1. Avocado: I used to think these were mushy and kind of nasty, but since they are in lots of sushi, which I love and will get to later, I started eating more and more avocado.  As I did, I learned to like it.. and while I don’t eat chips (fried), I actually like a good guac!
    
2. Sushi - As mentioned, 5 years ago, I had no interest in sushi.. but I started small at places like Tokyo Joe’s and just got more and more adventurous and before I knew it, I was hooked.
    
3. Mushrooms!  I used to detest them, but now I eat them in all sorts of stuff, even raw in a salad.. I started with them cooked and sauteed, but now like them marinated or whatever..   I even really enjoy a portobello burger, instead of a hamburger
    
4. Tomatoes.. ok, I’m not all the way there yet.  I always loved tomato sauce, ketchup, even tomato soup, but until recently, wouldn’t dream of eating a raw tomato.. but I’ve changed.  I started with a really good caprese salad and have moved into a more bold variety.. what i’ve learned most is that good tomatoes are good, bad ones, don’t bother
    

The raw data:

Updated chart:

Arrow highlights recent period.

An $5 a month or 8.4% increase in the price of electricity just helps the solar panels ROI get achieved faster..

They put it better than I ever could..

Doing less.

We still did plenty, we went to Oahu and ended up having a great time with friends, who were also in Hawaii (the Fey’s), and we hit Pearl Harbor, but tried to let us all wind down with some more  time in the pool and at the beach.. These pictures reflect that.

Mack went to surfing school!  He did real well, totally fearless, paddled out with his instructor and had a bunch of good attempts to get up.. I think he swallowed a gallon of sea water, which is not fun, but kept trying and eventually made it!!

We went early, try and catch some good breaks off the reef..

The video is short, but that’s Mack on the surf board..

Before we left Maui, we went to “town” and saw this massive Banyan Tree - seriously large dude.

Big tree.. makes boys look very small

We then flew back to Oahu (Honolulu) with our boogie board in tow.  Common practice in Hawaii is to get a boogie board, use it and enjoy it, and then give it to strangers as you depart… we enjoyed the custom.

current whereabouts unknown

In Honolulu, we decided to visit Pearl Harbor.. a) because it wasn’t a full day, like 2 hours, and  b) it was free  It was actually great to go, you see a film and it really hits home how crazy it must have been during this time and to have our backyard bombed like this.. as well as better understand the dynamics for why and how the Japanese did it.  What I didn’t know, until now, was that the monument is sitting right above the USS Arizona, which remains at the bottom of the harbor, in plain sight!  Some pics to show..

Stunning sight..

still underwater after all these years..

The Feys

Our hotel in Honolulu had a nice room, but a crappy pool that didn’t allow any toys in the pool - no floats or anything.. we knew we were in trouble.  Thankfully our friends were up the coast at a really nie JW Marriott, with a great pool and private lagoon for fun in the ocean!  Alan took me snorkleing, the kinds played, we enjoyed an amazing sunset, and checked out the hotels cool pond with massive sting-rays and hammerhead sharks.. check these puppies out!

1) A ride on a helicopter to tour Maui and quite a sight it was.. pineapple & sugar farms, volcanoes and waterfalls, amazing rocky cliffs and ocean views, and a few times when I wanted to beg the pilot to veer away from the mountain! We rode our friends at Mauiscape
 

The coastlines are stunning

The requisite group shot at the end..

Picture highlights:

Miles boarding the chopper

Mack digging the Bose headphones

Hawaii is full of amazing waterfalls, none accessible except by heli

 #2 was the “road to hana” - a long, super-windy, many bridge affair through some of the most beautiful rainforest-like country you’ll see.. with elevated views of the coasts and waterfalls along the way.. this hawaii place has a patent on beauty..

Check out the ride.. this doesn’t begin to do justice to all the turns and one-way bridges

View Larger Map
 

prison labor played a role here and after many hours pondering how I-70 was ever built, I know have a new road to marvel at.

To get to Hana, you need stylish wheels

We saw some amazing trees - check out the bark! Looks fake and pastel-like

We stopped at a black sand beach, it comes from lava, and sure enough, boys will throw rocks when given chance

The boys liked the open air Jeep.. never ever remove the top! I learned that the hard way

The end of Hana has an amazing black sand & rock beach.. it’s so cool, it looks like mud or dirt, but is just black sand.. very cool stuff with some amazing tide pools.

Looks like mud, but is just plain old beach sand