Leavin' For Texas :-(

What to do with whale-watching beach chairs, tabletop propane gas grill, pedestal fans, tabletop fans, left over staples like flour and sugar, frozen foods, potatoes, onions, etc., the sleeping bags and air mattresses the grandkids used, a couple of small folding tables, printer paper that's too cheap and too heavy to take home, just dozens and DOZENS and dozens of things...

In a year's time we did manage to accumulate a lot of things that one might take for granted in daily life.  Before each purchase we weighed the pros and cons.  With the first contract we most often said, "Nah.  We can live without that."  But after the third contract extension we just went ahead and acquired what we felt we needed/wanted.  Now it's time for the executive decisions that can really wear a person out.  This has always been the toughest part of moving.

We ultimately decided to give most everything to our pastor's family.  He has four teenagers, and I'm certain between them all they can find a use for everything.  They are from Georgia and even have some of the same taste for foods that us Texans have!  It actually took them two trips to get everything home.  John and I have never known a pastor AND his family to put so very, very much love into a congregation and community as the Metcalf's have.  We are honored to be able to share this with them.  They are God's good people.

Randy loaned us a portable convection oven; we need to be sure that gets cleaned and back to him. (Remember, our apartment didn't come with an oven.)  Paul and Joann loaned us a CD player and some dishes; need to know they got them back.

I don't think I've said enough about our landlords, A.C. and Donna.  They have done everything imaginable to make our stay comfortable and stress free.  Donna owns AirVentures, a sightseeing airplane company with offices on Oahu and Kauai.  They even gave John and I a free flight for our 25th wedding anniversary and arranged a luau for us to attend!  

Momma always said, leave a place cleaner and better than when you got there and you'll always be invited back.  We'd love to come back to Kauai, so we're polishing things to a fare thee well!

Of course we already turned in our second car to Island Cars.  Now we need to coordinate getting the other car back.  We'll check all of our luggage about 6 p.m., grab a meal and last walk on the beach, then meet John T. at Island Cars for a ride back to the airport.  Several of our church friends come to see us off - we had more seeing us off in Kauai than we had seeing us off in Texas to come to Kauai!  Kauaiians are so respectful, considerate, thoughtful, kind.  We will definitely miss these people...  Aloha - until we meet again.

Mahalo!