Few of the Hawaii Pictures

My co-workers: Joyce,Susy,Diane Dr and WandaBird of Paradise




This looked like the "funnest" toy to rent-but we never did that
My toes in the sand....
North Shore Waves


View from our lanai
Beautiful blossom

ALOHA

My Week In Waikiki.....

Halloween, Jewelry, Macadamia Nuts, Birthday, Shopping, Mai Tai , Sand, Waves, Sunshine, Friends, Food, Jeep and flowers are just a few of the fun shared in Hawaii this past week...

HALLOWEEN is celebrated by everyone in costume and walking along the store fronts for candy. The streets are jammed-packed with happy carefree people having a good ole time. Their costumes are not store bought masks but well thought out outfits. We waited over an hour for a table at the Cheesecake Factory and enjoyed our meal and dessert. Dr Matthews led the walk back along the beach and we all had wet capri pant legs before we got back to our hotel.

The base exchange JEWELRY store was the first stop after breakfast every day- many purchases including a pair of beautiful green plumeria earrings they gave me for my birthday!

I ate plenty of the all natural dry roasted MACADAMIA NUTS and we stopped at the macadamia nut farm- which turned out to be mostly a tourist gift shop!

On my BIRTHDAY - plans were all mine to make---of course I said beach time....but it was misting and windy that morning so surprise...SHOPPING was my second choice.

We rode the bus to AlaMoana center and the SHOPPING began....I went straight to Macy's and found several sweater sets for work. There are plenty of places to browse and SHOPPING we did. CrazyShirts, FabricMart, Apple Store, Macy's, Victoria's Secret, at the BX/PX, and the International Market Place to name a few...

The drink of the week was a MAI TAI and our goal was to find the best one. The Hilton made my favorite but the local bar/hangout MaiTai came in with a really close second = an icy blended Mai Tai - especially when the 151 was added.

Beach time- indescribable- perfect is close though- white SAND raked and ready for my toes in the sand-ass in the WAVES moments and SUNSHINE temperatures in the 83-87 range,....couldn't ask for anything better.

FRIENDS meet and new friendships are made. Diane, Joyce and Susie had lots of catching up to do with Janet, who used to be Dr. Matthews receptionist. Wanda was able to see her son, Chad who is in the Navy and Dr. Matthews visited his astrology friends in Maui. I shared a room with Diane and Wanda so we had some late night talks and some early morning wake up laughs.

FOOD- each morning we ate at the base buffet - a huge spread of fruit- I couldn't get enough of the papaya, made or to order omelets and the most delicious coconut syrup!!!! I usually skipped lunch and we walked to a different restaurant for dinner We ate at the Macaroni Grill for my birthday dinner - complete with a serenade by MissOpera. We waited over an hour for a table at the Cheesecake Factory, no wait at all at Hamburger in Paradise and a short wait at the Yard House. My favorite was a small local place called Uncle Bo's- it came highly recommended and was worth taking the taxi there.

Rented a white JEEP and we drove around the island...with the GPS in the glove compartment most of the way. We saw huge waves, great beaches, picture perfect palm tree and had Ginger Shrimp for lunch at a local food wagon, walked through the antique store and a macadamia nut farm, sat on the beach to see Blow Hole and the sunset...it was a large, fun day and I am so happy we did this tourist thing!

Bright colors +Beautiful scents = so many FLOWERS .... the Plumeria and Hibiscus is my two favorites.

It was another vacation-different friends, food and fun but all good - and good things must come to an end....It was a long flight home to a different kind of beauty...a winter snow-globe wonderland kind full of ice and snow....I am happy to be home but will miss that Waikiki Paradise.....

October 29 to November 5th in Honolulu, Hawaii

October Afternoon at the Board Walk

From the Old Seward Highway- where the Rabbit Hutch used to be- now it is the for the Bird Treatment project- looking out over the marsh and highway
family of ducks
John sneaking in pictures of me---
see the termination dust? I just look at the yellow leaves....

....HERE'S LOOKIN AT YA.................
Potter Marsh Boardwalk is definitely NOT the same as Atlantic City Boardwalk..........
We were the only two people there....with at least 12 pair of swans and lots of mallard ducks
Another view of the boardwalk looking up at the Potter Marsh Housing Development
We picked the best day to stroll- John did okay with walking slowly and with the knee brace on-think it was just nice for him to be outside-it was chilly and windy but so pretty- gotta love Alaskan Autumn Afternoons :)

