Paradise Recalled

As we spend hours deciding whether to move from the spectacular white sand beach to the blue-tiled pool or vice versa we remember why we loved this place.  What's not to love?

The weather has been perfect, the sun warming without burning (since we're vigilant about reapplying sunscreen), the drinks tropical and delicious and the food costs outrageous, a small price to pay for spending a little time in heaven.

Our stay overlapped one day with our friends D and J and their daughter and it was an unlooked for pleasure to have dinner with them on the terrace overlooking the beach at sunset and a walk and quick dip in the ocean the next morning.

Because Hawaii time is three hours earlier than California we wake at a much earlier hour than we're accustomed to, feeling virtuous, and hit the pool or beach before many others are stirring.  Clean, bright, beautiful and empty...priceless in these days of crowds everywhere.

We're renting a roomy house with bedrooms for us, R & L and their two-year-old, and resort privileges for us all.  Ryan loves the babysitter R and L have engaged to allow us to go out to dinner every other night for adult meals.  The other nights we cook simple meals and hang out being lazy in the big room that encompasses the kitchen, dining and living areas, reading, playing cards, watching TV.  When we get tired of sharing the beach and pool at the resort we can retreat to our own tiny pool and hot tub on the lanai.  I said it was paradise, didn't I?

I noticed today some sailing trophies on a back wall that, in conjunction with some wine-related items, would seem to indicate that the house belongs to one of the Mondavi wine family.  We haven't yet managed to find the wine cellar.  It must be here somewhere, don't you think?