Happy Valentine's Day all! I hope that all of you are enjoying your day of love and friendship! Remember, though, everyday should be a day that you show those you love that...you love them! But hey, its fun to know that there is a day set aside to celebrate love, right?! So enjoy it all!
Today, I woke up super early...like 5:30AM kind of early...why?! I don't even have to go to work...well, maybe that's because it's the time that I usually get up to go to work (well, at 5:45AM, I do...oh well)...so because I didn't have to go to work, I lounged up in my loft for 30 minutes before coming down and making my life productive! You wanna see what I made for myself...to tell myself that, "I LOVE YOU, SELF?!"
Oh okay, I know that it' doesn't look that appetizing...but it was...! My very own Blueberry Cobbler...oh goodness, it was definitely so
ono! I actually made two that size since it did call for a bigger batch...but I only had my tiny toaster oven to do any baking with so I split the recipe in half and back it in two separate bread pans, and hey, now two for me. Don't worry, I shared! But I got the recipe here:
Click for yumminess! And it was really so yummy!
Right after I took my yumminess out of the toaster oven, I set it on my counter to cool down...but oh my, it smelled so heavenly! And since it was super early I decided that I would go and do something that I love to do...go to the beach. It was super early so I knew that I would miss the holiday crowd...and then I remembered that they are doing this new pilot study here in Lanikai where this whole weekend starting yesterday until Monday, no one can park here in Lanikai (unless it is in your own driveway)...so that was going to make the crowds even less. So I got ready to go to the beach and off I went!
I love where I live. I love that there is all nature all over the place. I need to one day take a picture of the rain river that runs right by my house when it rains...and just outside my place there is a lot of trees and it's so peaceful and I love it!
(Sorry, it's a blurry picture!) As I left the house, I saw that it was a beautiful day already and so I wanted to take a longer walk and decided to walk to the beach access that was further from my house. I love Laniaki...it's such a nice neighborhood...and every single person that I passed by smiled and said "Good Morning"...such nice people that are here...and I am so lucky and blessed that I live here.
So, this is the beach access that is a little ways from my house...like three beach access down from where I live and it is far enough from the entrance of Lanikai that there wouldn't be that much people.
I just LOVE the sand of Lanikai...it is sooo soft and so fine! Hey, can you see my
slippa tan line?! *laughs* I think that it's a permanent tan now. *laughs*
Look at that...! The first glimpse of my beautiful Lanikai beach...and it's SO perfect. Blue skies...blue waters...and white, powdery fine sand...and check this out...
No people! But the occasional dog walker or beach stroller...but at least for now...at 7:30 in the morning the beach is all mine! I love it!
It's hard living in Hawai'i. The cost of living is ridiculous and sometimes I wonder what the hell am I doing?! But then I just come the beach...walking distance away...in a beautiful neighborhood, with beautiful people...and then I know why I do it. To some people, it might not be worth it...working three jobs, living alone, away from family...but to me, it is worth it. I don't know for how long I will be able to call Hawai'i my home, but for now...and hopefully for a long time yet, this is my home.
Oh yeah, check out the "third moke" that someone created in the sand!
Cute little, bugger, ya?!
Well, I actually stayed at the beach for a few hours. I was wearing my swim suit, and I had brought a book...so I was good to go!
I did take dips in the water...it was more on the cooler side, but it felt so good on my skin. I love how I am weightless in the water...and I love just kicking my feet up to the surface to just float and float and float...just looking up at the sky...and if you listen real carefully you can hear things in the water. I remember when I first experienced that it scared the shit out of me...but now, it's more of a comfort thing...it's like ticking and
sound...you gotta just come here to experience it. The water is so clear you can see straight down...sometimes scares me because I'm not a fan of swimming on top of coral...but it's so beautiful to see as well.
