Don’t worry, be happy

Spent the day flying. Aloha, friends!

With the 3 hour time difference, we ended up getting to Hawaii around lunch time. David and Lida Burney, who oversee educational programs at the National Botanical Garden, welcomed us to the island and kindly drove us to our home for the next two weeks.  It is a comfortable house that sleeps 7 people, with a nice living room and a kitchen.  There is also a weather port, which is basically a large tent, that sleeps the rest of the group.  When we walked into our new abode, we were greeted by Mary, the lovely woman buying our groceries; her warming personality made me feel right at home.

After snacking on meat, cheese and fruit, we trekked outside to explore the surrounding area. We hiked on the road to the nearest little town.  The strangest/greatest (these two feelings often occur simultaneously for me) sight was a very hungry and ambitious billy goat who had jumped onto a car in order to straddle its body over a fence in order to munch on some prime greens.  He made eating look like an art. Learning life lessons from a billy goat.

We celebrated our arrival with a grill feast fit for kings!  Sausages, chicken, pasta salad, red peppers, asparagus, and pineapple.  The night ended with a talk from David Burney.  Let me tell you, this man beholds a great wisdom within.  My favorite quote from the night was ,”worrying is the worst thing you can do to yourself; don’t worry too much, but don’t be dumb.”