Hi, everyone!
We had a thaw after Christmas, so I helped Grandma take the holiday lights off the apple trees. I made sure all the lights were wound up on their cards and packed away in the big box. The special adapter that lets them get power from a light bulb socket was the very last piece to go in the box!
Then guess what? We had snow again. It all fell on one day and overnight! On Friday morning, there was no snow on the deck or the picnic table. On Saturday morning, everything was covered! I wanted to go out and play in the snow, so Grandma helped me wrap up and took me out. There was a very nice snow cave under the picnic table!
Inside, I’ve been spending time with my holiday flower friends! I’ve been watching the amaryllis bud get taller and taller and start to open! The Christmas cactus is opening more blossoms all the time!
Last weekend, Grandma said it was time to get ready for no snow. She got out my aloha shirt and we decided I would wear it under my denim tunic. Then she put my airline wing pin on my shirt, so I knew we were going somewhere on a plane! I was glad I was already dressed, because Grandma got me up VERY early on Monday morning to leave for the airport. Guess what? We stopped to pick up Joe-san and Nancy-san and Moose-san, too! We got on a plane to Chicago, but that wasn’t the end of the trip.
The weather was stormy in Chicago, so we had to wait for an airport gate to open up so we could get off the plane. Grandpa said we were “in the penalty box” out on the airport tarmac. We had a very long walk to our next plane, and by the time we got there, it was already loading! This flight was headed to Denver! Moose-san and I could see the front range of the Rockies when we got there. I think we saw Pikes Peak!
In Denver, we changed planes again for our last flight. We’re going to Lihue Kauai Hawaii! Moose-san and I were excited to be going back to one of our favorite places! First, though, we had to be patient. There was a leak in the hydraulic brakes on the plane that had to be fixed. That took an hour and a half! At least we could watch the repair crew, because they were working right below our window. Grandpa and Joe-san said it was a good thing they fixed the brakes, because the Lihue runway isn’t very long and the plane needs to stop right away when it lands!
There had been a big snowstorm in Denver the day before we got there, so some people had changed their reservations for the Kauai flight. Moose-san and I got a seat to ourselves all the way to Hawaii! Grandma was hoping we might fly over the Air Force Academy on our way from Denver to Hawaii, but we flew across the Rockies and right over San Francisco, instead. I could see Golden Gate Park and the bay bridge, but the Golden Gate bridge was hiding in the clouds!
The flight to Kauai was almost eight hours long! Since we were late leaving Denver because of the brakes, the sun was setting when we landed in Lihue. Moose-san and I made sure we picked up all the tourist information at the airport. I think we made a new friend!
This morning, Grandpa said that the snow was melting on the lawn at Sodus and the temperature was above freezing. Here at Poipu Kai, we had supper on the lanai last night and it’s a lovely, sunny day. Aloha, everybody, we’re going to the beach!
Love,
Lion-san
It looks nice at Fairport before Saturday. It’s nice to go to Kauai with you!
We’re happy to hear that you made it to Kauai safely, and the Denver snow storm didn’t affect your flights too much. Having you own seat was quite a bonus!
I definitely recognize that rack of tourist brochures. Please let us know if there’s anything new on the island that we need to check out next year.
Aloha!
Carol & Terry
Hello Lion-san,
That was a lot of plane changing and a very long flight till you finally got to your destination! Glad you got there safely.
After our last snow storm that gave us ten inches of snow on top of our picnic table, I noticed a lovely little cave under the table where a small child or little lion might enjoy playing. I thought about that before I even read about the snow cave under your table at Fairport. Maybe there were a lot of snow caves under picnic tables this winter.
Big storm Jaxon left a lot of snow across the country including Denver where you stopped but luckily we only got rain and a lot of our 10″ of snow from the previous storm is now gone, not all but a lot. So glad we didn’t get more snow this go around.
Kauai was always our favorite Hawaiian Island when we used to go there from California. Have a good time and do not forget to use your sun screen. We do not want any little bears getting sun burned and ditto for your adult friends. Great Aunt Betsy
Dear Lion-San,
Grandma and I were thinking of you on Monday.
We r glad you made it to Lihue. We are having ice-crystals blowing in your face weather this morning. And, of course, we have lots of clouds.
Enjoy the sun. Write us a haiku.
LaVache
On the beach at noon
Two sandy monks were sleeping.
Kauai – ’nuff said!