TODAY 8-14-14

What a great day! As I listen to Smashing Pumpkins emphasizing randomly on my Pandora shuffle “Today” (is the greatest day I've ever known).... ya buddy, had to write ... My day started with a zodiac ride to Kaanapali Beach. I love working the beach! We get to Baywatch it: hitting the gas beaching the zodiac on the sand to unload and set up base camp... “The three yellow umbrellas in front of Kaanapali Beach Hotel” ; )

I seriously feel like a Princess of the Sea being escorted by 2-3 strapping fine gentlemen... Aaaah... they are so good to me.

After they get the umbrellas totally secured; able to withstand huge gusts of wind that come ripping down the beach every once in a while... these dust devils are a sight... I set up my office which consists of two coolers as my “desk” that contains “office equipment” such as staples, clipboards, paperwork, HIGHLIGHTERS, etc... with one of the coolers holding the laptop down with its handle seat belting it propped open.

Our day was crazy busy but I Iove chaos... good chaos... Parasail trips every half hour running two boats seating up to 12 flyers a trip... Folks that’s lots of people I get to talk to from 8-5...

For the most part, everyone is awesome amazing!!! But... there are those people that you come across that are ones you could have done without. But, thank you for the lesson it does make for a great story! Lol... So lets talk story...

We had some parents who signed their 9 yr old and 12 yr old up to fly 1200 ft tandem on the water for one hour, in flight for 8-10 minutes ... they signed the waivers and even added their names all over the place as if they were going also... After a little confusion because of too many heads for my numbers... after going thru the paperwork again to figure it out... The Wowwowwowski's, total haole Americans with the craziest last name, thought that because they signed their kids up they get a free pass on the ride...

“No, I'm sorry, we have no room for observers and you did not sign up for any observers. So if you want to come back in an hour, I can reschedule you and you can pay $35 each which is an amazing boat ride for a great price, especially for here on Maui.”

They immediately started complaining about this and that because blah blah blah, like its “West Maui Parasail's” responsibility to inform every parent signing their kids up, that they need to buy an observer pass to be on the boat also...

After much unpleasant interaction with this actually, fair fighting debating skilled guy, which I must admit, I enjoyed the challenge and dance with this stranger if you will... I ended the convo with, “Look, you don't buy your kids concert tickets with the idea that you are getting into the concert for free just because you are the parent.” CHECKMATE it was great!

I phoned Jen, Best reservationalist ever!!! AND she is tall blonde and beautiful to BOOT!!!

Anyhow, I had to get back to her to tell her how that all went... I didn’t realize that the dad, who chose to stay behind while wife observed with the children at the later time, was in ears reach somewhere... Which, you know what? I’m da kine that will say to your face what I say behind your back... So freakin happy for that! Haha...

So after I get off the phone with Jen, Mr Wowski steps forward and says, “I don’t appreciate you calling your girlfriends and” ... blah blah blah (telling them all about it)...

OH FUCK... so glad I told Jen exactly how it went down with a bit of girlfriend pizazz, high flying the support of good cop/bad cop when they insisted on canceling if they didn’t get to go for free.

Jen, the amazing gorgeous bad ass she is, had suggested we refund half just to come half way. Well, they had rescheduled for the next trip and bought one observer seat, (that his wife and children were currently on)...

“Well, if you must know, that was the boss lady that wanted to hear how it went”

He continued to debate on this and that ending with 'No he doesn't need to call the office and complain' because I'm sick of listening... He just needed to  “have the interaction and discussion with me on a personal level” ...

With that said, I retorted, “Well, I’m done having any further interaction and discussion on a personal level with you, so if you don’t mind...” CHECKMATE

Well holy hell, high fives and support from the guys who witnessed EVERYTHING, lol.

NEXT... Giant beach crab holding up traffic...

Out of nowhere comes this guy....  

He created quite a crowd, entering on the scene scrambling like Sebastian in da kitchen but instead of a chef with a butcher knife, it was a family of 6 with a snorkel dude that was showing all of them how to grab and hold the crab... pour crab, scrabbling until I got eye to eye with him to say, “Poor crab look at his eye”... His eye had tweaked and looked broke... eww... poor guy.

We flew til after 5; ending with a Great Gentle Gnarly Giant that leaped on in a run from the beach hopping on the zodiac like a young boy running and leaping on his bed at the end of the greatest day ever, who happened to ROCK the last name KING!!!

Lucky fella, he got a private charter because the other party was driving from Kihei and was running 20 minutes late & were great about notifying us politely, graciously asking to honor this flight they are running 20 minutes late for... Great to know! “Mr King, jump on” and he did just that!

You could hear him hollering with excitement, laughter and joy when the Parasail Capt. & Crew dipped this joyful 6'7” perfect set man sporting a mohawk, pierced lip, gauged ears, tats all over, well dressed Punk Rocker with an awesome 4” goatee!!! LOVED IT!!!

Family that showed up from Kihei was a gorgeous couple; a beautiful blonde and a fine handsome black man with their daughters, one that looked just like her and one that looked like him. They had a great accent all British, New Zealand like, who knows... but it sure made them look even more darling. Especially with all their niceness and realness. Loved them.

