More stories...

One of my favorite things to do is to share life with those around me.

Writing about each special day I am given puts things into perspective for me, and puts a bookmark in my head so I can remember the "sweet spots".

Since coming to Kauai, it's been pretty uncanny that for every amazingly good day I have, there comes that one, difficult day where I feel ground and thoroughly crushed into the pavement.

I MUST not forget my MANY blessings!

Yesterday and today have held sweet stories in them that have brought smiles back to my face many times.

I struggled a bit with sadness at the beginning of my day, yesterday, because I was informed my truck would be ready for pick-up on the 7th. When I called Matson to make sure I had all of the proper paperwork in order, I was told that my truck would in fact NOT be in Kauai until the 12th! I was bummed, yes!

I worked the evening shift at Papaya's and it was a good night. I wore my overalls which makes ANY day a GREAT day :) I got a lot of comments from customers and co-workers alike because of my overalls. What can I say, I'm just representin' my Missouri farm girl roots! :)

My manager let me go to catch the bus back home. I had enough time to make it to the bus stop if I hustled a bit. As I was getting ready to cross the street, I heard, "You must hurry, Lori! You don't want to miss your bus!"

I couldn't see who had yelled at me but I knew he must know me somehow. Obviously :)

It was Dan, from Papaya's Cafe. He was sitting on the ground grinning at me, holding an empty beer bottle. Dan is hilarious when he hasn't been drinking but once he starts, his volume level goes up.

There was another girl at the bus stop, Marlene, and somehow Dan, Marlene, and I all got to talking about walking at night and having weapons to protect ourselves.

Marlene said she was going to start carrying Raid with her. Dan said he'd just use his empty beer bottle, and I said my multipurpose tool would work just fine for me. Dan wasn't so convinced that my tool was worth anything until he scraped the saw blade across his arm.

"THAT might just cut to the bone." he said, in a tone that implied that he had probably pressed a little too hard with the blade on his arm.

Oh Dan!

Once we got on the bus, I sat up front with Marlene, who I found out lives in Anahola too. Dan went to the back of the bus.

The bus driver turns the lights out at night and in complete darkness, I hear Dan yell, "Lori! Why are you sitting all of the way up there!?!"

I burst out laughing. "Because it's a smoother ride up here. I'm getting off the bus soon, anyway."

Silence.

Before Marlene and I got off the bus, I once again hear, "Lori! Why are you sitting all of the way up there!?!" I look back and see Dan wearing his big smile and I smile back.

"Bye, Dan!" I yell as I get off the bus.

As Marlene and I start to walk, she asks me, "How far down this road do you walk?"

"All the way past Anahola Beach Park."

Her big, brown eyes become as round as saucers and I giggle because she looks so childlike.

"That's really far, and dark, and scary. I have to give you credit for doing that!"

I told her I really didn't think about it, especially since once the road started to get dark was about the same time that I could really hear the ocean, and it always made me feel safe.

We parted ways and she told me to be safe.

Fast forward to today. I woke up to a text at the perfect time and started puttering around. I have today off. I washed dishes, swept my tiny studio, did some laundry, and cooked up some beans and purple potatoes. I began filling out the forms to get food stamps when I realized I needed an actual address. That would mean a trip into town to get a P.O. Box!

I showered and walked out my front door, ready for the hike to the bus stop. I ran into one of my neighbors and he offered to give me a ride up the hill. I accepted and thanked him for his kindness.

Once we got up the hill, he said, "You know what? Where do you need to go? I'll take you into town." I started laughing, told him he didn't have to do that, but on seeing he was serious, I thanked him again. We talked about God and how funny He can be sometimes. He started laughing when I told him I had moved from Missouri. He said he was trippin' out because he had been there not too long ago to go to the House of Prayer! We both had a case of the giggles.

When he dropped me off at the Post Office, we both realized we hadn't introduced ourselves.

He told me he was having a hard time remembering my name is Lori.

"My name is Falcon," he said.

Maybe I should tell him my nickname is Birdie? That would have been funny. Two birds :)

So now I'm sitting at Starbuck's, the proud new owner of a P.O. Box!!!!! I won't make it to get set up for food stamps today but it's already been such a full day!

I still need to go to the grocery store and get some goodies. Then I think I'll catch the bus back home and decide how I want to spend my evening.

Good things. Good things.

Love love love you! :)