| It was the quote of the week from my husband John, “This
is not Paradise.” Everywhere I turn the irony is in my face. “Paradise
Garden, being the condo facility up the block, Maui Dreams, the name of a
local business, but everywhere I turn I see mud, sewage, potholes, while
police sirens blast from nearby streets, coupled with a lack of
electricity. At one point, our condominium complex was an island unto
itself. The watershed behind us completely filled up, spilling into the
complex to our right and left; submerging both parking lots. Kihei Road,
which runs in front of the unit, was better navigated by our kayak than
our four wheel drive jeep and threatened to merge with Maalaea Bay Harbor.
All occupants waited with baited breath to see if the watershed would
climb those last two feet, flooding our parking lot and first floor units.
We have a ground floor. Luck was on our side. Apparently, the reason the
watershed filled so completely was because its’ path to the harbor was
slowed by a wall of sand on the beach. The sand gave in the nick of time
and the levels behind us quickly dropped, much to the local birds delight.
This isn’t the first time we have weathered freakish weather
events… no pun intended. We’ve been through two hurricanes and now
this. The silver lining remains the same. People rally together
during these times, neighbors that I have never met, until today.
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