My amazing day ended with flying fish on the roller coaster ride home with Capt Sean, taking those waves on the sea like the champ he is; motoring to the boat ramp coming up to multiple Eagle Rays mating! I guess tis the season... Wow, if this hasn't been the craziest day ever with all kinds of sightings... down to the low flying cargo plane...  

“What does all this mean?” I ask out loud to Capt Sean.

He looks at me and says, “It means it is mating season”

“Well, I have homework to do, I'm going to look it up, meditate on all these events and hear the message from the Universe.

CRAB – shows how to keep protected on all levels; mental, spiritual, physical. Helping you choose the action best for the moment. Sometimes lateral movement is better than no movement, trust her direction. Crab can teach to keep your emotions guarded as well as keeping your solar plexus energy center protected. Sensing the vibrations around you will aid in communication. Feel the rhythm of life for when true comfort sets in creative potentialities will be born. Crab medicine (energy) will help growth even if it means to leave the old behind. If crab is in fresh water realize the freshness of your world. If Crab is in salt water, it is time to add flavor to your life. Crab will teach much on guarding yourself but also the balance and movement you need to progress into the next phase.

OKAY!!! WOW!!! I have just had a bunch of confirmation to have patience, because I was just starting to bitch in my mind that I don't feel like I am getting to the station fast enough... After all, I am sharing a room with my 15 year old daughter while my 17 year old son is rooming with his cousin Jade, his 21 year old “guardian”... its all legit, I don't understand why I had to appoint my 17 year old to someone to be his guardian so he could live on his “own”, but whatever, thank you Jade for being Dallen's guardian/roommate working side by side supporting yourselves with your mother's help, thank you Danna.

And how cool to send Sebastian... I'm seriously feeling like Ariel with my father's blessing from the sea... King Triton washing up that engagement ring up on the shore, then today Sebastian in seriously the same spot... its like some magical portal that I am dancing in ... loving connecting on such a level... The extreme characters that showed up today on the play list... DUG IT!!! Down to the annoying negative debater, thank you for the practice.

FLYING FISH – transformation of the spirit, the type of fish reveals certain strengths & traits (these fish were FLYING) Fish in general show how to swim the currents of life, use of intuition to navigate effectively, aids in attuning to the world of emotions, the un/subconscious and other worlds, heightened senses including visions dreams and related psychic abilities. Do you currently feel stuck? The river says it is time to flow. Fish can show how to ride the tide to new adventures.

EAGLE RAY – Well, it didn't have eagle ray but it did have manta ray and sting ray... I think an eagle ray is more similar to a manta ray over a sting ray but here are the two... Manta Ray signifies emotional freedom. You are navigating through your emotions with ease and have released old emotional baggage... Stingray symbolizes old emotional baggage coming to the surface in your waking life. You are responding to a situation from an old emotional pain rather than the present.

Well, so there you have it folks, with the low flying cargo plane along with everything else... I am excited and can be patient for a little longer, doing this lovely lateral dance, working this amazing job of mine... that gets me in the ocean to “soften my edges” as my nephew Elden said to me. I am ready to receive my abundance that is arriving so soon and is so near, like the cargo plane... and soon after, or hell, simultaneously, King Triton will deliver my man of the sea, that is perfect for me... EAGLE RAYS

Thank you Scott for the great job you provide to many. It definitely is a family/tribe/village I love being a part of...

Love you all West Maui Parasail: JD, Jen, Jo, Joel, Joely, Johnathon, Diane, Dean, Dragon, Dustin, Darren, Marz, Mikey, Scotty, Sue, Sean, Steve, Frank, Riley, Gabe, Heather, Oshey, Worm, Cat & Celia.

I Got Arrested

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Sweet Messengers in Maui

I haven’t written for a while. I have had the most amazing few days!

It started on Sunday, September 2^nd… I work Sundays, they are better days for selling… plus, this Sunday in particular, I like the distraction from my personal life… I walk to the bus stop, and standing there waiting for the bus already was a woman with a bag of snorkel gear…  Always being on the lookout for someone I can turn on to the best time on Maui, (RAFTING with the DOLPHINS) I ask if she is visiting and start conversation with, Annette.

Annette is here from Germany vacationing solo. I admired how independent this 29 year old married woman was vacationing SOLO. Our conversation flowed so beautifully that by the time Annette was to get off at Ma’alea, she decided to continue with me to Lahaina where I sell raft rides.

Here’s the spiel: “We cruise the rugged coastline, stopping frequently at our favorite snorkel sights. Many dolphins live around Lanai, cruising the coastline. We are frequently surrounded by spinner dolphins riding our bow or just playing around our boat.” I continue to tell her that the dolphins are protected so we are not allowed to jump in the water when we see the dolphins, but if we are already in the water and the dolphins choose to swim with the humans than very nice bonus indeed… but the whole two months I have worked here it hasn’t happened… it happens, but it is not a common occurrence.  And with that said I suggest that she summon the dolphins telepathically when she is on her way to the harbor and create the experience she desires.

 I book Annette and looked forward to seeing her upon her return to hear of her experience.

