We now own a house in Hawaii ! ! !

Today we closed escrow and got the keys to our house. Woo hoo!

Diane's sister Christine is here!

Christine came over for a two week visit. It was great seeing Christine again, and while she was here we flew to Oahu and drove all around the island (photos below from that day). We went to Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, North Shore, and too many places that I can't pronounce or spell - oh, plus we went by one of the filming locations for Lost (the Dharma village).

Beach Barbeque

We got together with a few friends for a beach-barbecue. Good times were had by all. Oh, and by coincidence, this is the same place that we went for a picnic when Mom and Alan visited last weekend.

We saw a Hawaiian Monk Seal

On our way to the beach, we (Mark and Diane) went for a walk around the harbour and saw a Hawaiian Monk Seal. It might not sound like a big deal, but Hawaiian Monk Seals are officially designated as an endangered species. There are thought to be only 1,200 remaining. Of those, there are only five on the Big Island - so seeing one was a rare treat for us.