I changed out the sway bar links on the Ford Explorer Sport Track. It was quite easy to do. The rubber bushings on one of them were all worn out so it was making a “clunk” sound every time I went over a bump – and I go over alot of bumps on the dirt/gravel roads in the subdivision.
Not my truck – pic from internet
I jacked up the truck and removed the wheel to access the link. It is basically a long bolt that attaches the sway bar to the “A” shaped bracket that holds the wheel mechanism. There are rubber bushings above and below the sway bar and then bushings above and below the “A” bracket – with a metal tube or sleeve that goes over the rod and holds the bushings in place. I could have just replaced the bushings, but they came with a new bolt, so, why not. I did re-use the old tube/sleeves as the new ones were 1/2″ longer for some reason.
In the afternoon, i planted onions, radishes, beets and lettuce in the tire gardens. One of the raised wooden planters still has carrots and onions growing in it. They are thin and look to be struggling for lack of water, but they are still there. I gave them a good dose of water after adding some turnip seeds along one side of the planter
Then I planted two “tomato rocket” ( a coil of material with fertilizer and seeds embedded in it) coils in the other raised wooden planter – my “tomato” planter!
I took pictures of all this using my phone. I download the photos to a thumb drive so I can attach them here later. When I create these postings, I use the pictures to help me remember what I did each day. Well, I cannot find the thumb drive that I downloaded pictures for August and half of September. I had it on October 7th when I was packing up to leave Hawaii, but I cannot find it now. Perhaps I need to not wait so long inthe future, to create these posts. At this point I will have to pick up with the pictures that are still on my phone and hope to be able to find the thumbdrive later.
It was sunny this morning, and overcast and humid in the afternoon.
Using my weedeater, I trimmed the weeds and tall grass between the kitchen gazebo and the shed. Then I turned to trimming the weeds that create the pesky little burrs from the area arond the tire garden and over the septic system.
One of the packages I picked up from the post office was a long awaited live animal trap. I had tried to order one while I was here on my last trip, and twice, it failed to arrive for whatever reasons. I had set the live animal trap past night, and this morning there was a cat in it!
Now I was faced with the question – what do I do with it?
I fixed myself breakfast while I pondered this question. My phone rang as I was washing my breakfast dishes. It was my neighbor. He said that it appeared that one of his cats was caught in my trap . . . and would I be kind enough to return it to him to take away. He said that he understood why I did not want them in my kitchen.
I gave him the trap with the cat in it. An hour later, he returned the empty trap along with a bag of oranges. He had released it on the opposite side of his property and hopefully it had learned its lesson!
Then, I used the weed eater to trim the grass around the entry to the driveway at Ahi… until it ran out of string!
I went on line and ordered some more spools of string.
I called Gary and asked him to deliver a load of 2 1/2″ minus gravel to my property at Ahi. 2 1/2″ minus means that nothing larger than what will pass through a screen with 2 1/2″ openings should be in the load. The load containing about 13 or 14 tons cost $550.00 and was a full load for a 10 wheeled dump truck. I had it dumped at the top of the driveway.
After he had dumped this load, I ordered another load for the Holowai Property. This arrived about 45 minutes later, and I had him dump it in two piles – one on each side of the driveway!
At about 6:00 PM, I was sitting in the gazebo after I had just finished dinner. Dinner – I browned some hamburger meat, then opened a can of tomato sauce and put about a third of it into a saucepan. I had a small bottle of mushrooms, and added a few tablespoons of mushroom pieces to the tomato sauce. Sprinkled in some Mexican oregano, basil leaves, parsley flakes, a bit of salt and black pepper and heated this until it was simmering. I peeled a small yellow squash and cut it into 1″ chunks and put it into another saucepan to boil. Then I added the browned hamburger to the sauce in the other saucepan. Once the squash had cooked, I added it also to the sauce as it simmered. Into the empty saucepan, I placed a few handfuls of elbow macaroni and a bit of water and started this to boil. Once the macaroni was cooked, I added it to the toato sauce concoction and sprinkled some crumbled cheese on top with the lid on the pan on a burner and turned off the flame. I tried to grate the cheese using my grater, but it only crumbled. Once the cheese had melted, I served it onto a plate (I guess I could have eaten it right out of the pan, but I prefer to be just a tiny bit more civilized!) . . .dinner!
