On Columbus Day J and I had the day off. (I would like to thank my place of employment for acknowledging "Bankers Holidays" though we are not a bank).
J knew I would be tempted to spend the bulk of the day running errands, since I am behind on everything domestic with all my recent work travels, but he put his foot down and said we had to do something fun. This is one of the reasons I married this man.
So we headed to the Nashville Zoo. The zoo is only a few minutes from our neighborhood and when the planes from the airport aren't flying over and it's quiet, we can hear the monkeys hooting and hollering from our backyard.
J and I have been going to the Nashville Zoo for years, so we have seen a lot of improvements. On our first visit eight or nine years ago, I was appalled when we got to the elephant habitat and kids could pay a fee to ride the elephants. The elephants looked so bored and defeated, as one kid after the next jumped on their back and they walked round and round a tiny metal contraption they were tied too. Natural habitat, my ass.
But now the elephants have an elephant sanctuary, with a large grassland to roam, a pond to swim in, and all three of them look much happier. No I am not an elephant whisperer, but they really do look content and at home.
One of my personal favorite animals to visit are the monkeys. And judging by the crowd, I am not the only one. There are three monkeys. I am not sure if they are male or female, but they are always moving. Swinging from one branch to the next and then looking at you like "what are you looking at". Hilarious.
There is one monkey that always has a yellow plastic duckie. No matter whether he is swinging through the trees or hanging upside down, he never drops the duck. He moves it around, holding it in his mouth, his feet, his hands, depending on which part he needs to get himself where he is going. It is obviously his favorite toy or security blanket and for some reason that is so damn touching to me.
There is also a meerkat habitat that is neat to check out. These animals have so much expression and are super playful, so it is always entertaining to see what they are up to.
On this particular day in October, it was still hotter than hell and about halfway through I started dreaming of a bowl of dippin dots or ice cream, so we found the nearest concession stand. Sitting there at tables full of kids with their parents or grandparents we eavesdropped on the conversations. Not being a parent myself I am probably not the best judge, but adults say some stupid shit to kids. No wonder kids look at them like they're idiots and the cycle continues.
At the table beside us, a little boy about 5 or 6 years old sat with his grandparents enjoying his cup of ice cream. When the little boy would look done eating the ice cream, the grandfather would chime in, "you know once that ice cream is in the garbage you can't get it back out"? The boy would look up at his grandmother, hoping she would chime in with "shut your trap, if he says he is done, he is done", but all he got was silence. So he would eat a few more bites, in hopes that would be good enough. And we wonder why kids are overweight today. Could be due to all the crotchety grandparents that want to make sure they get all the bang for their $3.00.
After we finished our ice cream we headed off. At some of the animal exhibits the zoo has built little enclosures where you can walk into a covered area with seating and ceiling fans, to view the animals through a glass window. When it is hot outside these places are really nice.
As J and I walked in the Cloudy Leopard enclosure there was a woman sitting on the bench in the far corner with a toddler and a newborn. My first thought was, wow this woman must be super woman to be out here by herself with a toddler and a brand new red faced baby. After further inspection of the situation, I realized we had interrupted her nursing and she was hastily trying to put away all the public breast feeding evidence.
I wanted to say "really go ahead we don't mind". America your uptight attitudes to public breast feeding is total bullshit. We use breasts to sell everything in this country. And I mean everything. But a woman in who is trying to feed her newborn out in public should be ashamed and quickly cover-up. I do not understand this Victorian mind-set and I never will.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I have finally gotten my lazy ass off the couch. Hopefully the hibernation is over.
I know by this point, all two of my readers have abandoned me and for good reason. I have been lazy and uninspired. The last few months I have spent either buried in a good read (check out the new listings), watching episodes of Entourage (so sad when we finished season 3 and will have to wait for season 4 to come out on DVD) or watching movies. Anything to keep my mind off all the upcoming changes.
So bear with me. I am going to tie up some loose ends and hopefully start anew.
The Patio
J finished the patio at the end of July, just days before his 35th b-day party. There is nothing like inviting all your friends over for a get-together to get our asses in gear. In all honesty, I don't think our house has been properly scrubbed since. Must have folks over soon.
So this is for you Mom. Here is a picture of the finished product I have been meaning to post for months. I must say J did a damn good job. I would actually hire him, if he didn't work for me for free.
