Grateful for a beautiful prelude to the next step

Waves outside crash against the coral and limestone shore with distinct punctuation.  Some are a WHEEEEEE of spray that is audible, ending in an exclamation point.  Others are a solid thud of a period at the end of a statement.  It is a sound that I will never tire of and laying in bed at 3AM it is calming adding to the volume of peace my heart feels on this vacation.  

The hubs retired last week and my day is at the end of the month.  I will continue to teach yoga and do personal training at a local fitness center but my days in the corporate world doing consulting are done with the exception of a little something in the form of a project each year to keep my professional credentials current.  

This vacation has been like none previously spent on our island paradise.  We've been coming for 27 years now, at least twice a year and each trip has its own special memories.  Three of those trips saw new fur kids come into our home and one is there now cuddled with her furry sister next to our beloved neighbor gal who housesits for us.  We have 3 sleeps to go before we have to get on a plane to return to the frozen, grey, brown spot we call home.  I am feeling pangs of regret that we did not take 10 days instead of a week because right now I need the additional down time.  

We have decompressed quickly this time.  Laying in chaises by the infinity pool that drops its view directly to the sea.  The beginning of the morning is spent cat-napping and quick dips in the pool to cool off then reapplying the white paste that is sunscreen.  The hubs has a book I gave him for Christmas that he moves through methodically between siestas.  I have a book as well and have adopted the same leisurely pace of reading.  A tiny bluetooth speaker sits between us on a pool table gently allowing music from the  Buena Vista Social Club to melt into the seaside sunshine.  

Getting to this peace was something I did not think would happen, especially this quickly.  Getting the hubs retired was no small effort.  The paperwork, the return of the company car, the return of all of the technology, GAWD it was EXHAUSTING!  So by the time we got on an early morning flight to connect in Dallas, I would have walked to Cozumel given the chance.  But off we went and when we connected in Dallas the assortment of characters we picked up to go onto Cozumel, well...  was interesting.  Travel always is...  And it added one more layer to the complete feeling of WT___? that I had been experiencing in getting to this vacation point.

One of these characters insisted on making sure we all were aware of his presence.  He was roughly 60, 5'5", 300 lb with about 3 dozen hairs on his head tied into a tiny ponytail with a rubber band.  I doubt he had washed those hairs, his body, or shaved in a good 10 days or so.  His voice landed on the senses like sandpaper.  His Hawaiian shirt clearly did not cover his belly that took on the form of what my Dad used to call a "Dunlop" as in his huge belly "done lopped over his belt."  (You have the picture yet?)  Neither the shirt nor his shorts had seed a Tide pod in quite a long time either and I tried not to look at what his feet sported knowing it could not be any better that the full monty I was looking at.  

As we took off from DFW and made it to cruising altitude, I got up and made my way to the back of the plane to use the lav.  In the galley directly behind the opposite facing lavs stood two female flight attendants prepping the service cart.  They appeared to be a bit younger than myself (who will be into Medicare next year...)  I checked the lavs to see if there was a green indicator showing one open and one of the two was "green."  I opened the door.

What came next was NOTHING I expected to say the very least.  I opened the door to find Mr. Hawaiian shirt standing in front of the toilet.  As I gasped and uttered "Oh my God, I'm so sorry,"  he wheeled around to face me, one hand "in position" and the other waving at me saying "no problem!"

You cannot make this stuff up, I thought as I stepped into the galley.

I apologized to the flight attendants for stepping into their space and one looked at me and stoically said "Uhhhhh huh, can't unsee that, can you?"  I asked if she knew he was in there and she and her compadre giggled and the other gal said, "burned in your brain forever, isn't it?  We've been there."  We shared a few good giggles and Mr. Hawaiian shirt came out of the lav and made his way back to his seat...3 seats behind mine.

As we FINALLY got through immigration (the line was worse than ever this trip) and to the condo, the smell of the sea air seeped into every pore of my body.  There is something about the smell of the sea that is like no other and it instills almost instant calm in me.  We got to the condo and went in and immediately went out on the balcony and looked at the sea.  Stood and looked at the water...  

  

Our dear, dear friends from Canada stay in the condo next door.  We lovingly exchanged hugs and said hello as they walked out.  We have not seen them in 3 years.  I didn't realize how much I missed them.  His hair is whiter and is what I wish mine would look like, hers is longer and beautiful gentle curls; she calls it her pandemic hair.  It is so wonderful to be there with them; easy couple to be good friends with.  We find spots around the pool and talk during the day but there is not that feeling that you have to hang together.  They are just "easy" friends to be there with.

