MN or Bust!

Ah...three more days and then I am on a 9 hour flight to MN for the Holidays! I haven't had any real days off since July, so this is a much needed vacation for a little rest and relaxation. It always seems as though there are a ton of things to get done at the last minute whenever I plan a trip. I need to get to the library for books to read on the plane, I need to get cash from the bank, I need to get my suitcases out of storage, I have a Dr's appt today, I need to get a mani/pedi, I need to do laundry and pack...ok, ok, I need to stop this madness before I get stressed out! :) Let's hope that by the time I get to the airport on Friday, all of these things will be done and then some! I did get my Christmas cards out this week, so I have that going for me. Well, its 4:50am and I am on a conference call for work...gotta love the four hour time difference between Hawaii and St. Louis (Corporate). Three more days, three more days...I hope to see all of you while I am home. For the rest, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tropical Storms

I am smack dab in the middle of my first tropical storm...the waves are high, the wind is blowing and the roads are covered in standing water. "When it rains, it pours" definitely came from here! I think I drove through the equivalent of 8 lakes to get to work this morning. This is similar to the flooding that happened in Napa and Marin Counties back in 2005 when I was living in Petaluma. I flew back from MN just before New Years and the freeways were shut down and completely submerged in water...sometimes snow just isn't THAT bad!

North Shore

Well, I took my first trip up to the North Shore this past Saturday and it was amazing! The waves were HUGE! I have no idea how those surfers get up the courage to brave it out there! The movies definitely have a way of making it look very easy! The Billabong Pipeline Masters and Pro Maui started yesterday...the pictures I took just doesn't do the waves justice. We got a bite to eat at one of the famous "shrimp trucks" that are along the coast. They grow their own shrimp in ponds by the ocean...crazy, but delicious! Then I had a coconut and banana smoothie to get rid of the garlic! :) Overall, it was a great weekend. I can't believe in less than two weeks I will be on a 9 hour flight home!

Just seeing if this works...here is a view from my new apartment.