And after that initial dip in the water, I came out, spread my towel out and just laid down and read my book. I am currently reading,
This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti as a recommendation from my friend, Jade. It's a captivating book, that's for sure! I would get lost in it and then get jolted out of it by a dog running by and wanting to be friends. Then I would talk to the owner of the dog for awhile and then they would continue down the beach while I stayed on my towel to get lost once again in my book.
Do you like my DIY bookmark?! 'The sweetest moments in life are many times the simplest: a deep breath at a stoplight, a daydream during a favorite song, a gentle touch during a scary movie (btw, I do NOT watch scary movies! Nope! Nope! Nope!), a whisper under an apple tree, standing on the line where the ocean meets the earth, dancing with the wind." It's a good reminder sometimes to just stop and enjoy the simple moments. :)
I did bring my spray sunscreen/block that I would spray on when I felt like I was burning...and then when it got too hot, I would just put my book down and take a dip in the water...oh, how I love the healing waters of Hawai'i!
As the day went by, the clouds started to come...and the beach became more brighter...and people started to arrive...but not too much that I felt like I had to leave right away. It was still a lazy kind of day. :)
Every time I would just laze around in the water, floating with my feet up, I would loved looking up at the clouds...they were SO beautiful...and there was so much!
So beautiful! I don't think that I can ever get tired of this view...If I had a choice, I would never leave. :)
Here are my beach essentials...my bathing suit cover up (top left of the picture, kind of hidden), my water bottle (the red "thing" peeking out from my bag), cut up apples for my snack (only Envy! You should try it, it's so
ono!), my favorite sun glasses (from my best friend!!), my spray on sunscreen/block has to be spray on when I'm alone, since it's harder to reach my back...just spray it on!), my book, my hat (I adore my Mermaid hat! Amanda gave me that one!) and my towel...all in my beach bag!
There were several people who would call out "Hello Mermaid! Happy Valentine's Day!" That was really sweet of them! :)
When the beach was getting more crowded at around lunch time, I knew it was time to go. Plus, I try to avoid the beach at the peak of the afternoon since that is when the sun is at the top of the sky and it's the most hottest. I am NOT about skin cancer...and so I know when it's time to leave.
So, I just throw all my things in my bag, roll my towel up so that I can just shake it when there are no people around (I hate when people just shake their towel not carrying where the sand will fly too! So I try to be courteous about it when I shake my towel. I just wait until I am leaving the beach and on the way out of the beach access...that way no one gets hit with the sand), and make my way home.
The sand is so powder fine that it will just stick onto you! I forgot to bring my baby powder, which helps remove the sand...oh well, I'll just hose down when I get home.
It's a bit hotter now, the walk home...but it's still very beautiful in the day. I love how there are no cars blocking the bike lanes now that the pilot study is in progress. I wonder how long it will last though. I know that a lot of people are not happy about it; the fact that they can't park in Lanikai now. I overheard someone say that they parked their car, got a ticket and they just left their car there since they already got a ticket, they couldn't get another one...so sad. The reason why they are doing this is because on the weekends and the holidays, it would be jammed packed with cars, and there is only one way out or in...so it can take up to two or more hours just to get out of Lanikai...when in reality it takes less than five minutes. Residence of Lanikai have complained about it...and I totally understand...coz I've been in that traffic too, and it's not fun. Two hours just to go less than 2 miles is kind of ridiculous. And it's also a safety hazard when there is an emergency and the emergency vehicle can not get through and out in a timely manner. That's really sad. They do have a shuttle going from Kailua Beach Park going into Lanikai...and you can still walk or ride your bikes...but I do like how the roads are clean though.
Well, I made it home...and I feel so refreshed...and the days is only half way done! I can still get other stuff done! :) Or, I might just lay down on the roof and continue reading my book...away from people and out in the sun. :)
My beautiful plants on my porch! :)
I hope that everyone had a beautiful day...and I did end up reading on the roof for a few more hours...took a nap, now I am just finishing this post and about to get ready to go to my sister's house to watch her kids while she takes her hubby out for their Valentine's date! I love spending time with my niece and nephew...my DollGirl and my 'Lil Chunks!
