`Aha Update #16: One of these days (edited)*

The signs of seasonal change are happening: fallen maple leaves, undeniable coolness in the morning air, and a quickening in temperament. 

Our wish to 'head home to Hawaii' has been amended. Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? It grieves us to feel the difficulty in experiencing the amended answer, but, it's better to know before we get there: I can't breathe when vog or wild fire smoke reigns. 

"Are you going? Are you really going?" They wonder. 

"Yes," said Turtle with a calm surety. "Matter of fact I am going now." Her movements are small and slow, and often her activity is all within that dome shell of hers. What does go on there inside that shell?

There are details galore yet to handle, and the pieces of our complex puzzle have been jostled. Like a kaleidoscope the little pieces of colored glass have made a different picture with the same number of pieces. It's kinda like that for me. I wonder if it's quite the same for Pete who was asleep in the vardo as I search for the story that is mine to express. Now that he is awake, the story includes one very small piece, more. You see the story is never over, until it's over.

That piece has been missing for years. Pete found it yesterday when he sorted the garage and touched everything in his tool box. There in the top shelf, upper right, was that small, missing bit of trim. Essential? Maybe.*

We have made our wishes public, and shared them with our community, and here on Vardo for Two. The process of transparency; we have nothing to hide:) It's a messy process this, but we try to keep our wits about us and not burn bridges or shoot ourselves in the foot as we process good byes. 

Just after we finished building Vardo for Two Julie Genser interviewed us. We were freshly reborn to a new version of life. Much of what we described in the interview is still true for us; but, somethings have changed.  The environment changes, we kilo we notice, and then innovate from the comfort of our own tiny front porch. That's something!

Something very special happens when all the former definitions of your self, your security, your entitlements change. If you live to tell the story that special something is REBIRTH. Our journey is that, a piecing or peacing together of many 1) thoughts and beliefs, 2) emotions and feelings and 3) intuitive knowing. – Mokihana from the July 10, 2009  Interview "A Gypsy Life: Notes from the Diaspora" with Julie Genser 

One of These Days
Written by Mathhew Herschler and John Cruz

(Listen to John Cruz singing "One of These Days" )

One of these days in my own front yard I'm gonna sit on my porch and rock Walk on by if you see me sitting there Or you can stop and talk One of these days Some folks think that living is sleeping in the city Bringing home buckets of cash Others, we're happy just sitting back Not thinking 'bout who's coming in last Me I just don't know where all the bustle's gonna lead Got a bunch of nothing happening fast But there's one thing I know, whether we go fast or slow One of these days in my own front yard Gonna sit on my porch and rock Walk on by if you see me sitting there Or you can stop and talk One of these days in my own front yard Gonna sit on my porch and rock Walk on by if you see me sitting there Or you can stop and talk One of these days Some folks think that living is sleeping in the city Bringing home buckets of cash Others, we're happy just sitting back Not thinking 'bout who's coming in last Me I just don't know where all the bustle's gonna lead Got a bunch of nothing happening fast But there's one thing I know, whether we go fast or slow One of these days One of these days in my own front yard Gonna sit on my porch and rock Walk on by if you see me sitting there Or you can stop and talk One of these days Can you relate? Thanks for following the updates, and being the strong rope (`aha) in our lives. xoxo Mokihana and Pete

`Aha Update #11.5: "Mask in place before helping others"

"There is no cure for this, there are things that will help. You'll have to avoid everything that makes you sick. It will change your life. This is called MCS Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, or Environmental Illness." - The medical diagnosis I was given ten years ago 

Pete and I both felt the 'course correction' as surely as an earthquake. The funny thing about course corrections is a step to one side or the other is a correction, as much as an about face. What is happening for me is living through the real-time experience of putting on my oxygen mask to keep on. Period.

Yesterday we tried to outrun the wild fire smoke by taking a drive in Scout, the Subaru. The A.C. helps filter the air, and I was also using oxygen. This tactic helped just enough for us to realize the further north we drove the thicker the smoke. (The forests of British Columbia are burning. The wind was blowing from the north.)

"There's no outrunning this one, honey." This was Pete talking. Roger that! We made a course correction and headed home. On the way home we drove along the water on the western side of Whidbey.

"Isn't that where our friend lives?" I'm never real sure where I am on the back roads.

"Yeh, just up the road."

"Can we stop there, I'd like to leave her a check for the cards I bought." Our friend is in the process of raising funds for her safe nest. She also lives with severe chemical sensitivities plus.

"Sure."

Pete found the house and pulled a U at the end of the road and parked. With my face mask on I walked across the street and up to the door, and knocked. Our friend's mom answered. I asked if this is where our friend lived.

"Yes, she is my daughter."

I explained that I had a check for cards I had bought.

"Oh, yes. Thank you." The woman pulled her glasses from her face and looked at my check. "Yvonne."

I answered with a smile under my mask, "She knows me as Mokihana."

"Oh," that seemed to ring a bell for her. "Mokihana and Pete. I know Pete. My daughter's got her mask on today, too."

I left without seeing our friend, and left knowing something. The 'diagnosis' I received 10 years ago did change my life in the countless minute and about face course corrections in a given day, let alone 365 days x 10. What happened yesterday when Pete and I realized we could not outrun this wild fire smoke? It shifted me into L. Low Gear. The slow down Gear.

