Amoeba’s Lorica: Hot Lava Night

You might have heard, dear reader, that there’s a little bit of excitement on the Big Island of Hawai‘i right now. Positively volcanic. And no, Your Friendly Neighborhood Amoeba did nothing to set it off. At least, nothing that he can remember. He has been a bit busy lately, and he supposes that he could have leaned on a switch he shouldn’t have been leaning on, while he was paying attention to something else. Or maybe napping on his feet. But he doesn’t think so. And no one has accused him of anything. Yet.

Anyway. Some folk might wish to know that, while the current eruption is on the east side of the island, YFNA and Dame Amoeba (Quilly) live on the west side. About as far away from the action as it is possible to get and still stay dry without a boat or a plane. The earthquakes, lava, volcanic ash, and general mayhem of Pele, which are, it seems, set on transforming the Leilani Estates into the Hadean Estates, all stay over there, and we are content that they do. The weather’s been hot and muggy enough around here lately, we don’t need no furnaces.

Mind you, it’s not like we don’t live on the sides of a volcano. There are five – count ’em, 5 (in lime green in the picture) – volcanoes on Hawai‘i Island. If you live on dry land on this island, you are living on the side of a volcano. Fortunately for most of the island’s residents, two of those volcanoes (Kohala and Mauna Kea) have retired from geological show business (though Mauna Kea still features prominently in astronomical and theological/cultural performances), and two of the others (Hualalai and Mauna Loa) have chosen, for now, not to try to share billing with Kilauea. Which has hogged the stage since 1983.

So, for now, we are out of harm’s way, and hope that the least amount of harm comes to those who are having to put up with bona fide hot lava nights. And we wonder when it will be our turn to wonder where you’re gonna go.