It Was A Little Wet This Morning

When I started my walk this morning it was rather pleasant, a little overcast but with sun breaks. As I was finishing it up it began to drizzle; it grew wetter as I got my things out of the car and headed to the covered overlook to do my cool down stretches. Then it really began to pour! I got kinda wet doing my sissy push-ups since the railing is not under the covered overlook.

If I look straight out from the overlook, here's what I see.

But if I look about 45 degrees to the east, here's what I see - no building blocking the rest of the view.

A night-blooming Cereus near the overlook.

During the first walk of the day there was no one when I arrived at the park but 2 dogs & their humans arrived shortly after I got there. One was a Brussels Griffon, the dog that looks like an Ewok. On the afternoon walk I briefly saw a Red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), it is distinctively different from the Red-vented bulbul. The Red-vented bulbul is dark on its head and chest; the Red-whiskered bulbul has a cheek patch that is red on the upper half and white on the lower half, it also has a whitish breast. The bird species count at Maunalani Park is now 18.

When I walk in to Maunalani in the morning I must look like a lost hiker, searching for the trailhead for the Lanipo Trail. I did that hike in high school, can't remember much about it now; I'll have to consider doing it again. But first I think I need to do some really easy hikes; I haven't done any hiking since 2005 when I developed fibromyalgia so I'm not sure exactly how much I can do now.

Too bad you can't see the boots, they complete the look.

I am sensitive to Tartrazine, aka FD&C Yellow #5 aka E102 aka Acid Yellow 23 aka Food Yellow 4. I found this out quite by accident; I ate a pickle that was made more visually appealing by the addition of FD&C Yellow #5. It was the only ready-to-eat thing in the house when I got home from work, famished; so I ate it while I made dinner. In a few minutes I could feel my heart rate increase, then my respiration rate increased & I started sweating. All symptoms passed after about 15 or 20 minutes and never came back that evening, but I didn't eat any more pickles that evening either. The next night I did an experiment. I got home and ate another pickle and waited. The same symptoms appeared! And then abated after about 15 or 20 minutes. To confirm that it really was the FD&C Yellow #5, on the 3rd night I bought a different brand of pickles that had everything but the FD&C Yellow #5 and ate one on an empty stomach and waited. And waited; I never developed the symptoms from the 1st night. I have been avoiding FD&C Yellow #5 since then.

I mentioned my sensitivity to tartrazine to Dr. Pham yesterday when she was prescribing the doxycycline; the pharmacy only saw "yellow dye" and put a hold on filling my prescription because the pills were yellow. So when I went to pick it up while Dad was in the Namaste session it wasn't available; I left without it. Later Dr. Pham called; the pharmacy had some diffculty tracking down the ingredients list but finally found that the pills she prescribed actually had Yellow #6 & Yellow #10, I don't know if I react to those. Dr. Pham ended up prescribing a liquid doxycycline which only has a red dye in it; she suggested taking the 1st dose while I am at Kaiser Honolulu and waiting there for 10 or 15 minutes to see if I react to the red dye.


On my quick run down to Kaiser Honolulu, I saw one of the bulk pick-up trucks collecting the stuff along Sierra Drive. There were 2 guys hanging off the back of the truck, jumping off at each stop to load up the bulky items. Curtis & I thought that OSHA had put a stop to guys hanging off the back of the trucks.


Dad was awake and in the Orchid Dining Room when I arrived this morning. I was told he only ate a couple pieces of papaya for breakfast; I got him to finish all his Boost Plus and the Breeze. Then I took him upstairs to the exercise session. Later he went to the Namasre session and zoned out. We went directly to lunch from Namaste; Dad had his usual peanutbutter & jelly sandwich; I had the pork adobo meal. I tried to get Dad to taste the adobo but he said he had never had adobo and wouldn't try it. When I think about it, I do not remember Mom ever having made adobo; she made vinha d'ahlos, but not adobo.

Clockwise from top left: Chicken noodle soup, Garden salad, Chilled diced pears, Pork adobo, Steamed rice, Succotash.

A new resident was admitted today about 11; I passed him in the hallway as they were taking him to his room down the hall from Dad, he didn't look so good. Just after my afternoon walk I heard that he had passed; I saw them wheeling him out about 4:30. I saw Cynthia working with one of the family members, filling out all the paperwork.

Happy Birthday to Val & Amy!