Another HFD Testing Day

I volunteered at the Honolulu Fire Department drive-through testing site at Aloha Stadium again. Today was a little different; the MRC volunteers got to distribute the test kits & guide the people through doing their swabbing. Apparently they wanted to shift any liability on to the Department of Health rather than the Fire Department; or so I was told.

Today's MRC volunteers (L to R): Michelle, me, Laura, Sam, LG, & Sarah. (Photo by HFD staff)

I did take a test today. I had a little difficulty in the beginning because I do not have a QR code scanner built in to my phone (it's too old & I have too many apps so I don't have enough room to install one). I tried to do it via their website but also got no where. In the end Laura helped me register via her phone; she & I both got tested today.

It was slower today than last week; they let the MRC volunteers leave at about 1 p.m., an hour earlier than last week. I did about a mile of walking today. And I remembered to turn off my phone when I got in the car, so it is more accurate than last week. Though I canʻt understand why it says I had an elevation gain of 156 feet. I would think it would only show a gain of 47 feet since that is the difference between where I parked & where the testing took place; there were no stairs that I had to run up & down at the site.

Lunch was a lot better today! And they came around and asked if people wanted a vegetarian meal; I requested one in keeping with my effort to eat at least 1 plant-based meal a day. Technically, lunch was vegetarian; it was a pasta salad with mixed vegetables and a very nice vinaigrette dressing. They could have increased the protein by adding some tofu or edamame or even a mix of corn & beans; but they didn't. It was carb-heavy but it was much tastier & more edible than last Sunday's lunch. There was again no indication where lunch was from.

I gave Laura & Michelle a ride home; it worked out perfectly since Michelle lives across the alley from Kokua Market where I was intending on going after I dropped Laura off! At Kokua I only picked up salads at the deli; but they did not have my favorites. Today I am trying their Watermelon Feta Toss and Tomato "Cute"cumber salad. I also picked up some Chobani Yogurt with Pomegranate. 

I'm not sure what the rabbit has to do with anything.

When I got home I checked to see what the status of my test was. I was told it was too early; it had only been about 4 hours since I took the test. Since it was about 3:30 p.m. & the testing site closed at 4 p.m., my specimen was probably still sitting in the tent adjacent to the drive-through lanes!

For dinner I had one serving of Mozzarella Chicken Meatballs; one serving is 3 meatballs. I had bought them a while ago & forgot they were in the refrigerator; their use by date was 01/05/2021 but they were still tasty with good texture. The Watermelon Feta Toss was not; there was cucumber & absolutely no feta. I will have to pay more attention when I am buying things next time. The Tomato "Cute"cumber salad was okay; I have to add Tajine to both the salads to give them some flavor. (In case you are wondering, I can taste other things so I know I am not experiencing a symptom of COVID-19.)

Clockwise from top: Mozzarella Chicken Meatballs, Watermelon Feta Toss, & Tomato "Cute"cumber.

The Aix weather app forecast light rain in Honolulu until morning, then drizzles until midafternoon when the rain would return; that was quite wrong as it was hotter & sunnier today than it was last week Sunday. For Kapaʻau, Aix forecast heavy rain throughout the entire day; the local paper forecast mostly cloudy with showers & a 70% chance of rain. The Honomū weather station recorded 0.07 inches by 4:11 p.m. indicating the local paper was more correct. For Marysville, Aix forecast partly cloudy skies until about lunch then heavy rain after that; the traffic cam did show rain in the early evening.

Nā Koʻolau at 7:37 a.m.

Aloha Stadium looking westerly at 7:58 a.m.; it was like this all day.

Kaimukī looking westerly at 4:10 p.m.

Honomū looking northerly at 4:10 p.m.

Marysville looking northerly at 4:11 p.m. HST.

The swells are starting to decline but they are still providing some fun surfing on most shores. 

Laniakea (N) at 4:14 p.m.

Hilo Bay (E) at 4:15 p.m.

Waikīkī (S) at 4:16 p.m.

Waikoloa (W) at 4:19 p.m.

There were 372 new cases of COVID-19 reported today, raising the total known cases to 78,149. there were also 10 new deaths reported, making the death toll 757; currently 6018 cases are considered active. The 7-day new case average for Oʻahu is 247 with a positivity rate of 5.0%. 

Hauʻoli lā Hānau e Mimi, Yvonne, & Bill!