We're back after trip to Target for a keyboard...Moved into new house next door...Amazing! Photos!

Our first sunrise at the new house taken at 6:45 this morning. We love this house. For details on this house, click here.

When my laptop's keyboard quit working last night, I'd tried every possible fix. Nothing worked. This morning we jumped into the minivan at 9:30 to head to Hilo to purchase an external keyboard.

View from the lanai off the living room. This is where I'll sit each day when posting. What a view!

Speaking of Hilo, when the lava makes its way across Highway 130 in Pahoa, we'll be required to use an new road with a 20 mph speed limit. Based on speculations, it will take three hours to drive to Hilo, an otherwise 35 minute drive in light traffic.

View from the new house to the house next door where our family will stay.

We can only hope the lava doesn't flow across the highway until after our kids leave. With the only local grocery store now evacuated, Hilo is our only option for additional groceries that we'll surely need over the next few weeks.

View from behind the sofa in the living room.

Once the family leaves, we'll do fine buying groceries at the still open Island Naturals health food store in Pahoa, safe from the lava. We'll figure it all out.

Our master bedroom in the new house with en suite bath and walk in closet. Wonderful.

As for yesterday, after spending over $1600 on groceries over a period of three hours, we were exhausted when we returned home at almost 6 pm. We stopped at Burger King for Tom's dinner while I ate a salad and my leftover coconut pancake back at home for dinner. We were too pooped to cook.

The lanai off the master bedroom.

Putting away at least 30 bags of groceries into the two house was challenging. I insisted on organizing and putting everything away while Tom, TJ and Sarah carried all the bags inside and also hauled all the items I'd sorted for the second house. That was quite the task.

The en suite master bathroom with laundry chute, big shower and lots of cupboard space.

We unpacked our bags to neatly put away everything we'd need during the upcoming two weeks in this house. TJ and Sarah cleaned the first house and have since moved over to the lower level of this second house.

The dining area and kitchen, modern and convenient including a fabulous ice maker, stainless steel appliances and adequate kitchen utensils.

Once I've completed today's post, I'll begin cooking the meal for tonight and tomorrow night, leaving me free to be with the family when everyone else arrives. I'd promised myself I wouldn't be spending much time in the kitchen during this family get together.

The kitchen has a oversized pantry.

Today, Tammy, Tracy and Vincent will arrive by dinnertime. It will be amazing to see them and spend the evening together. Tomorrow, Camille, Greg, Maisie, Miles and Madighan will arrive by 5 pm for the beginning of our wonderful time together, attempting to make up for lost time, if that's at all possible.

The second bedroom on the main floor with single bed.

As for the new house where Tom and I will live until January 3rd, we love it. It has everything we need and last night we had a fabulous night's sleep in the comfortable king sized bed and loved the giant tiled shower. How we've come to appreciate the most basic of amenities!

The second bath on the main floor is a half. There are two more bedrooms, a full bath and a family room in the lower level. Photos will follow another day.

As for the keyboard, we purchased the cheap wired version for $9.95 after a discussion on the way to Hilo that we'd purchase a new laptop for me when we get to Kauai after January 15th. I never liked this HP international version and look forward to a new Acer similar to Tom's, a brand both of us prefer from past experience.

The pool, although not large is adequate for dunking. The yard is well maintained, the views, astounding. We spotted a few "blow holes" from humpback whales today.

That's it for today, folks. Now to get myself situated in the kitchen for a few hours hoping to get done early enough for a little time by the pool with the family and more whale watching.
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Photo from one year ago today, December 21, 2013:

When Okee Dokee was taking a few weeks off for Christmas, she drove us to Nelspruit to rent a car in her absence. On the way, we stopped for lychee nuts and this adorable little girl assisted. For details of this date, please click here.