Lightning, palm trees and pineapple lumps

Photo by Anthony Cervantes https://www.facebook.com/groups/357455554420269/user/100074523021956/

We woke up to a sensational lightning storm!

Huge flashes of light as if Godzilla had discovered the flashlight feature on his phone and zig zags that went skittering sideways like elaborate calligraphy or an erratic profit and loss line chart. My phone couldn't do it justice. 

The only thing blocking the panoramic view is the wooden telegraph poles spaced out every few feet - i.e., the palm trees. 

I loved them when I first saw them - you can’t get more Hawaii than these palm trees, which are tall and majestic. I kicked and screamed when TH suggested removing a few (there are 15) to make it possible to build my insisted-upon pool (I used potential guests as my main argument), but I’ve come around. 

Before you stage a protest, when you sit on the lanai, you have to place chairs to avoid them being right in front of you. You can’t sit before them; they’re perched above a steep slope. 

There is a pleasant solution - resorts and parks want them and will happily come and carefully remove them to be relocated. So they will have forever homes where they will be appreciated and probably get better poolside service. 

Ps. Plenty more are scattered around the property, with a dozen on the driveway alone, so we have spares. Bring a large suitcase.  

Today’s exciting expedition was to Target and Costco. 

I was expecting Kona to be insanely expensive. It’s an island, and I grew up on one. Things don’t just magically appear on the shelves at the Warewhare back home; they are imported - which comes with additional cost, and the same applies here. 

However, Tahjay has the same prices here as Bellevue (a city close to Seattle, tech-heavy), which is also insanely expensive, so it’s a pleasant surprise—Ditto Costco, Kona’s primary source of goods and has the cheapest petrol. I even found their version of Pineapple Lumps, though I will still expect my sister to fill her carry-on with the Kiwi ones. 

The first time I was at Costco in the USA, I needed to be carried outside and given a paper bag to breathe in. The massive amount of possible consumerism was a shock, along with the wall of 36-packs of loo paper (handy in COVID) and giant jars of mayonnaise. Here, it’s a comfort. They must subsidize it to keep it standard, and it's appreciated. 

Miss you and mahalo, 
Erin