Monday around noon they drift in and I ask, “How was the trip?”

The first guest off the boat says, “We swam with the dolphins!”

Wow! I could not wait to speak to Annette!

Annette makes her way off the raft and I exclaim, “You powerful woman you! You summoned the dolphins to come swim with the humans!”  We hug and she shares how amazing it was. We exchange info… gotta love facebook… we are going to be forever friends. Before we say our goodbyes she asks if there was any way I would be able to take tomorrow off…she lucked out with the rental car… she had reserved an economy car for $30 a day, they were out of the economy cars and the only car they had was this brand new white Camero that she is looking forward to driving somewhere to check out more of the island…  I sadly decline, because I have to be responsible with a job now. We hug goodbye and she sets off to get a hamburger before she rides the bus back to where she is staying.

Two hours later, work was incredibly slow so I decided to check out and head home. I’m standing in line for the bus and I hear a familiar sweet hello… It’s Annette; she just finished her hamburger and was heading back to the Hostel where she is staying. We agree to check out each other’s place and have her meet the fam.

I get home and sense my son’s need to speak with me about his day so I shortened the visit with Annette. After briefly meeting my son she gave me the most beautiful message… words that I needed to hear. Obviously she is a sensitive and in touch with her gift. What a blessing to run into her. Annette and I head over to her hostel… Hostels are great ways to travel, it’s homey and cheap. The rooms have bunk beds and basically you rent a bunk and there is a communal kitchen and living room… We take pictures with the beautiful white Camero and say our goodbyes.

I get home and hear my son’s upset about what that other son of mine’s opinion is about me, him, us, etc. I share with Dallen what that amazing new friend of mine shared with me. Hearing her message helped him as much as it had helped me.

Shortly thereafter, our buddy Jeff shows up to say hi and was thinking of hitching back home to Hana. I tell him about my new friend Annette and her new Camero wanting to drive somewhere. The boys got excited and after walking down to the Hostel to holler up to Annette suggesting the idea, she loved the idea of hanging with my boys while I was at work.

In the morning instead of taking the road to Hana, they decided to take the Camera up to the crater and long board down, … I loved it; my new friend from Germany was taking my boys on a fieldtrip and sharing a beautiful ride with them. Boys love nice cars, and that Camera was a pretty one.   

Well, needless to say, my boy went into a sped tuck going 20 miles per hour to take a hair pin… He survived, has received a lot of attention…and… it makes for a GREAT story.

I loved hearing the boys tell the story of their day with my new friend and her cute Germany accent… evidently, Annette dropped the camera and did not catch filming Dallen biting it. It is funny hearing them explain how she freaked out like all of us women tend to do upon seeing an accident about to happen.

Before flying out of Maui to head back to Germany, Annette stopped by to say one last goodbye. Before leaving she gave me once again a very powerful message that Dallen and I both needed to hear. It was spooky crazy how familiar I felt with someone I just met who has come from so far away. It was sad to see her go, and alarmingly so every time I think of her. Who knows what our connection is, in the whole picture of all knowing? Whatever it is, it had a strong pull.

Every day in Maui is an amazing one. I love all the people I meet. Whether they are visiting or residents to stay, everyone here in Maui takes such great care of me and my family.  Every day is magical having the universe, source, spirit, God, etc.  sending messengers at such divine moments.

I love my job

I love my job. It’s in the best location. It has the best atmosphere; people vacationing in total bliss away from it all, so happy to be in Maui.

I remember working weddings; the atmosphere was such a celebration of love… I had got that job the summer of 2005, you know, the first time I kicked Steve out. I didn’t have to go looking far for a job, my dear friend Cindy Caldwell, a wedding planner offered me a job upon hearing about my personal status.

At the time, I thought, “How ironic, working weddings, while my own marriage is dissolving.” But, I have always been one to roll with the current of life and this wave took me to a gorgeous sanctuary, Elegant Gardens. Working 40 weddings in one summer, obviously I was not meant to dissolve my own marriage just yet… for you see… by November 2005, I was back together with Steve living in Texas reuniting with our first born son we lost to adoption.

Currently, I have called it absolute quits and have dissolved the marriage for good… After 23 years I finally had enough. I sold my 67 Mustang and moved to Maui… Once again, I didn’t have to go looking far for a job… Dallen, Elden and I were walking back from Elden’s job interview checking out the harbor before we bus it back home, when we hear this, “Hey, do you want to go play with the dolphins?”

I holler back, “Oh indeed we do, but we just moved here and we are looking for jobs, we have it on the bucket list for one of the first things we do.”

“Well hey, I’m looking for a Sunday and Monday girl.”

Which again brings me to… “I love my job”.

Let me just brief you on today. Well, let me first also mention… some of you may not know, my daddy Randy just passed away, he died two weeks after I moved. My first day of work was the day of his funeral; I had yet to shed a tear… until… today… AT WORK… haha.

