From Grass Skirts to Grass burrs

Oh my.......I could live in Hawaii! What an awesome trip. Ooops..did I tell you I was going to Hawaii with a group of girls from college? I am not a fan of flying, but with Nita (whose husband is a pilot) sitting in the seat beside me reminding me that all the noises and bumps were normal, I survived. Well, the "calm tabs" helped some along with lots of prayers. After about an hour in the plane, I was fine. Didn't bother me at all! I even went to the restroom on the plane....3 times and didn't get flushed down!
Our hotel was on Waikiki Beach and we had a 3rd floor room with a glimpse of the ocean. The beach was beautiful. If you ask me to tell you my favorite part of the trip it would have to be the fact that it was a success! Six women who are totally different survived a week together with not a rough moment. Well, none that I know of! It was just great to get away. Great to see places I had only dreamed of seeing. Great to swim with fish and turtles. Great to meet people that God placed in our paths for the whole week. Yes I have a tan! So...here is the list of things other than the "Must See History" to do in Hawaii.

1. Rent an umbrella on the beach and stay the whole day. Order a drink at the bar then come back to the umbrella. No liquor on the beach!
2. Have a massage on the beach! Lizards included for free.
3. Meet the "locals". They know the best way to get somewhere, the best places to eat, and the best things to do.
4. Eat shrimp out of the shrimp trucks on the North Shore. Oh my stars!!!!
5. Eat a REAL Hawaiian snow cone. It includes vanilla ice cream! Oh my stars!!! Glad #4 and #5 were only available on the North Shore. You can eat at the ABC store and save money!
6. Rent a car for the most of the time. BUT....experience the transit system at least once. I can tell you all about a lady's kitchen including the location of her microwave, and what she and "Bob" are doing for the next few weeks. Whoever "Bob" is.
7. Do the Polynesian Culture Center! It was great, and I wish that we would have been there longer.
8. Eat fresh fruit until you become one. I ate the fresh coconut like it was candy. I even bought a coconut at a roadside stand. They "shucked" it, popped a hole in it, and then drank the juice...not the milk. Milk is totally different.
9. Go on an outrigger boat! I originally planned to try surfing, but never saw anyone over the age of 30 take a lesson so we did the outrigger boat. It is the closest to surfing I got. What a thrill.
10. Don't let money be a problem for one week in your life! It was worth every penny I bought. We were there during the monthly arts festival. The majority of my souvenirs were made by the locals.

The worst part? Having to come home after being in charge of no one but me! I was Queen of my life for a week. And so........I left the grass skirts to come hoe up grass burrs. In Hawaii I would close my eyes and see the ocean. Now I close my eyes and see clumps of grass burs. We own slippers at my house. The rule is "Take your shoes off at the door". I am living in the new house (with its little quirks), but have tons (did I say tons!) of stuff (you know that is the nice word for all I have accumulated over the years) to sort through and pack.

All in all................great summer. Fast summer.....busy summer........expensive summer...but a terrific summer. Back to work daily so that I can hoe grass burrs at night.