HOUSE HUNTING

 Good morning from Maui!!  There were no centipedes to be seen on this day, but I did kill one of my earplugs that fell to the floor.  Better safe than sorry.

The weather is a warm 85 degrees with clouds, including those that drop the wet stuff.  This is Haleakala, the volcano that made this island, most always covered in clouds.  We are about halfway up from the valley at about 2500 feet.  Don't let that fool you ... it's still HOT up here, even with the breeze.  

We are staying on Cyndae's property in a studio apartment.  On the same property are two rental houses that like all houses, require maintenance.  That's half the reason for this trip.

Looking the other way off the deck are the other side of the mountains and Yao Valley.  Rarely do you see these because of the clouds.  I've hiked both ... and you need to be in pretty good shape to do so.  

My favorite part however, is to meet Baba every morning for an ear scratch.  I called her over this morning and she actually came.  She did a lot of smelling, but let me scratch her head and ears.  Her eyes closed immediately.  Apparently I was hitting the right spot.  What a sweetheart she is.

The second reason for this trip was to look at houses for sale, so no ocean water on this day.  I was not disappointed since I wasn't into getting rolled by the waves anyway.  This is one of the trees we spotted on the way.  Plumeria ... a sweet smelling gorgeous tree covered in flowers.

I think every plant on the island has flowers of one kind or another, and they are gorgeous.  Most of the trees are in bloom too!

Wouldn't you know, the very nice realtor took us to the absolute BEST place first.  It made all the others look bad, even if the price was lower.  This is owned by a couple from Oregon who are retiring to travel, and apparently it's NOT to Hawaii.  

No kidding folks, if you come here, just do a few open houses and you will be amazed.  This one is an immaculate 4 bedroom 3.5 bath with all the furniture included.  It's designer furnished and fabulous for a measly $2,100,000.  It has a GREAT pool in back, dog runs, a huge patio ... it's number one on the list.

This was the second house where I snuck this picture of the pool.  I want one just like this in my back yard!!  This house ... it had a garage with GLASS doors.  Who does that?  On the other hand, the rest of it was old and needed repair.  It was priced at $1,775,000 and didn't hold a candle to the other one.

I know these sounds high priced, but everything on the island is HIGH.  Even the cheapest one bedroom condo runs $900,000.  No wonder three generations of family live in the same house.

This house was NOT for sale, but I loved the umbrella shaped tree.  

With beautiful flowers on it.

Next was a trip to Kihei for shave ice.  There is only one place here that is any good, and this is it.  The line was long, but worth it.  The price you ask?  $22.00 for two.

Here you go ... macadamia nut ice cream smothered in shave ice and syrup.  Mine was orange and red raspberry and Cyndae's lilikoi and mango.  YUM YUM!!  Someone in my town should get the machine and sell this stuff in the summer.  They would make a fortune.

That was it ... we stopped in at the Kihei Marketplace and picked up a couple of things, but nothing exciting.  We did run across this rainbow on the way home though ... which of course Cyndae said was a SIGN we needed to buy that house!!!  I'll let you know down the road.  I have to admit, it was the widest rainbow I've ever seen and touched ground on each side.

We came home to check on the contractor doing some repairs, ending a nice day out and about.  She says today we will be back at the beach, but I will most likely just be sitting on it.  The ocean is not cooperating.  

And so ended a lovely day in paradise.  It's now time for me to go scratch Baba!!!!

ROCKING AND ROLLING!

Good morning from Maui!!  This three hour time difference has my internal clock running backwards!!  Mornings generally look like this.  Lots of clouds and even a little rain.  

The chickens love it.  It beings out all the creepy crawlies for Mom chicken's babies to eat.  These guys live next door and are the cutest ever!  The sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking wakes you up every morning at 5:00.  

 

That's the time I am usually out here on the porch with my computer.  There are always visitors.  Thankfully no centipedes on this day, but the lizards are out in full force eating up all the bugs.  Maui is definitely known for its nighttime bugs.  

