Almost Paradise

Today marks one year that I’ve been biking to work. In the past twelve months, I’ve biked to work 128 days and driven to work 84 days. At first all this biking was prompted by my doctor’s nagging me to be more active, but in the last few months another reason to bike to work has grown in importance. My office’s neighborhood in Kaka‘ako is undergoing major changes. HCDA has closed several streets for renovation and/or realignment, and the new UH medical school has started up a few blocks away. The net result is that there is a whole lot less street parking available than there used to be. Last year, upon seeing me at the bike rack, folks in my building used to comment on my getting good exercise, but these days they’re more likely to say, Oh, too good, yeah? You no need look for parking!

We took Kirby and Rusty out hiking today to Kamananui Valley, at the back of the Moanalua Valley suburb. It was their first exposure to anything wilder than a lawn or a park. They had a blast!

(more…)

Judy couldn’t resist. She was in Pets Plus last Wednesday and saw that they had box turtles. Not just any box turtles; ornate box turtles. Gorgeously patterned. And young, too! She called me from the store:

“Hi honey. Can I ask you something?”

Uh oh. I knew that plaintive tone of voice. She’d already decided what she wanted, but she was checking with me so I wouldn’t be all surprised when she got home. After fourteen years of marriage, I have learned when to argue and when to smile and say yes. This was one of those “yes” times.

So now we have another turtle. Her name is Daisy.

(more…)