Ogii put up some mistletoe in front of our door.
This little gecko was by it.
Driving over to Hilo to work there a few days.
Their optometry and optical is much smaller.
Although the waiting area is much larger.
And much warmer as they doors to outside are open.
Ogii got Dad and Mom a ride share to the airport.
Then saw another gecko looking at her.
Monica, Brett, and I went for dinner. Cafe Pesto had too long of a wait list.
We passed this nice mural.
The Silly Goose isn't an actual place.
It just guides you to The Hidden Nene below, a speakeasy. There's a bar on the left and a few tables on the right.
Boar head dressed up for Christmas.
Goose lamp.
Some info about Charles Furneaux, a landscape painter.
They have some funky drinks, including one in a Spam can.
Mine initially had a bubble on it, but it burst before I got a picture.
They have a build-your-own charcuterie board.
Our selections. Some of the cheeses were very good.
Bacon-wrapped candied pineapple.
Flourless chocolate torte.
We stayed at an AirBnB that night, then went to Ken's House of Pancakes in the morning.
I had a waffle and hashbrowns.
I love how their coffee mugs have "Aloha!" on the bottom.
At the front entrance of work there's a little stream.
They've put out many little toys along it.
I wanted to buy these Oakley Lizard frames, but they're out of stock.
They're mostly over $300 online, but a few places had them for around $100.
Driving back home: fog around Mauna Kea.
We went to the Fish Hopper for dinner.
The name sounds familiar. The menu says they started in Monterey, CA.
We ate there. I remember they had a flaming drink.
As does the location here in Kona.
We ordered a boat.
We're going to have leftovers.
Monica and Brett's food.
Desserts.
Great Christmas lights on a truck.
Ogii cutting up a pineapple.
It looks decorative afterwards.
All the pieces.
It's December 31st, and we still have over $500 of FSA to spend. First step is contact lenses.
Since they're Biofinity Multifocal, and one is toric, they take a bit longer to make.
Then some glasses. I wanted some just with prism, but Zenni Optical won't do prism with no power.
You have to put at least a little rx in for prism. Except I want some only with prism, no power.
EyeBuyDirect will do that, and they're also cheap.
Of course, after I buy the lenses, then I get a 30% off coupon. Thankfully the glasses were cheap.
And I was only $2.74 over on the FSA. Although when I later logged onto the FSA site, I found some earlier purchases I didn't record, so we're actually $165.48 over.
Monica got to 88888 miles on the RAV4 while driving.
They went to Volcanoes National Park and bought us some nice gifts.
Hung up.
Ogii's new pretty ornament.
The family didn't eat nearly enough candy when they were here; we still have a ton left.
Bird of paradise below our balcony.
Ands seeds of different sizes.
Dinner on the balcony.
Meats, cheeses, and Hawaiian fruits.
A few more local items.
Nice sunset.
Ready for New Year's Eve in New York City.
The countdown begins.
A video.
Afterwards, we drove Monica and Brett to the airport, then Ogii fell asleep on the couch.
Then it's time for New Year's Eve in Hawaii. Ogii didn't want to go outside, so she stuck her hand out the door.
Fireworks around our place.
A video.
Some geckos on the balcony ceiling.
We went to Daifukuji Soto Mission for their New Year's Day service.
Above the entrance. According to Google Translate, it says Mountain Winter Desitation, Temple Fuku University.
Program.
inside.
Nice banners.
Paintings.
A second.
And a third.
Free paper cranes.
Smaller meditation area.
Central area.
Old pictures.
Previous ministers.
Ringing the bell on the way out.
My turn.
Bulletin board with other events and info.
A nice plaque.
And pole.
Plants with the Noble Eightfold Path.
Their ficus tree is a clone of the original Tree of Enlightenment.
Ogii under it.
Light lunch afterwards.
This looks good.
I like that guy's shirt.
Google AI was able to find one for sale.
Then we drove to Kekaha Kai state park.
There's a small parking lot here.
After which is a gate, which they lock at 7pm. So if you want to be there later than that and park here, it's a long walk out.
The road is quite bumpy with some large drop-offs in a few areas.
Driving through lava rocks.
We're just north of the airport, so planes fly over.
Speed bumps in a flat area.
Back to the rough stuff.
Although even cars could make it.
Lava and mountain.
The main parking lot. It was busy, but there were still spots to be found.
The southern side is rockier, with people fishing.
Goat poop, so they must come here at times.
The northern side is sandier.
With people swimming.
A little cove across the larger cove.
With a nice group of palm trees.
Around a bend.
Under some trees.
I cut my forehead on a branch which was pointed right at me. Good thing it wasn't an inch lower; I could have lost an eye.
More people here.
We came because someone posted a picture of a monk seal. We thought this might be one, but it was just a log.
This sign has more info on the seals.
It says there are only four or five resident monk seals on Big Island. The other islands have many more.
Tiny berries.
Old buildings.
They used to be a house.
Although they've since fallen into disrepair.
Clear water.
The northern cove.
There might be sea turtles here.
Further to the north.
A little path.
That goes to Makalawena Beach.
It looks like it is less busy, and also has monk seals.
Although we didn't want to do the hike today.
So we headed back. Ogii on the north cove.
Looking south.
There's supposed to be a rock shaped like a heart here.
Google Maps says it's close.
But I couldn't find it.
Ogii found this nice clover, though.
A big tree.
Rather than walking along the beach to the parking lot, going south and then east, you can also take this other path, going east and then south.
Through lava rocks.
Nice view.
Turning south.
Another path to the ocean.
People walking.
Lava rocks, beach, and ocean.
A mongoose under a car.
A plane overhead.
Driving back. One of the dropoffs.
And another.
Through the final gate.
It's 88 degrees outside. Too bad it wasn't when then odometer was 88888.
I was in the mood for Burger King. It was open, but nobody else was there.
Sheep at our neighbor's.
Zoomed in with Ogii's spotting scope.
She likes looking at animals with it.
Saturday morning beach yoga.
Ready to begin.
Coconut palm trees above.
Veryone stretching.
We saw some dolphins in the water.
Some were jumping.
A little puddle of water with a rock and a palm tree reflection.
Some crabs jumped between rocks. I've never seen them do that before.
A lizard.
Nice mural.
Ogii watching a YouTube video on how to prepare a pineapple to plant.