I had been wondering why I haven’t had any emotion about him dying. I have been carrying on as if some stranger died. I had already grieved my daddy Randy dying in 2009 when he accidentally overdosed on his prescribed cocktail and they were able to revive him… Ya, I found out weeks later… when first hearing the message, I didn’t hear the “they were able to revive him” part because upon hearing my sister say, “Did you know that Randy died?” I had fallen to my knees, wailing like a Poly, shaking and screaming uncontrollably. After a good ten minutes of that plus my sister screaming through the phone, “No Keri, he’s alive he’s alive” I was so shook up, I couldn’t stop the shaking but was just as pissed that not one single person informed any of his children, ME BEING THE ELDEST!!! I told my sister “I have got to go, I’m calling that wife of his while I am still vibrating with shock before TOO much vile sets in!!!”

Of course, I get the answering machine and I am thrilled to leave a raging message… no interruptions while I state my upset and remind them I am his !@#$@# daughter !@# !@#$$!... Keeping my calm so they can hear my every word with the least amount of swear words for such a situation, especially when you remember I warned his wife about medicating him with pills instead of HIS medicine, marijuana. You can’t overdose on Marijuana. Pills shut down your pineal gland and numb you.

So, you see, I just chalked my lack of emotions to... I must have already released and processed him dying… Out of sight, out of mind (being a mother of loss in a closed adoption, I am a pro at this one)… I am away from all the family planning, which is a very good thing; I was a big enough bitch on my own facebook page. But folks, that is exactly as bad as I got; I carried on happy and joyful, enjoying every day to the fullest with no tears as if my daddy is free. .. After my few days of 20 minute facebook upset time, I grounded out the upset, and have carried out my days in the best of spirits.

People are hearing of my loss slowly and, for example… Heather, (the girl in the office on my right) who is very gifted… can even read minds… comes up and says, “Oh my gosh, you are handling this so well, I am so sorry, my condolences, I had no idea; you have carried yourself so beautifully.”

I explain, “I have already processed his death the first time it almost happened, you just can’t recreate that, genuinely”…

My job requires that I sit in my “office” (an open booth as you would see at a fair or rodeo) Not only is it located right where the tourist buses unload and has become a common event for the Asians to take pictures with me… (I love pictures and they must sense our likeness, not only do I jump in to “take a pic of the two of you” my booth is right where they first enter the harbor and so many take their first pictures right at my office… Dallen was teasing saying, “watch you will go visit Korea one day and find your picture in their books and on their walls.” … And in the laughter, I added what a beautiful sweet 20ish Korea girl yelled to me as she was walking away from interacting with me, “Your heart rocks!”)… I have the best office location, slip# 8.

The number 8 has been a magical number for me since we got here. First, I buy a car that came with license plates MMT 188. We named her Magical Moments, Magi for short. My first day on the job was the day of my daddy Randy’s funeral 8-8-2012, in slip #8.

Today, I was excited to work towards some rent money, Sunday being the biggest day for booking.

I enjoy my day interacting with the people; I am meeting more and more locals. First person to pay me a visit this morning was Tim. Tim is an author who substitute teaches while he writes. Tim had approached me yesterday, putting on an act of a successful author/lawyer/actor asking about private booking on our sailboat “The Island Star”… which was a total blessing in disguise; I hadn’t been trained yet on all the details of private parties. But come to find out he was using it as an excuse to invite me to Mr. Long’s Funeral Party.

Mr. Long is a celebrity like fellow that owns restaurants on the island and this Tim fellow had asked me to attend this celebration with him. When I declined and said, “I don’t go anywhere without my boys”.

He said, “Well, bring them along”. Still politely declining, he then says, “Owen Wilson most likely will be there.” Well, that didn’t change my mind and when I never showed up for the party, he showed up this morning, asking what happened, informing me that I missed out on a great time…“Owen didn’t show up but Fleetwood Mac gave everyone a show on the drums”.

Wow, I cannot wait to be an established local; I have already barely missed that Owen Wilson twice now.

As I continue my morning greeting everyone that walks by, this older gentleman is hailing a tripod and another stand thing. I have seen a man on the pier with his easel painting and asked, “Are you that guy that I have seen painting?”

He doesn’t hesitate to stop and have a lovely conversation with me. “No, this is a tripod. I photograph and film the local Monk Seals… Here, let me give you one of my DVD’s”. Dr. Martin took the time to stand and chit chat educating me about these seals that are residents here in the harbor. He continues to tell me about some amazing interaction he has had with these animals. He explains the seals, knowing them personally and sharing how they recognize and know him, showing off for the camera when they see him. What a lovely man.

Well, I had a lot of interaction with customers and I am always entertained so well watching all the different boats pull in… my kind of reality show… Lindsey the girl in the office on my left, hops out of her office and says, “I eat so well working here. I am going to go get some fresh sushi” Everyday, there is fresh fish filleting galore going on around 2:00.

I get near the end of my day and I start thinking, “I have enjoyed my day thoroughly, I love singing out, ‘Aloha’ greeting everyone. But that is not going to pay the bills.” I start questioning... I need to work on maybe getting a part time job until Whale Season... I work commission and I don’t get credit if the people I greet take my card after the spill and call back to book. I only get credit if booked at the desk. I hadn’t booked anything today. Right when I started pondering about money. A gentleman approaches my office; his father died a year ago and his father’s wishes was for his family to all go to Maui and spread his ashes in the ocean in Lahaina, his father had owned a restaurant on Front Street.

