Bangkok Garden

Our plan to go out for lunch was diverted when Thais had to stay home with Avery who had a slight fever. Thais ordered by phone and I picked it up at

Beautiful interior, very welcoming.

Equally friendly staff, Phet with manager Chris:

It's the little things. The paper wrapper for the straw is pulled up and twisted into rose

We had yellow curry, green curry with beef, white rice, and pad thai with shrimp and tofu. Delicious! And Avery was doing much better.

The past few days

Wed 23 Jan:  got a call from Justin yesterday that Mom wasn't feeling well and the staff at El Camino Gardens wanted her to go to the doctor.  Early this morning, Dick and I drove from Palo Alto to Sacramento to take Mom to the doctor and get some bloodwork done. In the evening at Justin's house (just so you know where we're sleeping tonight and for the next few nights), there was time to work on the Baby Skaug quilt.

Th 24 Jan: this morning, a package arrived on Justin's doorstep: lots of study material from the League of American Bicyclists for me to absorb by Feb 8.

Fri 25 Jan: Mom was sent to Mercy San Juan by ambulance this foggy morning.  Dick and I went to the hospital. 

She had stomach pain which caused her to double-over at one point. Blood tests, x-rays, a physical exam, and a CT scan revealed colitis. Mom also had trouble swallowing water and couldn't get down the first pill she was given.When she was asked whether she wanted to stay in the hospital to get the antibiotics and additional fluids (intravenously) or go back to El Camino Gardens and take pills, she chose "home."  I wasn't optimistic this was going to work.  Was she losing her ability to swallow?  Could this be the beginning of the end?  By 4 pm, she was back home and went straight to bed.

Sat 26 Jan:  Dick and I checked on Mom this morning, she was holding her own and managed to take the first of the antibiotics in pill form - yay!  Dick and I set up halved tennis balls in Justin's driveway so I could practice the instant right turn - a skill I didn't pass when I took Traffic Skills 101. 

This is the set up for quick stop.  Going about 8-10 mph, begin braking at the first set of halved tennis balls, use 2/3 front brake + 1/3 back brake, stop with front wheel between second and third set of balls, and shift weight to the rear of the bicycle seat at the same time, and don't fall over when you come to a stop.  When you're clicked into your pedals and tired of falling over when coming to a stop, this skill was nerve-wracking. 

I also practiced rock dodge where your swerve around an inverted half-tennis ball, front wheel goes to left around rock, rear wheel goes to right around rock if done properly.  I will be tested again next Sunday.

Baby Skaug quilt coming along nicely.  Main embroidered panel is done.

Smaller embroidered applique circle also finished.  The owls noticed their new relative winking from the tree trunk and flew over to say hi. 

Back to California

Lihue to Kahului Maui for a short layover where I got the watch only 20 minutes of the 49ers-Falcons game.

Before we we detached from the jetway, the 49ers had won.  A planeload of passengers cheered.

Thank you once again to Pat, Sylvia and Bill for your hospitality and help.  Thanks Phyl for doing all the planning for our trip and spending the past week with me.  Love to all of you,

At Kalapaki Beach

Morning coffee at Sylvia and Bill's.

No avocados today.

Trip #1 to the beach with some of the toys,

chairs, towels, tent, ice chest, and people.

Bill and I went back to load the Hobie kayak which we launched at the small boat harbor.

This kayak is multi-functional with a sail kit, oars, pedals, outriggers, and lots of storage space.  We were on our way to check on the boat.

Still afloat

but with a bad "bruise" from a boat which had broken loose and hit her.

After we pedaled over to Kalapaki Beach where the rest of the group.  Pat is on the SUP.

Sylvia on the Calypso kayak.

Bill tries out the SUP.

What a fun day!

Fun with Phyl: day 5

This is Phyl's last day.  We had to check out at 11 am, but still had time to kill.  We went back to Kilohana Plantation to explore the big house where Gaylord's Restaurant is located.  There are shops in some of the other rooms, although this one is mainly for private parties.

 

One of Pat's neighbors, Cher McMacken, has an artist's studio and gallery upstairs.  You can see more of her work at www.chermcmackenart.com 

There was time for a movie, Silver Linings Playbook, before Phyl had to head for the airport.

We said goodbye in front of Pat's house.  I would be staying for a couple more days.

Fun with Phyl: day 4

Back to hularobics in the morning. This time to take a video of my favorite dance - White Sandy Beach - with me in it. 

On to Hanapepe to explore unique gift shops and art galleries,

 

 

and walk partway across the swinging bridge.

 

We stopped at the Kauai Coffee Company mainly to take advantage of the coupons that came with the rental car. Here we got 10 oz of Kauai-grown coffee. By the time we're done, we're finished we will each have picked up $38 worth of free stuff, no purchase necessary. Cool!

There was a twisting path through the coffee bushes which explained the entire coffee-producing process.

The best pizza on the island is in Kalaheo at Brick Oven Pizza. Yum!

 

From the main highway, we turned off onto Kipu Road

in search of the angel which protects Lihue and Nawilwili Harbor. Can you see her? It helps to know she's kneeling in profile facing left and looks like she's holding a candle in her praying hands.

 

In case you couldn't find her, she's just below the words below:

A little farther down the road, the Menehune Fishpond.

Fun with Phyl: day 3

Tunnel of trees on the way to Poipu.

Shipwreck Beach.

See the fisher person on top of the rock? We hiked up to that point.

She'd caught two rockfish.

Poipu Village, Puka Dog for lunch.

I was surprised when Phyl ordered her dog with pineapple relish and secret sauce. Usually, she orders her sandwiches plain. Really plain. Meat and bread. Stop right there. When I said something to her, she said, "This is me living on the wild side."

Elephant Walk which Kiki manages and where Pat works on Wednesdays.

Spouting Horn

To the left is another much wider and less spoutier lava tube. Long ago, this blowhole used to shoot water 200 feet into the air. The resulting spray greatly stunted the growth of about 10 acres of sugar cane growing nearby. In the 1920s, a field worker was ordered to drop blasting powder into the hole to widen it. Problem solved.