bays.  The waves were fierce, the surfers amped, and the road littered with small businesses, mom-and-pop shops, and roadside vehicle sales.  I could smell barbecue everywhere, and when we stopped at McDonald’s to grab an orange juice, it was like we were in a different country.  Other than the golden arches, I would’ve thought we were at a tiki hut.

As we drove along the shore (and yes, the road takes you along the shore), we passed beach after beach after beach.  Some had rocky shorelines while others were white sand with massive waves.  A few were swimmable even in the winter, and others – well – we knew they were there but had no clue where the nameless dirt roads to access them were.

Jack at Lanikai Beach

The dogs enjoyed the ride.  On one side, beach and endless blue ocean.  On the other, green mountains jutting up to the heavens.  Sharp, pointed like a birthday hat.  As we came to the Windward Coast, I found my home.  It’s just ridiculously gorgeous.  Green, blue, white, red, pink, turquoise…  all the colors you can imagine make up this tranquil landscape.  Paradise existing right next to everyday life.

We ended the day’s tour at Lanikai Beach.  Of course, this is the first beach we’d visited and I can tell you, it’s my favorite beach on island.  Lanikai is a public beach without lifeguards or restrooms, which means it’s also a dog-friendly beach.  It’s about half the size of what it was some years ago – I hear due to the sea walls of the multi-million dollar houses that line the coast.

Lanikai is quiet and deserted during the week.  There’s no official public parking, and without restrooms or a park, most folks choose Kailua Beach just a bit north.  Kailua is equally as beautiful, but there’s pure peace on Lanikai.  The two small islands off the coast are fit for postcards.  The larger of the islands, XXX, is accessible by kayak and has a lovely white sand beach that’s über crowded on the weekends.

You’ll see a lot of watersports at Lanikai.  People windsurf, kayak, and paddleboard.  There’s some

Lanikai Beach, my favorite beach!

snorkeling, though it’s not the clearest, and the water is generally calm enough to comfortably swim.  It can get a bit windy (of course, since its on the windward side and all…), but otherwise is perfect.

The dogs faired okay on their first trip to paradise.  The sand wasn’t an issue (though they refuse to go to the bathroom in it), but the waves were.  Since it’s winter, the water’s a tad bit cold, and since they’ve never seen waves, it’s also frightening.  We didn’t push too hard and are hoping to slowly but surely introduce them in a calmer bay.

It was a truly wonderful day visiting the North and East coast of Oahu.  I recommend it as a great introduction to the island, and a reminder that Oahu is not, in fact, that small.

Check out some of the photos from our trip around the coast.