We actually plan on enjoying many a meal out here once the temperatures are out of the 90's and the mosquitoes leave. Hmmm...maybe by December?
Do you see that plastic thingie sticking up in the yard around the edge of the patio, to the right of the table? Here's a closer look.
This is one of many non-working mole contraptions we have purchased. I fondly refer to this little dandy as the mole vibrator. Why you might ask? Well it is shaped like a super-duper torpedo, is battery operated and apparently turns those little buggers on. Big time. Each few seconds the torpedo makes an annoying, beeping noise that is supposed to travel through the ground, drive the moles crazy and send them running to the hills.
See all that raised dirt around the mole vibrator? That represents pure, X-rated, mole bliss. I kid you not, every night those moles come back for more. We might have the most sexually satisfied moles on our street.
Taxation Without Representation
I just got back from a business trip to DC. This is the second time I have been to our nations capital this year and I must say, DC I do not blame you for all the bullshit that has gone down over the last 7 years. I also appreciate your dry sense of humor, thus the "Taxation Without Representation" slogan on your license plates.
We attended a national conference for state restaurant association executives. Because the company I work for was a sponsor, we got the added perk of meeting the two keynote speakers, Ari Fleischer and Mike McCurry, before they addressed the audience.
Fleischer, was spokesperson for George Bush from 2001-2003. McCurry, was press secretary for Bill Clinton from 1995-1998. While we were waiting for them to arrive, I kept imagining what an uncomfortable scene I was about to witness. A cold greeting, a few biting remarks about each others party, a general uncomfortableness in the room. This was going to be good.
To provide you with a little political background, I am a registered Democrat. The first president I voted for was Bill Clinton and I still continue to think of him as one of our better leaders, regardless of the "inappropriate relations with a cigar" incident. I get hot under the collar when discussing politics and I can be very closed minded when it comes to the "other" party. So I expected the men who had each dedicated their professional lives to two very different ideologies, to coldly acknowledge each other.
Surprisingly, they both entered the room at the same time, were both equally friendly to the spectators, and shared some friendly banter. You could tell they shared a history and mutual respect for one another. Not at all what I imagined.
My first thought, if our current elected officials could show this much class and diplomacy, we might be able to actually get something done in Washington. Second, I need to work on my hard line attitude that all Republicans drive big-ass gas guzzling SUV's, with yellow ribbons and W stickers on the bumper, and throw big gulps out their windows.
The next day, we walked the halls with our fellow state restaurant association as they lobbied their representatives about the most pressing issues affecting their business. We arrived early for the first appointment, so we stood outside the office passing the time. About five minutes before our appointment time, the congressman darted out of his office and we were left to meet with his staff member Bruce, who didn't even have a business card.
On our second appointment, our congressman was not in the office when we arrived. His staff member emailed him, informed us he was leaving a committee meeting, and would be with us in a few minutes. While we were waiting, I admired his photos with Isaac Hayes, Bill Clinton, Sugar Ray Leonard, and a bunch of other famous folks that I can't remember. Did I mention that he was a Democrat?
When he arrived we went into his office. Congressmen work in tight quarters. His office reminded me of my college dorm room minus a bed and a mini-fridge. His bookshelves were packed with all kinds of personal items that I wanted to check out, but thought it would be rude to peruse his books instead of paying attention to the conversation.
The issues were discussed. He said he would have his staff member review the upcoming bills. Then he moved on to what all politicians are good at, discussing themselves. Apparently, he had been invited to Iraq. My first thought, those sneaky Republicans are trying to get rid of all our Democrats. Trying to interject something into the conversation I asked,
"What will you do in Iraq?"
Delivered with a straight face, he responded
"You know, drink, do drugs, have sex, lounge on the beach. Isn't that what everyone does in Iraq?"
I smirked, we all laughed, and I realized politicians really are human. They even have a sense of humor to boot.
So bear with me. I am going to tie up some loose ends and hopefully start anew.
The Patio
J finished the patio at the end of July, just days before his 35th b-day party. There is nothing like inviting all your friends over for a get-together to get our asses in gear. In all honesty, I don't think our house has been properly scrubbed since. Must have folks over soon.
So this is for you Mom. Here is a picture of the finished product I have been meaning to post for months. I must say J did a damn good job. I would actually hire him, if he didn't work for me for free.
