It's Time To Get STRONG AT THE WEAK PLACES!

As I write this, I am challenged by a sadness settling upon me resulting from my helping my closest friends here on the island – my Hawaiian Ohana – prepare to move back to the mainland. These are the people with whom I share my holidays and many splendid evenings, camping trips, and potlucks (we are all great cooks!).
The economy is dismal everywhere, and particularly hard hit on a vacation destination island. When people are losing there shirts, they do not have the money to go to paradise. As a direct result many businesses here are closing there doors, and the ones that are staying open are cutting way back. That combined with a troublesome volcanic activity – for over a year Kilauea has been venting an impressive column of SO2 (sulfuric dioxide) which is giving people respiratory challenges – has made it a good choice for my friends to return to Kentucky and Washington state.
Whereas it will give my a great excuse to attend Derby Day, and explore western Washington, I am a more than a little concerned about just how I will fare without their hugs and smiles. These are the people who have filled my void of an actual family for many years.

And…this is a world class opportunity for Linda to get stronger at her weak places. I have a history of being not an especially outgoing person in most settings - BraveHeart gatherings being the exception! I tend to be reclusive and stay to myself a lot of the time. It is not accident that I inhabit the remotest corner of an island situated far out in the Pacific.

At this juncture, I will either come out of my historic shell, or be exceedingly lonely. As we say here, “It ain’t no tsunami!" AND, Linda has some growing to do…