Mele Kalikimaka!!!

It's the thing to say, On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day.

I mention it because that's where I'll be for Christmas, as I have been for several years running, now.

This will be the last time though; for various reasons I'll be going a bit later in the Winter on future trips.

Someday, I plan to retire there, but for now I get my annual "fix" for a couple of weeks each year.

I was stationed on Oahu in the early 80's, but these days I spend my time on the Big Island...which is over twice the size of all the other islands combined, and has 13 of the 15 terrestrial climate types represented at various locations distributed over it's entirety.
(From desert to rain forest; everything but Arctic and sub-Arctic...and who needs those, anyway?!)

People often ask me about the cost of living there. While some things cost more, others cost less. Because the average daytime temperature is in the 70's, and in the 60's at night, heating/cooling costs aren't much of a factor. Plenty of meats, fruits and vegetables are produced there. In fact, the Parker Ranch is the largest in the United States. Taxes are low. Gas is expensive, but you can't have everything. Overall, it's not bad. Oh, and they don't tax pensions, either.

They grow some pretty big poinsettias there, too...

Happy Holidays!!!

There's been a lot of controversy in recent times about using the title expression in lieu of "Merry Christmas".

However, what a lot of people fail to realize is that "holidays" is another word for holy days...so, it really doesn't bother me.

What I do find troublesome though, is that in the midst of all the crass commercialism and rush, folks often forget the reason for the season.

Consequently, I like to focus on that instead; I'm not into stress, anyway.

It is my fervent hope and wish that we can try to put aside our differences, and remember that which is truly important.

In this way, then, they truly can be happy holidays.

Click HERE for a relevant "E-card" from St. Nick, A.K.A. "Santa Claus"...
(Tip of the 'do rag to another Nick, A.K.A. "Angus the Scot")

An apple a day...

...keeps the dentist away!

I know, it's supposed to keep the doctor away, but it is actually more effective for dental health.


Got an appointment with the D.D.S.; I lost my last remaining wisdom...tooth last year, not because it was unhealthy, but because it was askew. Consequently, it was creating a "pocket" where trouble kept developing, and "cleanup operations" were freakin' painful! After a couple of bouts of that, I took my dentist's advice, and let him remove it. It wasn't doing anything but causing problems, as there was no opposing tooth against which it could chew. Also, it had caused several of its "neighbors" to become somewhat misaligned.

After that ordeal, and due to using these itty-bitty "bottle brushes" in addition to daily flossing, my visits to the torture chamber have been much easier to bear.

If you're not already using those little brushes, (and it isn't too late) I would HIGHLY recommend them.

I'm serious...