Aloha from the Fletchers!: I Slept Thru the Fireworks and Almost Drowned!

What a week this has been! I learned that my landlord (of the apartment I lived in first) was being foreclosed and the unit was going up for sale on August 31st! Needless to say I was shocked and worried. After much worry, several emails and a phone conversation I decided that my landlord was not being honest and hadn’t been honest from day one. I won’t bore you with the details but I began searching for a new apartment. Finding an apartment that meets my needs near Waikiki is very easy EXCEPT finding one that allows pets! In the end I found a cute little apartment on the west end of Waikiki that allows pets and is the same rent as my first apartment. The entire apartment complex is owned by a reputable Hawaiian businessman and women and is managed by a company. I found it on Craigslist. Funny thing is this apartment complex has been on Craigslist for longer than I have been in Hawaii. I ignored it because I thought I wanted to live in a high rise building. This is considered a low rise building; less than 4 floors.

I’m not sure how people look for apartments to rent on the mainland because I’ve never had to do that. I do know that in Honolulu many people use Craigslist and it’s been successful for me. But a hard learned lesson and warning to anyone reading this who may rent an apartment or house: rent from a reputable company or person. There are many people out there trying to make a buck who are not honest. They may mean well but they are still dishonest. I’ve also learned that there have been laws passed for renters during this time of uncertainty with home loans and mortgages. These laws are in effect until 2012 but there is a bit of help there for renters who are affected by foreclosure.

With the move on Wednesday and working long hours on Thursday and Friday I was exhausted by Friday night. Guess I am getting old because Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights I fell asleep before the fireworks! Yes, we had fireworks all three nights. We have fireworks every Friday night courtesy of the Hawaiian Hilton Village, on the west end of Waikiki. They go off between 7:30 pm and 8:15 pm every Friday night. Saturday and Sunday we had fireworks for the 4th of July. Saturday night fireworks were about 1 mile west of me and I couldn’t tell you what they were, how long they were or if they were good; I was in dreamland. But Sunday night fireworks I could see from my bedroom! Kind of cool to lay in bed and watch the sky light up above the apartment!

Evidently, on this island you have to buy a $25 permit to shoot off your own private fireworks. Due to the budget crisis the state has begun what they call “Furlough Fridays” where the state offices are closed one Friday a month. This past Friday the offices were closed so there were a lot of people who couldn’t buy the permits for fireworks and were upset. Oh, and the island is so dry that there ended up being 10 brush fires ignited from fireworks. I think all are out now but it is pretty serious here. They say the big island is the most drought stricken state in the US right now. And the island of Maui has had too many large fires in the last month.

I spent part of my Sunday trying to find a beach to enjoy! Usually the beaches are packed by noon so for a change I decided to head towards a beach by 10:00 am. I picked Lanakai which is nearby, great for swimming and beautiful. I decided to go early because parking can be tough as you have to park on side streets in a residential neighborhood. Big mistake! Can you say “high tide?” Evidently, high tide was right around 10:00 am Sunday morning because there wasn’t a beach to sit on! The tide was high enough that 90% of Lanakai beach was under water! After unloading the car, walking down to the beach, seeing no dry beach, walking back to the car, loading the car and driving for another spot 3 times I decided to go to Sandy Beach to watch the surfers. I got to Sandy Beach early enough to get a good parking spot and unloaded the car and trudged to a good spot on the beach to watch people and surfers. After about an hour on the beach I wanted to get wet by taking a little dip in the water. Mind you, Sandy Beach is for surfers and experienced surfers at that. But I love the water, consider myself a good swimmer and didn’t think the rough water was too rough so off I go.

Ankle deep water, feels good. Calf high water feels even better. Knee high water, perfect. Thigh high water, oops! Here comes a huge wave and down I go! I’m not talking a slow, graceful slip onto the soft sand. I’m talking a pounding surf, picking up a heavy girl and slamming her into the hard, wet sand! A couple more waves like that and I finally got control of myself and moved back so I could sit on the beach. Still being hit with water but not pounded. By this time my heart was beating so fast I should have had a heart attack! I just knew a lifeguard was on his way over to save the fat old lady without a brain! Nope! But a lady nearby was watching me with her mouth open like I was going to die. After what seemed like hours, I got enough control of myself to get out of the water and walk back to my chair and towel. Once sitting I realized I was covered in sand! I’m not talking sand on the feet from being wet. I’m talking sand EVERYWHERE between my skin and my swimsuit; and in places my doctor has never seen! I am okay and have a new respect for surfers! Especially anyone who surfs at Sandy Beach! If you have the pleasure of vacationing in Hawaii, please visit Sandy Beach but DON’T go in the water!

It seems like this post has been one long ramble and I’m sorry about that. Welcome to my mind! Brent and I did make it through our first 4th of July apart since he proposed to me in 1996! It was a tough day for me but anyone who knows me knows that I am an emotional person and cry easy. Needless to say I used my share of Kleenex. Now I’m not writing this to make anyone feel sorry for me; simply telling you what it’s like to live thousands of miles apart from your best friend and husband. Brent also went back to his hometown for the first time since I moved to Hawaii for a family wedding. He had a strange trip as he usually has me with him nagging along the way about his driving, needing to stop for the bathroom and other unimportant things. But we made it!

As you can imagine, living over 2,000 miles apart and sharing one checkbook and checking account can be a challenge. But thanks to cell phones, email and texting we manage and haven't overdrawn or bounced a check yet; knock on wood!

Below are several pictures of the new apartment. This one feels more like a home than the first so I'm thinking all the hassle I went through was worth it. This apartment reminds me a lot of the small house my Mom lived in before she passed away. Once I get the finishing touches up I will share some pictures of the finished apartment. But here's a small bit of trivia for anyone who watched the TV series Lost. I live right behind the Hawaii Convention Center that Lost actually turned into the Airport on the series. Even though the apartment is in a very busy area of town it is tucked away in a quiet, residential area. Maybe one day you can visit and enjoy our cozy, little Hawaiian home!

Until next time, love and hugs to "my faithful followers!"

The walking path in front of the apartment buildings. This is the Ala Wai canal that begins at the ocean and leads to a dead end (they never finished the canal).

The front of my apartment building. There is another building next to this one that is identical.

The view from the kitchen of the living room. I love the color of the front door!

The view of the living room and kitchen from the front door. The little "cubby" hole to the left of the kitchen will be where the litter box is hidden.