Vicky Durandʻs Adventure Blog

May 18, 2025

Welcome to Blog #102

It has been another mostly nice week here. I say mostly because getting to PT is a big hurtful challengeI keep doing my exercises and icing and am hoping each week gets better. This has been a huge drain on my energy.

Actually things are getting a little better as I made it out to the garden yesterday to do some weeding. This always is good for my soul and I hope to get back this afternoon.

Also during my lay-up the mongooses have taken over. During the last ten days I have trapped and rehomed about twenty five of the little monsters. When they start bothering the cats I draw the line. Most people just kill them, but I canʻt do that. Bad karma…..I take them all to one place about five miles away where they can reunite.

The best news of the week is Koali Niu got itʻs first donation. Jane Schmaus who was an early founder of the Oceanside Surfing Museum kindly made a generous donation. With these funds I have hired Ben who trained with Hanaʻs master rock wall builder and  says the rocks speak to him to start the first redo on one of the ancient rock walls. Gradually as more funds come in this will be one focus. Then we will plant taro in front of the walls and the hill will be gorgeous terraces with rock walls, coconut trees and taro reinstating the ancient landscape.

Another biggie this week is I finally got my rattan furniture that had been at Rattan Creations on Beretania Street for over five years. Over the years I kept going there and trying to get her to complete the refinishing. It was always some excuse with a promise of “soon” it will be ready. Apparently she was conning me and my pleas went on deaf ears because she would not comply. Then, a while back I noticed the building was for sale and she was hardly ever open and never would answer my phone calls.  Finally I knew I had to take some harsh steps or she would sell the property and I would never see her or my furniture again. There was an Aha Moment when I explained this situation to my helper friend Dana. I gave Dana the address and she has the info to find the broker. Dana called the broker and said we were going to put a lien on the property if I didn’t get this furniture ASAP-like the next Saturday. The broker said OK and we said a friend will pick up the furniture on Saturday and it had better be ready. Two Saturdays ago Jit went there at the prearranged time and picked up the furniture and the following Monday took it to Royal Hawaiian Movers for an Easy Move. To make a long story short my friend James picked it up on Thursday and delivered it Friday morning where it now graces my living room. I call it my BIG furniture Coup. If anyone is thinking of taking any furniture to Rattan Creations I would definitely say BEWARE. The motto of this story is never give up!!!

We have a big work weekend planned for next weekend so the blog might be put off till the following week. There is still work to be done on the web site, but it is a start and gives a rough idea of the coconut gene bank project. Check it out…..   Koaliniu.farm

I will have some pictures in the next blog. Wishing everyone a great week.

Aloha Nui,

Vicky