Manoa downpour!

Whoa, did we get soaked last night!  It rained so hard that it was one continuous, massive roar … almost like a freight train coming down the valley!  There must have been flooding too because I can see debris in our yard which only happens during big storms.  I sure hope the rest of the island is ok …

We had a fun time at Andie’s birthday party yesterday even though it rained throughout the day.  Nick organized a scavenger hunt which sent groups of us all over the windward side looking for clues and texting photos.  It was a good thing we had Alex with us because Carla, Linda, and I were pretty hopeless … he was at least able to organize us so that we finished with the most photos!  One of the places we stopped at was the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens.   As I stepped out of the car, I was greeted by one of the most beautiful sights ever – the massive Ko’olau mountains topped by clouds and covered with dozens of waterfalls!  It was a moment that reminded me once again of how lucky I am to be living in the most beautiful place on earth!  When the hunt was finally over, we returned to the house to find an awesome lunch spread waiting for us – freshly grilled wagyu hot dogs, burgers, chili, salads, homemade potato chips and fries, and of course, an ice cream birthday cake!  Great party with great friends … mahalo Amy, Andie, and Nick!

Later that afternoon, we were invited to a party celebrating the upcoming marriage of our friends’ daughter, Moanilei and her fiance, Nik.  We’ve known “Mo” since she was born and she’s like our daughter.  Her parents, Neil & Marianne, have been dear friends of ours since college days and our kids have all grown up together.  Now our kids are adults and starting to move on with their lives and careers … my, how time flies!  Kinda sad too …

Aloha, “D”