Back to the Big Island
At the beginning of May, after a fabulous 39th birthday celebration and wedding of some very dear friends, I’m back in the sky. This time, I’m headed to accept delivery of our Haier appliances–they’ve successfully made it across the Pacific via boat, and are parked at the Home Depot ready for our delivery scheduling!
Furniture assembly
When I arrive at the condo, I’m greeted by a pile of boxes that our helpful building manager Ron relocated into our front entrance. Five hours later, I’ve assembled a kitchen island, two side tables, a nightstand, and a turquoise chair …
Thank you, allen wrench: Amazon kitchen table successfully assembled
… and am energized by the thought of never seeing an Allen wrench again.
The carnage from furniture assembly
Appliance delivery
The great guys at Island Movers arrive Saturday morning with our adorable Haier appliances! The unboxing occurs in the Kailua Village parking lot, and they’re hauled up two floors and into the condo without event.
The Home Depot Haier appliances have arrived!
Out with the old
With our new, shiny, stainless steel refrigerator, there’s no longer a need for the old (albeit still functional) fridge that came with the place … and is missing a handle. I call the nice guys at Junk Authority to haul it away.
Thank you, Junk Authority, for taking away the old fridge
Finalizing the kitchen design
Next on the checklist: Stopping by HPM to see the delightful kitchen designer Casey Howell to (drum roll, please) … finalize the kitchen design and put in the order!
Casey from HPM, assessing her awesome kitchen rendering
The more time I spend with the tile, the more I’m leaning toward covering it. I take the opportunity with Casey to check out HPM’s stocked luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring options. She recommends a warmer color (“it’ll feel beachier). We look at all the stocked options, and decide vanilla creme is the best bet given our white cabinets.
The cabinets up against the proposed flooring
It’s not all work and no play
This trip, I finally start smelling the proverbial roses (or plumerias, as the case may be in Hawaii). My days in the Pau Hana Condo begin early (as the sun rises, so does my ET workday; 5am in Hawaii translates to 11am back home). By noon, the East Coast is calling it quits, leaving me plenty of time to work on the condo, enjoy a long run south of town, swim the (very) beginning of the Ironman course, and mosey down to Kai for their delicious happy hour: I make a ritual of the $5 mini nachos and ice cold Kona Brewing Koko Brown on tap.
My favorite beer: the koko brown from Kona Brewing at Kai
I follow pau hana with an ice cream cone and quiet time watching the rowers underneath the beautiful sunsets. When the weekend arrives, I embark on a road trip to the east side of the island to explore the Hilo Farmers’ Market and the Puna District.
Hilo Farmers’ Market
The best part about Kona? Even the rainy days yield fantastically beautiful results.
Hawaii rainbows
While we’ve got a full list of things to get done for Ed (our general contractor) it’ll be awhile before we get back to the island. Read about our return in September, when we’re greeted by the newly installed cabinets, new LVP flooring, and and almost completed bathroom!
