Home Sweet Home

I've been away for awhile, visiting friends, exploring new cities. It's been fun, particularly catching up with all the people we've been missing. Sometimes it's a nice surprise, getting together with an old friend after a long separation - you realize all over again all the reasons why you're friends with this person in the first place. I've been blessed to know some good people, good friends.

Still, I have to say that there's nothing like being home. Particularly now that we have a real home to come home to.

I luv NY

After only three days, we've basically covered the entire island of Manhattan. On foot, no less. (I have the blisters to prove it.) And we're having a phenomenal time. We just got back from Spamalot, which was hysterical. The husband had five hot dogs today, from Gray's Papaya and Papaya Dog, so he's a happy camper. Me, too. (Meaning, I'm also a happy camper, not that I ate five hot dogs. Please.) Both Fashion Week and the U.S. Open are taking place here right now. Fashion and tennis, two of my favorite things in the world.

Having done so much already, it's hard to believe there's more left to come. Opera and jazz and Peter Luger's and hopefully Rent.... We spent a day at the Met, and there are still the Whitney and the Guggenheim and MOMA...and on and on and on. Diehard Californians though we are, I have to admit we've been looking at each other a lot the last three days and saying, "I could live here." Not forever, of course. Probably not even for very long, since there's no real surfing out here. But for a little while. Much as I love California, I have to admit that none of its cities match this one. I'd go so far as to say that there isn't a city in the world that matches this one.

Back!

Just got back this morning, on a red-eye so I'm a little fuzzy-headed. Hawaii was awesome (as is to be expected). Temps in the eighties, perfect waves, water a beautiful aquamarine. Didn't have my own board so had to rent one, which was the only not-so-great thing. The rental boards kind of sucked. I had one that was like a boat. Not sure what happened, but that board definitely got the best of me. Came out of the water bruised all over, and I hadn't even fallen! It was like I got bruised just touching it. Still, it was incredible to be in the water without a wetsuit and to not be at all cold! And sitting out there, I saw these tropical fish swimming around in the water near my feet. The water was unbelievably clear. We hiked Diamondhead, and even from the top, we could see the bottom of the ocean below us. Thanks to my sister for the trip, which was such a great bday gift, it more than made up for a not-so-great birthday.