A lot of random stuff

When I was posting all those pictures of the apartment last time, I completely forgot to include any of the bedroom! I really like how it's coming together. I love this blanket/sheet set. I've even taken to making the bed every day, which is astonishing, just because it looks so great when it's all tidy. And it's such a huge bed (California King, which is even bigger than regular King) that if I don't make it, almost the whole room is in disarray!

Here's one of the closet, mid-organization. I think I'll get everything to fit okay.

And it's not home until I've got the "Sarah's Kitchen" magnet on the refrigerator. Guarded by a pair of vikings, of course.

Last Saturday, I went on a snorkeling excursion organized by the Leisure Center on campus - $20 got me fins, a snorkel and mask, and transportation. We went to a popular spot on the North Shore called Shark's Cove, which despite the name was bereft of sharks, but by no means bereft of interesting fish and coral formations. Getting into the water was tricky, however. I got my shin thoroughly torn up after being picked up by a particularly powerful wave that came crashing onto the rock-strewn shore. But once that little obstacle had been overcome, the water was (relatively) calm and it was possible to just paddle around enjoying the scenery. I brought a disposable underwater camera, and got a few good shots, but even though I had the pictures put on a CD when I got them developed, I don't have a CD drive yet so I can't upload them! But as soon as my new computer arrives, I promise to post the good ones. After we had our fill of fish - not literally, c'mon people! - we headed to a nearby beach that's a sea turtle haven. There weren't any up on the sand, but someone spotted a veritable giant in the water, just a few feet out. They had told us about this little detour ahead of time, so I had saved a few shots on my camera. I ran over to see if I could get some pictures, but unfortunately none of them really came out. I do have a terrific "eye-picture" (Mom's term) of the turtle's huge form silhouetted in a wave as it crested. Magnificent. And the turtle was entirely unperturbed by all the people clamoring for a good view - at one point it floated close enough to brush against my leg with a flipper!

After the excitement of the turtle, we all needed some shave ice to calm our poor nerves (a la Mrs. Bennet). You could get three flavors on one cone, so I had passionfruit, guava and strawberry. YUM!!! Shave ice was always a tradition on our family trips to Kauai and it brought me back instantly. I will have to island-hop over to Kauai sometime soon - I really miss it.

This weekend has been full too, thanks again to the Leisure Center. Yesterday was the first in a series of five classes in Hula, which was a blast. Today I went on a hike to the Makapu'u Tide Pools. There was a light drizzle in our faces all the way up the paved road to the trailhead, then full-on rain as we clambered down the trail, which was more like a cliff-face with switchbacks and butt-slides. The tide pools were deep enough to swim in - and why not, since we were soaked to the skin already? Once the rain stopped it was quite pleasant to dip in and admire the microcosm of aquatic life - fish, anemones, the like. The coolest part was the double-blowhole, dubbed the Dragon's Nostrils (the roar that comes before the spray does sound quite a bit like a dragon...y'know, if they were real).

I stood there for I don't know how long trying to get a good picture, but the waves weren't cooperating and all I got was this one. It gives you an idea, but it's pretty pathetic compared to what it's capable of. Whenever my back was turned or I had already put my camera away, there were these dazzling, twenty-foot-high spouts. Stupid Mother Nature.

Here's a picture I took as we started the ascent up the cliff, so you can see how much of a vertical climb it is!

And here's some really great news - I landed a paying gig! I'm the newest soprano section leader at St. Mark's Episcopal Church of Honolulu! I am so, so excited about this opportunity. I'm really looking forward to honing my leadership skills in a musical setting. It looks to be a very welcoming, open-minded congregation (they'd kind of have to be to hire a Jewish section leader, right?) and the choirmaster is really nice. All this and it'll help pay the bills!

I haven't written much about the weather here, except how it made for an extremely wet hike today, but it's been gorgeous. You're not going to believe this, but I actually like it when I hear rain falling, because I know just how briefly it'll hang around. It's not like Boston rain at all. First of all, the air is warm, so the rain is too, and it really does come and go, whereas Boston rain just sits for days at a time and makes everything cold and miserable. Here, I'll peek outside and see rain, and five minutes later I'll look again and the clouds are completely blown over, and everything's already dry. Hallelujah!

In the process of unpacking all those piles of boxes, I came across a framed copy of this picture of Eamon and me from back in '05. It was taken as an afterthought when I was getting headshots done in anticipation of my audition for Guys and Dolls. The photographer crammed a whole studio setup (backdrops, lighting equipment, the works) into that tiny apartment; this was the one across the street from our most recent place. Both of us have changed since it was taken, but Eamon's has been more drastic:

My mother-in-law Kitt took this on the day Eamon shipped out. Isn't the change almost arresting?? And he looks so determined and serious taking his oath. I'm sure he's changing even more every day, now that the Navy has him in their clutches (did I say that? I meant, now that he's in Basic...) I'm not feeling too charitable towards the Navy right now, but if I write about it here it'll just make me angry again, so suffice it to say I'll be having words with them after the holiday. If they'll even give me a number where I can talk to someone who matters, that is.

I hope everyone has a lovely, relaxing Labor Day. Me, I'll probably be working on the two papers due this week, but I've recreated enough this weekend for a month of Labor Days, so it's okay :-)