We have our traditions in Cozumel and on the trip every March we have our dinner with our Canadian pals.  For years it was the same spot and that was remodeled and just not the same.  We found a spot on the water in town and it was lovely and we could see sunset.  But this year we went to a spot that we had not been together but individually over the years.  Beautiful location, restaurant, amazing food and great company.  Sunset was stunning as it always is and the annual dinner was 5-star.

I can't remember feeling this relaxed in a long time.  And it feels like everything on this trip is a delight to the senses.  We've slept every night with the windows and balcony doors open with a breeze floating through like a silk sheet gently laid on top of us.  The smell of the fresh bananas I've been eating is intoxicating.  And knowing that they came off of someone's tree locally in the last few days adds to the taste when I choose one for breakfast. The limes that I cut to put into my cold beer simply tickle the nose with their incredible freshness.   Fish that was swimming that morning tastes so sweet and the vera cruz part of its preparation is savory with local herbs and veggies.  The perfect blend of the margarita at our traditional first night dinner spot is the perfect end of the hot day spent napping and reading.  And as we lay in bed drifting off, the sound of the palm leaves brushing against each other in the wind is like a quiet percussion to soothe the soul. 

   

Visually it is sometimes more than I can imagine Mother Earth is capable of and yet here it is.  The blue of the ocean is hard to describe and a color I cannot take my eyes from when I see it.  The bougainvilleas in their magenta outerwear outside our kitchen window and all over the island simply shout their beauty as we drive by.  The hibiscus is the color of the tropical sun and joins the bougainvilleas in proclaiming their presence.  The beautiful colors of the buildings...yellows, blues, bright pinks and such can cheer even the coldest winter soul.

It is all just more than I could have asked for in preparing to get here.  I always hate the prep of packing, getting things ready for the sitter to stay with the pups, the "getting here" on the plane and through immigration...it is wearing and people are more hateful and rude than ever so it is a test of patience to just get to where we stand and look at the sea, smell it, and open a cold beer as we sit and exhale.  But this trip...  

This year seems to have been more than either of us could have imagined and I cannot think of a time when I feel like I need it all more than I do right now.  The coming days will be a big change for the hubs and I hope as life moves along he will find his groove.  I am already there, just need to close out this last client and then keep teaching yoga and doing personal training.  I'm ready, I hope he is.  I've been working paying jobs, the ones that pay into taxes and social security, since my 14th birthday.  I'm ready...

Let the retirement commence!  

But for now, let me have the sound of the waves, the smell of the limes and bananas, the colors of the island and a little more Buena Vista Social Club music...maybe a margarita tomorrow afternoon.  Then maybe I can handle the thought of coming home to taxes and snow.  

Maybe...

For now, I'll soak in my island blessings.  Every moment I can get...

Random (not throwback) Thursday

 It's been a stretch since I actually devoted time to this gratitude repository.  Yet three times a week when I teach yoga to my university students, during integration I ask them to either set an intention or think of something they are grateful for.  So I had just a slew of random thoughts that may resonate and may make you smile...

Close your eyes here...what is your favorite smell or scent of spring?  Take a moment, go there.  Grass cut for the first time?  Lilacs, tulips?  Mine is hyacinth.  It can take me at any time to a spring Saturday in our backyard oasis to me wandering and finding my bulbs up and the intoxicating breaths in of the most delightful scent of rebirth I can think of...lilacs and lillies of the valley are a close second.  But the hyacinth has me by the nose.

So I offer this up and fall head first into the scent in my kitchen generously provided by the beautiful bulb in a vase the loving hubs brought home to me from the local small grocery store.  I walk in the front door, I walk in the garage door and it's gentle sweetness calls to me from the kitchen to warm my soul from the drive in the northern tundra that we live in that at this time of year is easily (and has been) double digits air temp below 0.  I'm intoxicated with the thought of spring...and yet...

Yeah that was for real...air temp...

So my yoga students...I am so grateful for my job teaching yoga at the university where I used to teach them management and business classes.  My role is now my retirement path, my avocation if you will.  And I love it immensely!  From my boss who is one amazing young guy who is always kind and supports  me in simply ANY way possible with his grace to his mentoring to the students of the rec center who are bright and engaging and kind and just plain amazing!  And my students in yoga itself...my couple of hockey players who come to stretch and tell me they squat deeper after class, my couple of football players, one of whom is easily 6'6" and 270 lbs and asks how to modify his half pigeon (look it up if you don't know what it is...) to my regulars at 6:30AM who show up to peacefully close their eyes and glide through sequence to keep stress at bay to the 5PM regulars who sweetly call out to me their thanks and goodbyes each week. I love knowing they come to have fun and find a spot in their lives to relax and let peace come in.  I treasure every one of them more than they know, especially the ones who are my fellow employees...I have a special kinship with them.  