We actually plan on enjoying many a meal out here once the temperatures are out of the 90's and the mosquitoes leave. Hmmm...maybe by December?
Do you see that plastic thingie sticking up in the yard around the edge of the patio, to the right of the table? Here's a closer look.
This is one of many non-working mole contraptions we have purchased. I fondly refer to this little dandy as the mole vibrator. Why you might ask? Well it is shaped like a super-duper torpedo, is battery operated and apparently turns those little buggers on. Big time. Each few seconds the torpedo makes an annoying, beeping noise that is supposed to travel through the ground, drive the moles crazy and send them running to the hills.
See all that raised dirt around the mole vibrator? That represents pure, X-rated, mole bliss. I kid you not, every night those moles come back for more. We might have the most sexually satisfied moles on our street.
Taxation Without Representation
I just got back from a business trip to DC. This is the second time I have been to our nations capital this year and I must say, DC I do not blame you for all the bullshit that has gone down over the last 7 years. I also appreciate your dry sense of humor, thus the "Taxation Without Representation" slogan on your license plates.
We attended a national conference for state restaurant association executives. Because the company I work for was a sponsor, we got the added perk of meeting the two keynote speakers, Ari Fleischer and Mike McCurry, before they addressed the audience.
Fleischer, was spokesperson for George Bush from 2001-2003. McCurry, was press secretary for Bill Clinton from 1995-1998. While we were waiting for them to arrive, I kept imagining what an uncomfortable scene I was about to witness. A cold greeting, a few biting remarks about each others party, a general uncomfortableness in the room. This was going to be good.
To provide you with a little political background, I am a registered Democrat. The first president I voted for was Bill Clinton and I still continue to think of him as one of our better leaders, regardless of the "inappropriate relations with a cigar" incident. I get hot under the collar when discussing politics and I can be very closed minded when it comes to the "other" party. So I expected the men who had each dedicated their professional lives to two very different ideologies, to coldly acknowledge each other.
Surprisingly, they both entered the room at the same time, were both equally friendly to the spectators, and shared some friendly banter. You could tell they shared a history and mutual respect for one another. Not at all what I imagined.
My first thought, if our current elected officials could show this much class and diplomacy, we might be able to actually get something done in Washington. Second, I need to work on my hard line attitude that all Republicans drive big-ass gas guzzling SUV's, with yellow ribbons and W stickers on the bumper, and throw big gulps out their windows.
The next day, we walked the halls with our fellow state restaurant association as they lobbied their representatives about the most pressing issues affecting their business. We arrived early for the first appointment, so we stood outside the office passing the time. About five minutes before our appointment time, the congressman darted out of his office and we were left to meet with his staff member Bruce, who didn't even have a business card.
On our second appointment, our congressman was not in the office when we arrived. His staff member emailed him, informed us he was leaving a committee meeting, and would be with us in a few minutes. While we were waiting, I admired his photos with Isaac Hayes, Bill Clinton, Sugar Ray Leonard, and a bunch of other famous folks that I can't remember. Did I mention that he was a Democrat?
When he arrived we went into his office. Congressmen work in tight quarters. His office reminded me of my college dorm room minus a bed and a mini-fridge. His bookshelves were packed with all kinds of personal items that I wanted to check out, but thought it would be rude to peruse his books instead of paying attention to the conversation.
The issues were discussed. He said he would have his staff member review the upcoming bills. Then he moved on to what all politicians are good at, discussing themselves. Apparently, he had been invited to Iraq. My first thought, those sneaky Republicans are trying to get rid of all our Democrats. Trying to interject something into the conversation I asked,
"What will you do in Iraq?"
Delivered with a straight face, he responded
"You know, drink, do drugs, have sex, lounge on the beach. Isn't that what everyone does in Iraq?"
I smirked, we all laughed, and I realized politicians really are human. They even have a sense of humor to boot.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Pin Prick
Due to my natural upbringing I have always been a bit leery of going to the doctor. Don’t get me wrong, I make my annual appointments for my eyes, teeth and girlie parts, but I don’t enjoy them, and I am glad to check them off my annual “to do” list.
Amazingly in the 70’s, my small southern hometown had a health food store that is still in business today. My parents were always of the persuasion that you should try vitamins, supplements, and sweating it out (Dad’s prescription), before you resort to taking pharmaceuticals. As a kid, treats in our house consisted of carob chocolate, sliced carrots, and fruit juice frozen into plastic Popsicle containers. When spending the night at a friend’s house I would gorge myself on sodas, sweetened cereals, and greasy chips. Delicious.
