The perfect day - 4th of July in Hanalei

It has become painfully clear to us that our time in this wonderful place is coming to a close. Today, the 4th of July, was a bittersweet reminder of all that we are leaving once we return to KY. Here is a picture of a couple we have become quite close with - Tavia and Craig and their beautiful children Starlise and Koa (not pictured). Starlise was in the same class as Ian and Koa is near the same age as Max.


We have bonded with these ex-patriots of CA and will miss them dearly when we return the bluegrass state.

Lately I have begun to realize that Max, the youngest, has learned to read waves and know how to play in the surf. Max loves to be pushed about by the big waves and has learned to read the waves and know when he can stay in the water and when he should move away from the surf. It is a skill I am still learning. I hope that these lessons will permanently ingrain into his brain and become a reflex once he returns to the sea. He will return to the sea. He must.

As the sun set in Hanalei the children played in the surf unaware that another day of their life has slipped by.

As the sun set people began to set off their fireworks. It was a wonderful clash of attention getters, the beatutiful sunset and clouds against the flashy garrish display of burning gunpowder and smoke.

The entire Hanalei bay was alight with amateur fireworks. I saw palm trees accidental set afire with errant fireworks. I love how I felt like I was cheating on the sunset and beach when I was watching the caustic firework display. The air stunk of sulfur...it was beautiful.

The most difficult thing for me was to disengage myself from the behavior of the Kekeis (Hawaiian for small child). There was a huge pile of fireworks for the Keiki's to play with and they would walk around with their sparkler spitting out red-hot sparks around the pile of unlit fireworks. It was quite unnerving.

They had a great time...I learned to deal with it.

We have become friends with some amazing people. In addition to Tavia and Craig we have also become friends with Hawaiian Carridine and Copin and their beautiful 4 daughters (Kiana, Kanani, Kenna, and Kiara). As a treat to the end of 4th of July, Copin did a beautiful fire knife dance.

I wish I was a skilled writer who could capture the beauty and drama of his dance. Copin is a one of the most wonderful person I have ever had the pleasure to meet - he spear fishes, net fishes, play agressive volleyball, fire dances, and is an ideal specimen of a male of our species. Look at his chest....

I helped him pull a net in and I will post those pictures soon. Anyway as a gift to us all on this great day of freedom he did a traditional Hawaiian fire dance while his beautiful, generous and talented wife played drums.

It was beyond amazing.

I could feel the heat from the fire from where I sat. After the performance I spoke with Copin and I felt the singed hair on his arms. This is not some cheap parlor trick - it was hot and it was amazing. Damn, we will miss the beautiful island and its beautiful people.