Sipping, Soaking, Deep Diving

Sip 'n Soak at Amy's indoor hot tub and pool that's heated as hot as a cool hot tub.

Breakfast, soaking, a grandbaby in attendance and catching up with good friends.

Afterward we showered together two at a time (in bathing suits) and were very sad that BeReal didn't let us BeReal at that moment because it's a good one to remember.

The group is getting smaller as more friends are becoming empty nesters 

and many are going back to work full time.

My three hour Deep Dive Workshop #deepdivews tonight with #tsnotyaw

and I love how we're "hanging out" with our hosts -- three authors and agents and 

Hank Phillippi Ryan as if we're all good friends. 

Such a fun structure -- an hour with an industry professional (super star power too),

30 minutes for questions. 30 minute breakout sessions with small groups to work on an exercise,

and another 30 - 45 minutes of questions with the agents. 

Last week I was able to ask Bianca about writing "death on the page" and she gave me some good ideas how to allude to it but not go in depth.

And this week I asked about multiple POV's and if changing between five people, with one taking half the time, is frowned upon. She and Carly gave me great advice -- stick with one because its easier. 

But if I do more, each has to have their own arc. And, we can't be with one character for too much time because the reader will resent you if you pull away from them.

I literally get the opportunity to speak directly with published authors and agents. I love it.

They are so gracious and genuine in wanting everyone to improve their craft and get published.

Nick's Going to the Y!

Celebration dinner at Ruth's Chris 

for Nick's hard work in high school and going to BYU.

He's starting summer term and living with a friend, Will R. 

He's hoping to have Fridays free so he can still race. 

But he may be having so much fun he won't want to be miss any weekends at school.

So much to look forward to!

A TRI!

Good morning and good bye.

An early flight home to miss afternoon weather.

Meanwhile, in St. George,

Nick played the first half of the first game, right after they arrived on Friday.

On Saturday he played their entire first game.

And in the second game played the first half ...

AND, made a TRI!

We made it home in time for the second hour of church and decided to go.

It's been a long time since I've been in Relief Society.

Before the pandemic. And before I was in Young Women's. 

So I guess since 2018. I was kinda excited. 

We had a great discussion and I loved being back and sitting between 88-year-old Dorothy, and Natalie W., getting a hug from Gitte and seeing my young woman now in RS.

Deep Deep Snow and a Kershaw Emergency

After breakfast, we were getting ready to go snowshoeing when Dan discovered Kershaw had just eaten rat poison in the garage where he and Marty were working to get the Ranger running.

Called poison control who gave us three scenarios based on the type of active ingredient in the poison (since we didn't know the brand of poison) and also told us how to induce vomiting. 

(1 Tbsp of hydrogen peroxide. If no vomiting in 10 minutes, 2 more Tbsp.)

He immediately vomited clear so we thought in didn't eat very much.

But within five minutes after that, he threw-up probably seven more times -- 

breakfast and chunks of poison. 

With the help of our builder (and friend), we were able to track down a vet even though it was Saturday and we weren't established clients. He had us come in in the afternoon to pick up activated charcoal 

to stop any poison that went into his intestines from being absorbed.

Of the three possibilities based on the three different active ingredients in the poison, we got the most treatable. So grateful Dan noticed he ate something, or else it would have been a different outcome.

With the crisis controlled, we went out for adventure.

Down to Marty's cabin where the snow from the roof covered the windows, 

over to check out camp then back to the car.

Crossing the fence!

Siblings!

It was 30* and I ditched my hat, coat and gloves and still worked up a sweat.

We saw other people snow shoeing to the Box

and drove to Sportsman's Campground to see how far the road was plowed 

(to the first subdivision on Middle Fork Road).

Back home Dan and I tried sledding. I haven't been sledding in years and I miss it!

We didn't have time to get a good slick track because we had to go to town to meet the vet for the charcoal.

And sledding in this much snow is a challenge! 

Snowshoes to get to the top of the hill, then take them off and hold them on your lap to sled down.

