My 62nd Birthday in Maui

I forgot it is my birthday when I got up this morning in Maui. Completely slipped my mind until I noticed a couple of Happy Birthday emails. This is what Maui can do to you. Oh, yeah. I’m 62 today. I am happy any day that I open my eyes after waking up. Today isn’t any different, but it does mean another year has gone by and I am looking forward to the next — sort of like one’s own personal New Year’s, without the horrible drunk people passed out on your living room floor.

Just about every year now, I try to take a mid-year vacation around my birthday and let that celebration roll on past the Fourth of July. The only thing that’s uncomfortable about that kind of planning is our poor cats are home with the pet sitters to deal with the awful sound of fireworks, hiding under the bed with their little kitty paws over their ears. That scenario is not gonna happen this year, though, because my wonderful husband is at home in Land Park, tending to their kitty needs and hearth.

He goes away every year with “the boys” from college to various spots where guys like to go, which often involves visiting frisbee golf courses and playing board games. I prefer to sit quietly and stare at the waves rolling in. Barbara Dow, my team member, enjoys that leisure activity as well. So, the two of us are now in Maui, watching the sun slowly rise to the east. We will lie on the beach, slathered in sunscreen (seems like it defeats the purpose), toes wiggling in the sand and read books after books.

Barbara and I have taken up temporary residence on the top-floor corner suite at the Fairmont Kea Lani, with a wrap-around balcony that presents a magnificent 180-degree view of the ocean. The symphony is warming up as the sun rises higher. I can now hear not only mourning doves but the chatter, tweets and chirps from the entire string section — not a leaf blower around.

Perhaps after a lazy nap on the beach mid-day, we’ll check emails and go for a stroll along the water. Who says you can’t have a restful vacation and keep tabs on your work at the same time? Only people who aren’t in love with their careers. It’s like having the best of both worlds. I just tell clients to please allow for the 3-hour time difference between Maui and Sacramento.