Happy Days

There are no words to describe my feelings for today. 

I am happy.  HAPPY.

There are a million self help books out there.  There are millions of counselors out there.  We hear things all the time about "being true to ourselves" - make things better, live, breathe, feel, blah, blah blah... ;-)  Okay, maybe not "blah, blah, blah" more like "yadda, yadda, yadda".  On and on and on.

What you really need is:  do something that makes you happy.  HAPPY.  Not powerful, not fun, not thrilling - HAPPY.  When is he last time you did something that made you happy?  I think we equate the thought "if you aren't happy, you are unhappy."  I think, it's "you are okay - then you are happy or not happy" 

Today, I am happy.  It was Nolan's 13th birthday.  And, I'm not an UNHAPPY person.  I'm not sad.  Yes, I have bad days, we all do.  I don't usually stay sad.  Truly, I'm a simple girl with simple wants and needs.   I want to be happy.

That's the really funny thing.  I'm always happy.  BUT, today, I was HAPPY.  Today, there, well, became here.  Duncan (my oldest son) arrived last night. Lily has spent the last three nights with us.  Duncan popped right up on the paddle board. 

I ACTUALLY WAS UP ON THE PADDLE BOARD FOR 10 or so minutes (more on that later) - AND I DIDN'T HURT MYSELF (or anyone else for that matter).  I look heavier in the pictures than I wish I looked, but I'm on the board - AND I HAVE A PICTURE.

That's not what made me happy.  I was happy before we got to the beach.

I woke up with my sons here.  My summer daughter here too.  There were puppies up the street at the "mean dog" house.  There were fresh Lycees waiting for me around the corner from the neighbor.  There was chaos in this house and no drama.  Chaos - the where are the pancakes?  When are we going to the beach?  The I haven't brushed my hair in two weeks.  Boxers shorts on the back lanai - because why would we go inside to change? Oh, and mom, I forgot, can we go back and get my shoes, I forgot those too. There was love and contentment.  

Nolan and I were in the truck to take Lily home this morning (she sleeps in the room next to mine)  and I said "I haven't been this happy in a long time".  He replied, "I didn't know you were unhappy".  "I wasn't unhappy.  I'm just that much more happier today."  Right now.  This second. 

Here in the real world..........

(Yes, I know - it should be just "much happier", but the radio station in Kona all the time says "we are going to make your day "more better".  If I can be "more better", I can be "more happier).......

Stowaway's

This might be one of my favorite stories EVER.  That says a lot.

Yesterday - July 1.  My day of new beginnings.

Nolan, Lily and I take to kayak's to an area called Captain Cook.  (Lily is my summer daughter - more on that later).  You have to "drop in the kayak" about a 30 minute kayak ride south of Captain Cook.  You pay the nice guy (Rufus) to help drop you in the water and help you back out.  (Worth every penny of the $10).

Favorite moment of the day #1:  I say to Rufus - you've been working here a long time right?  Yeah.  You had to swim out and rescue me last year when my boat had a hole in it.  Oh, that's right - you haven't been here in a while.  Then he proceeds to tell everyone how he rescued me last year (see the First Ocean Water rescue blog to read the story).  Pretty funny.

We set off - Nolan and I are in the double kayak, Lily in the single.  (They were fighting over who got the single).

We get to the Captain Cook statue (he "founded" the island) - they later ate him.  Yes, roasted - as in Cooked!  ;-)

We tie up the kayaks, we snorkel, we get out at the statue, we snorkel some more.  We are sitting watching the tourists boats.  Lily remarks, Oh, the Fairwinds, we did that last year.  You know what?  We should just go over and get on the boat.  (I promise you this was NOT my idea).  We laugh, we come up with funny stories about what we would say, on and on.  Finally, Lily says "we should do this - they are cooking hamburgers, I'm hungry".  So, I say, "Ok, let's go".  The look on their faces was priceless.  Really??? Nolan:  "Mom, are you serious?".  Sure, let's go.

We swim over to the boat, we climb up the ladder.  We are trying so hard not to just giggle.  The kids go off the boat slides, they jump off the "high deck board".  Then the food is ready.  I'm like "no, we really shouldn't".  After they opened the chips, Lily gets a cup full of chips and we standing there when one of the crew says to Lily - "you don't have to just steal a cup of chips - go get a burger".  Then he says to Nolan - aren't you hungry?  Nolan replies "no"  He says, well then take one to go.  I guess it was obvious that we hadn't been there on the whole trip.

