Beach Hopping

I went with Auntie Annette on her every morning walk -- it was cloudy and seemed cool, but it was so humid that by the time we got back I was all sweaty (anyone who has worked with me will not be the slightest bit surprised). She was cool as a cucumber. This time we added one more loop to the walk and ended up crossing between two roads by walking through someone else's property (anyone who has ever walked with me has done this many times), a route that Annette knows well but hasn't tried lately. It was overgrown and bushy and felt like we were in the jungle, when we were only at the top of the road in the suburbs. Tiny adventure moment.

Jon and I dropped Uncle Freddy off at Babe and Arlene's so he could go to his exercise class with 23 other vets (aged 75 - 90 something). He says the other guys in the class are inspirational, especially the 92 year old. They do Tai Chi and weightlifting and other things that sound hard.

Meanwhile, we went to Ala Moana, the beach of my childhood -- and my mom's childhood. It is right downtown, protected by a breakwater so there are no waves. Clear and smooth and beautiful. The water in Hawaii is so blue that I am spoiled for life. The Atlantic beaches lack color. Tourists don't go to Ala Moana (they go to Waikiki a little further down toward Diamond Head, a scenic beach with rocks on the bottom and yucky algae stuff) but this is one of my favorite beaches of all time. It is not sexy. It is for the locals. Old people go there, people with little kids, and yesterday we saw multiple sets of Japanese brides having extended photo sessions. While I was out in the water I counted five different brides and grooms posing on the sand in their fancy clothes. I hope those weren't their real wedding gowns because they were getting all sandy. In the water there are people swimming long laps (the beach is about a half mile long, I am guessing), people on surfboards doing that stand-up paddling, and even water walkers. I felt like the character in Owen Meany who has been practicing and practicing The Shot -- I have been swimming and walking in a swimming pool for six weeks, in preparation for this moment at this beach.  HEAVEN.

Our picnic was at a beach diner place. Nothing special, but still a picnic. It counts.

Picnic at Ala Moana Beach.

After a brief tour through the warehouse and dock section of Honolulu, in search of car parts for Uncle Freddy's truck, we seamlessly picked up Laura Cooper at the airport and whisked her to a beach, since she had just come from Seattle and everyone should go straight to the beach from Seattle in winter. We lay on the sand at Queen's Beach, the next one down from Waikiki, and talked and talked. The water was nice but the rocks underneath the surface were no fun so mostly we stayed on the beach. Those tourists don't know what they are missing, just about a mile away.

Hana and Laura in silhouette at Queen's Beach.

After a stop at Whole Foods (astronomical prices), we came home and Jon made clam sauce for dinner. The old folks did not remember ever having that before, and it was a success.