Receiving all the festive holiday cards and email messages I get this time of year reminds me how grateful I am for all my family and friends. I realize it has been a year since I last wrote a web page. Although our day to day lives seem uneventful, there is much to be grateful for. We love our tiny cottage home on the ocean in Maui. Each morning, we have morning tea on the lanai together enjoying the beauty around us, visits from our little green gecko friends, and chattering birds feeding and bathing. Neil has a youtube channel displaying numerous videos of the geckos eating out of our hands and the birds in their bird bath. It is also that time of year when we are watching for whales as we sip our tea.
Geckos Lining Up to Eat From Our Hands
My mom Audrey and her husband Bill have purchased a beautiful oceanfront condo just a mile from us. It’s really a joy to have them so near. Mom and I often meet mid-way on the beach and walk together. They are here part time for now. We will be able to have Christmas together; first time in many years.
We are grateful to have Neil’s mom Jean and her husband Morley still living next door to us. I expect we will gather for the traditional tree trimming soon. We don’t have room for a tree in our small space but I did get some decorations up this year.
My travels this year were two trips to Ohio to visit my dad Bob and his wife Jane. I am grateful to say they are in fair health. Dad had the same back surgery at the end of January that Jane had last spring. He was diligent with his rehab and is doing great. When I went in February, I was lifting the 50 lbs bags of water softener salt into the truck. On my trip in September, he was keeping up with me bag for bag!
Quentin, my great-nephew, just turned 13! He is in 8th grade and continues to be outgoing. He still loves his video games. His sister Sophie was here this summer and will be back for two weeks this Christmas. We look forward to seeing them all on Christmas with their mother Vajra.
Neil’s daughter Mailea has been living on Maui for several months this year. We are grateful for the time we get to spend with her. She has a place of her own and many new friends. I’m sure many of them will be life-long friends. We are glad she is loving Maui. Neil’s daughter Ari is engaged to be married on July 5 to Eric Schultz. They are currently living in Missoula, Montana, where Ari works in Labor and Delivery at a local hospital while Eric is doing his post doctorate. Ari, raised in southern California, is learning what temperatures below 0 feel like. I’m sure her sweet dog Lyra gets Ari outside on a regular basis!
This feels like another year of technology (ok, we are techno geeks.) I moved back to a smartphone after two years with a basic phone. We both got Samsung Galaxy Note II this summer. Then after becoming familiar with that, we decided to try a tablet and got the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I was very grateful to have it in November when my desktop computer (that Neil had built me 5 years ago) died. I was able to easily keep up with email while waiting for a new laptop to be built and arrive. I was also able to start to prepare for Windows 8. Had I done the OS research before ordering the Toshiba, I might have listened to all my friends who rave about their Macs. But I do continue to do some training and felt I would need to learn the new Windows 8 environment eventually.
We continue to pray for peace on this earth and love for all. We are grateful for our simple life full of family, friends, love, and the beauty of each day and each sunset.
Sunset Time Lapse – 80 Minutes in 80 Seconds
Hi Nan,
Gee, it sounds like you’ve got it pretty rough in Maui; we’re slogging away here in Santa Barbara as well, concentrating on gratitude (and giving back) as always…
stp
Hi Nan & Neil
Thanks for the stories and both videos – nice work! Your techno geek status is proving to be quite creative. Glad you are enjoying family so close by during the holidays. Keep up the Joy!
Mele Kalikimaka
Sandy
Thanks for sharing the beautiful ocean and the warm islands! I am sitting by the fire this morning watching snow fall-skied yesterday, but today I think I will stay cozy. The cal poly group will be meeting on the central coast in slo county wine country early August. Would love to see you there! Think about it.
Hope you and loved ones have a great Christmas and please say hi for me.
Peace on earth!
Nan, thanks for sending this link to your page. Good to hear how life is treating you over your way — especially when it sounds so positive. Love the geckos — how do you rate GREEN ones?!! I don’t remember seeing those when we were living there. Cute! Hugs to you both, happy holidays with your family and friends — Dee
that smiling gecko(s) eating the mangoes are amazing…super cute.
Hi Nan,
So good to be reminded about life on Maui:-)
The plumeria aroma in the breeze, the bird calls, Mother Maui’s warm embrace 🙂
You sound so content and relaxed, I am very happy for you!
Have an exceptional Christmas with your many, many family members, how wonderful to have so many together at this time, and even being neighbors!!
Mele Kalikimaka dear Nan and Neil, you have a special place in my heart:-)
Angela
Hi Nan,
Long time, it’s nice to get your yearly xmas letters! I was over in Hilo in October your mom sent me your phone number but I never got over to Maui, that will be my next Hawaii trip and I will of course look you up. Your life with Neil and the family sounds wonderful! Hope to see you sometime soon!
Take care,
Love Brenda Le Mar
Hi Nan: I love reading your stories, and catching up. Thank you for sharing your life in a nutshell. It was good to hear from you and learning what you and Neil & family are doing. Our daughter Hoku, who live in Waianae, HI with her husband Leonard and 3 boys are moving to Ohio in June / July 2014. We are so looking forward to them being here and close. Sounds like you guys still have the warmth and beauty of the islands around you. Makes me happy and sad at the same time. Well Merry Christmas – Ahui hou! Dayna and Al