We have been trying to take advantage of our time on Oahu to get to visit and know as much of Hawaii as possible. But after our whirlwind island hop to Maui, we spent a low-key week at home in Honolulu. The week started off with a celebration of one of my favorite holidays, Halloween. We had a great time trick-or-treating in the Kaimuki neighborhood that is adjacent to Waikiki. It was a lot like our neighborhood in Phoenix. Families hung out on their front porches handing out treats, including fresh cotton candy and popcorn, to everyone's delight. The costumes were your general assortment of ghouls, princesses and movie characters, except for Alex.
Here's Nicki as Alice from Alice in Wonderland:
...... and here's Alex:
"What's that?", you ask. While Alex insisted on wearing just a paper plate mask, we insisted on a little more (if someone is going to give you candy, you should put a little effort into what you wear,
don't you think?). He added a plastic bowl hat, a napkin and utensils. Although we couldn't decide if he was a picnic or just a kid with a plate face, our Hawaiian neighbors provided the perfect name for the costume. Alex had become "plate lunch", and (to my surprise) he was a hit! Plate lunches are a staple at Hawaiian fast food, take out restaurants, usually consisting of some sort of marinated meat swimming in sauce, potato-mac on the side and (always) two scoops of white rice, often served on disposable dinner wear. Alex got accolades from so many people, that Nicki (usually the center of attention) felt a little left out. Who knew such a last minute, thrown together costume would be such a hit. But, alas, not all of them work.
Not one comment on Steve's clever costume. Can you tell what he is wearing?
Halloween was followed by a change in the weather that was reminiscent of other U.S. cities I've lived in. In the northeast, we start to get our winter coats out in November, sometimes even needing to wear them over our costumes, very lame. In Washington state, the sun had probably shown its face for the last time in October, ushering in the overcast skies until next summer. And in Phoenix, the weather starts it's nearly perfect cycle of warm days and cool nights. I did not expect a change of season here in the tropics, but then we got a winter storm, called a Kona storm, which is characterized by constant showers and lots of wind. The wind has been so strong and chilly that we cannot even keep the window open at night. I was even prompted to buy some hot cocoa due to the nightly chill. Joseph's archery class was canceled due to rain and I really felt like the "winter" was here to stay.
Compared to last week, and most other weeks, I thought this week was a bit quotidian* (yes, I married a thesaurus). We didn't really do anything exciting or uniquely Hawaiian. The weather and a little cold kept us from making the most of our time here, a priority for me. It was a typical week in Any City, U.S.A. with Halloween treats, a change in weather, lots of laundry and errands. But it did remind me that Hawaii, for families living here, is a normal town with everyday routines and celebrations. So mahalo, thank you, Honolulu for reminding me of our goal of getting to know Hawaii by just living here, something I often forget in my zeal to plan the perfect vacationy activities. Mahalo for giving us a home-style Halloween and mahalo for being cold enough to enjoy hot cocoa. As a hometown, Honolulu is one of many nice places to live in the U.S. On vacation, you may make the most of your visit, but it will never feel like home. This week, Honolulu felt like our home.
* quotidian/kwōˈtidēən/ Adjective 1. Of or occurring every day; daily. 2. Ordinary or everyday, esp. when mundane
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