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<\/a>Sunrise at Kaneohe<\/p><\/div>\n
The sirens were starting again; it had been almost an hour since the first one.\u00a0 We were going to Lennie’s house in Kaneohe, a 20 minute drive along the coast to the house up on the hill.<\/p>\n
We checked with the marines that are living in the house and they had not been called back to duty yet.\u00a0 The navy photographer here was told that it was too dark for either still shots or videos so there was no reason for him to leave.\u00a0 At the first announcement two of the guys had raced down to the beach to see what the ocean looked like.\u00a0 Ah, the invincible years…\u00a0 They came back and told us that the water was definitely lower and farther out than it should be.\u00a0 We watched the street cams of Honolulu which had been turned towards the ocean.\u00a0 It seemed so strange to see the beaches and streets of Waikiki totally deserted.<\/p>\n
By 11 PM we had loaded up the SUV with blankets, pillows, some clothes, food, medicine and survival gear.\u00a0 Lilipuna, our cat, was sitting in the back seat on top of the pillows as if she knew something was happening in the earth.\u00a0 And lastly out walks Lennie with a 12-roll package of toilet paper.\u00a0 I had to smile – he looked like a little kid, bringing something so basic and obvious, but in a comical way.\u00a0 Once out on the street we weren’t sure what kind of line-ups or traffic jams we might face, but there were none.\u00a0 Everything was very orderly.\u00a0 Mostly people were either going to friend’s or relatives’ homes inland or driving up the Pali and Likellike highways that go up through the Ko’olau mountains on this side of the island.\u00a0 We passed dozens of cars that were pulled off the road and parked for the night where they could be safe and at the same time have a good vantage point to see the ocean.\u00a0 On the way we stopped at a 24 hour Safeway store to pick up some water.\u00a0 The shelves were fairly bare, but I still was able to get a few cases.\u00a0 It turned out lucky that one of the military guys had moved out of the top house in Kaneohe, so we had a vacant room to spend the night in.\u00a0 After schlepping some of our stuff and bedding and the cat up to the top of the hill we watched and waited and finally fell sound asleep at about 2 o’clock.\u00a0 At 4 I got up to look out the window and watch the street cams on the TV that were turned to the beach and sea walls at Diamond Head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/a>Tsunami wave at Diamond Head<\/p><\/div>\n
The water was pulling back out to sea and then about 15 minutes later would come rushing back in and over the sea wall.\u00a0 In the morning we heard that there was minimal damage and no casualties.\u00a0 Once again Hawai’i had been spared the devastation of a Tsunami.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The\u00a0morning\u00a0after dawned hot and sunny and you would never know how close we had come to disaster.\u00a0 It is now about 48 hours later and Lennie is once again on the upswing.\u00a0 A day before the earthquake in Japan I had started to cut down the dose of the laxatives that Lennie was taking, thinking that these might be the reason for his pain and diarrhea.\u00a0 He had accused me of causing him more pain with this action, which I knew was not true.\u00a0 During the rush of our evacuation he had forgotten that night to take his laxative and the next day was not in so much pain.\u00a0 One bright spot.\u00a0 We had really argued over these pills causing the cramping pains, but he was being so stubborn and would not even try one night without them.\u00a0 Well, finally he has stopped taking them.\u00a0 Now I have to get him back onto some foods that will do the same.\u00a0 It has been a gruelling couple of weeks.\u00a0 I hope that life is back on the upswing.\u00a0 The weather is back to normal.\u00a0 Lennie is once again improving and disaster has been averted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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As we drove back to the house through the almost empty streets (the ‘All Clear’ signal was given over the radio just as we approached home) we knew that once again we had survived disaster.\u00a0 And we had done it together.\u00a0 It is in these moments that you know that whatever you face and no matter how bad it gets, there is no place that you would rather be than with the person that you love.\u00a0 Everything will always be okay if you can get through it together.\u00a0 I love you Lennie Schneider and I’m here for you, holding your hand all the way.<\/p>\n
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Here are some views of Waikiki that are rarely seen:\u00a0 deserted beaches and empty streets.<\/p>\n
Kathryn<\/em><\/p>\n