As an adult, I believe that a large amount of your health and general well bring is connected to diet and exercise, but I do realize that sometimes that isn’t enough. So for the bulk of this year I have spent an absorbent amount of time in doctor’s waiting rooms, taking pills, and hoping that modern medicine would serve up a “quick-fix”. I have a better understanding of why drugs are so heavily consumed in our culture, because it takes little discipline to take a pill. As long as you can ignore the long list of side effects that are sometimes worse than what you were taking the medicine for in the first place. After months of taking the modern medicine route with no success, I have decided to go back to a more natural approach. As of June I am drug free, for the most part.
So tomorrow I have an appointment with an acupuncturist. I am anxious and excited. I went to Wikipedia to read up on the subject. There are opinions on both sides as to the effectiveness of acupuncture, but there are always two sides to every story. Honestly, I don’t love the idea of tiny stainless steel needles which resemble nails, being inserted all over my body, but I am willing to give it a shot. At least the lists of side effects are short (minor bleeding, bruising, and dizziness) and don’t include rectal bleeding.
Amazingly in the 70’s, my small southern hometown had a health food store that is still in business today. My parents were always of the persuasion that you should try vitamins, supplements, and sweating it out (Dad’s prescription), before you resort to taking pharmaceuticals. As a kid, treats in our house consisted of carob chocolate, sliced carrots, and fruit juice frozen into plastic Popsicle containers. When spending the night at a friend’s house I would gorge myself on sodas, sweetened cereals, and greasy chips. Delicious.
As an adult, I believe that a large amount of your health and general well bring is connected to diet and exercise, but I do realize that sometimes that isn’t enough. So for the bulk of this year I have spent an absorbent amount of time in doctor’s waiting rooms, taking pills, and hoping that modern medicine would serve up a “quick-fix”. I have a better understanding of why drugs are so heavily consumed in our culture, because it takes little discipline to take a pill. As long as you can ignore the long list of side effects that are sometimes worse than what you were taking the medicine for in the first place. After months of taking the modern medicine route with no success, I have decided to go back to a more natural approach. As of June I am drug free, for the most part.
So tomorrow I have an appointment with an acupuncturist. I am anxious and excited. I went to Wikipedia to read up on the subject. There are opinions on both sides as to the effectiveness of acupuncture, but there are always two sides to every story. Honestly, I don’t love the idea of tiny stainless steel needles which resemble nails, being inserted all over my body, but I am willing to give it a shot. At least the lists of side effects are short (minor bleeding, bruising, and dizziness) and don’t include rectal bleeding.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Lock your doors! Shutter your windows!
About once a month we receive an email update from our neighborhood association. They usually consist of upcoming events such as a Ladies Brunch or Mayoral Candidate's Forum, but the most recent one was titled "Crime Threat" and this is what it said.
"The "GYPSIES" are back! If you don't know who the Gypsies are, they are a group of thieves that travel to various states in the U.S. and enter homes through unlocked doors and steal jewelry and silver and immediately FEDX the stolen goods to New York City."
Now I don't know about you but this conjures up all kinds of images for me. I immediately picture a roving band of dark haired, hippie-clothes-wearing people wondering the streets of our neighborhood in their covered wagon peddling herbal remedies for your ailments, reading your palm and possibly kidnapping your youngest child.
But the email goes on to say,"A woman described as having dark hair, dark complexion, with high cheek bones, wearing a jogging-type suit will enter the home and attempt to remove jewelry or silverware. If confronted by the homeowner, the suspect will say they are looking for their dog."
their dog."
This starts out with the first image that came to my mind, but I guess a modern day gypsy has traded in the flowing skirts, tops, and headscarf for a jogging suit. Even gypsies have to get with the times.
These gypsies apparently think that my neighborhood is comprised of fools. To tell someone who has just cornered them in their home that they are looking for a lost dog. How does a lost dog get inside your home? And what about all those jewels and silverware that resembles your things or the bulging bag on their shoulder. That doesn't raise suspicion?
The email ends with this note: "The Gypsies usually work in groups of two or three. A male will drive a small rental car through the neighborhood while at least one female will walk through the neighborhood casing homes."
