Vacation without the boys

We came across this wonderful  hidden beach

"Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace." ~ Paul Theroux













Brian and I recently took a trip to Hawaii sans dogs (or cat for that matter). We spent a glorious week on the island of Kauai - the Garden Isle and the Island of Beauty.  We have been to the Big Island and to Maui but this was our first visit to Kauai.  Kauai was spectacular.

We rented a little condo right at the edge of Lawai Beach, where the surfers jump off the lava rocks onto their boards to do their dances on the waves.  It was quite the show every day as we sat in our yard or on the patio, watching the ocean.

View form our backyard

Surfers push off the lava rocks

They put on a show every day

Lawai Beach is a favorite spot for surfers and snorkelers and sea turtles make their home here.  It is a great spot to watch the sunsets from the Beach House Restaurant.

Sunset view from the Beach House

We ate dinner at the Beach House one night and it was delicious.  I had the biggest Mai-Tai I've ever seen.  We ordered a watermelon salad served with caramelized red onions, Gorgonzola cheese, toasted macadamia nuts and drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette.  I ate Macadamia-crusted Mahi-Mahi (lots of Macadamia nut recipes in Hawaii!) and Brian enjoyed an excellent Angus Filet Minion steak.  For dessert, we shared a yummy banana-puff pastry dessert.

Puff pastry with bananas, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream
(Oh my!)

Coconut Shrimp from the Shrimp Station

Because we had the condo, I would prepare eggs for breakfast and sandwiches to go when we headed out for day trip the beach or park.  A couple of times we stopped and picked up some coconut or garlic shrimp to go from the local restaurants.  Everything tasted so fresh and delicious.

Garlic Shrimp from the local Food Truck in Koloa

We also had a lovely dinner of fresh fish and roasted vegetables at the Tidepools restaurant in Poipu Beach.  The restaurant overlooked a lagoon filled with Koi fish.  I was naughty and tossed a piece of bread in the water and the fish went into a frenzy.  Bad Lizzie.  But Brian got a bunch of really cool shots of the fish with the iphone!  Check it out:

Colorful Koi in the lagoon 

We took an amazing sunset sail along the Na Pali coast.  They served us spinach lasagna and beer and wine but we didn't care what we ate.  The coast was so incredibly stunning, it was mesmerizing.  Check out some of these photos:

Jurassic Park Location

Have you seen this in movies?

Water fall inside the cave

Romantic cave

Gorgeous coastline

The sunset part of the sail!

I could post hundreds and hundreds of photos from this trip.  It's hard not to be camera-crazy!

We sure missed our boys while we were gone.  I would awaken in the middle of the night and imagine them lying on the floor next to the bed.  It's strange how they seem to be with us even when they are 2500 miles away!  

When we got home, we took them for a swim in the bay and all at once, everything was back to normal for all of us.

Henry back in the bay

Even Walty goes in!

Henry Loses his Couch

Bye, Bye Stinky Couch!

Well, the time finally arrived.  I called 1-800-Got-Junk? and surrendered Henry's couch.

I actually fretted over this decision for a long time and the guilt I felt was overwhelming.  That couch was Henry's favorite perch.  I had a feeling he was going to deeply mourn its disappearance.  I purchased a cool bed for him months before so he could transition to a new sleeping arrangement.  Even though he uses the new bed from time to time, he eventually would end up back in his spot on the couch.

The couch was getting so dirty and stinky, it just had to go.  After all, it was an eyesore positioned right in the middle of my living room.  I tried to imagine that ridding ourselves of the stinky couch would be similar to a parent having to take away a favorite, disintegrating blanket from a child who should have outgrown it long ago.  The kid gets over it, doesn't he?

So, Brian and the boys headed out for ride in the car while I waited alone for the junk-removal guys to come and haul the couch away.  I figured if Henry did not have to witness his beloved bed being hauled off and dismantled by the recyclers, the impact would be softer.

When they came back home, I acted as if nothing had changed, gave Henry a pat on the head and a handed him a bone, hoping it would distract him.  Fat chance.  He walked around in circles in the empty space where his couch stood invitingly only a couple of hours before.  He looked at me with big, brown, inquisitive eyes and I could swear I heard him ask:   "Where is it, Mom?"  Gulp.

I encouraged him to get in his fancy L.L. Bean bed and, reluctantly, he did.

Okay,I guess I will try it

I don't know if I like it

I want my couch back

After about a minute or so, he got up and headed back to his ghost-couch.  He walked around in circles and laid his disappointed and defeated little body down on the floor. Hmmmph.

I have seen doggie-sofas for sale.  I just might have to look into that.  Call me crazy, but I just can't bear to see my little boy so sad.