For those near and dear to us living on the East coast and suffering low temperatures and the icky freezing rain that I so despise this winter, this post is for you. I didn't want y'all to think that life in Hawaii was always a balmy 82 degrees with excellent trade winds. Hey, our 'winter' can get pretty brutal, too. Rainstorms, Kona winds, thunderstorms (that knock out all our power over the island), and now...wind warnings that cancel school. Yes, cancel school.
The island was a buzz beginning mid-week over a weather system that was going to wreck havoc on our little island living. Heavy rain, wind gusts up to 60 mph, and I don't know what else...geckos falling from the sky maybe? All I know is that much like in Virginia when ice threatens, temperatures fall, and then the rain drops begin, schools close. The same can be said here.
Everyone braced for the incoming storm. We pulled our flower pots away from harms way. We brought in our flags, our lanai pillows, and battened down anything that may have decided to take wing in the gusts of doom. Schools closed. Government offices closed. The postmaster declared a day of waiting to deliver our mail (I thought their motto was "through snow and rain and gloom of night you mail will be delivered alright" guess that was only for the West. The military was business as usual (that should have told everyone something...) Anyhoo. Back to the story.
We prepared. We waited. The wind began to howl a faint cry around the neighborhood and then went poof. Yeah. That's right. Poof. No wind gusts even remotely equaling 60 mph. No rain making roads flood. Nothing. Except for kids out of school (the public schools had just returned after 3 weeks being off...no wonder they rank near the bottom of the state's in education) and running merrily around as if the looming doom of windstorms never existed.
Yep. You may have your Nor'easters, but I'll take the Hawaiian style anyday. Sun...sun...sun mixed with a little bit of a passing rain squall.
1 comment:
Dear One,
I sit here in my office looking across the valley with its skiff of snow, wearing three layers on top, sweats on the bottom, plus socks and lined slippers... and STILL FREEZING!
I had to giggle at your "poof" of wind... Yes, "paradise" has its own set of trials... geckos falling from the heavens being only one of them! Watch out... God will send wind when you least expect it! I recall having my skirt fly up over my head with one of those little, unexpected "puffs" across the MT prairie... Thank God I was younger and more slim then! The shock of it could have killed off half of western Montana!
I also recall standing on the saddle across the island and almost being blown off the cliff to the eastern side by a "puff" from the western side! Hold on! High Wind Warning!
I love you!
Only seven days to "paradise" and memory making!
Mom
Post a Comment