On this day we planned to be back at the beach early for some paddle boarding and snorkeling.  We planned well ... but the ocean did not cooperate.  It was pretty rough when we arrived.  Cyndae finally took her board out, but stayed on her knees most of the time.  It was a rock and roll ride.

I on the other hand, watched the waves for a lull so I could get out and get my fins on.  At least I got that far before the big rollers started coming in.  I jumped the first one, but the second one was a good foot over my head.  Bad news for Nancy.  

Saltwater burns your eyes making it hard to see the next three big waves that hit me with a vengeance, every one of them pushing me further to shore.  I could not get my fins back under me to swim out and the rollers just kept on coming.  A nice man held me upright while I got the fins off and walked out.  So much for snorkeling today.

This is taken with the new little camera, which I think I finally learned how to use.  Not sure this is going to work, but it shows a little of the waves coming in.  I think I am out of snorkeling luck.  Cyndae came back in and said it was not a good ride ... way too much wave action.

So what do you do when the ocean does not cooperate?  You go look at multi million dollar mansions for sale.  These are located just above the condo we usually stay at.  We kept it low at first, checking out one of the condo units for sale for $899,000.  It's perfect ... right across the beach from where we just came from.

This one is up the hill a bit, only $2.1 million.  VERY nice, but I would have a little trouble making the $10,000 a month house payment.

We finally headed off to Target for some groceries, though neither of us have been cooking, and crashed when we got back.  It's was a long hard day and I think we are ready for some R & R.  No big plans today, except to see one more house.  Maybe we will even stop in at the pool.  The waves there seem to suit me better!!!

DID YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING???

 Nothing like meeting the locals face to face.  THIS my friends is a centipede.  I was up at 4 am ... not the same 4 am as California.  I was washing my face when I felt something on my bare foot.  Nothing will make you scream louder than having this guy run onto your foot, and hang on, but I had to be quiet so as not to wake Cyndae.

My watch says my heart rate went from 48 to 111 in two seconds.  No kidding Sherlock.  The problem was, how do you get one off your foot without it biting you.  I'm guessing he was maybe sick from the bug spray he probably encountered, but he held on with every single foot.  I could not get him OFF!!  I finally grabbed my comb and COMBED him off onto the floor.  SO lucky he didn't bite me.

He quickly made his way under Cyndae's luggage.  Nope I didn't go after him.  He was quite lively when Cyndae finally got up and took care of him, as in sent him swimming down the toilet.  I'm now super paranoid.  I watch every step I take.  What a GREAT way to start the day!

This was my view an hour later when the sun finally came up.  No bad critters to speak of out here.

Just this beauty!!  When they see us on the porch, they come running.  

Now THIS is MY kind of critter.  She's not exactly happy I wandered into her territory and she quickly ran away.  By the way, I've seen Kitters on the patio looking for me.  I feel terrible.  I'm hoping SHE doesn't run away.

And so we were finally off, two hours late to the party at the beach.  We were looking for calmer waters.  It's been very windy with whitecaps all across the ocean as far as you can see.

Too rough ... so we went on an adventure down narrow un-signed public access to find calmer waters.

Chang Beach was very nice, but not calm enough for Cyndae's paddle board.  This was the view when we got to the bottom.  It being Saturday when EVERYONE goes to the beach, this little area with no sign to say where it is, was quite empty.

But we didn't stay.  We went instead to Makena where the water was not TOO bad, but pretty surgy, making it hard to put on new water shoes, which I bought yesterday because my old ones were shredding. We had stopped at the dive shop because with my big fins, you have to have some kind of boot or shoe.  $$$.  

While Cyndae aired up her paddle board with a compressor (pretty cool), I tried out my new underwater go-pro type camera.  Of course there are no directions, and I had no idea what I was doing.

Into the water we went.  None of the buttons I pushed on the camera worked as expected.  So I swam out until I was getting exhausted.  I'm out of swim fin shape times two.  The visibility was terrible and I saw not one fish.  Back to the beach I went.  It didn't help that without my glasses, I can't read what the camera was saying.  I spent the next 15 minutes figuring it out and finally got this picture.   

