Quick and short post from West Oahu–Makua beach to Kaena point and back. Beautiful day, breezy, big surf, and great company as always.
Checking out the tidal pools or maybe getting a great shot of the ocean
Makua tidal pools
Natural Arch on the way to Kaena Point
Monk seal checking me out @Kaena Point
On way back
One of the many tidal pools on the trail
Beautiful Waianae Range–lush and green
The best thing about living in Hawaii is that people are so generous. And the delivery of mangoes and bananas to my house demonstrated that. Instead of getting just a couple of each, I got the box of mangoes and hand of bananas. Boy, I needed to get my act in gear and use them up before they got too ripe to use.
I said I wanted to make mango jam and I got to make it. I made this recipe before with overripe mangoes from the restaurant and it turned out so delicious. And it was pretty easy.
Mom peeled the mangoes, cutting away any bruised or bad areas. I peeled the lemon rind then took off as much of the pith as I could. Then toss all of it in a wide pot with the sugar and put it on a medium high heat. It will come to a boil, turn it down to medium to simmer. Then let the magic happen. The meat of the mango falls off and once it all falls off it will be ready. I say we had it on for about hour and half.
peeled mangoes and lemons with lemon rind and sugar
This is the final product. Naturally thick and chunky, sweet mangos with bright taste from the lemons.
Mon’s special portion
We got 1 pint, 4 half pints and 2 4oz bottles.
waiting to cool off
I didn’t use up all the mangoes with jam, so I made batch of mango bread using my banana bread recipe and whatever was left I went into the freezer for a pie I’m thinking of trying.
A hand of Williams bananas ripening in a brown bag in the patio, were ready at the same time as the mangos arrive. Meant a lot of jamming and baking on very hot and humid end of summer season. A baker needs to do when the ingredients are ready to go.
I made my princess hotflash healthier banana bread. I couldn’t find ground coconut so I used sweeten shredded coconut instead. I also use this recipe for the mango bread.
I had a brain fart and didn’t look at my mom’s measuring cup and added too much sugar in the banana bread. (thought the 3/4 measuring cup was a 1/2 cup–don’t have a 3/4c in my measuring cups). Oops.
It turned out darker that it should with the extra sugar
But it didn’t taste too sugary. Whew! I was really sad that I may had needed to toss it out.
And the leftover bananas went in the freezer also for smoothies or monkey butter or strawberry banana pie. Not sure which one I want to make.
Well, more baking and jamming to come. Got a bag of distress fruit at Don Quixote. with plums, peaches, grapefruit and mineola orange. A small batch of stone fruit jam with orange and grapefruit curd all for $2.50.
It will be 2 weeks back in Hawaii tomorrow. Still adjusting to my new life here. Trying to figure out what I can do to keep me out of trouble.
The cats have been great. Getting into mischief as much as they can. They had full reign of my cabinets as I empty them back in NJ and want the same privileges here in Waipahu. But the Boss [my mom] doesn’t allow that. They also think the patio has the same breezeway privileges that they can run in and out of the house and the garage whenever they wanted. The patio is open to the side and backyard. So the only way out is with a harness and a leash. Ollie is up for the harness and we tried going for a walk. Orange, he’s another story and who would have guessed any different. It’s like I’m going to put him in the carrier.
Got me a ceiling fan!! Woowho! I still feel hot but it’s like a constant breeze on me now. [I owe someone delicious bottles of red wine.] I hope Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lane doesn’t bring heat and humidity as he leaves the islands. It poured all morning since the time I got up at 3:00ish and stop at 7:00ish. It’s overcast and that might keep the temps down.
Please O’ weather gods keep the temps down for me, pretty please.
The only benefit of the heat is I don’t feel guilty for getting a shave ice as an afternoon snack. Luckily there is a good shave ice truck near the house. Too delicious to stop and get a picture, next time.
I’ve been trying to keep them busy and getting them out of the house for entertainment and exercise. They have an aide that comes three days a week. She works with my dad on exercises for strength and takes them out and about or holo-holo in Hawaii slang, on errands and dr visits.
The aide that they have is a young girl from Chicago that just moved to Hawaii. Everything is new to here and I think it’s a good fit for my parents. My mom loves to feed people and she loves to try anything new. And she’s really sweet to my dad. Thought I think he would fare better with someone that was more on the rascal side.
I’m glad they have her because it would be all on me if they didn’t. I can see how hard that would be.
I’m looking for things to do and meet new people. Here are a few of my ideas I thought I could try out in September
I’m trying to keep busy and not just hang out in my room watching too much Netflix as I did before I moved. I got sucked into watching DeadWind, Finnish crime drama with I’m such sucker for. I think I have a few more episodes left then on to the next. I need to stop watching. . . ahaaaa.
Why didn’t know it would be so hard? It was slow at the beginning, looking closely at everything, thinking hard what is pile it should go in–keep, toss, donate and of course, I had fourth one–who can I give it to.
And why is it so hard to give away free stuff.
I’m exhausted. I have 3 piles in my living room right now–toss, donate and going to the storage (meaning keep). I gave up on the fourth one (sort of). I hope all of you are proud of me for it. Please note my keep pile is much smaller than my donate pile.
But this morning I did tackled something hard. I cleaned out Oat’s travel kit. It was on a top shelf of a closet. I finally clean up that shelf. Then there it was, sitting on the floor next to my bed. It sat there for a couple of days, waiting to be clean up.
I was really sad. It kind of the end of my travels with him. We still had many place to see. I know everyone will miss goofy costumes. Here’s one of the favorites. I photoshopped the peg leg and parrot for him. He was so happy.
It’s not all painfully, I found a great book I had picked up from one of my company’s many purges. Obon, a Japanese summer festival that celebrate your ancestors. There’s dancing, taiko drumming, people dressed in kimonos, crafts and lot of great food.
this goes to my fourth pile–to my cousin’s girls
I’m to soon reach it. Friday is pictures, Wednesday it gets listed and Sunday is a Open House. I hope to be one giant step closer to start my new life in Hawaii.
Princess Hot Flash 