Aahhh, just back from a wonderful Hawaiian vacation.  It was difficult to say Aloha to sun, relaxation, and pool staff bringing me Lava Flows.  The trip was an absolute “10”, and not for the reasons that might first come to mind.  Yes, seven days of temps in the mid-80s was wonderful.  And our accommodations, well, let’s just say we were pampered and our every need attended to.  With food (especially desserts) being top priority in my life, it’s fair to say that Maui in no way let me down in that area either.  But with all these things being aspects that collectively contributed to a stellar vacation, none of those things were the best or most important part of our trip.  The ingredient that made our trip so wonderful was having undivided and uninterrupted time with my husband and daughter.  Since Jael left for college, it is nearly impossible to lasso the three of us into the same corral at the same time.  But away from the distractions and obligations that invade our daily lives, the time spent together over the past week was precious indeed.    We shared endless chats, some deep and philosophical discussions, planned the future, reminisced about the past, and laughed A LOT.   So, although I am usually ready to come home following a vacation, this time was different.  I wasn’t ready to share my two loves with the world again.  I would have been perfectly content to hide out on the island for a while, quite a while, longer. Continue reading →