When Cyndae got back a few minutes later, we loaded up and headed for the pool.  I wore my fins and did laps until my legs hurt.  I'm sure I'm going to be walking funny today.

We stayed there for a couple of hours before heading back to the apartment.  I'm pretty beat up, so there will be lots of aspirin floating around the room tonight.  Tomorrow we will be back at it at 6:30, hoping for calmer waters.  Wish us luck!

This is my all time favorite picture of my kid.  He just pushed his ball off the chair onto the floor, where I am required to pick it up.  Isn't he the cutest!!!!!

LOCO MOKO!!

I was up early ... 3 hours early!!  Just about the time I get acclimated to the time change, I'll be leaving!! 

It was 7:00 by the time the sun came up and I was perched on the deck having my cup of Joe.

I knew these guys were here, but this was my first up close encounter.  These are native to Maui and are everywhere in the mountains.  I'm up country as they say, about 2500 feet up the side of Haleakala Volcano.  

Three of them live next door and are as cute as can be.  

I can't quite say the same for the chickens.  Good grief ... at 4 am Maui time, the roosters began crowing like crazy.  There must be a hundred or more!!  Soon after, the dogs started barking.  No biggie, my body thought it was 7:00 anyway.

Cyndae finally got up and off we went for breakfast in town.  It was 7:15 ... and this was Freshies restaurant.  There is very little seating inside ... it's all outside with the chickens.  They stuck together like glue.  The Daddy rooster, Mama hen and two little chicks.  How cute is that!!

Lots of things changed here after Covid.  Most all the business have disappeared, with different ones trying to fill in the holes.  Breakfast was a Denver omelette with sourdough and potatoes.  Not as good as I remember, but it had half a hog under those eggs.

Cyndae had a local favorite, Loco Moko.  This is two Hawaiian beef patties, fried onions, tomato, lots of beef gravy, topped with two fried eggs.  She brought 2/3 of it home.

The next stop was my idea ... the local bakery.  Thank goodness they are still in business!!  Best donuts on the island ... and all hand made by locals.  That one on the right is filled with fresh homemade apricot peach jam.  It is of course GONE with the wind now.  The vanilla filled donut is being saved for later.  If you ever get to Maui, go to Macawao and ask anyone where the bakery is.  You won't be disappointed.  

The flowers here are of course gorgeous and every color under the sun, though most have been battered a bit by the wind.  It's been VERY windy every afternoon into the evening, probably 25 mph as I type this.

There are so many varieties it's crazy ... and every shape and size imaginable.  

The wind was so bad at the ocean pushing up white caps across the entire expanse, that we opted to stay at the pool.  There wasn't a soul in sight ... just like we like it!!

These are the condos where we stayed for many years.  I thought about buying back in, but the HOA fees now run $2800 for your two week stay.  You already paid for the weeks when you signed up ... and now the fees are getting up there.

On the way home, just for giggles, we stopped in at an Open House in a very nice neighborhood just above the condos.  A measly $2,450,000 will buy you a beautiful 4 bedroom 2-1/2 bath with a weirdly shaped pool in back ... all solar.  Chump change, right??  Sorry, I didn't get any pictures.

Back home, while trying to figure out what bank to rob, I spotted this on the patio.  Cyndae thinks it's from a praying mantis.  Anyone seen anything like it?  It's about 3/4 of an inch across.

That was it for the day.  We are lagging a bit from the difference in time.  We had leftover shrimp for dinner, before crashing rather quickly.  On today's schedule ... 75% chance of rain, and beaucoup wind.  We had planned on paddle boarding (the car is packed), but I think it's not going to be calm enough for that.  Maybe some sightseeing today.

My Cooper boy would love it here.  Lots of green grass and new smells to smell.  Hopefully he's a happy boy where he lives now.

A 19 HOUR DAY ... WOOHOO!