The sun had gone down and I was relaxing as the light slowly began to fade out of the sky, and suddenly, there he was!
Standing on top of the roof of the bird feeder was one of the red headed cardinals.
I had set up my three tiered fountain – three old containers with a solar water pump in the lowest one – yesterday to attract the birds, but I didn’t have anything to put into the feeder! I typically crush up a couple of crackers, butter crackers to be precise, and put the crumbs into the feeder. The birds can handle the crumbs easier than larger pieces. But I didn’t have any crackers!
He hopped down to the feeder.
Then he hopped out to the flower pot on the lanai.
I tried to explain to him that I had looked through all my totes where my kitchen stuff was, and didn’t find any crackers as he hopped up onto the handrail.
He just looked at me with the look as if to say, “And you didn’t think to bring any with you?”?!!?
I apologized profusely, and he listened. Then he flew up into the branches of the tree above the lanai where his mate was waiting. I guess he explained the situation to her, because they both flew away.
I got out a dog biscuit – I thought to bring dog treats, but no bird treats – and broke off a small piece. I tried to crush itup as best I could, but it was so very hard, and put the crumbs into the feeder.
He must have been watching me because as soon as I sat down into my chair, he flew down into the feeder. He sampled the dog biscuit before flying up to the handrail and gave me a look as if to say, “You’ve GOT to be kidding! That will never do!” And then he flew away!
I guess I will have to get some crackers somewhere!
Sunshine when I got up this morning, and then around 11:00 AM the clouds moved in and it rained most all afternoon. Nothing heavy, just a slow steady drizzle.
In the morning, I set up the solar panels on the roof of the shed at Holowai. Then I went to the post office in Naalehu to collect the packages I had ordered!
Christmas in August!
Ahi Road does not seem to be too badly overgrown.
And the top of the driveway is still recognizable.
The driveway is still too steep, and with not a lot of grass/weeds.
The Hilo side of the driveway will require a bit of work,
As will the Kona side. I am pleased to see that the Ulu tree (breadfruit), the mango tree, and the macademia nut tree [all still small saplings] are still alive!
The outhouse is still standing, so that is a big advantage!
View towards South Point from on top of bungalow at Ahi
Then I set up the solar panels on the bungalow at Ahi between rain showers!
A walk around the Holowai property found my bell peppers in the one gallon pot were basically sticks, but there were a few leaves on them.
The tomato in the pot on the lanai was dead, as were any tomato plants in the tomato planter at the back of the lot. But in my other wooden planter, there were some carrots and green onions struggling to stay alive!
The hibiscus was reduced to the size when I first bought it, and my two citrus plants (I think they are tangerenes) in the small wooden planter by the path from the driveway were doing good!
Everything was as I had left it, except that the neighbor’s feral cats had gotten into the kitchen area. They had opened a cardboard box with a dozen packets of ramen noodles and eaten all the ramen noodles and scattered the remains of the flavor packets all over!
I had a bunch of empty water bottles, so I loaded them into the truck and did a water run to the park in Waiohinu.
TSA had to inspect the inside of both of my bags. Their curiosity satisfied, I went to my gate and still had time to buy a breakfast burrito! The TSA agents are slipping up! They let me through too easily!
7:20 AM – Plane took off from Phoenix
8:05 AM – Plane landed in Las Vegas
My next flight for Kona, Hawaii is scheduled for 10:00 AM
The last time I was here, there was snow on the mountains beyond the airport, but I could not see any there this time! Probably too early in the year!
9:40 AM – Boarded plane
10:00 AM – Plane pushed away from the gate. After sitting on the Tarmac for thirty minutes, the pilot said that it seemed that every plane wanted to leave at the same time, and we were in line waiting our turn.
11:00 AM – Plane took off from Las Vegas – One hour late.
1:45 PM – Plane landed in Kona – only 30 minutes late. Plenty of time to catch the 2:30 PM bus to Naalehu/Waiohinu!
The sky was clear and the only noticeable clouds were the ones around the top of Hualalai Volcano outside of Kona.
4:45 PM – Arrived at the Wong Yuen Chinese store in Waiohinu. My neighbor Scott was there to pick me up. I bought a 10 lb bag of ice for $5 and we drove to Holowai!