The slow down and be grateful gear. We couldn't and didn't outrun the environment, and haven't outrun Environmental Illness in these 10 years. But. What we did yesterday was stop along the way to help, with my mask in place.

That's something.

We can slowly keep on that way. The destination is still not clear, course corrections abound, and our mileage varies as my favorite astrologer Satori loves to say.

It's far less lonely this way and THAT is what Pete and I are aiming for.

P.S.
xo J.
P.S.S.
xo Elaine, you are the wind beneath our wings, mahalo nui!

Hang in there with us.
Love,
Moki and Pete

`Aha Update # 6: Yin to Yang ... the road trip (Updated, 8/1/2017)*

We woke to the smell of fresh asphalt. The highway north and south on Whidbey is under construction. The smell of hot petroleum -- this is not a normal smell. Opportunity to make a new choice: the yin to the yang of a vehicle mobile life, and the reality of being mauliauhonua, a person intimate with their environment.

Mapped with an alternative driving plan which would avoid any new pavement we headed for the ferry via the back roads in the early morning.

 Before 7 am, we were parked at the Watering Hole, a public artesian well, on 164th Street in Snohomish County. Pete was on a 'water run' filling the car with bottles of unfiltered spring water.

 Standing in lines to fill their bottles before we got there, the parking lot already full.

 I remained in my nest -- the passenger seat of Scout the Subaru. Most of the folks are heavily scented with laundry product or other fragrance. A medicine story has begun to feed me remedy. I wrote and drew onto napkins. N-Art.

 Years ago, when the steep learning curve of life with Environmental Illness was fresh and we lived in the Subaru, it was onto napkins like this one, that I began to find a way through the unfamiliar territory; and art slipped in. I showed Pete the drawings I'd done. We stilled ourselves. "Time to give thanks to the Water." We did, acknowledging Kane, Giver of Life, Ka Wai Ola. Mahalo nui 'o Kane. And then we moved on.

 The Crows were busy at that hour of the morning. Busy getting dizzy.

Rather than return to Whidbey after the water run, we had to decide: "South to Seattle? Nope. East to Wenatchee? A'ole. West to Whidbey was already out. We heading North stopped for take out breakfast of veggie omelet and biscuits and gravy. La Conner has a new slough side park, we pulled up, and found park benches to enjoy our meal while the water and cool morning air moved swiftly past. Ah, the fresh cold air was delightful. Then we wound our way through the Skagit farmland where fields of potatoes were in blossom.

This barn. So beautiful in it's wear. We have spent many hours visiting this farm land. When we leave for warmer wintering, and Hawaii, we will take this memory with us.

Bright portraits of brown-skinned people were on many walls. Tribute to the people who gather all our food? I finally found the answer to this question: "Peace In, Peace Out"*

"Peace In, Peace Out is a project of multi-cultural journalism, painting, and a weaving exchange between families within our Skagit community. Through this project, youth tell personal and community and the value of their experiences through art." Read the entire description of this project on the "Peace In, Peace Out" website. Wow, how great that road trip really was. Journey is adventure and unfolding understandings. 

Road trips are risky business for people like us with Environmental Illness. We avoided the road work on Whidbey, but could not avoid construction on other roadways. The uncontrolled addiction, or collusion with Monsanto, and the use of Roundup for roadside cleanup was part of our yin yang road trip yesterday. My mask, and oxygen tank helps. Pete has his personal ginger root remedy that helps a little. Sharing the driving eased the burden for him who does SO MUCH. And, at the end of the day it was the safety and comfort of the small wagon, the well worn cotton bedding, the futon, in Vardo for Two that are the heart that matters so much to us. Restorative sleep is the key for us.

I'm at the keys now eating between words. I kilo, I noticed and noted, the oatmeal sending me love notes as the oats cooked. "I heart you," it bubbled. I took it as an auspicious and positive message. My body is fed. Oh delicious! We slept deep and sound last night, with more appreciation for the love that is coming in messages from the many people of Whidbey who tell us of their aloha for us.

Earlier this morning, I woke to catch up with our Hui `Aimalama Group Lecture (a private group event), that took place Wednesday evening on FB. I was exhausted that night, but checked in to say I'd be back when I could. Kalei Nu'uhiwa wrote, "Yep, yep. We await your thoughts." We are in recovery mode, operating with the spoons we do have. Diving back into this online interactive learning for Pacific Islanders focused on traditional practices to survive and thrive with climate change, I was re-charged. The give and take back and forward commentary is awesome current event making. It by-passes the risk taking that happened on the asphalt; confirms why heading home is so vital, now.

My immune system (Nene, the rare Hawaiian goose) says, "No this is not a test. Just rest." To read the medicine story that is writing itself through me click here.* I envision writing and drawing a comic book medicine story as part of the journey to create safe passage for us, and will keep you all updated as more unfolds.

We're getting closer to choosing a Crowdfunding platform, three of our supporters are helping with the story right now. xoxoxo Mahalo Joan, Kawika and Jude!!!

Aloha nui loa dear 'ohana near and far. We do so appreciate you. xoxoxo
Moki and Pete


*The link has been corrected:)