Kalihi Valley Symphony No. 365

Photo by: Bonnie Potts

You don't have to go to far to find adventure.

Sometimes you just gotta step out the door. Sometimes you don't even have to do that!

We only moved about six miles down the road, only two valleys over and feel like we're in a different world! The neighborhood, the drive, the people, the sights, the smells, even the temperature! These past few nights I've gone to bed in a long-sleeve shirt, sweatpants AND socks! I NEVER wear socks to bed. Even growing up in Montana, I never did. I don't know how I survived! Now I'm such a wimp and am cold more often then not... in Hawai'i! Its always a rude awakening when I go home. The frigid Big Sky State air always gives a good shock to my system.

When we tell people we're living in Kalihi valley, there's a pretty good mix of reactions. Some raised eyebrows and wide eyes, some people telling us to make sure we lock our car, some "Ohhhhh boy, how's THAT going?" type comments, but to be honest, we LOVE it. Its been great! Just different. With every big change, there's gonna be some adjusting, some figuring things out and getting used to. 

The first new thing we were awakened with (literally) was the chickens. I know what you're thinking, "Uhhh hello, Hawai'i is full of chickens! What's there to get used to?!"  Well. Let me paint the picture for you. These chickens are on a different level. They're not just the ones you see wandering around North Shore or on the side of the road looking for grub with their cute little fluffy chicks. Nope. These guys are EVERYWHERE! 

Yet we haven't seen a single one! ....we've only HEARD them.

And when I say heard them, I'm talking they start screaming at us to wake up at 5 o'clock in the morning! It's like they have us surrounded and are holding us at gunpoint squawking "Get out of bed and get going!!" I don't think we'll ever have to set an alarm again because these guys are going OFF! There's not just one or two, it sounds like hundreds, thousands even. Like a symphony of "COCKADOODLEDOOOOOO"s. And not just somewhere down the road or off in the distance... No. They're so incredibly loud, it's as if they're right outside our window!

Rumor has it that some of the neighbors raise them for the cock fights. (Yep, this is a very real, and not-so-legal thing in Hawai'i.) When we walk to our car in the morning, we hear them on both sides of the road, bantering back and forth. It's like their smack talking each other for their upcoming match or something. Back and forth. All. Day. Long.

So that's been fun, sometimes slightly terrifying but also a good source of laughter in the mornings as we wake up to Sgt. Rooster and Company's crows. Ramsey keeps saying we won't even notice them after a while. Time will tell I guess.

We've also gotten several morning workouts in from sprinting to our car, with all of our bags and briefcase in hand to try and beat the garbage truck. The street we live on is really windy and narrow, with lots of potholes and cars parked on the sides. Driving up and down it everyday it is like a Spartan Race obstacle course, let alone when we're racing the garbage truck!

It's like in the movies. Ramsey and I will be making breakfast and getting our things together for the day when one of us hears the garbage truck off in the distance starting to roar up the hill. 

"Shhhh... did you hear that?!"

...The garbage truck comes to a screeching halt as bags of rubbish are tossed in and smashed.

Our eyes get big and we slowly turn to look at each other. We don't even have to say a word. Things start flying. Dishes can wait. Half-full lunch bags are zipped. Forget the snacks, I can starve a little! I'll just fill up my water bottle at work! Do you have the keys?!  Shoes are slipped on, laces left untied as we sprint out the door laughing all the way. We only have a few precious seconds to get in the car and fly out of the valley before the garbage truck gets to the end of our street, turns around and gets in front of us. Because once your stuck behind the garbage truck, game over. There's no room to pass along the obstacle course and you have to stop at every. single. house. as they pick up the garbage. Your 2 minute ride has just turned into a smelly 32 minute ride. 

Living with the family has been fun. We've shared meals, started and finished projects, gone to the movies and even had impromptu freestyle ukulele jam sessions. Lots of laughs. Ramsey's younger brother is SO excited to have a partner to play video games with... Ramsey is excited to play video games again. It's all been great. 

Coaching basketball at Kamehameha has started up again for me. This is the elementary season so the 4th, 5th and 6th grade girls. One of the other assistant coaches and I are in charge of 17 little 6th graders ...you can imagine we have our hands full and our work cut out for us! We're both learning a lot of patience and also how to go back to the basics. Basketball Fundamentals 101.

God has been answering our prayers financially. I've had a lot of side jobs these past few weeks and have some artwork projects coming up. We've also been able to pay off an ENTIRE student loan! Thank you Jesus! Ramsey and I got quite a bit of money back from our tax returns this year and threw it directly at our loans, paying of one of mine completely! What an amazing feeling it was to see the remaining amount due go from $1,416.49 to $0.00! You know when you can physically feel the weight being lifted off your shoulders? And you take a deep breath and feel like a whole new person? 

Yep. That was it. Thank you Lord.