5:00 PM – Arrived at the property on Holowai Street!
The grass has not grown too high since I left, and the gates are still easily accessible.
The property at Holowai has not become overgrown as well.
But I need to unpack and see about something to eat!
I will be treturning to Hawaii around the middle of August. In the mean time, I will be enjoying the 100 plus degree weather in Arizona . But hey, it is a dry heat!
Golf
After returning from Hawaii, I was invited to golf the Biltmore Country Club.
I made the fourth in a foursome that included three players who play this course regularly.
I didn’t do as poorly as I had feared, but yet, I definitely was not as good as the other three.
The course was beautiful . . . much better than I am used to playing!
This tree reminds me of a tree that looks like a pitchfork in the movie “Romancing the stone”.. It’s one of the markers on the treasure map called “El Tenedor del Diablo”, the Devil’s Fork.
It lived up to it’s name . . . at least it did for me. My second shot hit the right fork and bounced off to the left, away from the direction of the hole!
It was nice to get out and experience some of the things the way that others do.
I made a few good shots, but more importantly, I didn’t make any really bad ones. And THAT is an improvement for me!
This is my favorite hole. Not because I did well,
but because of the view from the tee box.
A week after playing the Biltmore, I came back to earth and played my old reliable 9 hole executive course in Mesa.
View down the fairway on the 2nd hole. A few more brown patches, but still enjoyable.
Fairway for the 7th hole
Sign for the 7th hole
My golf buddy. He/she followed me from the 4th hole, all the way around the lake to the 8th tee box, where it took flight and flew across the lake back to the 4th fairway
My best shot of the day. On the 7th hole from the tee. Yes, I missed that four foot putt!!!!
4th of July on the Salt River
The fourth of July was not the best day for going to the river, as there were lots and lots of others there as well. Parking was a premium, but luckily, my daughter has a handicapped parking permit!
We began by inflating the tubes while the rest of the group were parking at the other end of the river. By parking one car at the bottom, we will have transportation to get back to the other car.
Inflating continues.
Inflating a paddle board using an air compressor plugged into the car power outlet (they used to be called a cigaret lighter)
We weren’t the only ones floating on the river today!
A rare solitary moment.
Lazily floating down stream.
Two talented kids on paddle poards. EVen the dog was excited to get out.
I have decided on a pattern for the floor in the bathroom at Ahi.
“X” marks the spot!”
I will pour a big “X” from corner to corner. So I poured one leg of the “X”.
I set up the mixer at the bottom of the driveway where I have created a large pile of sand and gravel. With the generator nearby, I mix about a wheelbarrow full each load.
I have also put together the drain lines for the toilet at Holowai.
I still need a pipe to connect this to the septic tank!
Monday May 27, 2024
I set up forms for the opposing cross in the “X” as well as a 6″ wide stem wall around the perimiter of the bathroom.
I threw in some rebar and mixed up some concrete.
Then went down to Honuapo to sit in the ocean.
The sky was a bit clearer today
And the waves a little stronger. But the lava is always the same!
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Set up the mixer at Ahi again.
This time, I added a bit of color to the mix.
Poured the last sections of the floor.
Filling in the triangles created from the “X” pattern.
Then got out the mower and mowed in front of the Ahi property and started along the road. The wire came loose from the terminal inside again, so I put it back in place and used some electrical tape to hold it in place. Big mistake.
The loose connection got so hot, it started the tape on fire and burned thru the top cover of the lawnmower! I think that is the end of the mower!
Back at Holowai, I have bell peppers growing in a pot!
Wednesday May 29, 2024
My hibiscus is looking like it will flower again with two flowers.
I also have quite a few strawberry guava plants producing small fruits.
The fruit is smaller than a ping pong ball, and a real challenge to get open and get the pulp out. There are lots of seeds, but they taste great!
I went to the hardware store in OceanView and picked up a piece of PVC pipe to connect my drain lines to the septic system at Holowai.
Then I went over to Ahi.
Last night, it looked like it was going to rain and I did not want the rain to ruin my new floor in the bathroom, so I covered it with plastic.
This morning, I uncovered it and removed the last of the forms.
Thursday May 30, 2024
My hibiscus has bloomed – both flowers!
