John and Artie have an electric car. When I first arrived, I was reluctant to drive it because it seemed to have some idiosyncrasies, and I didn’t want to screw anything up. I was driving with them one day, and car began to shudder and shake, and Artie was yelling at John to turn it off. Then there was the day that I heard a click, and the car just stopped. John very calmly turned it off, and said that when it does that, mostly on hills, he just counts to 10, and turns the key back on. And he started driving again. After driving with John several times, it looked like it would be easier. However, after Jordan learned to drive it, I decided it was time for me to step forward and drive it myself. I didn’t want to be bested by a 19 year old!!!! And you know it was easy.

The first thing I had to remember was that the car can’t be driven any faster than 25 MPH. That at first was hard, but I managed it. It can’t go any faster because it would take it out of warranty. That is all the MPH the little guy can take. Since Molokai does not have really fast speed limits, and everyone pretty much goes not more than 45 MPH, to keep to 25 was doable. You must pull over if you have cars behind you, which isn’t a big deal. It isn’t as if there are freeways on Molokai, thank goodness.

The second thing I had to remember was that the car only could go about 25 miles round trip, before it ran out of juice and had to be plugged in. So it isn’t a car to take sightseeing. But you can go down to the post office, to Coffees of Hawaii, to the high school and elementary school. I visited one of the Habitat houses that Kat’s team worked on, and saw a new team at work on the roof. I went over to Helene Stone’s house, which was the house Kat’s team worked on last year. It is finished, and Helene and her family have moved in. It is wonderful and it was great to see Helene and her daughter Marlo, and some of the grand-kids.

The third thing I had to get used to was that the car makes no noise when you turn it on. I just put my foot on the pedal and off I went. When I put it in reverse, it beeps like trucks and vans do. If I am on a hill, and I hear a click, I must turn off the key, count to ten, and then turn the key on again, and start back up. Fortunately, today I did not have any trouble with the car. John keeps a heavy-duty electric cord in the car, and when we stop at Coffees of Hawaii, he usually plugs the car in while we are there.

The car is a four seater. It is white and very small. No frills at all. Now I have to think up a name for the little electric car! Any suggestions?

Adieu, Adios, Mahalo!
I love you all!
Sally


Since I at am posting this on Wednesday, January 12, the next day, I wanted to add that it has been really raining all night, into the morning. Now at 1:41PM, the sun
is trying to come out, and the winds are close to gale force. But this is the rainy season for Hawaii, as well as the West Coast of the U.S. Mainland.