The vacation coming up...OH. MY. GAWD do I want to find the beach, sun, book, beer, ohana, mi hermanas and a freaking margarita...possibly a chile relleno at our fave spot, Casa Denis restaurant.  Time...I am grateful for slowing, quieting, letting go...    SOON.  The warm sun on my body sinking deep inside to warm spots that just seem cold all of the time now.

Retirement... I am so grateful that the hubs is days away.  He more than deserves it and I'm excited for the new path he's looking at.  The rest of the year to do a few "honey-do's" and then row on the river together and work on the yard/garden he's been imagining.  He's been traveling for work the whole 30 years we have been together so I'm grateful he will be safe with me after 30 years of planes and automobiles (no trains that I can think of)  Cannot wait to get rowing on open water!  I'm so ready!

I'm a grad student again!  Age has many privileges and it turns out that in my state and the school where I taught business and now teach yoga, I can take classes FREE because I'm "of that age" and also can take them in audit status.  Audit means I just go and learn; no exams, no projects or papers, no homework!  I'm taking a class in Exercise Science and am grateful for the opportunity but also for the great professor I have.  Dr. R is a great teacher and it is easy to be in his class because he is that guy who puts it out there in a way that is easy to understand.  He's got great stories that connect it all and he is also very supportive of a retiree sitting in his class.  I have shoes older than the students AND Dr. R but it's so awesome to be learning about what my new pathway involves.

I'm so grateful for the people I am working with at my last consulting client.  These people work hard in production of medical parts and they work 12 hour shifts on their feet.  I know I could not do it, especially at this age.  But I have meetings with groups of them each week and the pride they have and the support of each other is something we should all strive for.  I'm a contractor, I come in and out but the relationships are ones I have treasured.   I will miss them when I am done at the end of March.

I am so grateful for the video technology that connects us these days!  I know at this point in the pandemic people are ready to toss technology out the window but I have a zoom account for work purposes and I have held my lead meetings that way easily but also had many happy hours with my besties and reconnected with my gal pal in Seattle that I had not laid eyes on in 6 years!  So easy, click and there we all are for a virtual happy hour!

Speaking of virtual connections, I'm grateful for having reconnected with my friend Mike, a fellow consultant in California.  We've done our virtual get togethers since the beginning of the pandemic but I really enjoy hearing about his projects with his grandson, books he's reading, work and life stuff we've experienced...and always grateful for his mentoring.  He has an insight of training and some of the more congruent work projects we both do and there are times I feel like a completely blank screen and he'll make a suggestion or send me some of his materials and it all clicks.  

Our house has a wood-burning fireplace and some winters we use it a bit more than others.  This is one of those winters.  Last night we sat here as the temps went WAY south fast (it was -9 this morning when we were having coffee) and watched the flames and their mesmerizing colors dance around the logs.  It was a welcome warmth that seemed to go right to the soul and relax us and put the pups to sleep as soon as it filled the room with the low light and rich embrace of the heat that it gave off.  I have been known to fall asleep in front of the fire and the hubs will let it go out, close the doors over it and put a blanket gently over me and let me sleep well right there.  Though last night I did make it to bed, the fire filled me up with a deep peace only it can provide.

Our fur kids, Izzy and Monse...what would we do without them?  We laugh at and with them ALL. THE. TIME!  Even when Izzy put her nose on the table yesterday and grabbed my knitting and took it into the living room and shredded my bamboo needles and gave a good rip to the square I was practicing on.  Izzy has a bit of rebel in her and a tad of separation anxiety and we've come home to some pretty wild scenes.  She can't be crated so we just count on Monse to do "therapy" and keep her calm.  All is typically wonderful but some days...  Gotta love them!

I am not only grateful but humbled that someone I love to pieces, a dear friend from my hometown and college, made me this beautiful sweater...knit it by hand!  It fits me like it was measured inch by inch and yet the knitter was 500 miles away.  I wore it to class the other day and everyone was marveling at the talent.  I am in awe!

So it's the day to just think about the things that are not necessarily the monumental things (well, I think that sweater is pretty monumental...) and stop to smell, laugh, relax and think about things that we might not in the fast moving days we find ourselves consumed with.  The hubs is about to retire in a few days, I will in a few weeks and then just teach yoga and personal training.  I'm profoundly grateful that we are happy, healthy and able to enjoy this time in our lives and take the time to embrace things like the little hyacinth from the local grocery store.

Remember to be grateful for the little randoms that float by you...