We go get burgers, sodas.  As we are eating, the boat starts to move.  Turns out, it was a false alarm.  We ate, played a bit more.  Then we dove off the boat and snorkeled back to our kayaks, and went back to our harbor.  Yelling at the boat the whole time "Thanks for the burgers"...........

These two kids may be 13, but I'm getting to be 13, just for the summer......

It's been a year

One year ago tomorrow, I arrived in Kona for the first time.  I had no idea what to expect.  A wide open slate of opportunities and adventures to fill in my life.

In the past 12 months - I've now been in Kona for a total of 8 weeks.  2 months out of the 12.  Guess you can say we like it here.

LOVE the water.  Although I do catch myself thinking,  "it would nice to be dry for a day".  Not sure if I really mean that or not.  Because, I go to the water every day.  And I get in the water.  The whole "dry off" thing - it just a thought.  Truly, I think, if it were up to me, I wouldn't ever be dry. That's the problem, I have to dry off.

LOVE the weather.  It's perfect.  EVERY single day.  Every single day that I was here for 2 months.  Where we are living (the coffee region), it rains every afternoon and some nights.  Everything is SO LUSH.  (Of course, the Kokies and Mosquito's are bad.  Hey, it can't all be perfect in paradise.

LOVE the people.  The locals and the tourist.  LOVE the whole experience of them all.

This of course is not the real world.  Or is it?  I work.  I play.  We don't have hockey or anything "organized".  Organized is what the real world is - "lessons, schedules, etc".  Lily has swim team M,W,F - she has a bit of a schedule.  The rest of us (in this group), not so much.......

Nolan and I are wrapping up two weeks on the island.  He pointed out, this time last year, the trip was almost over.  (The boys were here 15 days, me 31).   He said it would totally stink if we were leaving on Monday (like we did last year).  I said, are you ready to go home?  "No way" not even close.  I'm not sure it's because he's been an only child for 2 weeks.   Or if it's the facts he's got a girl and doesn't want his brother to show up and for her to like him better.  Who can blame him.  There is nothing like a first crush, nothing like a first heartache.

4th of July is my FAVORITE holiday.  Absolute favorite.  It's a "no guilt" holiday.  There are no presents.  You don't have to go see anyone.  You don't have to please anyone for this holiday.  PLUS, I love fireworks.  The fireworks here are in the ocean.  A year ago, I sat on the rocks in town and watched the fireworks.

This year (I have a fiscal year - July 1 to July 1), has been a good year. I'm a very fortunate person.  I fell in love, I got my heart broke, I recovered, I had fun, lots of joy and I"M BACK IN KONA for the summer.  

I love this weekend.  Always have.  I moved to Colorado 20 years ago tomorrow.

I started in recruiting 19 years ago tomorrow.

I went into labor with Nolan 13 years ago tomorrow.

And a year ago, I set out on a journey expecting nothing.  And my, oh, my did I receive so much more......

Ramblings and firsts

Last year, I wrote a blog on "firsts" and the "firsts" we keep having on the island.  They continue - and not necessarily adventures, but both adventures and moments.

Some ramblings from this side of the world:

• It's funny how you can see yourself in pictures and not really care that is how you  REALLY look in a bikini.  For all you out there - WEAR it proud.  WEAR what/how you are comfortable. You look better than you think. I don't think I've thought that before.  Or maybe I should just cover up
• There is truly nothing like watching two kids like each other.  I'm not talking true love.  I'm not talking about forever.  I'm talking about you and me liking each other. There are no "real world" friends around.  And when you and me are 13 years old, there are no words.  There are no words when parents are around.  Yes, Nolan will talk to me.  Lily will talk to me.  Nolan and Lily will not talk to each other if anyone else is around.  To see them on the raft together, in the back of the pick up or running down the street - it's a story filled with words and laughter.
•  Nolan is SO self-consciences of his size.  It breaks my heart knowing there isn't anything I can do to help this situation.  However, his self confidence continues to inspire me.
• Our waiter at "happy hour" tonight looks all of 12 years old.  Okay, he looks older than that, but younger than Duncan (whom is 14),  He comes back to our table and says to Nolan "I hear you did the half marathon on Sunday.  How was it?".  Really.  Nolan has a conversation and Dylan (the waiter) leaves.  I wonder who told him?  How did he know?  We did ask, but the answer didn't matter. Nolan and Dylan spoke about looking young and he told him, he would like it someday.  And when Lily arrived to join us, well, I saw Dylan give Nolan "the wink".  It's fun sitting at a table with a rockstar.
• I'm not sure and I really don't want to know, but I think there was a first kiss. (last summer - it was truth or dare kiss - a spin the bottle type of kiss).  And if even there wasn't, in the history book of life, can we just give them this moment?
• I took the stitches out of the bottom of my foot today.  First time for stitches - first time to remove stitches.  
• I'm 43 years old, I thought I was slowing down on the "firsts" I have.  I just want to keep having the adventureous type...... 

