What an incredible week of contrasts and new experiences. (We arrived 7 days ago) I (Leon)
began the week trying to remember all the last minute responsibilities that I needed
to turn over to other very capable assistants at the hatchery. Safety committee recertification forms,
purchase ordering procedures, breeder flock management details, and advertising
contracts to keep us on par for our monthly hatching goal of 1 ½ million, or 18
million chicks for 2016. And by week’s
end I was learning the details of how to check all the supplies needed on my
janitorial cart and the +/- 20 procedures to perform when servicing one of the
dozen public restrooms on this giant hotel complex called the Haggai Institute.
We temporarily have replaced our “homeland” of the continental
U.S. with the island of Maui, about the size of our county of Bucks in
Pennsylvania. Our family including 11
grandchildren ages 2-12 has been temporarily replaced with a “family” of 20 or
so other retirees like ourselves. Our 2-story
Quakertown home of 4-bedrooms has been replaced by a hotel room with a small
fridge and microwave on the 3rd floor. But don’t get me wrong, we’re not
complaining! It’s just different, and we
are enjoying the change.
We spoke Sunday for the first time by phone with each of our
3 children. We attended a local, vibrant
Christian fellowship for the morning worship service. Later in the day one of our coworkers invited
us along us on a public bus trip to a quaint, historic beach town (Lahaina) on
the northern coast. It was the original capital of the kingdom of Hawaii. One of
the things to see there is the largest banyan tree in Hawaii. It covers 2/3 of an acre, is 50 feet high and
has 16 trunks located in front of the nearly 200-year-old courthouse!
Our workdays are becoming somewhat routine but can vary from
day to day. However, I am wondering when
my muscles will stop being surprised by some of the duties they are being
called upon to perform on a regular basis!
Karen and I are trying to speed up the getting-into-shape process by
spending a half hour before breakfast in the amply outfitted exercise room here
at the institute.
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| Karen looking forward to flight-time at Newark |
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| Karen reflecting on how far away Maui seems from Pennsylvania |
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| Leon in his "undercover boss" disguise |
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| Karen trying to figure out how to get a suntan while vacuuming |
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| 16-trunk Banyan tree in Lahaina |
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| Anniversary dinner by the ocean |
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| Watching the sunset (on #46) as we embark on year number 47 together. |
Monday was our 46th wedding anniversary and at the suggestion of some of our fellow volunteers who are on their 6th – 8th stints here at H*gg*i we made dinner reservations at a beautiful nearby [Mana Kai Maui] resort.
