Oh man, have I struck gold. I feel so incredibly blessed and my life is so wonderful that I am gushing with happiness....! Amazing.
I moved. Again. To Pahoa, just outside of Hilo, on the Big Island. Sherri and I live together in a wonderful 1964 cane house situated right on the edge of the most amazing jungle I have ever seen. We wake up to trees and forest all around; birds, frogs, wild pigs, geckos... currently there are 7 different clumps of bananas ready to go off on our trees (it's 2.3 acres), as well as the pineapples nearing. We also have mango, avacado, guava, lychee, citrus, and probably another half dozen fruits that I don't yet know of.
And living with S is fantastic - we are a perfect fit. We live and breath music, love being homebodies, are also very social, love our yard, our lanai, our outdoor shower, each other.
Just down the hill is the earth's newest landmass, where Madam Pele is pouring her soul into the ocean and creating a little more real estate every day. Up the hill is Halemaumau and Puuoo - both active, both fiery and alive. And there is fantastic hiking in the park (Hawai'i Volcanos National Park), not to mention across the entire island in general.
The bonus (cake, eat it too...) is that I am now working from home, for the same company I was working for on Maui. Don't ask me how, but that's where I am. I can swim or run or mow the yard or have lunch with S on the deck... all in the course of my work day.
And now - finally - we can really focus in and begin to bring our music together as we move into the fall. We have not had a chance, our rehearsals were sporadic because of living on different islands, and so our gigs were sporadic. We can now really truly begin the melding process. And wow are we excited!
One last thing, that I have always wanted in places I live, and I am getting full on here on the big isle: a place where I wake up and step out my door and be absolutely blown away at the natural beauty of the environment. I have that again, here. I have been incredibly lucky in this way my entire life.
And I am thankful, so thankful, to be here, now.
-- brent (Pahoa, HI 7/2008)