FELL...AND I CAN'T GET UP...SPLASH !

Happy January...looks like Winter is finally arriving in New England...days are getting longer now...you can get through it!!!

Kathy and I took up Paddleboarding...not too bad on flat water...after lots of shaking and looking like rookies we did pretty well on a canal right near the ocean in Kailua.  When we ventured to the ocean however it was another story.  I must have fallen off...SPLASH... (in spectacular fashion) about 10 times...in fact  when I finally got on shore a nice Hawaiian man came up to me, patted me on the back, smiled,  and said keeping trying..you will get it eventually....I guess I was providing interesting entertainment for all the people on the beach.  Kathy of course did better.

Anyway with our new skills we went to the North Shore and paddled up Turtle River in Hawieva (the same day the Choppers went down a couple of miles offshore) We saw five sea turtles...they are up river to lay eggs...very docile and slow moving.  Fun.

Next we did the tourist thing and hiked up to the top of Diamond Head...  a volcano that blew its top leaving a crater.  It is close to Waikiki and packed with Japanese tourists...views were quite nice of the Pacific and of Waikiki.  (PS...we did win WWII...didn't we?)

Finally, we hiked out to  Maunawili Waterfall yesterday (MLK Day)...muddy and tricky but we got there...nice scenery as you can see ... and the waterfall wasn't bad either.

Take care everyone....GO Pats...lets hope we send Peyton off to his retirement on Sunday.

Balance

Very Brave in three feet of water!

Notice the lower rim of the Diamond Head Crater

Sushi anyone?

GO PATS!

BOOM - Happy New Year

Wow with the Asian influence here... New Years Eve is a BIG DEAL...everyone lights off big displays of fireworks...many spend $1000 or more. Families and groups open their garage doors...sit inside with tables of food, barbecues etc and light off the fireworks in the street....starts about 8 and goes till about 1AM...I had to work in the AM so thought I would go to bed early...no way bing-bang-boom every 30 seconds...Oh well...Happy New Year !!!

We have been hiking to some new spots...beautiful flowers...figured I would send you some pics to brighten your impending winter...also some remarkable trees!  Oh there is also a shot of Kathy at sunrise on Lanikai Beach the Islands offshore are beautiful (called the Mokes by locals)...hope to get there by canoe soon.

Obama stays about a mile from us...I wanted to drive down the street to say Happy New Year but the SS had other ideas...they have a tent at the end of the street and one must have a pass...Oh well , I thought he might like to hear some of my many ideas to improve the country.  There is a canal adjacent to the property and there were two military river craft there as well as a blockade across the river.  I thought I saw John Kerry in one of the river boats with his helmet on...  "reporting for duty".

Saw a 20 year old Australian yesterday right off the plane... who is spending a Semester here at the University of Hawaii.  He needed a TB test...and has never been outside of Australia.  Within a minute he said ..you are from Boston...coool. When I asked how he new he said you sound like Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon... I love Boston.  He has been a passionate Celtics fan since age 3...knew they played at TD Garden and that he would get off the T at North Station and even that he could walk to the North End for good Italian food after the game...so there you have it, Boston is famous worldwide.

Enjoy the pics...and again Happy New Year to all !!!!