What a sweet deal...

On September 11th, no, NOT that one, but the one in 1992, Hurricane "Iniki" spun toward Kauai. We were visiting in Oregon, and phoned Hale 'Aha to tell the Bockelmans we would be praying for them. They were putting plywood sheets over the windows upstairs. They had a newlywed couple and an older couple there celebrating an anniversary.

Ruth told us, weeks later when phone service was restored, that the windows and doors WITH their frames, blew in on the main floor, allowing rain to soak everything. Ruth and Herb and the guests all huddled dowstairs on the ground floor, with mattresses against the doors and windows. They peeked out the garage door once, and saw a small tornado heading straight up the ravine toward the house. Iniki circled overhead for an unbelieveable 3 hours, destroying things on the other side, as the hurricane came around from the other way. When it was finally over, the guests helped sweep up shattered glass, and pulled up the soggy carpets. Everyone slept upstairs in the Penthouse, which was still dry.

Herb, being a builder phoned in an order for lumber and supplies on the first ship coming their way. So, instead of being out of business for a year or more, like many other hotels, he and Ruth had Hale 'Aha up and running by February of '93. Herb took the opportunity to strengthen all the doors and windows, and changed hallways and entries, to make an even more attractive suite out of one of the bedrooms. The Honeymoon Suite now had it's own entry and private dinette.

He improved their own quarters on the ground floor by turning half the garage into a nice big office, and by adding a kitchenette where the washer and dryer used to be. He made the new laundry area available to all the guests (though it was necessary to remind them NOT to dry their hiking boots in the dryer!) By adding walls and windows around the ground level lanai, he and Ruth now had their own dining area and space to entertain their friends. He added a back door, with lighted path, so their friends could come visit without disturbing the B & B guests.

Because the island was stripped bare of leaves and tree branches, and hotels were still closed and houses and buildings blown away or destroyed, not many tourists wanted to come visit Kauai. So, Ruth invited Bob and me to come manage the inn six weeks for them that following November and half of December while there wouldn't be too much to do. She even suggested that we could invite any of our relatives to come and stay for free, if they wouldn't mind contributing toward the food they ate. We began to put the word out.

When Doug, one of our close business associates heard what we were going to do that winter, he commented, "How'd you get such a sweet deal?"

How it all began...

To win any contest, you must first enter it....

When the announcer on KFAX Radio, Craig Roberts, phoned me in the spring of 1992, I couldn't imagine why. I immediately recognized his voice, and asked in a husky voice left over from walking-pneumonia, "What do YOU want?" He asked if I had ever won any prizes. Well, yes, I had won a cook book from Reader's Digest. Craig said, "I think you're going to like this prize better than a cook book." All this was being recorded and broadcast over the radio!

He told me that my name had been drawn in the KFAX Family Radio Contest, and I had won the GRAND PRIZE.... A week in the Penthouse, at Hale 'Aha Bed and Breakfast, in Princeville, Kauai, in the Hawaiian Islands! I couldn't believe it. About three months before, I had mailed in a post card to KFAX, with our names and address and phone number, AND OUR AGES (which seemed an odd request), and the answer to the riddle in the contest.

Bob had "retired" in 1985, when most companies in Silicon Valley were downsizing, so we never even dreamed of going to Hawaii. But here we were, two 64-year olds, flying off to Kauai, in June, 1992, with cameras, binoculars, sunscreen, dark glasses, funny little hats to keep our heads cool, swim suits, shorts and tank tops, sandals, and hiking shoes just like all the other tourists.

Our friends, Hugh and Phyllis Harris, who had a Time Share on Kauai, had sent us pamphlets and maps and marked everything that we should be sure to see, from the south end of the island, beginning at the gorgeous Westin Hotel near the airport at Lihu'e, to the north end at Ke'e Beach. Places to eat, places to swim or snorkel, places to photograph, shop, or attend church.

And here we were, sitting in JJ's Broiler, a cute outdoor cafe, overlooking the beach at Nawiliwili Harbor, breathing in that wonderful, fragrant, humid air, watching the sunset while eating Mahi Mahi sandwiches, and a pile of curly french fries.

We drove on north to Princeville Resort, in the dark. The guard at the gate showed us where to look for the low street signs along the avenue, and told us that Kamehameha Road was the third street on the right. We arrived at Hale 'Aha about 8:00 Hawaii time, and the hosts and owners, Herb and Ruth Bockelman were just about frantic worrying about us. They expected us about 4:00 PM... but we hadn't read their instructions that the travel agency had included in our packet. We were just toodling along at our own pace, enjoying the experience.

Ruth ushered us into the house, having us take off our shoes on the porch first (Hawaiian style), then invited us to get a cold drink at the refrigerator in the kitchen. She told us what time we should be up for breakfast, and where we could get our coffee first thing in the morning. Herb came in to visit with us in the main living room. What a beautiful couple. Cheerful, engaging, eager for us to enjoy our stay.

They had built this lovely three story home in 1990, the only "legal" Bed and Breakfast in the Resort. They chose the name, "Hale 'Aha" which means, "House of Gathering." Ruth took us upstairs to the Penthouse Suite... a 1000 square foot area complete with a kitchenette, a dining area, huge living room looking north over the golf course, an alcove with a writing desk, a huge master bedroom with windows facing east, with a view of the light house at Kilauea, a dressing room with hidden washer and dryer, and a lavatory, and a beautiful tile bathroom with jacuzzi tub, and separate shower. The balcony off the dining area faced west with lovely sunsets over "Bali Hai" mountain and overlooking the ocean. A wonderful place for morning coffee and devotions.

We had to pinch ourselves to believe we were actully here in Hawaii, and guests of these lovely people. After spending a wonderful week with Herb and Ruth and sight-seeing on the whole island, and enjoying the other guests at the table each morning, Ruth asked us if we could come manage the Inn for them that winter, so they could have a vacation. They hadn't had one since they built the place. So, that's how it all began...