We went back to the shopping center and got coconut body wash and shampoo so that we will all smell like the islands. Yummy! Then we went to the Nani Kauai Gallery. Oh my. It was sort of expensive—but wonderful! Steve and I tend to buy paintings in Hawaii. We've done it for years and never regretted a purchase. As we walked into the gallery I saw this 12" x 12" painting by Jennifer Prince and that was that.

Today is our anniversary! I didn't realize we would be in Hawaii for our 34th wedding anniversary until I was on the plane and Steve didn't remember until I said something this morning. We're not that wound up about dates but we agreed that it was an excellent excuse to buy art. 

Steve and I like to support artists. We don't have a huge house or tons of money, but we do what we can to buy original art. Some day our children will inherit what we've bought and luckily they, and their wives, share our tastes.

After lunch I went to class and was happy to see the work that the ladies had done on their blocks. I am perpetually amazed at the unlimited ways people color the same block. Some of the following are more complete than others but every one is an expression of its maker:

The next one is made to go with a specific pieced quilt. It's subtle and should be lovely when it is complete. Those light petals on the flower do show up way better than I thought they would! And the fabric for the bird is a good choice – and I wasn't sure it would be. The more I teach, the more I accept that I am not the sole arbiter of what is a good choice of fabric. I might not ever make this block but I like the way it's going. And that's true for all the rest of the blocks in the class.

Steve and the girls went to Anini Beach while I was in class. The water was clear enough that they were able to wade in. (FYI: We were advised by the natives that when the water is brown, don't go in. Sharks and bacteria. Enough said.)

The girls gathered bits of coral and some shells and played in the sand. (Note to parents, the water was less than 3' deep but they got all the way in, heads too. They are ocean swimmers!!! It was a very protected beach and they were in no danger of being swept away.) They also dug in the sand and made sand castles.

The girls dug those pits! I suspect that we'll be on the beach at least part of every day next week, rain or shine. Mostly rain. Right now we're back at the condo. Steve is cooking and the girls are journaling and we're watching Forest Gump on the ABC Family Channel. (How has Elanor never seen Forest Gump?!) .

I really do think that we are going to be busy to max every day.They don't seem to be undone by gray skies and rain. Steve and I are coming from drought-stricken Texas, rain is sort of nice. It's all good. Tomorrow is another day!