THE GOOD LIFE after WIDOWHOOD

My baby sister arrived Friday evening with her Hubby, JEH.  

We have so much fun, being busy OR being relaxed.  I'm pretty sure she came knowing two important dates are this week ... my birthday and Ralph's death day.  Forever attached!  So I will be busy and not so melancholy.

They are both avid SCUBA divers (and I have never tried it) so they planned a couple of morning dives.  By morning, I mean the crack of o'dark thirty!  They have to BE AT the boat ramp by 6:00 am.  Monday's dive was rough waters.  In all honesty, the dive should have been canceled.  The Guide said the weather was only going to get worse, so Tuesday was canceled.

Tuesday turned out to be a stellar day but by 8am we were getting cold drip coffee and brioche donuts before deciding to drive the road to Hana.  You have probably heard a lot about this drive ... taking 3 hours to go fifty miles .. because it features over 600 hairpin turns and 54 ONE LANE BRIDGES.  Not to mention how many of the turns are one lane and blind corners!  

I had downloaded an app for my phone with a guide who would step-by-step help us know what was ahead so we could stop and visit if we wanted to.  It was AMAZING once I figured out how to use it.  He was great by saying "if it's 11am and you want to be home for dinner, I'd skip the next attraction because the last three are way more spectacular" and so on.  

I've only been to Hana twice.  The first time was 25 years ago and the road was barely paved.  The residents of the little towns along the way HATE having tourists because we drive the speed limit so we can take in all the natural beauty.  In fact our guide told us about some great swim holes and little towns by the ocean but suggested that we leave the residents to their peace and quiet.

Thankfully, Janet drove the ENTIRE way ... hitting a restaurant near home for dinner at 7pm.

Yes.  THEY got up for a dive this morning.  I took time to blog, answer email, look at Facebook, work on two newsletters and do some laundry.

Did I tell you I was appointed to the Maui subdivision homeowners' association?  Oh what a story this will be!