Dreaming of warmer weather

(This post was written yesterday - but then Popeye closed down the computer before I had a chance to finish it. So pretend like it's yesterday while you're reading it, okay?)

This afternoon after going over to Alison's house for our card group, she made the comment that I haven't posted in awhile. While I have the excuse that I was in Denver for the long weekend, she is right. Who wants to look at my G-rating everyday? So I thought that I'd post a little something.

I read in my journal jar a question that I am now posing to you. If you could live anywhere, where would you live? Me? Easy. I'd go to Hawaii. Yes, the cost of living is outrageous. Yes, there are cockroaches the size of soapboxes. (Seriously, there are.) But oh, it is sooo warm. Even in the winter months.

Today it is really cold outside. In fact, it's really cold inside, too!

I don't do too well with cold weather. My fingers get stiff & it's hard to type. (face it, I spend too much time on the computer). I don't own too many warm tops, which I should know better than that, because really - I live in a cold climate!

There are many a day - this one specifically - that I sit and dream about the time I spent at BYU-Hawaii. (I know, I'm so cool.) I remember cutting class to sleep in because I promised my mom I would never cut class to go to the beach. Instead I slept so that I could hang out at the beach until all hours of the morning. Yes, I was that kind of girl, bending the rules instead of breaking them. I miss the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves pounding on the sand. I miss jogging the 3 miles up the beach in the evening & walking back while watching the moon rise over the ocean. The moon was such a brilliant silver - it was breath taking. There was a house that was called the hammock house, well, because it had hammocks everywhere. We would go there for "parties". We'd build bon fires on the beach & eat lots of food. We would take the bus around the island to "town" (AKA Honolulu/Waikiki). Sometimes we'd hitch hike up to the north shore (Waiamea bay/Sunset beach)and spend the day there body surfing and soaking up the sun. And on days where the beach wasn't beckoning as much, we'd take the bus to the stop for Sacred Falls & hike up to the falls and go swimming and cliff diving.

I have to admit. While I used to be adventurous in my youth, most of the time I enjoyed sun bathing instead of the activities of cliff diving or boogie boarding. I had a wicked tan when I went home for Christmas.

It's days like today that make me reminisce about the one semester that I spent in Paradise. Popeye and I honeymooned on Maui & it was just as beautiful as Oahu. Oh, how my heart longs for year-round warmth. There was a time not too long ago when Honolulu PD was hiring. Boy, we were tempted to go. And we almost did. Can you imagine it? My munchkins would be learning hula & surfing instead of soccer and basketball. They'd be barefoot & carefree. And I'd be right alongside them!

But alas, I live in Nebraska, where, while I was cleaning a house today I looked out at the thermometer & it was registered at 20 degrees. And now I must go hang up the winter coats & put away the gloves that are strewn about on the floor (seriously, kids - there's a basket right. There.)

Here's to dreaming of warmer climates & less clothing.