I give my condolences and offer, “My father just died as well. His funeral was just a few days ago.” He then shares how hard it has been and I explain how I think I am still in shock because I haven’t really teared up yet.

He sympathizes, sharing “It can take a while for it to set in, it’s been a year and I still have a hard time accepting it.”

While booking him a private raft for his family he asks my name for his records and says, “My sister is named Keri” and he proceeds to spell my name correct.

I celebrate and say, “I was watching to see how you spelled it, and yes that is exactly how I spell my name too.”

I then share, “I didn’t know they could do this, but they had arranged for a Harley Davidson Hearst with bikers escorting my father to his final burial spot.” With that said, it was like a button was pushed. The tears started welling up and catch me by surprise. I laugh, apologizing saying, “I am so sorry, I don’t know where that came from, so sorry, I guess I had some feelings stuffed in there after all.”

Douglas, loving my shared emotion beamed and says so tenderly, “Obviously, ones that needed to be expressed.”

We both laugh softly together, connecting on a level of sincere condolences for one another and I thank him for providing the safe soft energy to welcome the flow.

I was able to book something before the day was over and with it being a private party; it was a great booking for me that will help with the bills.

I couldn’t help but to connect the subtle but very obvious connection that my daddy Randy had to have orchestrated. I have questioned in my mind, “Do you think he even bothers coming and hanging out with me?” I tell everyone to come haunt me if you die before me. I don’t think I can count this as a haunting but I cannot deny my father’s presence on some level… especially because then on the way home telling Dallen, Dallen sees a rock on the road wall that had RANDY carved in it. I continue to tell Dallen I know grandpa Randy sent that gentlemen to me to trigger some tears that he most likely has been waiting for me to acknowledge from the other side AND gifted me a great booking for my commission.

After talking to Dallen and acknowledging all the eights in the space, I pulled out my Doreen Virtue Angel Numbers 101 book.

First, I look up my new house number… 209… “You’ve been praying about your Divine life purpose, and the answer is: “Walk confidently in faith, in the direction of your intuition and spiritual passions. Trust that you are fully supported upon this path”. WOW

Then I look up my car license plate number… 188… “Well done! All of your meditating and visualizing have opened the floodgates to increased financial flow”. DOUBLE WOW

I looked up 8 in the number book… “The number eight signifies abundance and prosperity. The endless loops in this number signify an infinite flow of money, time, ideas, or whatever else you require (especially for your life purpose).” Do I even have to say it, WOW WOW WOW.

Being on a roll, reading the universe, I proceed to look up cats… Three outdoor stray cats came with the house. I have never been much of a cat person, I LOVE dogs. But as the Lee, the landlord had said, “Those cats earn their keep, you have no rats.”

I get my Animal Speaks book by Ted Andrews. Cats… Mystery, Magic and Independence…

Well, it doesn’t get better than that! Especially, when you realize what we named our car, Magical Moments.

The Day of My Father's Death

I am so very grateful that I am home in Hawaii. This island has received me well.

Yesterday, our new good friend Jeff was in town. He had a doctor’s apt at 5:00pm so he showed up around 10:00am to see what we were doing this weekend.

I tell him, “I was in the mood to go hiking in our backyard.”… Iao Valley.

Right at that moment, Jeff’s doctor’s apt calls and asks if he could come right now to get it over with and out of the way… Perfect! We can go hiking and play all day like a local!   

By noon, we are hiking up the needle. A great tourist spot… but… Jeff knows of a “shortcut”… which I have learned in my Daddy Randy’s language, means a groovy right on way to check something out. (And yes, Jeff does always say shortcut in the same meaning as my daddy)… We get to the tourist top of the trail and see a sign posted that says, “Do not go this way, stay on the paved trail” … you know one of those signs that my children have always thought were posted to notify them where the real way to go lies… Well, this was the shortcut Jeff spoke of… I loved the rebellious local act, that I now am, in front of gasping tourists.

We hike up on a well traveled path into the real hiking that I have been brought up with living in Utah.

The whole way, after we crossed over onto the local side of the hike, the boys and I kept commenting how much it feels like we are hiking at the cabin with Grandpa Randy because Jeff is so much like him and we are hiking the type of terrain he would take us on.

After the hike to the top of Iao Valley, we head to the beach near our house, taking the “shortcuts” so I don’t travel the tourist routes. This Jeff character is better than my smart phone navigator feature.

We get home and my daughter calls me and says, “Mom, Toni (my sister, who she lives with) is crying really bad, I don’t know what is wrong, something happened…”

While on the phone with her, Elden (my nephew who lives with me) comes in the room and informs us, my father, “Grandpa Randy died”…

Wow, okay, we were expecting this, but wow, it really happened. I love how we had felt like we were hiking with Randy at the cabin that day and it just so happened he died up at the cabin that day.