At Ahi, I have guavas on the trees
The waves are crashing a bit taller at Honuapu
Overlooking Whittington Beach Park and Honuapo
I spent some time down at the ocean
I leave to go back to the mainland next week, so I wanted to come down to the ocean.
I never get tired of watching this.
Friday, May 31, 2024
The birds keep coming by for a snack. The honeycreepers seem to be ruling the roost while the redheaded cardinals wait in the wings.
They are going to miss me when I’m gone! OK, They won’t miss ME . . . they will miss getting free food!
I picked some of the guavas
The door panels at Ahi began falling apart, so I spent the day putting them back together.
I got tired of sitting on the bed with my computer on my lap, so I decided to put together a desk!
When I come back, I will need to sand it and varnish it!
Saturday June 1, 2024
I spent the day laying block on the last of the four corners.
True, . . . it didn’t take all day. I also began the process of sorting through stuff in preparation for going back to the mainland in a few days.
Sunday June 2, 2024
I poured another step at the bottom of my garden steps. Continuing to make life a bit easier – less stumbling around in the dark!
I also sorted through my food stuff in the kitchen, . . .deciding, what to leave in . . .what to leave out!
And as Bob Seger says, I’ve got so much more to think about Deadlines and commitments What to leave in, what to leave out I’m older now but still running Against the wind Well I’m older now and still running Against the wind
And I started on the columns for the gazebo extension.
Monday June 3, 2024
As I drive down the dirt roads, there is a “clunk” coming from the front suspension of the truck. Something is loose under there.
I look under the truck at the sway bar and the control arms. I see that one of the sway bar links is loose and the bushings at the end are worn.
Something to take care of when I return. Either I will order a set of these and have them delivered or I will bring them back with me when I come.
I make sure all my tools are put away, take down the solar panels from the roof of the shed, and trust that everything will be here when I get back.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
The day has come. I go back to the mainland today. My neighbor drops me off at 8:00 am at the bus stop in Waiohinu.
I ride the bus to Kona and get on a plane around 1 Pm and another Hawaii adventure comes to an end!
Before leaving for Hawaii at the end of April, I went golfing at a 9 hole Executive course in Mesa.
Green for 2nd hole
This course is quite inexpensive and fairly maintained – definitely not in the class of the Phoenician, the Biltmore, Gainey Ranch, or the TPC, but then the greens fees are much more affordable – for me anyway!
3rd fairway from the tee
There are lots of gum trees that line the fairways making for some interesting challenges.
Looking over the 4th green towards the 4th tee and the first three fairways
The last half of the fairways wind their way around a lake at one end of the course.
Lake between the tee and the green for the 5th hole
The level of the lake fluctuates with the seasons. It has been a bit rainy so the lake is pretty full. I have been here when the lake was much smaller, and of course the grass was a bit drier then as well.
I was not the only one out enjoying the spring weather.
I had not seen turtles before in the lake, and was suprised to see so many.
There have been ducks on most of my other visits, but this time there was a family of geese.
Gardening
The radishes I planted in the front flower garden have begun to produce. I pulled these before I left for Hawaii.
My corn is growing, but it will be a while before it produces anything, if at all!
Alanah sent me photos few weeks later. It makes a big difference:
A photo of my corn back on the mainland on the first of June
And the squash that Alanah is harvesting.
And the tomatoes
And the rose bush is just loaded!
When I returned in June, the 100 plus degree heat had caused the tomatoes to all dry up. The radishes had long ago gone to seed. But we still got some squash.
When I planted the corn, I had planted some seeds and after they had come up, there were gaps where the seeds had not sprouted, so I replanted in these empty spots. Therefore, I had some corn that was a week younger. The older stalks produced ears that were just that – they tasted a bit “older” – but the ears from the younger stalks were sweet and fresh and juicy. I let the older ears dry out and then removed and saved the kernels. I’ll use these to replant next February/March.
Below the kitchen gazebo, there are two rock lined gardens – three including the one at the edge of the lanai. In two of these, I had placed some cucumber seeds. They have sprouted.
Above the garden where the cucumber seeds have sprouted, is another tier of garden that has an orchid plant with a plumeria.
The plumeria has struggled since I planted it there a few trips ago, but now it is sprouting leaves! Yeah!
On the lanai, there is a pot – maybe two gallons size – I tried to plant citrus seeds here but got no results. I planted a tomato that had gone squishy and I didn’t want to eat in the pot and now it has sprouted and there is a good sized tomato plant there.