Put them back on while sitting on your sled and using the sled as a prop to stand back up--

if you put a hand in the snow or even the pole, it just sinks deep down. 

It was an adventure! 

But I still haven't satisfied my need to fly down a hill on the snow!

(Dan isn't going as fast as it looks like in this picture!)

Fun memories and stories after dinner again tonight. 

Pagosa in Winter

Nick is off to St. George for a rugby tournament this weekend.

Road trip with a few friends!

While Nick is in St. George, Dan and I went to Pagosa with Jo, Kelly & Marty. 

Before we left, we ran out of water at the house when a water main broke across the street. 

I was texting neighbors about who had water and who didn't and getting updates on when it would be fixed, all the while throwing laundry in the washer machine! Duh!

Marty flew up from Phoenix in the morning so he could go with us and then for a while

getting to Pagosa looked iffy as the airport was closed while they cleared snow off the runway.

But we got the all-clear by 2:30 and were able to leave. 

Beautiful day for flying!

We turned on the fire, had a nice dinner and played a card game of golf--

the biggest hit being Jo Ellen's card shuffler she brought!

Wonderful evening telling stories and laughing with people we love.

Blue Bird

School was cancelled (actually "distance learning") again today.

The roads were pretty clear in our neighborhood, 

but the neighborhood where I went to get my hair done hadn't been plowed yet. 

But wow! Look at this gorgeous day!

I've planned out a new schedule so I can wrap my head around how much time I need to accomplish writing projects and other life stuff. I'm feeling excited about the schedule which works out to be about seven hours for: scriptures, journal & morning prayer; exercise & breakfast; 

write 2,000 words for my new story; read for two hours and an hour for blogging and my new social media "platform" plan. It's a lot more do-able than "write for eight hours." Stephen King says write 2,000 words a day and that's what I did during NaNoWriMo the whole month of November in 2019. 

2,000 words averaged about two hours. Not bad at all. 

Two days in a row: √

Very Happy Angela: √

Remember how Marty bleached his hair for our Hawaii trip? 

Although he had a very long hair phase, he felt like he never tried anything "fun"

and wanted to try something totally different at least once.

So he bleached it. 

And now that he's home, he buzzed it.

Michael commented that he now matches Emi! 😂

He looks great in all the ways. 

Snow Day!

We had warm weather right up until 5:45 p.m. when suddenly heavy snow started.

We'd been expecting it -- hoping for it -- with storm warnings all day.

By 10:00 p.m. we already had four or more inches on the ground.

By morning we had 15" on the ground and the snow continued throughout the day.

I'm sad to report the thrill of cancelled school is lost on a high school senior who only has half a schedule anyway and isn't excited to run into the yard bundled in snow clothes to build a snowman anymore.

But I still have the memories.

UPDATE! After I posted, Chris and six friends came over to go hot tubbing. 

We heard laughing and howling from outside and they were jumping from the hot tub and rolling in the snow and back again. Hooray for snow days! 

Hawaii Review

 When our flight was delayed yesterday, we were a little worried about an impending storm coming to Utah. Over 15" predicted for the Wasatch Bench! Bring it on! I'm all for a big storm.

In the meantime, here's the Hawaii review:
We loved having plenty of room in the huge 4 bedroom/5 bath condo at the Andaz. Being on the lawn was fun -- easy to play football, or roll the loungers into the sun. The weird unfurnished space between the table and living room was strange but was fun to imagine how it could be furnished to be more inviting. 

Loved the hot tub on the deck and the proximity to beach and hotel.

The unlimited chips and popcorn replenished in the condo were fun treats.
Breakfast buffet was a huge hit every morning, especially the juices and varying flavors of pancakes.

The upstairs units would have a better ocean view and a staircase on the balconies led right to the lawn, but chaises might be more shady (downside).

Nick bought a small ball that looked like a stress ball and brought non-stop fun in that it skipped across the ocean, was easy to catch and hard to lose. (Except when it was hidden in the hot tub filter.)