Hmmm well I guess a covered wagon, would draw a lot more attention than a rental car. I am not that worried about us getting a visit from these bandits. We have absolutely no silverware and the only jewelry of any value is my wedding ring which is always on my finger. But I wouldn't mind getting a glimpse of these modern day Gypsies. Apparently, fortune-telling wasn't paying the bills.
"The "GYPSIES" are back! If you don't know who the Gypsies are, they are a group of thieves that travel to various states in the U.S. and enter homes through unlocked doors and steal jewelry and silver and immediately FEDX the stolen goods to New York City."
Now I don't know about you but this conjures up all kinds of images for me. I immediately picture a roving band of dark haired, hippie-clothes-wearing people wondering the streets of our neighborhood in their covered wagon peddling herbal remedies for your ailments, reading your palm and possibly kidnapping your youngest child.
But the email goes on to say,"A woman described as having dark hair, dark complexion, with high cheek bones, wearing a jogging-type suit will enter the home and attempt to remove jewelry or silverware. If confronted by the homeowner, the suspect will say they are looking for their dog."
their dog."
This starts out with the first image that came to my mind, but I guess a modern day gypsy has traded in the flowing skirts, tops, and headscarf for a jogging suit. Even gypsies have to get with the times.
These gypsies apparently think that my neighborhood is comprised of fools. To tell someone who has just cornered them in their home that they are looking for a lost dog. How does a lost dog get inside your home? And what about all those jewels and silverware that resembles your things or the bulging bag on their shoulder. That doesn't raise suspicion?
The email ends with this note: "The Gypsies usually work in groups of two or three. A male will drive a small rental car through the neighborhood while at least one female will walk through the neighborhood casing homes."
Hmmm well I guess a covered wagon, would draw a lot more attention than a rental car. I am not that worried about us getting a visit from these bandits. We have absolutely no silverware and the only jewelry of any value is my wedding ring which is always on my finger. But I wouldn't mind getting a glimpse of these modern day Gypsies. Apparently, fortune-telling wasn't paying the bills.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Paradise Found
So we are back from vacation. We had an amazing trip. Two weeks is the perfect amount of time to truly drop out of your day to day life and really let go, which is exactly what we did. The only downside to this? It has been extremely difficult to get back into my regular schedule. Hopefully next week I can actually get to work on time.
My biggest decisions to make while on vacation? What to eat and what level of SPF to put on for the day. Tough decisions, I know. For two weeks I didn't use a blow dryer, went make-up free, didn't look at a computer screen once, no TV except to watch movies, and waking up each day by my internal alarm clock. Boy you really cannot imagine how these little freedoms can change a person. I was about as laid back as my normally fired up self will ever get.
So back to the trip. The weather was sunny the entire time, even where my Mom lives which is rare. They can have weeks of rain in Volcano Village. To give you an idea of how dependant her neighborhood is on rain, none of the houses on this side of the island have city water, all their water is stored in catchment tanks that collect rainwater. This is fine for bathing and brushing your teeth but for drinking and cooking you have to buy purified water. She really does live in the jungle.
The first day there we dropped Mom off at work and then drove through the Volcano National Park. It doesn't matter how many times I visit I still am caught off guard by the sheer power of what an active volcano does to a landscape.
This is a shot of Halemaumau which legend says is Pele The Goddess of Fire's home.
This is a steam vent. These are located all over the park. This is an opening through which volcanic material is emitted. At some point it could have been lava or gases, but this one is now releasing steam. If you stand real close the warm moist air hits your face and you get an all natural facial.
The next day we packed up and headed for Kona. Kona is a city located on the south side of the island. It is much warmer and sunnier than the side my Mom lives on, so this is where you will find all the big resorts that people typically think of when they think of Hawaii. We stayed at a condo for three days that was right across the street from our favorite snorkel beach, Kahalulu Beach Park. This is a great place to see all kinds of amazing fish and sea turtles.
This is the view from the beach at sunset. What I wouldn't give to be living in one of those houses right on the ocean watching this sunset everyday.
The next day we drove to another beach that none of us had ever been to. A lot of the prime beaches on the Kona side are "owned" by the resorts. They legally cannot keep locals off the beaches, they're all public but they have lots of ways of making it difficult to get to the beaches if you are not paying ridiculous amounts of money to stay at their resort. Anaeho'omalu Beach (or as the locals call it ABay) was an exception to the rule. The Hilton actually has a nice large parking lot which makes it local friendly and it is a perfect beach.