I seriously was shocked of my lack of feelings… But you figure, my father had already over dosed in 2009 and the paramedics were able to revive him. Now, when I had first heard of this… weeks after the fact… my brother in law had ran into my father at the plumbing house and he had told my brother in law, “hey, did you know I died a few weeks ago?” and then proceeded to tell Russ the story of his survival. Well, when my sister had called me up she started and said, “Did you know that Randy died? And…” …well… I screamed hysterically and it took her a few minutes to be able to calm me down via phone to inform me that the paramedics rescued him but that wife of his didn’t bother to let us know, which is a whole other drama filled story, some other time…but is what I am trying to say… I seriously processed my father dying that day in 2009. I had sobbed uncontrollably and called his home, leaving a message on their home answering machine of my obvious upset of finding out two weeks after the fact that my father overdosed and no one bother informing his two daughters!

Well folks, one can’t recreate something as genuine of reacting to hearing that your parent has died… When it is a false alarm and then they really do pass, if you are like me, I had made sure I had apologized and tried to make things right. Even if he did not receive me, I have a clear conscience how I left it.

Interestingly enough, being the picture freak that I am, I did not bring one single photo with me… I brought everything on my little passport computer thing and laptop… My two copies of my whole life… but not one single photo, on paper, in the physical realm, did I bring… The only photograph that made it to Hawaii, was Grandpa Randy’s graduation picture that Dallen grabbed at the last minute.

For you see, Dallen is looking more and more like his grandfather every day... Dallen’s beliefs and truths are developing more and more like his grandfather’s every day… well the daddy Randy’s beliefs and truths that I remember them to be… After my father quit smoking weed, he found a woman that wanted to get married in the temple for all time and eternity, so…he had to take seven prescribed pills to replace what Marijuana was able to do for him…  I feel prescription pills and the religion ruined him. I felt a relief when I heard my father had died… He is free.



LET US START WITH LEE

Everyone… Aloha!


I have not had the time to call any of you, I am so sorry. All my dear friends and loved ones, I would love to, I really would, but I just haven’t the time… but, there really is no time after all anyways, right... just the moment, the now… And let me tell you all, this moment gets better and better as we go!!!

Let me tell you about this journey of mine so far… After almost missing our plane, leaving Las Vegas… you know, I won the jackpot and was chosen at security to get my phone sampled… then on the way, you know me… I have to take pictures and we got to the gate just as they had already closed the plane up.

“Are you the Stone party of four?!” CODE RED CODE RED... bells, whistles… they stop the plane from any further departure action and the four of us make our way on the plane with our guitars and my purple hair.

Immediately after takeoff, the passenger on my left gets up and doesn’t come back... Wow, how nice is that!!! … I wonder… is he ill??? does he have a toddler in a seat on another row??? … Oh wells, beings that I had prayed to remember to walk around and keep my leg circulation good, (I just have recently regained feeling in my shins after flying three years ago to Oahu), I just took it as an answer to my prayers. Then as Dallen and I were all comfortably sprawled out sleeping, right before landing in Oahu, I wake up to this guy staring down at me. I open my eyes looking up at him and say all sleepily, “There you are. Where have you been?”

I readjust getting over in my assigned seat and he informs me he is a pilot… After flying I guess it is part of rotation to go under and they have beds for them to sleep… good to know.

We arrive in Oahu and wait three hours at the airport. There wasn’t much to check out at gate 50 in Oahu. We were waiting around to board the plane, getting bored of waiting to board the plane, and … good thing we were traveling with Chance, who was sick of waiting to leave gate 50 (that they are boarding from every hour or so)… because all four of us are ADHD and do not pay attention to overhead yapping… Chance just sensed it’s time to get, so let’s get, or else we would have missed this plane as well. We were the tail end of loaders on the plane once again.

We fly our little flight, land safely, then onto getting our eight gianormous suitcases. We haul our two carts across the road to catch a taxi. After three van tryouts to see how big this Stone party of four needed, we left the airport in a nice deluxe shuttle all to ourselves… only twenty bucks to my house from the airport! … (Well, that was the end of my cheaper than expectation moments.)

I use my smart phone to direct the shuttle guy to our new home. Thank God Kirah had taught me how to use this navigation feature, it is my Maui Bible. We unload out of the shuttle and admire our beautiful home that the landlord has lit up like a Christmas tree with all the windows open, (shutters that swing out all old fashioned style.) We think for a moment that we have the wrong place, it looks so occupied, music is playing… I go to the front door and am greeted by the warmest welcoming voice, my landlord, Lee.

Lee, what a character, that guy… he is the sweetest thing… a little strange, but you all know how well I adore strange. After showing us the house, he shows us the shower that is near the back and says, “This is the best room in the house.” … (and he wasn’t kidding, all three boys have had something to say after experiencing it.)

We all chuckle and get ready to go to the store because our blessed Lee can’t believe how this freshly divorced mother with these three boys is flying by the seat of her pants, winging it, willing to just camp out on the beach until she figured it out and figured she would just walk to the store… Lee offered us a ride to go get groceries. We get back and this wonderful character that I wish I had pictures of just comes on in like part of the family, gets a bottle of wine out of the fridge that he had there; asks Elden to open the bottle for him, (Lee got to witness how pure this kid is, Elden had to ask directions how); Lee pours himself a glass; sits at the tea party table in the kitchen; watching us put away our groceries. He turns on the kitchen radio and lamp; sitting sipping his wine; enjoying our presence of putting away groceries. We didn’t mind his peaceful sitting and sipping, and didn’t even notice him slip out the back. Strange, but whatever, we love the place and are happy to be here. We go to bed exhausted.