ALOOOOOOHAAAAA!!  Yup I'm back in Maui after twelve years.   But first, I have to GET there.  The drive to Sacramento wasn't TOO bad, and I cruised right along in my Jeep.  It's smaller when it comes to parking, since the town I stayed in is tiny.  

The bedrooms at Cyndae's house are full to the brim, and though I would gladly have slept on the couch, she took me over to her daughter's house to spend the night.  This is the one who is the Southwest Pilot, and we just happen to be flying on what else ..... Southwest.  This is the same family I visited not long ago that have the beautiful garden in Davis.  Just look at the spoils here and on the kitchen sink.  Yummy stuff!!

I set my alarm for 5:00, and wasn't I surprised when it went off at 4 am.  Apparently it has a mind of its own since I had to update the phone, and now all my settings have changed.  I hate it when it does that.

I tiptoed around until Cyndae picked me up at 6:15 and we were off to the airport.  It's so simple now ... and so different from the last time I was here.  Check in at the curb, run through the TSA-check point, not taking anything out, and in no time, we were on the plane in our exit row seats.  It was rather a long reach to the fold down tray for me, but I found one in the arm of the chair.

I've never seen an airline pass out so many snacks.  I got six altogether and ate every one.  Not bad!!

In a flash we were over the ocean and above the clouds, but this is a 5 hour LONG flight.  I read most of the way and didn't sleep a wink.

In no time, we were flying over Maui heading to the airport.  This runway is a little different, and landing is fun fun FUN!  The crosswinds were dramatic as usual and the runway short.  Everyone hit the brakes to help the pilot, and there is always a rousing applause when they finally get the thing stopped.

We were picked up by one of Cyndae's tenants who drove us to her apartment.  We sort of settled in, but didn't stay long.  The beach was calling.

Just as a tease, we stopped in at the condos where we both owned many weeks years ago when it was affordable.  We were treated to an hour in the pool with not another soul before walking across the street to the beach.  This is where I spent many a week in years past.

The tide was coming in and it was way too rough for us lightweights.  We parked our chairs, and Cyndae said "let's walk down to the rocks".  I thought she meant the OTHER rocks, and before I knew it, we had gone over half a mile in the deep sand.  My legs protested.

I haven't seen the tide come in quite this far in years past, and we got blasted several times.  

These guys were all over the beach and in the middle of every road.  I've never seen so many birds before.

And it got rougher .......

This is looking the other way on the beach, to the area where all my turtle pictures came from.   The fish and rays under the water here are amazing.  We'll get to that eventually.  Right now we were waiting for the sunset.  

With another two hours before the sun hits the water, dinner called our name.  The same food truck has been in the same spot by the condo all these many years.  We could not resist the coconut shrimp ... the biggest I've ever seen.  It was enough for three meals!!

Still waiting on the sunset, we drove ... or rather "I" drove because Cyndae forgot her purse ... to McKenna beach to check on the turtles.  There are almost always six or seven that pull out onto the rocks for a rest.  You can barely see him back by the trees.  And sadly, these are all phone pictures because I didn't have room for my big camera.

This guy was completely exhausted and sleeping up a storm.  Not many people know this location, so we had him all to ourselves.

The next 30 minutes of the drive was in a BIG car on a LITTLE narrow road where the beachside was caving in.  We went almost to the Fishbowl, if anyone knows where that is.  Sadly, it has been closed to humans.  Coming back, we found another beach access where two weddings were being performed.  We fit right in wearing our bathing suits!!!!

That was it ... the end of a VERY long 19 hour day before we got back to the apartment.  There is one bad thing about the sun going down .... it's DARK ... and you can't see when the car lights don't really work well.  I was driving narrow barely visible roads, all unfamiliar to me since new bypasses have been created.  The traffic here is the worst I've ever seen in my entire life.

We made it back and went to bed at 11:00 our time.  I think today is going to be filled with REST!!  

The roosters are crowing as I sit on the patio at 4 am.

See you tomorrow!!