Also football in the yard was fun.

Everyone was tired by 8:00 p.m. and ready for bed so we didn't play many games and we only watched one movie. And we also watched the Daytona 500 Sunday afternoon. 

We went through lots of bags of chocolate covered macadamia nuts and I'm NOT a fan of how they're covered in chocolate dust now. (Still ate a ton though, of course.) The ice cream sandwiches were yummy too.  Honestly, our best meal was Sunday night when Dan grilled steaks. 

But we LOVE eating at Coconuts (twice) and Paia Fish Market. Marimoto at the hotel was yummy, as were the choices for on site dining. 

Memories: Michael loved his bike ride in spite of the rain. Grandma & Grandpa taking Emi too far on our walk. Kayaking to the whales. The whale breech we all saw on our cruise to Molokini crater.

Turtle town and the octopus.  Octopus changing colors like a chameleon -- such a highlight.

Courtney & Lizzie saw an eel. Emi in the Otteroo. The little ball, playing in the ocean, the body building contest, Marty's bleached (orange) hair, spray tans ahead of time, massages, soaking in the hot tub. Chris seeing a famous YouTuber at breakfast and getting a pic with him. Emi eating sand. Michael tried Uni and liked it (Lizzie and Dan were gagging just thinking about it).

Bye to Being Warm for a While

We fly out tonight but don't leave until 9:00 p.m.

Lizzie, Courtney, Emi and I took a walk along the beach path before our last breakfast buffet

(which came with the unit and has been a huge hit with everyone).

The boys had their body building contest after a six month challenge to be the most fit in Hawaii.

Our best b-school friends, Michael & Pamela bought a house in Makena and arrived last night,

so we visited them an got a tour of their beautiful property with lots of fruit trees.

Imagine having mango, papaya, banana, lilikoi, limes, tangerines, tangelo in your backyard!

They're both so warm and welcoming, its always wonderful to see them!

We finally got Paia Fish Market for lunch and ate it as a picnic 

in the park across the street overlooking the ocean. 

It would have been more idyllic, and it was nice to be with everyone, 

but I was hot and sticky and a little bit miserable.

I should have showered before breakfast! 😂

When we got home we had a few hours to read, 

the boys threw the football then played in the ocean,

the girls took Emi swimming in the hot tub

and then it was time to clean up, pack and head to the aiport.

And when we got there and boarded the plane and settled in, and felt like it was soon to take off,

the pilot let us know we had a mechanical issue. One that required a part being flown in from Honolulu.

He said best case scenario we'd be delayed 2 hours. Best Case.

In the end, they swapped our plane for the one waiting for the flight after us

and gave them our plane once the part arrived. 

We left at midnight and got home at 9:00, then Marty and Lizzie had another couple hours on top of that.

But we made it. Happy, healthy, and everyone with a lot more Vitamin D than before.

Kayak, BBQ & Sunsets

Kayaked out to see whales this morning.

We saw two big ones a short distance away rising to the surface.

Soon Chris and Nick joined us and also saw some surface.

When Courtney and Michael came out, they were close to a whale and his big tail!

The water was absolutely calm and beautiful all day!

The sun shone, we read, watched Nascar, played in the ocean then took Emi to the pool.

Dan barbecued steaks and made a delicious dinner with music from the luau performing nearby.

Watched the sunset from the lawn and when it got dark, 

watched Puss in Boots Last Wish all together.

Molokini Snorkel and Family Pictures

Sunrise catamaran to snorkel at Molokini crater. 

It was an early morning (5:40), but everyone agreed it was fun and worth it.

Just after I took this picture, not far from us, a mama whale breeched and then her baby!

The morning was a little chilly, different than what we expect in Hawaii,

but the sun came out in the afternoon and suddenly we were hot!

Dinner at Morimoto Japanese here at the resort.

We considered watching a movie after we got home,

but by 8:00 each night, everyone is exhausted!