A normal day in the life of a feisty woman.

Recently I worked an auction for a friend. As I was moving 'won' items around tables it dawned on me.  10 pm at night.  Mind racing with organizing, multi-tasking, being my "normal" energetic self.  No brain issues. No exhaustion, fog, loss of clarity, loss of words, dizziness.  I literally- amid the craziness of a big auction- leaned on the table with both hands, closed my eyes and thanked god.  I am so happy to be here.

I have seen what is coming and realize I  have the opportunity to change some shit.   Straight talk within my own head and those I am with.  Engage in life fully.  Make sure my friends know I love and appreciate them.  Ditto with family.  Slow down. Don't be too busy for the little stuff, that is the only stuff that matters. I have said this before, but when I was in the hospital waiting for the stroke to do whatever damage it was going to... I guarantee I was not thinking of my stellar work accomplishments or how green my lawn was. It was 100% pure people I love and what I may miss.  So now, when my son is telling me about an in-depth lego thing that is enormously detailed and enormously boring, I just listen and watch him and his excitement. When my daughter and I get the guffaws over something, and we are laughing our heads off, and she gets that spark in her eye or tilts her head a certain way to say something clever... I notice.   Because, to me, that is all that really counts.  I am having a lot of fun these days!

Rose and I watching surfers....don't we look like we are enjoying it?  I was noticing skill - Rose was taking note of other things.  

Pithy kauai observations

1.Comment by Rose on the day of our arrival as we drove down slow two-laned roads:
It is like a tropical Poulsbo! (Which is our town-we cracked up because Kauai is nothing like Poulsbo.)
2. Comment as we drove down the Kuhio highway.
There is a lot of really nice driveways here! (The houses are all set back from the road, and there were some lovely drives leading to them,)
3. Comment by my astounded teenage girl watching buff, tan and toned young workmen running slowly next to the road, hair waving, safety vest slipping off bare chests- much like a romance novel bookcover:
Who does that? Why don't we have workmen like that?
4. Teenage boy who truly hit grumpy puberty on this trip:
Oh - my - god. Would you guys stop stopping.
5. One of the many over the top comments that perfectly fit in Kauai but would be cheeseball back home:
Looks like someone took all their pretty pills this morning!
6. Very small, very cute child leaning out a car window at us waving and yelling : Hang loose!!
The island mantra.

I took my blood pressure after five days of being there ...86/56. I think I was a teenager when I last had it that low.