Heat Wave

To say the island has been feeling a little warm the last few days, would be putting it mildly.  We’ve had temperatures in the 90s.  I can hear you So Cal friends, you scoff at the 90s, it doesn’t start getting really hot until you hit triple digits, right?  Well try 90s with 70 percent humidity!  To my pals in the Inland Empire, let me endeavor to explain this phenomenon.  In California, we have heat, no debating that, but it is a dry heat.  Humidity makes your skin sticky to the touch; your clothes cling to you, your hair doubles in size and frizzes beyond belief.  Humidity is a concept those of us living in desert like climates have heard tell of but have very little actual experience with.  It is sort of like when you sweat the atmosphere absorbs your sweat, spits it back out at you in a fine mist coating every inch of your body in a constant never ending cycle.  But hey, its paradise, so I’m not complaining, I’m merely sharing some meteorological information with you. 

Despite the heat, we are enjoying ourselves.  This morning’s visit to the farmer’s market resulted in purchasing these fruity beauties.  Anyone know what they are?  Lychee, that’s right.  You peel off the brittle shell to reveal the juiciest plumpest little white fruit that has floral and tropical flavors that are so intoxicating you can hardly stop eating these little lovelies.  Thank goodness, I am still perfecting my peeling technique at least the bumpy red shell can slow me down. 

Last Night we visited Lulu’s in Lahaina to meet up with Maui music friends Allen Jackson and Howard Ahia.  Allen knew we were in town, as we ran into him on our first night, but Howard was surprised and delighted to see us.  As has become custom, these musicians invited Greg up to play a few songs.  He borrowed Allen’s bass at first, then Howard’s guitar, and sang a few tunes to boot.  This time we were not worried when the music went on past the last bus, we knew Allen would offer us a ride home and he didn’t disappoint.  While he packed up gear we darted next door to the ABC store where we had seen earlier that our favorite coconut water was in stock, we hadn’t been able to find it at the stores near our house, so we loaded up on it with the advantage of having a car to get us and our refreshment home.  On the way to the store, a visiting Texan stopped Greg to say how much he had enjoyed the music. Greg explained that he always tries to visit these great musicians when we are on the island.  Confounded by Greg’s ability to blend musically with the locals, the Texan marveled, “You mean you’re not even from here!”  On our way home, Allen took us to Java Jazz to hear a young songwriter play a few of her originals but as 10:00 pm approached, they were rolling up the sidewalks in Honokowai, so our generous chauffeur dropped us off at our condo. 

In talking with Allen and Howard, it seems the heat wave is even hard on the locals. They can’t recall when it was ever this hot and wet.  Everyone is hoping that those trade winds show up very soon and give us all a bit of relief.  I even overheard the groundskeeper telling some guests he got up at 2:00 in the morning and took a swim in the ocean because it was so difficult to sleep in the heat.  Let’s hope we get an afternoon breeze so that I’m not writing my next blog in the middle of the night dripping with seawater.