Labor Day Weekend

The Beluga Whales were in all week-can't tell that by my picture on Friday as I head to Soldotna...Mountain views along the Seward Highway-south
At the pull out and looking towards Hope, Alaska
same area-enlarged the creek- gold mining was popular in this area
The bridge had a steady line of vehicles- mostly going south for the weekend.
Spent Saturday in Homer, Alaska with Becky and Katie. We enjoyed the best lunch and shopping Homer has to offer! Stayed out of the Salty Dog Saloon this time-didn't even buy myself a sweatshirt from there.
Always love this view and smell....needed my Homer fix for the year...
I made Katie and Becky pose...saying every tourist stands here....
of course the "landmark". I couldn't leave Homer without taking this picture....
Sunday morning at 8:30 Chris came home from work and we all headed to their new property....It was foggy, cleared off and then was beautiful all day. Caribou Hills will become the "gathering place" for all of us. This is their view - it will be directly out the front windows of their cabin- as soon as windows are put in.
Stages of the cabin being built...Chris is such a hard worker- he didn't expect to get as much done this weekend as we did :) Becky and I used the wheelbarrow to move gravel until the neighbor came with his tractor :) and we hammered nails until my arms hurt....somehow I deleted that picture as I hit the backspace button....John is the best "hard hat foreman" with all the tools and gadgets for the job:)


This is how we left it Sunday night- Becky and Chris went back up on Monday and put the floor down and placed plastic over that to keep it dry. His next long stent off work in October will be another work session...Might just be able to use it this winter-

Recognize this building?

Walked across the road, down the bank and through this grass to get some pictures.....

of this old falling down building
seems to be crumbling into itself
leaning farther and farther over
We've driven by this old building for the past 30 years on the way south and I always say lets stop and take a picture before it falls down. Well on Monday we found a place to pull over and stopped for the picture. I've heard this is the remains from the earthquake in the 60's. I was able to walk right up to it- in it even - if I dared- and around most of it....it is more like petrified wood not the crackling old barn board wood like I expected. But a piece of Alaska scenery that will someday be just a pile of boards.

I have a new job!

I couldn't of ask for something better to fall into my lap! Dr. Matthews, another periodontist, checked in with me when I was in Pa about working for him. I interviewed and started working there this month. It is a wonderful office with three very nice ladies and he is a real southern gentleman that loves to talk! I am "working" full days Tuesday through Thursday and alternating Friday's, doing pretty much the same as before except everything seems to be done differently - after 26 years of doing it "my" way I am ready to learn new things and offer suggestions that will make our days run smoothly. The added bonus is the office is near the corner of Lake Otis and Abbott Road....couldn't be much closer to home! This is the front of the office building- and the FOR LEASE sign hangs there because AMERICAN EXPRESS moved out....I tried to get Valerie to transfer up here/wonder where they went?

Where Are The Travelin Lundbury's?

My bestest friends are probably enjoying a sidewalk cafe in Paris as I write this.....so I decided to change my background in their honor. I know you two will enjoy every minute and the next three weeks will go by so fast --- can't wait to see and hear all about your adventures! *****Have Fun!!!!!!******

Around Her Yard

Welcome to Denise and Jerry's. I love taking pictures here - they both have spent a lot of time and hard work making their home and landscaping so welcoming. I walked around and snapped some pictures to share...
Love the aqua blue color she painted the gate and used as accent color on the back porch....maybe one of these years I will be able to find the same kind of lawn chairs locally.

I found this to be the perfect place for sitting inside and visiting after hard day floating! Picnic out front on the circular table on afternoon. Small kitchen area and local antiques fill this pond house---didn't see a "pond-boy" though!!!!
Natalie and Denise/Jerry share a garden this year....who has the most peppers? The hedge of trees in the background hide the gas well drilling taking place on the neighbors farmland. I think about this process often and hope all is going well there.
Their picket fence greeted us as we pulled up the driveway to the garage. Wish I had a place for the same size fence around my yard- I love the heart shaped cut outs and the grey wood color.
looking toward the chicken house in back yard- birdhouses, pretty flowers, lots of lush greenery and critters tucked among the plants
peaceful testing place - view toward the pond...anyone that loves campfires and stories can gather here. The barbwire wreath on the tree stump in background----I have a close up picture of it that is "fair entry worthy"!!!!
And this is the Chicken TAJ MAHAL... no dogs allowed!

The Pond

Thanks to Denise, this saying became our motto for most of our trip "GOOD FRIENDS *GOOD LIFE". We totally enjoyed our time at the pond. The water is so pretty, clean, warm and just perfect to float on. Jerry and Denise shared their special place with us - and we really appreciate it and thank them lots.
Working on their tans and texting at the same time.
Isn't this pond so serene and peaceful. Can't wait to go back and enjoy it next time. View from both sides of their property.

Kutztown Festival

A great place to spend the day walking around...craft booths, food booths, quilts and good ole family fun....Where they make funnel cakes...the start of our sweet addiction...
and huge colorful hex signs that remind me of quilts....He even personalized Brenda's purchase with Lewis
another booth...a dying art that is making a big come back in Pennsylvania...