The next morning I am chatting on the phone with my mother, telling her how sweet this dear character Lee is. The boys chime in saying how amazing he is and then we start saying how I bet so many people judge him and fear him… (Mind you, the guy lives next door in the basement. He rents out this house and the house next door that he lives in. From the moment we arrive and took possession of the house, Lee has welcomed us so well to his home… for the next few days while we were first here, he has enjoyed that shower, remember his favorite room in the house… asking every time; He would come out every so often to rotate the sprinkler on the lawn in his underwear; he grows his hair out long on the sides so he can do the over comb in a forward action; he is very similar to a Gene Wilder character with the similar curly curly hair)… We are all going on how amazing this sweet man is.

My mother, who “knows” I am going to be meeting tall dark and handsome is all wondering, “this could be the one”… so we start explaining how he looks to my mother, with me saying, “He has a Bozo the clown like quality”.

Dallen says “No, he is like the Yang of Beetlejuice, you know, Beetlejuice being the dark bad, the Yin of it and Lee is like the good and the light of it but he looks like a nice Beetlejuice”.

After I get off the phone with my mother, we notice that lovely man Lee, on the porch under the windows hearing everything we said… Good thing we loved the guy!!!

But I put on that good ole oblivious act that I do so well, and sing out oh so sweetly, “Lee, there you are! What are you doing today? You been to church? Whatcha doing?” and I join him for a morning chit chat.

Come to find out, this dear sweet man is sweeter than we even knew. He is only living next door in the basement apt., where he grew up with his grandmother, when he comes to Maui. He has a job in Oahu and he is taking care of his mother who is 94… He grew up with his grandmother… there is a story there, some other time, but this man has never married, he didn’t want to become a pig farmer so he called off the marriage and never had children. I don’t know if he has any siblings, I am guessing not. But this Lee needs a family and we are so grateful to find family fresh off the boat.

So many more stories about this wonderful man, we can’t wait to see again, who I plan on taking pictures with.

Sunday night, I hear a car alarm going off so I went out to see and it was Lee leaving for the airport, “Lee, where are you going?”

“Time to go back, I left some things on the porch, if you don’t want or need them just throw them out if you could.”… That gracious good man, had left a bag of odds and ends that we were truly needing, AND he had in the bag a can of Dallen’s favorite flavor of Arizona Tea that he must have noticed Dallen drinking earlier.

“Oh Lee, you are the sweetest thing. I can’t believe you were going to just sneak off without saying goodbye.”

He chuckles at this, not wanting to be a bother, but loving the adoration.

I call the boys to come say goodbye and we all hug him goodbye.

I am so excited to be here. Maui has received us well. I am transfixed by the serendipities falling into place bringing the perfect people in my space like clockwork.

First thing Monday morning, two days after my arrival, I walk to open me a checking account at the same bank as Lee. I get chatting with the lovely bank lady, who loved chatting with me as well… she tells me, “You have such an Aloha spirit! You are special.” I thank her humbly and ask her name… “Virginia” she says… Folks, some of you may not know about my deceased grandmother, Virginia, who adopted my father. My sister was named after her, Toni Virginia. I have been told by multiple sources that my grandmother Virginia is thick in the space while Dallen and I are going through this transition… WOW… right?

Anyways, we realize, we need a car. We walk to a car lot and meet Sal who escorted me around allll dayyyy long helping me get insurance so I can take the car off the lot. During our day together, I hear his story. Wow, does he have a story to tell, and he plans on telling it. I share with him that I have written a book. I tell him how I did it, I tell him my journey of writing the book and that then led to his desire to have a copy… You never know what will come out of that… Come to find out… his wife works at Family Services here in Maui and I had just applied for a job there for a position to help single pregnant mothers KEEP their children.

And that leads me to Jeff & Darrin… which I must inform many of you that are not Stone family members… Steve, my past husband of 23 years has a brother, named Jeff. … Steve, Jeff & Darrin, their childhood friend that they had pretty much been raised with as a brother, were living on their own when I met Steve.

Well, I was sitting outside of Welfare Services to see what I qualify to receive… I barely pull out my book and this character my age with a Mohawk, (Jeff) says, “You have the most beautiful green eyes with that purple hair”… We get chatting and come to find out, he lives in some upcountry farm like an hour away and he hitchhikes to this Welfare center that is seriously in walking distance, like seriously around the corner from my house, which did I mention… I drove there!!! (It’s not as bad as it sounds, I went there on the way back from getting my car and the boys actually walked home.)

As we chitchat, I find out that his mother had died when he was 2. His grandparents adopted him, but his two brothers were left to fend for themselves at the ages of 9 & 10; their dad had abandoned them on the northeast side of Maui leaving them to raise themselves on the land. When Jeff was 7 his grandparents who adopted him died and then shortly thereafter he joined his brothers raising himself on the land… Darrin, which is spelled the same way, was a friend of the boys and brought them home to his house starting their brotherly bond. … Did I mention Jeff & Darrin were my two eye witnesses for my wedding with Steve???

