Back to normal!

Every month brings more normalcy to my life- all thanks to living in a First World country that is hoarded vaccines, and an island of folks willing to listen to science and sacrificing for the greater good. Our island is about 40% immunized against COVID, and although that number could be vastly improved, it does include nearly every single friend/family member/coworker that I socialize with. So I feel immense gratitude and a sense of relief.

Because things have improved so very quickly (I will give Operation Warp Speed credit, as this happened far sooner than I ever would have hoped), we have been able to do a few things we haven't been able to do in awhile, such as:

• Travel 
• I didn't go far or long, but I spent five days on the island of Kaua'i for work. It was all work and no play, but I did manage to go on a series of early AM walks nearly every day. Kauai's beauty will stun and amaze...
• We also made our first two trips to Hilo (the other side of the island), and I got to hit up my beloved TJ Max a few times...nothing exciting...unless YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY and need flower pots and TJ Max has cute ones that don't cost a limb.
• We booked air tickets to CA in July. Nothing exciting planned, all reunions with friends and family we haven't seen in far too long.
• Gym workouts
•  I have finally launched an initiative to shed my Quarantine Fifteen, which I sadly learned was more accurately the Quarantine Twenty when I stepped on the scale. I've been hitting up weekly Spin and Crossfit classes with and without friends to jump start the effort, and although I haven't shed a pound, and am in pain a lot, I already feel better about my overall conditioning, strength, flexibility, etc. All good stuff.
• See friends more 
• Work prevents me from doing much outside of work and family life, but going to these classes means I get to see all kinds of friends I have missed seeing regularly- Ragni, Leeanne, Vicky, Tonya and Yuri...and even a dad friend, Eoin.
•  Get medical attention 
• I've avoided the clinic, but recently I decided to move myself up the priority list, and had my plantar fasciitis assessed, as well as my blurred vision (dry eye). I got some solid advice, and things are slowly improving.
• Celebrations 
• Ryan turned 13! He had a small sleepover with a few friends from school he's been hanging with throughout the pandemic...
• We celebrated Mothers Day, Boys Day and Girls Day...not to mention my brother Joey's birthday and our anniversary.
• We opened a fifth waterfront restaurant for work...stunning views and cool vibes.
• I got a newish car. Have I mentioned that? An HRV. Not new, and shipped over from Oahu months ago, but it took FOUR months to get it painted, so only in this month of May, does it look pretty cool! There was nothing wrong with my Civic other than it was a rushed purchase after my Prius...and it wasn't exciting enough for me. I've always wanted a car higher up off the ground, and I missed the hatchback/leather seats of my Prius...so I have those back!

Post-optometric exam, when dilated eyes necessitate needing these bad boy shades given to me by the nurse that cling to your face! Sexy as hell. I felt the envious eyes of other drivers upon me.

Hanging with a few of my crew at one of our work restaurants!

The spring crops have dwindled down to a few oranges and cherry tomatoes. 

Kauai from the beachfront of my hotel and my work restaurant

On an 8-mile waterfront walk with a former college teammate I hadn't seen in 24 years! She showed me that this was where the ships would come to pick up the pineapples from the plantations.

A waterway (Kauai is one of the rainiest spots on Earth) spilling into the sea

The sleeping giant!

The hotel our restaurant is at...vintage old Hawaii meets Palm Springs?

Flying over Waikiki on the way back home from Kauai

The niece had her first hula performance, and her sissy was there to cheer her on! (I got to watch it virtually from Kauai.)

That is the grin of one satisfied kid. He saved his money for months, and made the decision to spend about 1/2 of it, and invest the rest in direct stocks (a first for him).

On the note of firsts for my newly minted teen, Ryan also went to his first spin class (at my behest, but he said he didn't hate it and would return)! My plantar fasciitis continues to need a break, so he's hitting up different workouts with me.

These two wild ones came over for Mothers Day dinner and Aunty Jolene had some crafts ready to go!

I cannot lie, I bought my own gift for Mothers Day- a foot massager from Costco.com. Hoping it helps expedite relief/healing of my PF!

Ryan's 13th birthday lunch at Lava Lava Beach Club

Does duck-feeding ever get old? I think not.

I don't think Monopoly gets old either!

Now that Ryan has just wrapped up school, I'm working on his summer schedule...which looks like a whole lot of reading, Khan Academy math, chores, activities and friends since we are NOT going to let him sit around and hop on tech. He'll add Spin and Crossfit to his karate/run/taiko/volleyball repertoire, and we hope that will keep him mentally and physically engaged.

I'm barely keeping my head above water these days- work is always demanding, as is having a son with not much to do, and a spouse in a play. But all else is good, and I think we're inching close to selling off our last property so that we can turn our focus toward our long delayed tiny house!