After a few days in Kona we headed back to Mom's for a few days before heading off again. Her neighborhood is eclectic at best. There are all types of homes, big new homes with manicured lawns, B&B's, houses that look like someone may be squatting. Really anything goes. A few lots down from Mom is an old abandoned bus. This picture really does reflect that if you leave something here untended nature will claim it.
Next we headed down to Kapoho, where we rented the cutest house. I truly never wanted to leave.
The house sat with two neighboring houses on a natural warm pond. Located right across from the ocean, the pond is filled with fresh sea water. Even the depth of the pool would fluctuate based on the tides. In the morning it would be shallow, 4 to 5 feet deep, by the evening the water was lapping over the edge.
Hawaii is full of mongooses which remind me of ferrets. They are not native to the islands, but were brought over to help cut down the rat population, but someone didn't do their research. Mongooses move around in the day, rats at night so now the islands are overrun with both. We would sit and watch as the mongooses would walk back and forth across that bridge. Smart buggers. It really would be much longer to walk around the pond.
On Saturday Mom's girlfriends, the "tribe" as she calls them, all came down for the day. We floated around in the pond, grilled all kinds of seafood and veggies and had a fabulous time. All these women are interesting and great fun. My only regret of the trip was that I didn't take a picture of the whole group. Every night we fell asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the shore, much more relaxing than the sound of our air purifier.
We have an ongoing restaurant tradition when we visit that started when I was 20. That summer my best friend T., had come over to spend the summer with me in Hawaii. At the time Mom lived on another island Oahu in Honolulu. We flew over to the Big Island for my birthday weekend and went to the Kilauea Lodge for my 20th birthday dinner. When J. and I were visiting in 2004 we celebrated my 30th birthday dinner their as well. This trip we treated Mom to a belated Mothers Day dinner. It is the best restaurant on the island, hands down. And I do hope by some stroke of luck we will be able to ring in my 40th birthday their as well.
Needless to say, I have had a hard time being back home. Nashville has lost a bit of her luster for me, but I am sure at some point she will win me back over. I did get a walk in at Radnor Lake earlier this week which is one of my favorite places to hike. As thick and green as it was at Radnor I almost felt like I was back in Hawaii, but just almost.
My biggest decisions to make while on vacation? What to eat and what level of SPF to put on for the day. Tough decisions, I know. For two weeks I didn't use a blow dryer, went make-up free, didn't look at a computer screen once, no TV except to watch movies, and waking up each day by my internal alarm clock. Boy you really cannot imagine how these little freedoms can change a person. I was about as laid back as my normally fired up self will ever get.
So back to the trip. The weather was sunny the entire time, even where my Mom lives which is rare. They can have weeks of rain in Volcano Village. To give you an idea of how dependant her neighborhood is on rain, none of the houses on this side of the island have city water, all their water is stored in catchment tanks that collect rainwater. This is fine for bathing and brushing your teeth but for drinking and cooking you have to buy purified water. She really does live in the jungle.
The first day there we dropped Mom off at work and then drove through the Volcano National Park. It doesn't matter how many times I visit I still am caught off guard by the sheer power of what an active volcano does to a landscape.
This is a shot of Halemaumau which legend says is Pele The Goddess of Fire's home.
This is a steam vent. These are located all over the park. This is an opening through which volcanic material is emitted. At some point it could have been lava or gases, but this one is now releasing steam. If you stand real close the warm moist air hits your face and you get an all natural facial.
The next day we packed up and headed for Kona. Kona is a city located on the south side of the island. It is much warmer and sunnier than the side my Mom lives on, so this is where you will find all the big resorts that people typically think of when they think of Hawaii. We stayed at a condo for three days that was right across the street from our favorite snorkel beach, Kahalulu Beach Park. This is a great place to see all kinds of amazing fish and sea turtles.
This is the view from the beach at sunset. What I wouldn't give to be living in one of those houses right on the ocean watching this sunset everyday.
The next day we drove to another beach that none of us had ever been to. A lot of the prime beaches on the Kona side are "owned" by the resorts. They legally cannot keep locals off the beaches, they're all public but they have lots of ways of making it difficult to get to the beaches if you are not paying ridiculous amounts of money to stay at their resort. Anaeho'omalu Beach (or as the locals call it ABay) was an exception to the rule. The Hilton actually has a nice large parking lot which makes it local friendly and it is a perfect beach.
