We
had a little time to visit before I had to go off to work for the evening.
Mom was able to get unpacked and make an early night of it since she was
up so early that morning to catch the plane to Maui.Actually, I need to start a little before Thanksgiving. Mom had been thinking of coming to Hawaii to visit sometime in November or December. Then had decided to wait till February. On Wednesday, November 18, I got an email that she had decided to come now and would be arriving Sunday the 22th. Need I question where I got my spontaneous nature? Unfortunately she was only able to come for 1 ½ weeks, but I am glad she could come for whatever time was available. Neil came to the airport with me to pick her up.
I
had been planning on Thanksgiving dinner with friends Jeff Klein and Suzanne
Greenberg from San Francisco for months. They were vacationing at The Manele
Bay Hotel on the island of Lanai for a few days over Thanksgiving before
coming to Maui for a week. We had Thanksgiving dinner together last year
with Jason. And this year they invited Mom and I to Lanai. The real treat
for me was that although I have been diving at Lanai for four years, I
had never set foot on the island. Lanai is a private island with 96% of
the island owned by one corporation (ever heard of Dole? Used to be called
the pineapple island). Now it has 2 incredible, beautiful resorts and golf
courses (makes the corporation more money than growing pineapples).
We
took the ferry over Thanksgiving morning and spent the day on a beautiful
beach sunning, snorkeling, and walking out to the tide pools and the rocky
point overlooking Sweetheart Rock. Dinner wasn't served until it was time
for the last return ferry, so Jeff and Suzanne arranged for us to spend
the night. The Thanksgiving meal was a 5-course feast. Wonderful
food and excellent service. What a treat!
Friday morning, we took another
walk on the cliffs, did water aerobics, then sat by the pool until early
afternoon. We took the shuttle to the other hotel up on the crater at 1200
ft, The Lodge at Koele, for afternoon tea. 
The
hotel is modeled as an English hunting lodge. They were already decorated
for Christmas. It was beautiful with the garland wrapped around the wood
staircases, wreaths on the huge stone fireplaces, and Christmas trees with
full sized dolls in velvet dress, etc. for decorations. We also enjoyed
walking the gardens and the orchid conservatory. Finally, had to
come home on the last ferry.
Saturday we went on a walk with Neil on the Swinging Bridges trail (great hike). At the end of the trail is a rope swing into a large pool. Neil did a beautiful flip from the rope swing into the freezing stream pool while we applauded from shore and said you aren't getting us in there. (Maybe another day when I remember my suit. It is a popular spot.)
Jeff and Suzanne
arrived on Maui ready to get certified for scuba diving. We had cloudy,
rainy, windy weather, but underwater was great! We dove four days that
week and they both got certified.
There is a new show on Maui, Ulalena,
which we went to see Tuesday night. The show mixes Hawaiian mythology and
history to trace the settlement and development of the Hawaiian Islands.
The performers and live musicians are amazing. The performance blends
chanting, song, percussion, and special effects to make a fantastic production.
We went to Ritz Wednesday for the tree lighting ceremony with Jeff and
Suzanne. They light all the palm trees with little white lights through
the central court and pool area. Really beautiful! We had several incredible
dinners at wonderful restaurants and with friends. 
Mom
had to fly out on Thursday unfortunately and Jeff and Suzanne left Sunday.
So I felt like my vacation ended when they all left. The weather was bad
for another week but has now turned beautiful again and reminds me I do
live in paradise. I spent some time trying to catch up with correspondence
the next week. Then Neil and I went to Oahu the following weekend so I
just keep on vacationing! Neil’s Mom, Jean, arrived the day after my Mom
left. Jean plans to stay on Maui for a few months. (Who wouldn't want to
get out of Minnesota in the winter!) She's a sweetie. We will have Christmas
together.
I have a new toy. I just got an underwater camera for Christmas. I have never done underwater photography (just videography). Video is forgiving because you don't have to have something in every frame. Photography takes time (and patience) because I have to get moving fish framed just right for an instant. I will be practicing with it on all my dives now! I dive about once or twice a week still.
written December, 1999