The tomato is large enough that it needs to be tied up to some sort of support, so I tied it to the handrail of the lanai. There are eight little green tomatoes on it.
Over at Ahi, I put together the drain lines for the toilet in the bathroom
Now I can finish pouring the concrete floor.
I poured concrete in the footing forms for the kitchen gazebo extension at Holowai.
Monday May 20, 2024
I stripped the form from the concrete footings for the gazebo extension.
I think that these are a good start! Now I need to remove the old tree stump and do some leveling before pouring a concrete floor, and some steps.
Today, the weather is very overcast. The view of the ocean from Holowai is clouded over.
The view is not any better at Ahi.
So, I decided to go see what the weather was like down at Honuapo at the ocean’s edge.
It is just as cloudy and overcast here as it is up the hill at the property. Sometimes it will be rainy at the property but sunny here at the ocean. I guess the 800 foot elevation change makes a difference.
The rainy weather has caused the tide pools up on the lava to be full.
The rainy weather has extended all the way down the coast towards Kilauea.
Tuesday May 21, 2024
I stayed around the Holowai property today and layed a bit more block.
I am in no hurry. It is still overcast today, but at least I can see the ocean from here.
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
It probably isn’t the best day for this, but when IS the best day for doing laundry?
I guess the best day is when you have run out of clean socks and underwear!
The wheelbarrow was half full of clean rainwater, so I added some laundry detergent and started with socks, and underwear.
I grabbed a couple of buckets and filled them with water to rinse in.
After washing the socks and underwear, I dumped the wash water into some empty bottles to use when mixing concrete (when you haul water, you use it to the best advantage). Then I used the rinse water as my wash water and added it to the wheelbarrow with some more laundry detergent. Then I washed my tee shirts.
Repeating the process of changing the water, I then washed my levis and shorts. I tied some ropes between some trees as my clothesline. They may have to stay there for a few days to truly get dry, and if it rains while they are there, it will just rinse them a bit more!
Saturday May 25, 2024
I got up with the sunrise because I had decided to go to Kona today and do some grocery shopping. Also, just a chance to get away for the day and have an adventure. I wanted to try going on the bus and learning about the possibilities. I’ve ridden the bus many times before, but never tried to do a round trip to Kona and back in the same day!
I drove into Naalehu and parked my truck in the parking lot across the street from the hardware store, and caught the 8:29 am bus. This should get me in to Kona around 10:30 am.
The bus is actually quite comfortable.
The ride is much less stressful even though it makes many stops. There are scheduled stops. but if nobody is at the bus stop, the bus does not always stop there. Also, if you flag the bus down as it is approaaching you, it will stop and pick you up wherever there is somewhere for the bus to safely stop. The best part is, . . . it is free!
There are a few options on the schedule. One that goes through Naalehu around 3:00 am, one around 6:00 am, this one at 8:30 am, and one at 12:45 pm. The return trip has a bus around 10:00 am. one at 12:30 pm, one at 3:00 pm, one at 4:30 pm and one at 6:00 pm. I hope to catch the one at 12:45.
The highway follows the coast for the most part, and you can see the ocean as you go along. Taking pictures through the bus window is difficult, and not always successful!
There is a famous bay called Kealakekua Bay where Captain Cook ws killed by the natives.
When he first arrived, they thought he and all the white men were gods and showered them with gifts and honors and huge feasts. When one of the sailors got sick and died, they realized their mistake and Captain Cook and the rest of the crew barely escaped with their lives.
They headed up the coast, but realized they were low on water and provisions, so they returned to the bay in hopes of replenishing their supplies, but were met by large groups of warriors and a battle ensued. killing Captain Cook and several other members of his crew.
There is a while obelisk type monument erected on one side of the bay at the location where he was killed.
At least . . . that’s the story I’ve heard!
Photo taken from the internet!
You cannot get to the monument in a car, but there is a rather long and strenuous hike down to it. Or, you can rent a kayak on one side of the bay and paddle over to it, or you can sign up for one of the many snorkeling tours that go into the bay. This is one of the favorite snorkeling places on the island.
