All apologies. I intended to resume blogging vigorously – full frontal venom – today. Unfortunately, I had a meeting with the county to discuss the massive shoreline erosion following November’s storms.

The State won’t let us install permanent barriers like lava rock – which would permanently deflect the tide and stop coastal erosion – so we’re left with “temporary” measures designed to suffice for 2 to 5 years. The cost of a “temporary” sea wall consisting of their lowest-priced sandbags, which we have to fill ourselves?

Ten grand.

Ten freaking grand. For sand. Sand which is already there, just yards away from my lanai but now officially “the State’s” since it’s underwater. (But for which, since the property tax is based on pre-storm boundaries, for which I am already paying taxes. No matter: once underwater more often than not, it’s the State’s. Welcome to “aloha”.) And, since it’s temporary, repeat that cost every two (2) to five (5) years.

I can’t afford this, nor does it look like I’ll be able to talk some poor sap into buying the place from me since property records show the slow but sure loss of our shoreline. Who’d want it, after seeing what has happened to us?

So, enjoy your Venom while you can, folks. Looks like I have to go unexpectedly “real” job hunting after all.