And the summer is just heating up.

It's a Lion, It's a Tiger....

No, it's Mahi, It's a Marlin, It's an Ahi - NO, it's a SHARK!!!!

Holy cow batman - we caught a shark today.

Yes, a big shark - the kind you see in aquariams - the real ones.  Or on a movie.  Not off the freaking boat!!!

I met a couple back in February named Lance and Georgie.  Georgie suggested I go fishing with the guys the next day.  I did - I'm the type of person whom shows up if you invite me.  Please don't invite me if you don't mean it, I don't have a "no thank you" filter.  Especially when there is an adventure involved.

When I got back to town two weeks ago, I called Lance to let him know I was back in town.  Asked if they could meet for drinks or if he was going out fishing.

Monday he called and said they were going out today.  Nolan and I went.

There were 7 of us.  And a dog (not Dakota - our house dog) - Roxie.  She even wears a life vest.

We caught 7 "aku" (I could have this one wrong) and 1 "ahi" (a little one, with half the filet in my fridge).  We take one of the live "aku" and "live bait it".  In other words, there is a live fish on the line with a hook through it attached to the line on a big reel off the boat.  The line is then attached, to a rubber band.  When the rubber band snaps, the captain (Lance) then speeds up the boat - and SNAP, we hooked him. 

Now the next part, for me, was hysterical.  It was like a bunch of little girls on the boat.  I was up top, looking down at it all.  Lance is yelling what to do to everyone below - everyone is scrambling. 

All I could think was, "where is my beer - this a show, I'm ready to watch".  Nolan is sitting next to me and that exactly what I told him.  Hang on, here is a show.

We saw the "fish" jump up a couple times.  Each guy had a different thought on what it might be.  Whatever it might be, it was freaking heavy and fighting.

Back and forth.  Back and forth. Ahi, Marlin, Ohno,   45 minutes later everyone is still going through their rants.  Then all at once.......  The whole boat, in unison - "SHARK".

The moment it saw the boat - about 10 feet away - he was gone.  STRAIGHT down.  The line snapped and the game was over.

And as disappointing as it is not to be eating Tuna for dinner, it was WAY cool to see a 7 foot 400 pound shark on the line behind the boat. 

You know you're a local when......

• You avoid town on "Cruise Ship Wednesday"
• OR you spend as much time as you can in town that day, just to people watch
• Your son complains of all the "tourists" at the beach
• It's actually possible to schedule something around sunset - without worrying that you will miss the sunset.
•  Someone asks if you have a house here - and instead of explaining the whole crazy situation, you just say "yes"
• you say you live in Holualoa to the clerk to enter your address, you don't have to spell it for her.  (good thing, not sure I knew how to spell it)
• We actually "own" our own water sports equipment
• We are not quite so "white"
• You shower outside - or with complete strangers at the beach
• You change clothes in the parking lot - and never show any extra skin.
• You have to listen to you iPod in the car, because you know Bob Marley or some stupid love song will be on the radio otherwise
• You can give someone directions to your house - in the dark, in the rain and they make it to see you.
• Mahalo comes out instead of "thank you"

And the true test.....

• You see a Rooster in the middle of the road, you speed up......

Happiness is......

• a sunset
• a day at the beach
• laughter
• finding a piece of beach glass
• letting kids ride in the back of the truck - on the side roads, well cause it's fun.
• floating in the water
• Hula Hooping on the beach - regardless of what everyone else thinks.