After a few days in Kona we headed back to Mom's for a few days before heading off again. Her neighborhood is eclectic at best. There are all types of homes, big new homes with manicured lawns, B&B's, houses that look like someone may be squatting. Really anything goes. A few lots down from Mom is an old abandoned bus. This picture really does reflect that if you leave something here untended nature will claim it.
Next we headed down to Kapoho, where we rented the cutest house. I truly never wanted to leave.
The house sat with two neighboring houses on a natural warm pond. Located right across from the ocean, the pond is filled with fresh sea water. Even the depth of the pool would fluctuate based on the tides. In the morning it would be shallow, 4 to 5 feet deep, by the evening the water was lapping over the edge.
Hawaii is full of mongooses which remind me of ferrets. They are not native to the islands, but were brought over to help cut down the rat population, but someone didn't do their research. Mongooses move around in the day, rats at night so now the islands are overrun with both. We would sit and watch as the mongooses would walk back and forth across that bridge. Smart buggers. It really would be much longer to walk around the pond.
On Saturday Mom's girlfriends, the "tribe" as she calls them, all came down for the day. We floated around in the pond, grilled all kinds of seafood and veggies and had a fabulous time. All these women are interesting and great fun. My only regret of the trip was that I didn't take a picture of the whole group. Every night we fell asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the shore, much more relaxing than the sound of our air purifier.
We have an ongoing restaurant tradition when we visit that started when I was 20. That summer my best friend T., had come over to spend the summer with me in Hawaii. At the time Mom lived on another island Oahu in Honolulu. We flew over to the Big Island for my birthday weekend and went to the Kilauea Lodge for my 20th birthday dinner. When J. and I were visiting in 2004 we celebrated my 30th birthday dinner their as well. This trip we treated Mom to a belated Mothers Day dinner. It is the best restaurant on the island, hands down. And I do hope by some stroke of luck we will be able to ring in my 40th birthday their as well.
Needless to say, I have had a hard time being back home. Nashville has lost a bit of her luster for me, but I am sure at some point she will win me back over. I did get a walk in at Radnor Lake earlier this week which is one of my favorite places to hike. As thick and green as it was at Radnor I almost felt like I was back in Hawaii, but just almost.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Hawaiian Heart Ache
Oh vacations... They have always been a complete necessity in order to keep my head in a good place. A break from the day-to-day monotony is usually just what I need to jump back in to the routine of life renewed and inspired, but Hawaii has always been different than other vacations.
I was 19 the first time I went to Hawaii to see the place my Mom now called home. The first impression I had when I stepped off the plane was how different the air felt and this is still something I notice today. The air is warm, clean, and playful and smells like honeysuckle. You breathe it in and immediately slow down.
I have been going to Hawaii for many years now and I am still overwhelmed by the beauty of the island. Mother Nature rules with a mostly gentle but firm hand, and no matter how many times I visit I know I will never see everything.
The difference with Hawaii versus other vacations? Towards the end of most trips I am looking forward to being back home. I miss sleeping in our bed, petting the kitties, and the overall rhythm of our house. But no matter how long I stay in Hawaii the time always seems to go by too quickly. I start to feel anxious days before we have to leave, like I hadn't taken the time to fully absorb it all and I try my best to take in every detail. A large part of this feeling is a visit to Hawaii is more importantly time with my Mom and because this is few and far between I hold on tight.
Lying back in our bed tonight I feel out of sorts. While at Mom's I had gotten used to hearing the ferns blowing in the breeze and unknown night sounds. I know in the morning when I wake up, I won't feel the cool air and burrow down in the covers closer to J. I won't see the dancing shadows the lace curtains make on the bedspread. I won't look out the window and see the green of the jungle pressing in.
While I am in Hawaii I start to miss the things that are right in front of me. Each trip I leave a little piece of myself behind. If you held me up to the sun you would be able to see a stream of light shining through. This reminds me of something I read. In the past Native Americans would bury the umbilical cord when a child was born. This was done to ensure that the child would always be connected to its' birthplace. There are many ways to attach ourselves to a place, by leaving a bit of ourselves behind we can always feel it pulling us back.
*Stories and pictures from our trip to come.