While in Kona, I saw the local revenue agents shoring up the local government’s finances (police stopping a car)
After doing my shopping I found out that there is no 12:45 return bus, so I had to wait for the one at 3 pm!
I returned to the property a little before 6pm. A long day, but I learned that it is possible for me to go into Kona and return all in one day!
Spraying my vegetable plants with insect repellant wasn’t such a good idea.
It seems that the insect repellant is having more effect on the young plants than on the insects. They have all turned brown and are whithering up!
I grabbed some water and put it into my garden sprayer and tried to wash the plants, but I don’t think it did any good. DANG!!!
You can be sure that the word I used was not Dang!
In the meantime, I have started to add more layers of block to my corner walls for the “house”
I started with the corner closest to the kitchen gazebo.
And continued with the corner by the driveway.
This probably could have been done quicker if I had stayed and worked instead of going down to the ocean.
Fortunately, the draw of the ocean is stronger than the draw to work.
I can’t seem to get enough of simply watching the ocean waves
as they crash against the lava shelf and send plumes of water into the air.
Today, these plumes are not as high as they have been on other days.
Also, the swimming holes seem to draw me in!
But, eventually. I have to return and get some work done.
I borrowed a small electric chipping hammer from my neighbor and chipped out the rocks protruding between the corner wall and the column.
I also used it in the bathroom excavation area.
The work of laying up a few block and chipping out rocks along with going to the ocean has occupied me for a few days . . . but hey! I’m supposed to be retired!
While I had the electric chipping hammer, I took it over to Ahi and removed some of the rocks in the trench for the plumbing drain lines.
Friday May 17, 2024
Today, I took apart the lawnmower and found that there was one wire that came loose . So, I crimped the connector a little to help it stay on the blade terminal. This fixed it so I could do some mowing.
I mowed the grass on Holowai Street in front of my property. From the gates, down to the corner at Scott’s place (towards Hilo).
And the other direction towards Lorenzo’s (towards Kona)
Saturday May 18, 2024
To finish out the week, I set up some rough forms for the bathroom at Holowai.
While I was in the mood to do some forming, I set up some forms for footings for an extension to the gazebo. I did a bit of excavating under these forms for the footings. Then I used what 1/2″ rebar I had and installed it in these footings.
I had used some wood filler on my little kitchen table at Holowai. The other day, I took it over to my neighbor Scott’s place – he has a larger solar panel and battery system – and used his electric palm sander to sand the top.
A little over a week ago, I had ordered some lumber and block and rebar from a building materials supply company in Kona. It was delivered today.
It was the same delivery company, but a different driver. He told me that the other driver no longer worked for them. The company had increased his hours and decreased his pay, so he quit.
The building supply company had called me yesterday and told me that they did not have any 1/2″ rebar – I had ordered 15 pieces twenty foot long – but they could send 5/8″ rebar instead! OK! It will be harder to bend and cut and heavier to handle, but it will make my structure stronger!
The driver unloaded the block and stacked it in the driveway, using his forklift.
Then he unloaded the lumber and rebar and stacked it on the side of the road in front of the walk-in gate.
When he unloaded the 10 bags of cement, I found that they were all wet. In the past, they had covered the cement materials with plastic to keep it dry. This time, they didn’t bother and the truck must have gone through a rain storm on the way from Kona.
He said that he could leave it on the truck and return it, but I decided to have him unload it figuring that I could call and complain, and maybe they would give me a discount. Also, I kind of figured that while the top five bags were wet, the bottom five were probably dry, and even the top ones might possibly be OK because the bags have an inner plastic liner. But, why chance it? He was driving on to Hilo to do another drlivery, and I gave him a can of pepsi for the road!
Then I covered the cement with a tarp.
Wednesday May 8, 2024
I called the lumber company to complain about the wet cement bags. Along with the paperwork for the delivery. I was charged a deposit for 6 pallets at $25 per pallet, but there were only 4 pallets on the truck! The woman I talked with (she said her name was Sunshine) said that I only need to bring back 3 pallets. She told me that the software has a pre-programmed price of $25 per pallet, but they charge a deposit of $50 per pallet, so they double up the number of pallets. I said, “But when I bring in three pallets, you, or some other clerk will refund me $75.” She said, “Oh, no!” We are all on the same page with this!” We shall see!
