INVASION OF THE PRAYING MANTIS

John and Lindee arrived last night, in time for a glass of wine and then we hit the hay.

They, of course, we up earlier than me (ooooops ... 8:30 today!) and the coffee was ready.  As we were sitting on the back lanai, Lindee felt like something was crawling on her ... ANTS!  A billion little ANTS!  Everywhere.  John looked closer and proclaimed they were baby praying mantis!

There must have been 500 hundred of them.  They were not quite 1/2 inch long and were exact miniature replicas, in brown.  I was prepared to spray and eradicate ... until our friendly geckos stepped.  I'm not sure how they signal each other but while a few may have gotten away, it was home town buffet time for them!

SPEED DATING

My newlywed friends got such a quick tour of my Maui.  But I think they got enough to know they want to come back for more.

They landed at 7:30 Friday night and we went to Da Kitchen for dinner.  By the time we got to my house, we were all pretty tired.  We had a drink and hit the hay (they are from Florida so five hour time change).  

Saturday they were up and going at 5:00 am, so the coffee was ready when I showed my sleepy head at 8:00 am.  They had their second breakfast, showered and off we went to see some great beaches.  It was a grey and windy Saturday so the good news was, tons of parking at the famous beaches! We started at Makena Cove aka Secret Beach.  Very tiny hard to find place that hosts a wedding almost every day.

Big Beach, Wailea Beach, (then a walk about the hotel Grand Wailea to see how the other half lives), Ulua Beach and finally Keawakapu Beach (my favorite for lounging).  The most interesting thing I learned was that neither of them swim!  (Yet)

The weather was looking worse so we decided to have lunch at the Coconut Cafe ... with the best fish tacos on the island for five years in a row.  They concur.

We ended up on the back lanai sharing dessert and coffee.  When the torrential tropical rains started!  It rained so hard we couldn't even see three feet away.  SIDEWAYS!  We did the only thing we could.  Took naps.

Valentine's Day dinner reservations weren't until 8:45.  I invited my new friend/neighbor/widow, Julie, to be my date.  It was a fabulous meal and a great time!

Sunday morning we started late (9:00 am) and had a huge shared breakfast at the Kihei Caffe.  Their flight back to Kona was at 3:00 pm but I decided to show them a bit of the other side of the island.  Iao Valley and Hookipa Beach where the big waves and fabulous surfers.  The waves were stupendous but the storm caused too much foam, so there were no surfers.

I checked the time and WHOOPS!  We should have left 15 minutes ago.  And then a traffic jam!  But someone was on our side I dropped them off only 5 minutes later than planned.

All in all, I really loved being a tour guide.  It's challenging when people don't really have an idea of what they would like to see.  Both sets of guests had such a short visit yet I think everyone enjoyed what they did get to see and do.

In an hour, I pick up John and Lindee.  They are old hats with many trips to Maui under their belts ... so this will be a breeze!

I really do love this island.

THE REAL RULES OF GRIEF

Most of the widows I know understand that grief is forever.  Maybe the overwhelming days are further apart, but we still experience them.  Kind of like a hole in the wall ... eventually you spackle, smooth and paint ... but you can still see and feel what had happened there.  And remember.  You always remember.

I saw this on a Facebook page and it really just sums it all up.  For me.  Today.  It never goes away.  I don't know how the spouse feels when they marry someone who lost a spouse.  Knowing their new spouse will always love another person.  Nothing they can do about it.  Nothing to be jealous of.  But "it" will always be there.  

Not sure I could ever love anyone else because I know how much I will always love Mr. Ralph.  At this point in my life, I couldn't love anyone who lost their love ... something would just be missing.

FRIDAY the 13th

Fortunately, I am not superstitious (much).  We have a Kona storm here and I have guests arriving tonight.  It's hard to show off our 81 beaches in the rain ....

Sorry I missed a few days of blogging ... been trying to learn how to work on a website and having a conference call meeting with my Village People in Portland (ha ha).  There is so much to be done.  I put at least 30 hours a week into this and all five of us on the Leadership Committee are feeling pretty used up.  We need to find a way to have more people take charge of something!  Lots of people want their name on the "list" but that's about all they do.  Receive and probably don't even read a monthly email.

Two Villages in the Portland area are opening towards the end of the year.  I'm going to attend their planning meetings when I am in town.  We have had some leadership turnaround at the Hub level so things are just bogged down.

Want to help me feel better?  Please "like" the Three Rivers Village Facebook page!  My goal is to have 100 likes before the March meeting!

ALWAYS TALK TO STRANGERS

Just the opposite of what our Moms told us.  

I found an article online at The Atlantic about the benefits of knowing your neighbors.  Social connection at the neighborhood level has long been known to be associated with good mental health, and some aspects of physical health. But this is the first study to look specifically at neighborhood social cohesion and heart attacks, which hit more than 700,000 Americans every year and cost everyone billions of dollars.

In my experience, it benefits me to know my neighbors.  If I have a problem or an issue with something they have done, it is easier to start a conversation rather than have a confrontation. I would let everyone know if we were entertaining so they would be forewarned about lots of cars. Mr. Ralph taught me to use the "sandwich" approach when delivering bad news.  Say something nice, bring up the issue, and end with something nice.

Also, some day you just might need a favor.  If you have a friendly relationship with someone, it's easier to call and ask for help.  Borrow an egg or a cup of flour?  Have a special kitchen item to lend so I don't have to buy it to use just once?  

No need to be best friends with everyone.  If you don't want to.  But friendly neighbors are important ... emotionally and now physically!

BABY BOOMERS - WE'RE JUST THAT COOL

Isn't this pretty amazing?  We are a force to be reckoned with.  Our numbers are growing.  By 2050, 83.7 million Americans will be 65 or older, compared with 43.1 million in 2012, the report said. Fewer than 10 percent were older than 65 in 1970.

By the time we reach this 65+ status, we have the wisdom of our age and the strength of our numbers.  This is SO much we can accomplish.

Each of us should have a passion for something.  Reading to children, rocking babies, volunteering in our community, running for City Council, whatever!  Giving back to our local neighborhood.

I was really lucky to be able to volunteer at an earlier age.  Working with Kate's teachers and classmates, at our Adult Community Center (organizing volunteers),  on the Board of our Meals on Wheels.  Now I have the Village movement.  And the grandchildren. My perfect combination of young and old.  Our past and our future.  Yep, I've slowed down a bit.  But loving it just the same!

What things do you do?

SNORKEL, BEACH and UMBRELLA DRINKS

This will be short and sweet.

Sue ended up not landing until 11:30 pm ... and we had to get up at 6:00 am to drive an hour to go on a snorkel trip to Lanai.  No complaints here!  FOR FREE because she knows someone who knows someone.  I've only been to Lanai once 
on an all day sailing trip and it was fabulous!

Actually, we then stayed up until 2:00am!  Gabbing away!

Hulopoe Beach is in front of the chi chi Manele Bay Hotel (I think Bill Gates got married there ...) and is a protected marine preserve.  It is the most amazing snorkeling I've ever done (very limited, I might add!)  Maybe it's even an underwater National Park, I can't remember.

We saw the most whales for longest time being the most active I have ever witnessed!  Maui was just being awesome Saturday!

When we returned to Lahaina Town, we did some browsing then drove to another amazing snorkel spot, Honolua Bay.  It's about a 1/2 mile HIKE down to the water, which I cannot do, so we just watched.  I've had friends who looked up to find themselves surrounded by dolphins!  On the day they rented video snorkel mask so it was captured on film!  Awesome!

We drove the 45 minutes back to my little town and enjoyed the sunset ... and a drink with a little umbrella ...