Anyway, to make a very long story short… I tend to collect children, no matter their age and he tends to collect mothers. After he realized everyone adores me (not just him) and I adore everyone (not just him) and we are going to be great friends. We had an amazing day with him being our personal tour guide around the island. The boys had a great time; it seriously was like hanging out with their grandpa Randy, my father. So many more stories about Jeff & Darrin, those farmers that live in a wood building with 9 sides, all open… farming, surfing and playing guitar ALL day, every day…

I must say though, my favorite part about our driving around the island, jumping in fresh pools here and body surfing there, was meeting Shannon… the 56 year old surfer chic!!! Loved it, this beautiful woman, who is a grandmother to I don’t know how many surfer babies, has got around without a car for many years. We happened across her not once but twice while she was hitching for doctors appointments… I can’t even say hitchhiking, she was gracefully sitting on a cobblestone wall and Jeff pulled over and said “Hey Shannon where you going”… Shannon is Jeff’s neighbor who has been on the island since 1973 when she was 17… “A good age to come to the island and learn this way of life”… she informs Dallen when she hears he is 15… This bitchin grandma reminded me how bitchin I used to be… I used to say bitchin all the time, just like she was… she reminded me of that bitchin Cali surfer chic I myself once was. Quite a day, quite a week, quite an adventure all ready!!! 
                                 
 
Coming here has been a total blessing. It has been scary to let everything I know go and trust in God…


The eve before we flew out of Vegas I had returned a text from my first born son (who I had placed in adoption out of total ignorance which I have grown very wise on the subject because of)… “I know I’m a wreck and make things hard… Again, I’m sorry I have stepped back and distanced myself again. You know how it is… I either suffocate you, or am out of the picture… I look forward to life being simpler… I’m sure with this next move of mine I will find it, and be content with all my relations because I have totally stepped out of the box and am now living in the moment where there are no expectations just enjoying the now and happy to be here. I am excited to let my strong motherly nurturing instinctive behavior be let loose on Hawaii to mother all God’s children young and old… I have always been told who I can nurture, mother and love, starting at 16 and when I married Steve, the restriction was still there, understandably so, but like I said, I can nurture and love 100% every person who comes into my space, not having to hold back when I want to extend… being free to not have to care, be, do, what anyone else thinks or wants.”… Let go and Let God… and folks, he has not failed me.

Love to all of you guys. I wanted you all to get the details of what’s up. I look forward to hearing from every one of you. Make sure you all let me know when you are in my neck of the woods.

Lots of Love, Keri

"23"

Well folks, we have arrived!!! Dallen and I said goodbye to the house, Kirah, the dog and Steve on Friday the 13th… July 13, 2012 My daughter Kirah was not interested leaving all of her friends in Utah to go start a new life in Hawaii with Dallen and me. She arranged to move in with my sister Toni… Makes sense, we are always swapping children, helping one another raise these children of ours. My nephews, Chance & Elden, had been living with me for a while and had no intentions (so they thought) to join us on our journey… they loved the sounds of it… they kept saying …“if only this” or “if only that“… BUT the night before we were to roll out of here they both pretty much said they couldn’t see themselves NOT going. So at the last minute, literally, they were packing for Hawaii. I sold my 67 Mustang and got the money to start over. Steve always hated this Mustang of mine. He was always a Camero Chevy guy. Steve thought it was such a money pit but once we spent the whopping $35,000 and restored it from the ground up, this beauty (Betty) of mine purred and was pretty low maintenance. I drove her as my everyday car. Over the years Steve has tried to get me to sell Betty, she was my only asset I had brought into this marriage and I was not going to give her up. I would always say, “I won’t sell that car until I need to provide a roof over my head”.

Well, that time had come… My dear husband of 23 years whom I married on July 23rd, two years after we had lost our first born son to adoption that was born on December 23rd, and he then blessed me with an opportunity to practice what I preach, “Love One Another ‘Adopt’ the Mother”, (he had a midlife crises and brought in my space, a little girl, born on January 23rd.) Steve could not numb his pain good enough to ignore the loss, shame and guilt of losing not only our son to adoption, but another son 6 months later, he just couldn’t get off of that record player and I finally was able to walk away with no bitterness towards him… Wow… Do you see all the 23’s in this story? Not to mention that Betty’s odometer stopped working on 23000 miles… Interesting… what does 23 mean??? … Well, according to Doreen Virtue, whom I love and admire… 23… means… “You are working closely with one or more ascended masters such as Jesus, Moses, the saints, or the goddesses. This is a message from your ascended master guides, who can see that the answer to your prayers is within reach. They encourage you to stay positive to ensure that you attract the best possible outcome… “ Well, I must say… Yep… that about sums it up in a nutshell, right? lol. I most definitely have finally reached that best possible outcome that I obviously attracted by staying positive!!! HELL YA, PRAISE THE LORD, JESUS, MOSES, THE SAINTS AND THE GODDESSES!!!