For the first time in almost 35 years I won't be doing Thanksgiving dinner for my Family and Friends!! Whoa! My oldest son Corey who lives in California and his family invited me to go to Hawaii again this year....GO ME!!! Given a variety of scheduling factors on Corey's end, the only time he could get off/get booked for the trip is the week before Thanksgiving, and thru to Thanksgiving eve. We don't get fly in to LAX till very late Wednesday evening, and rather than me just hopping a connecting flight back to Nashville, I'll be staying on with them for an extra couple days and traveling back Saturday. Typically they go to his Mother-in-Law's house for Thanksgiving because she always does a huge family celebration, and his wife Mai usually does a bunch of cooking for that, though this year there just won't be time for her to do everything she normally does, so it will be a bit scaled down on her end. Too, Corey may well end up being back at work for some of that time....he's a firefighter/paramedic...he's been trying to finesse his schedule at the firehouse to get a couple extra days off once they get home. That's still a work in progress. Anyway, this is all going to be very different for me! Paige my sweet daughter has graciously agreed to do dinner in my absence, though the plan is for it to be very much a pot luck thing so it's not all on her. I just got done sending out a kinfolk email to everyone alerting them to the change. We're going to Kauai this year. He got a really good deal on accommodations. He's already booked several adventures.......zip lining, tubing, hiking, snorkeling, etc....I'm so excited already!!!
Have a wonderful time, even if that does mean sitting in a metal tube soaring through the air for 5+ hours
Yeah.....that. I just try to suck it up and deal with the flying part....I am not a fan. Here's a link to the place Corey booked us for some of the adventures. Zip lining, Tubing, some hiking (which I believe ends up at a gorgeous waterfall and swimming place...or maybe the tubing does...whatever. ) http://kauaibackcountry.com
My parents went to Hawaii in 1969 for their 25th anniversary, my Mom was not a happy flyer but they served never-ending Mai Tais on the flight there and back. Dark Rum, Amber Rum and Cointreau....worked wonders for her.
Beginning the runway prep for my trip. Normally I just take a carry-on, which is all the luggage I actually have, but I'll need more than that for this trip...taking everything into account I'll be away almost two weeks. Several clients have offered the loan of their luggage, and it's gorgeous, and expensive.....and HEAVY! There's a $25 fee for a checked bag, but that's only if it's under 50 lbs. I don't want to waste 10 - 15 pounds of that allowance on luggage. Found a clearance suitcase that also happens to be one of the lightest ones made...4.7 pounds yay! I wanted a laptop backpack too, to use as my carryon. Ed found me a perfect one at Costco, and bought it for me. Now I'm thinking through all my various electronics and the charging accessories for my various devices. I already have a double plug charging brick and the cords for them, so I can charge my iPhone and iPad at the same time. Computer has its own charger, and I have an extra, so I can take that too. Won't take my big purse....it's vacation time so no need to lug everything around with me!!! I have a small, colorful cross body Le Sac bag that will be perfect....hands free, several pockets, more than enough to carry money, sunglasses, phone, chapstick (did I miss anything?) which is all I'll need as we do our fun stuff. Want to get an extra heavy duty protection case for my iPad. Need to search amazon for a deal. Have plenty of summer clothes...November weather in Kauai will be in the high 70's-low 80's. Ahhhhhhh. Did I miss anything?
Ronni, get an Otterbox for your iPad, they are super strong, pretty much unbreakable and yet lightweight and easy to open for use.
Great minds toni, great minds! Already have one Guys, I'm leaving in 4 DAYS!!!! This will be me next week....toes in the sand, drink in my hand....HEAVEN!
You're going to have a fantastic time Ronni doing all the things you love so much. Just think of me once in a while when you're soaking up the sun. It's into minus figures here and the car is covered in frost every morning. Am I a little envious of you - well of course I am. Have a safe and great time and I'll look forward to hearing all about your adventures when you get back.
Getting REALLY EXCITED!!!! Going to finish up work tomorrow (I'll try really hard to get off a bit early) then come home and finish packing, and then head to Ed's to spend the night there....he's going to drive me to the airport, and as we're going to have to leave his house at around 4.30 a.m. it makes much more sense to leave from there, and he lives much closer to their airport too. Plus even though I live in a lovely neighborhood, I feel better leaving my car there, tucked away down his driveway, than I do here, leaving it on the street in front of the house which is where I normally park it. And he's going to get my tires rotated and balanced while I'm gone so it makes it easier if my car's at his house for that. It will be a long day for me Wednesday. I fly from Nashville to LA, and my connecting flight to Hawaii is the same flight that my California family will be on, so we'll meet up at the airport. Flight time Nashville to LAX is almost 5 hours, then from LAX to Kauai is a bit over 6. I'll leave Nashville at 6.30 am Nashville time, and arrive in Kauai 1.45 pm, after over 11 hours in the air! Gotta love time travel!!
It's 3.30 a.m. If there were any other way to start this trip, believe me I'd so be there. I've hardly slept (too excited) and I'm in that zone I get into before a trip where I keep having these little mini panic attacks about whether or not I forgot to pack this or that, or will I get through security without a glitch, or one of a thousand other things that hit me randomly and make me worry. Plus Ed is being Mr. ( or is that Miss?) Chatty Kathy this morning and he just needs to shut up. He's acknowledged that he's doing it, and has commented that he can't seem to stop. I told him he needs to try. He attempted to wither me with a look, but it didn't work. Then we both burst out laughing. Now I'm back to being grumpy, tired, and mini-panicky. I just need to get on the plane! <yawn>
I think the excitement had got to Ed as well as you Ronni. Men seem to chatter a lot when they're nervous ( well mine does anyway) whereas women feel they have to make sure that everything is organised and in place. Once your on that plane I'm sure you'll both get back to normal and your nerves will calm down. I hope you both manage to get some sleep so that you're ready for the adventures ahead.
