How Was the Honolulu Marathon?

That has been a common question to me today. The Honolulu Marathon was yesterday; it is 26.2 miles. For some reason people think I have been walking to get in shape to do the Honolulu Marathon. Not. I am getting ready to walk the Great Aloha Run, which is on Presidents Day; it is 8.2 miles. Not running, not doing 26.2 miles; too much work!


My morning walk today started out with a light misting but cleared up within a few minutes and was dry the rest of the way. But a few minutes after I started my cool down stretches it started to pour. Poor LaVie! I had seen her walk past a short while earlier so I knew she was still out for a walk; perhaps she sheltered under one of the large mango trees on Maunalani Circle.

The sunrise.

From Sierra.

The rain.

Also while doing my morning cool down stretches I saw some smoke rising from somewhere down by the park, perhaps near the foot of Halehoʻola. I never did find out where it was.


During my mid-morning walk I saw a work crew cutting down the grass by the Sierra & Wilhelmina Rise intersection by the park; its the corner I see the mixed flock of Common Waxbills and Scaly-breasted Munias when there are ripe seeds on the grasses.

The grass was higher than the rock wall..

It turns out the speech therapist that would do the evaluation for Dadʻs ability to swallow needs to get approval from the VA before they can do the test. Once Maunalani knows when it will be they will let us know. In the meanwhile we are trying to give Dad regular fluids without a straw; yesterday RN Sierra said straws could cause choking if the patient takes in too much fluid at one time & it fills the mouth to the back of the throat. This morning it seemed that he could swallow okay without the straw. Another option is to make the fluids thinner since he refuses to drink them when they are what they call "nectar" consistency; if that keeps up he will become dehydrated.

Lunch today was Baked fish & dill sauce, Wild rice pilaf, Green beans with bacon, Garden salad, Fruit salad with whipped cream, and Tomato basil soup. I couldnʻt find bacon in my green beans but I did find some mushrooms. Dad ate almost all of his peanut butter & jelly sandwich by himself without prodding; he only drank about half of the thickened supplements. It rained right after lunch.



The afternoon walk was cool like yesterday; it was also very windy but not rainy. At one point it felt like I was going to be blown backwards; my walk seemed like it took a lot longer fighting against the wind. I made a sad discovery; there was a Common Waxbill on the pavement. It was right in the area that a vehicleʻs tires would run; I moved it into the hedge next to the road. Iʻm not sure it will make it through the night, it looked like it might have had a concussion.

The Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) sitting on the road; itʻs about the size of a golf ball.

It perked up briefly when I put it in the hedge.

But then closed its eyes again; I think it has a concussion.

I picked up the Roommate Who Like to Wash Dishes at Zippyʻs; he bought dinner tonight. Later we had to pick up a letter sized manila envelope for a job application, so after we left Longs we made a stop at Via Gelato on the way back because The Potential Most Favorite Roommate (who was still at work) asked if we could pick up ice cream at Longs.

L to R: Oreo Cookie, Peanut Butter & Oreo Cookie, and Green Tea Oreo Cookie.

When I arrived home tonight there was a Christmas box waiting for me from my friend Misty & her daughter Ava. They were the first friends from Washington to come and visit me; they arrived about 2 weeks after I got here. Mahalo, Misty & Ava!

The card that came in the Christmas box. Check tomorrow for the answer to the riddle.

The presents from Misty & Ava.

Hauʻoli lā hānau to Deborah & Lynda!