We're Home - YAY!!!

A few more thoughts from Maui:

I turned into one of those women I have always scoffed / laughed at: going through the umpteenth security check to leave Hawaii, I walked off and forgot my purse. One of the hazards of wearing it slung across my body for the last 8 days.

Our last afternoon there was delightful, sitting/reading/dozing in the breeze at the hotel, smelling the plumeria, listening to the waves: pretty stupendous.

I think I might never get weary of being by the ocean.

Love the drier desert air of Utah. My hair actually stayed curled.

Wishing our sweet daughter-in-law a wonderful birthday.

The Hubby has some serious sleep deprivation.

I am s-o-o looking forward to my own bed - although I will seriously miss the sound of the ocean.

Aloha... Mahalo

Last Night On Maui

First, a couple thoughts from yesterday:

Shade is your friend.

Water shoes are also your friend.

Blisters (on top of blisters) are not your friend.

When at the magic show & the magician asks for your help, asks if you have cash, and needs your "largest bill": the correct answer is, "They're all the same size."

My assessment: shave ice from Maui Girl @ the swap meet in Kahului is the best. (More research indicated.)

And from today:

The important thing to remember if you take the "road to Hana": The journey is the reward.

Jeeps with removable roof sections - what a delightful invention. Sunscreen, too.

Waterfalls are better when they are actually "water-falling".

We have actually driven the island's circumference - as much as we were able. The road to Hana was a piece of cake after the drive over the north section. Now that was some drive.

There needs to be some magic cure for over-eating.

Roy's chocolate souffle dessert is wonderfully decadent. Buy only one, share with someone. You'll still have blissful chocolate satisfaction fulfillment.

Tomorrow night we begin our journey home, and I'll finally be on the right time. Never did get adjusted to Maui time - even though it's "slower" here.

Thanks, My Love. The trip/vacation/anniversary celebration was more than I hoped, more than I imagined, w-a-y more than I deserved. I've loved our 40 years. Thanks for finding me, don't leave without me.

Halfway Through Maui

Blue (the ocean, the sky, etc.) is still my favorite color - next to red, yellow, pink...

Aloha sounds strange in church.

Going to church can be hard on your self esteem.

It was pretty fun being "reverent" next to the beach. (Trying to keep the Sabbath.)

Can't believe we ate that whole package of chocolate coconut macadamias from Costco.

Joining a weight reduction program after we get home. (But not until then.)

24 steps up to the room, 24 down, multiplied by 2 million trips up and down, should have burned off all those chocolate coconut macadamias.

Still have to remind myself I'm in Hawaii and not CA. It feels like CA.

Love, love, love the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.

Saturday's Thoughts

Vacations should be full of relaxation, not go, go, go. Although "going, going, going" can be very fun.

Being away from home can really make one feel out of their comfort zone. Enjoy the real comfort zone.

Cafes should be on the side of the road you think they're on, not the other 'un.

Flip flops seem to be de-rigueur here. Too bad those leather ones I've been drooling over are so expensive.

It's nice to spot the place to go to Church tomorrow, without having to search (and maybe getting the wrong side of the road.) Too bad we forgot the white shirt and tie.

Steaks (from Costco) grilled by The Hubby taste somehow better when eaten outside here at the resort.

Coconut macaroons: comfort food. Shaved ice: sheer bliss (especially when it's 87 degrees out and 80 % humidity.) And what's a vacation without some indulgences.

So glad I remembered the shorts to wear over the bathing suit (disguises come in lots of forms.)

Sunsets at the beach are completely wonderful, especially when you're on the west side of an island.

Sunrises are still the very best time of the day, particularly when the moon is still up, and it appears as though you're the only one up to welcome the day.

Finally: so glad I bit my tongue rather than voice a certain thought. And so glad The Hubby noticed that I haven't yet said it (that I'm ready to go home.) :) Homebody I am by nature.

Let Go and Keep

Tonight I'm thinking about things I need to let go of and things I need to keep.

I've got to let go of any sense of ownership (pride, that dreaded word/feeling) of how I look on vacations to humid places. It isn't possible to be in a humid place and have my hair look good. Leave the curling iron at home. Let it go. Wear a hat.

I've got to let go of any hope that I'll ever look good in a bathing suit again. That body is long gone. Let it go. Wear a T-shirt and/or shorts/swim skirt.

I've got to let that worry thing go: listened to a lady today who is worse than me. Too sad. (At least I can laugh about it.)

I've got to keep my sense of adventure and fun - no matter how small that sense is. The Ziplines today were unbelievably fun! Even in the rain. Lots and lots of rain. Soaked through - still not dry. Let's do it again!!

I've got to always keep that love of the beach, remember how rejuvenated / invigorated / calmed / uplifted I feel hearing the waves hit the beach.

I've got to keep my awareness of how many blessings are mine: good health, a great Husband, kids (their spouses, our grandchilluns) I love, enough food, a safe place to live - I could not ever complete the list.

I've got to keep that "young" feeling: never feel as old as I look.

Trying to keep the good, let go of the bad and hope to be wise enough (at some point) to know the difference!

Maui Day 2

I think we slept for 10 hours last night. Seems such a waste to spend our time on vacation sleeping, but then again, sleeping as long as you want is a luxury and luxuries are part of vacations, so there you are.

After getting our feet into the Pacific (which is much warmer than the CA coast where we last went "beaching") we headed out for a drive up the western edge of the island around to the north coast. That road has sections the guidebook describes as "not for the timid driver" - thankfully my fearless Beachmate has never acquired that description (timid) and we managed just fine although he did stop at one point so I could look down over the cliff at an old rusting car on it's side - not a comforting sight for this timid passenger.