I was 19 the first time I went to Hawaii to see the place my Mom now called home. The first impression I had when I stepped off the plane was how different the air felt and this is still something I notice today. The air is warm, clean, and playful and smells like honeysuckle. You breathe it in and immediately slow down.
I have been going to Hawaii for many years now and I am still overwhelmed by the beauty of the island. Mother Nature rules with a mostly gentle but firm hand, and no matter how many times I visit I know I will never see everything.
The difference with Hawaii versus other vacations? Towards the end of most trips I am looking forward to being back home. I miss sleeping in our bed, petting the kitties, and the overall rhythm of our house. But no matter how long I stay in Hawaii the time always seems to go by too quickly. I start to feel anxious days before we have to leave, like I hadn't taken the time to fully absorb it all and I try my best to take in every detail. A large part of this feeling is a visit to Hawaii is more importantly time with my Mom and because this is few and far between I hold on tight.
Lying back in our bed tonight I feel out of sorts. While at Mom's I had gotten used to hearing the ferns blowing in the breeze and unknown night sounds. I know in the morning when I wake up, I won't feel the cool air and burrow down in the covers closer to J. I won't see the dancing shadows the lace curtains make on the bedspread. I won't look out the window and see the green of the jungle pressing in.
While I am in Hawaii I start to miss the things that are right in front of me. Each trip I leave a little piece of myself behind. If you held me up to the sun you would be able to see a stream of light shining through. This reminds me of something I read. In the past Native Americans would bury the umbilical cord when a child was born. This was done to ensure that the child would always be connected to its' birthplace. There are many ways to attach ourselves to a place, by leaving a bit of ourselves behind we can always feel it pulling us back.
*Stories and pictures from our trip to come.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Yea It's Thursday
Today is day 5 of ditch digging at our house and J just finished the job. It really is impressive what one man with a few basic tools can accomplish. The problem? J says that the ditch is actually one of the easier jobs in this whole process and that the hard part is still to come. Yikes.
Earth Day
This Sunday is Earth Day. We will be in Alabama visiting family and friends, but if we were in town we would head to Centennial Park for the Nashville Earth Day Festival. As anyone who isn't living under a rock or in total denial knows, the Earth at this point needs all the help from us she can get. Instead of celebrating Earth Day once a year we should all commit to do little things everyday to make the future a little brighter for the next generation. One of my New Years resolutions that I have actually kept is carrying cloth bags to the grocery. What motivated me to do this was the April issue of Real Simple magazine which said "in an average year U.S. households use about 100 billion plastic bags, 99 percent of which are never recycled. Plastic grocery sacks take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down." I admit that the first time I handed the bagger my cloth bags and they looked at me like some crazy tree hugging hippie my neck got red and splotchy, my bodily response to being embarrassed, but honestly I refuse to go through life worried about what total strangers think of me. Plus I actually feel good when I leave and my cart is full of cloth bags instead of all that plastic.
Beauty Tip
So I recently stumbled onto a great beauty find. MAC eye liner is the first eye liner I have ever used that actually stays on all day and doesn't run down my face. The one I chose is MAC Techknakohl which I admit is a bit pricier than the Cover Girl that I used before, but sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Earth Day
This Sunday is Earth Day. We will be in Alabama visiting family and friends, but if we were in town we would head to Centennial Park for the Nashville Earth Day Festival. As anyone who isn't living under a rock or in total denial knows, the Earth at this point needs all the help from us she can get. Instead of celebrating Earth Day once a year we should all commit to do little things everyday to make the future a little brighter for the next generation. One of my New Years resolutions that I have actually kept is carrying cloth bags to the grocery. What motivated me to do this was the April issue of Real Simple magazine which said "in an average year U.S. households use about 100 billion plastic bags, 99 percent of which are never recycled. Plastic grocery sacks take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down." I admit that the first time I handed the bagger my cloth bags and they looked at me like some crazy tree hugging hippie my neck got red and splotchy, my bodily response to being embarrassed, but honestly I refuse to go through life worried about what total strangers think of me. Plus I actually feel good when I leave and my cart is full of cloth bags instead of all that plastic.
Beauty Tip
So I recently stumbled onto a great beauty find. MAC eye liner is the first eye liner I have ever used that actually stays on all day and doesn't run down my face. The one I chose is MAC Techknakohl which I admit is a bit pricier than the Cover Girl that I used before, but sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
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