I told her about the bags of cement that were not covered and got rained on during the trip from Kona, and she put me on hold, obviously to talk with her supervisor about the wet cement bags. After a bit of more discussion, she said that they would send out 10 new bags of cement tomorrow to replace the wet ones and pick up the ones that had gotten wet! Can’t beat that with a stick.
Then I began moving the materials from the side of the road, and stacking it a bit further away. Hopefully, this will make it more difficult for it to disappear.
I started with the rebar. I was right, substituting 5/8″ for the 1/2″ made it heavier to carry.
Next, I moved the top layer of 2 x 6’s and stacked them down by the garden steps. but above the area where the chipper is at.
This got me down to the 4 x 12 x 16 foot long beams. Heavy suckers! I tried to carry one – NO WAY! So, I tried using the wheelbarrow, but with only one wheel, it was top heavy and would tip over to the side. I couldn’t keep it upright.
At this point, I drove into Naalehu to the post office and picked up some screws I had ordered – it was less expensive to order them online and have them delivered to the post office than buy them at the hardware store locally. I also got a solar powered water pump for my fountain.
Then I stopped at the bakery for bread, and a farmers market and fruit stand for vegetables (squash, papayas. tomatoes, bananas).
When I got back to Holowai, I remembered that I had two small 8″ inflated wheels on an axle
Placing this under one end of the beam, and tying it on securely, I then picked up the opposite end and in “wheelbarrow” style, I wheeled it slowly and carefully, down the driveway and to the stack I was creating by the garden steps.
It was slow, but it was effective.
All I had to do was repeat the process, and eventually, I had the beams all moved.
Then I continued with the rest of the lumber and before the day was over, I had them all moved from alongside the road.
I ended the day by sorting through my pictures on a thumbdrive.
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Started off the day by continuing to sort through pictures on a thumbdrive and working on my blog posts.
My composting toilet consists of a wooden box with a toilet seat on top and a 5 gallon bucket inside the box. All of this sits on top of a wood pallet.
The wood pallet had begun to rot and fall apart. The wooden box is wobbly and rotting. I am concerned that one of these times, it will collapse when I sit on it. This seems to be something that will happen sooner than later, so today, I tore it all apart!
I put down a newer pallet and stood up one at the far end of the pallet as a wall, and one on each side, to create a small enclosure with a wooden pallet floor. I fastened this all together with the screws I picked up at the post office yesterday. Then I built a seat/bench across the back from one side to the other and installed the toilet seat in the middle of this seat/bench. I put a couple of braces under the toilet seat and pushed the bucket underneath.
A new and improved composting toilet!
On one side, I built an enclosed shelf large enough to hold four rolls of toilet paper with metal on the top and the back and a sliding door, all to keep the toilet paper out of the rain.
My delivery of the 120 bags of cement to replace the damaged ones arrived.
The driver picked up the original pallet of cement and put it on the truck . I put the tarp over the new cement and tied it in place.
Saturday May 11, 2024
THe four wheel drive in the truck does not function, so I have not driven down the driveway at Ahi. The surface seems to be quite stable and firm, and there are not a lot of loose rocks. There are even a few places where the tall grass has started to grow. I hope that this will hold the gravel in place when I drive on it.
So . . .
I decided to give it a shot today!
Big mistake!
I was able to back down without it sliding, so I thought it would be OK. I thought wrong!
As I tried to drive up the driveway, the front tires sank in and the back tires just spun until they dug holes. I was stuck!
I had purposely waited until a saturday, thinking that my neighbor Brian would be around and I could get him to pull me out with his truck. I have three tow straps that are each about fifteen feet long. I hooked them together and hooked one end to one of the hooks at the front of the truck. Then I walked over to Brian’s and told him my dilemma. He doubted that his truck could pull me out because it is not four wheel drive, but he suggested using his ATV, which IS four wheel drive.
It was a struggle, and we had to do a bit of digging out to give the wheels room to climb out of the holes they were in, We even used a couple of small pieces of fibreboard siding. It took us about an hour, but we finally got the truck up on Ahi road.
It left two deep ruts in the driveway. I guess it is not as firm as I thought!
Afterwards, I climbed on the roof of the bungalow to look at the view of the south coast!
Back at Holowai, it appears that something is eating the sprouts of my vegetables in the garden, so I sprayed them with insect repellant.
TropicalCastaway 