The road had unparalleled vistas - expanses of ocean and rocky beaches that pay tribute to the Great Creator of this unbelievably beautiful world. We stopped for the "best banana bread ever" (we'll reserve judgement on that until we cut into it tomorrow), at the Dragon's teeth lava formations, the Nakalele Blowhole (performing on cue just for us) and finally at Fat Daddy's for some of the best BBQ we have ever had.

The jeep's removable roof panels required the use of sunblock on The Hubby's tender ears, but made the viewing much more enjoyable.

Sad to say we ended the day having to have one of our credit cards cancelled. There are some unauthorized charges being made, we don't yet know/understand how the number got compromised. The lucky thing is the card is one we use just for internet purchases / travel. The bad thing: that's the only card I brought with me. So, My Love (who is out on the balcony enjoying the serenade of the entertainer at the restaurant down below -guitar and a lovely voiced gentleman) you'll have to keep me with you for the rest of the trip. I won't have any way to buy anything without you!!!

We're Finally here

Our day started at 2 a.m., UT time. Here we are in Maui and it's 7:30 HI time and I am ready for bed. No moonlight walk on the beach for us tonight.

But: My new iPad made the flight much more bearable for the both of us (I managed to choose a few games that were "winners"), we've had a nice walk around the shopping center, our room is huge (right on the ocean front), we had some scrumptious seafood for dinner (to make up for the MickyD's airport breakfast between flights), Costco is somehow a bit more fun in Maui (different stuff, I guess - like ukeleles and chocolate covered macadamias) and I still got a catch in my breath at my first sight of the ocean on the drive to the hotel.

Our grandson would love the bright yellow Jeep we're driving. (The Hubby says he's finally cured of his Jeep envy. This one is nothing like the one he had and loved for 18 years.)

The lightweight jeans I put on his morning were serious overkill here in the 90% humidity. Nothing smells quite like the plumerias that are in full bloom. Sunsets are best enjoyed at a restaurant by the beach and I'm totally grateful tonight for central air conditioning!!

We are both looking forward to some serious beach time tomorrow - in this place that many call paradise.

Maui

Tomorrow, 3:30 am., we're leaving the house for our trip to Hawaii. I still have to finish up laundry, pack and get excited. So far, I'm just a nervous wreck.

Thanks, My Love, for 40 years of more excitement (and less "boring") than I expected.

(And if our plane crashes, at least we're going together!) :)

Diet Dr. Pepper

Apparently I'm not supposed to drink this anymore (although it was a very rare indulgence.) Can't take the caffeine. Don't really care for the bubbles. Not fond of colas, and don't drink sugared drinks.

Good thing I like water....

p.s. Haven't been on my bike for about a month. This morning's 14 miles was truly a respectable showing.

Wondering....

What would change in my life if I had an endless supply of Pixie Dust?

Weird Saturday

Lousy movie, uninterested (in making things right) salesperson, misidentified (and wrongly accused) address, barely clad young ladies on their way to Homecoming (hard to eat with all those bare bosoms staring me in the face), forecast of rain (for nearly our whole week there) in Maui, bad reaction to food:

all in all I'd consider this a Saturday to remember -- but not repeat.

Must learn some passive/aggressive behavior skills.

Smells

Aahh, the smells of summer: skunk, skunk, and more skunk.

Hiding In The Spotlight by Greg Dawson

Just finished this book. It's so astonishing to me that lives can be filled with such horror and hope at nearly the same time. Would that we never have a repeat of those awful, ugly times.

The letter "P"

Enjoyed these phrases I read today:

Prayer is the passport to peace.

Persistent prayer is potent.

Decided to pursue being a person who persistently prays potent prayers on my pathway to peace.

Hair / Substance

Heard this the other day: "She's all hair and no substance."

Since I have fine, thin hair, does that mean I'm all substance and no hair?

Words

I read this today - and I totally get it:

"Verbal Terrorist"

Heard This Already This Morning:

And it struck a chord with me. I've felt like a failure so much of my life, like I've never had much to offer or "measured up" in any way. I'll try to make this a part of me & perhaps it will help me improve my offerings.

--Victory for another doesn't mean failure for self.--

Today's thought wanderings...

There's no statute of limitations on common sense,

or unselfishness,

or kindness.

Age

Is 59 the new 39? Or really the new 79?

Lunch

Another lunch out to celebrate my birthday. Don't like being the center of attention but DO like going out for lunch.

Hmmm--how long can I stretch out this birthday thing?

It's Wednesday and....

Hummpphh!!!!

Hair

It rarely fails: get a late start in the morning, then end up trying to do my hair (and look like I've stuck my finger in an electrical outlet) and someone comes to the door to see me.

Trophy

Wow!! My favorite gift ever: I won/was awarded a trophy! Somehow I feel so very much more important.

Thanks, My Love, for a fabulous birthday.

Determined

I am determined to grow Kinder (to all souls), Stronger (in spirit as well as healthiness), and more Thoughtful as I grow older and older.

Do I have enough time left in this life to make measurable progress?

Saturday And....

we started the day with a good laugh, scattered laughs throughout the day as we movie'd and ate with friends, and ended the day with good memories.

Laughter: a good thing. Try it.

Wedding Receptions

Two of them in one evening. My favorite part: when my sweet little neighbor ran up and gave me a huge hug! It just melts me.

Happiness

I wonder sometimes: if in our mad-dash determined hardscrabble pursuit of happiness that we don't stumble on it along the way and not realize it until much much later?

Love Is Blind

Talking with The Hubby this morning: he mentioned (and I fully agree) that it's such a good thing that True Love overcomes (lack of) beauty. Thank Heavens!!