Swirl, Sniff, Taste. Cheers!

I love wine.  My mother is probably rolling over in her grave in Angle Hill Cemetery as I type this.  She has probably rolled all the way down the hill now by the little house with the chickens in the yard next to the cemetery. My mother did not approve of alcohol.  She drank when she was young.  But from the time I turned seven and my sister was born my mother never drank alcohol again.   But I will say it again.  I love wine.  If I became ill and had to give up sugar, candy, cakes, or bread I would survive.  I would miss them but I would survive.  If I never drank another glass of beer or scotch again I would miss it but I would once again still survive. Coffee?  I have already given it up.  I drink Sanka now.  I sleep better that way.   When I am old and in the rest home and not recognizing any of my family all I ask is that you visit, tell me your name, and bring me a glass of wine.  I will appreciate it and although I may  not remember your name, I will know your the nice one who brought me some wine.

If my mother was still alive and reading my blog this would be the image she would have in her mind.

Any of my online friends reading this will realize that in reality I am just sitting at my computer wearing my Eric Cartman pajamas's having a glass of wine and musing on my blog.

When I travel you can usually find a glass of wine nearby.  We visited our friend Sue Taylor in Scotland a few years ago.  Mark was worn out from jet lag.  Me?  I had a glass of wine.

Our good friends Tom and Joan have a frog who drinks wine in their yard.   I like their landscaping.

I love the fact that I can buy a bottle of wine with my dog's picture on it.

When we visit my home town we always take friends to the Vineyard, a great wine bar in Havre de Grace, Maryland.  They have a lovely lounge with a fire place.  And it's not busy on Saturday afternoons.  So when I visit with friends we have the place to ourselves and we have fun.

Ona and Lila at The Vineyard

My daughter Katie and I at the Vineyard

Ona and I at The Vineyard

Grand Cru in Belvedere Square Market in Baltimore is another favorite wine bar.  Mark and I are friends with the owner and managers.  We feel at home there.  One of my favorite photos of Mark and I was taken at Grand Cru.  I use it as my Facebook photo quite often.  

Frequent Facebook Photo of Mark and I

And much like the Vineyard, we take our friends to Grand Cru with us also.  Our friend Ona once again joins us in some fun in the photos below at Grand Cru.

Ona with Mark and I at Grand Cru

Ona at Grand Cru

Ona and her husband Bob at Grand Cru

So when do I recommend a glass wine?  

If you go through a nasty break up and need to get yourself back together buy a ticket to Budapest and have a glass of wine.

Alone finding my smile again in Budapest 

If you get married to that new love two years later buy two tickets to Santorini and  put a bottle of wine on your balcony.

The wine is only two feet away in Santorini

If you're out Christmas shopping with your sister go to Frederick, Maryland and have a glass of wine. And yes Mom, Shelley drinks wine too.  

Mark, Shelley and I Chrstmas shopping in Frederick.

In this topsy turvy crazy world, at the best times and the worst times.  Find some time to relax.  Find some friends and family and have a few laughs.  Tomorrow could be better.  Tomorrow could be worse.  But for the moment take a deep breath.  Smile.  Have a glass of wine.

                    

                                                  Swirl, sniff, taste.  Cheers!

Turning 65 on Diamond Head

Diamond Head overlooking Waikiki

I turned 65 November 2017.  It was not a joyous thought.  Turning 65 bothered me very much.  I started thinking about it and dreading it November 2016 when I turned 64.   Birthdays had not bothered me in many years.  The last birthday that I dreaded was my 30th.  I honestly thought I was getting old and was over the hill.  Thirty seemed so ancient.   After that birthday I was fine.  Turning 34 was easy.  Turning 40 never bothered.   But turning 65 was a jagged little pill to swallow.   

My daughters wanted to do something special for my birthday.  But I told them I did not want to do anything.  I was not wanting to celebrate this birthday.  I just wanted the day to pass and get it over with.  No thoughts, no party hats, just a quiet day to not thing about the dreaded 65.  Then my husband Mark asked me "What can we do to celebrate your birthday?"   I told him the same thing.  I did not want to do anything.  Maybe sit at home, turn on Turner Classic Movies and have a bottle, not glass, of wine.  But Mark knows my heart.  He knows my love of travel.   He said to me let's go somewhere.  Name the place and I will make it happen.   We talked about Italy as a possibility and a few other places.  And then Mark said "What about Hawaii."   And my eyes lit up!  There is no place either of us have enjoyed more than Hawaii.   

Ashton Waikiki Circle Hotel

So in mid November we found ourselves at the Ashton Waikiki Circle Hotel right on the beach in Waikiki.  We saw the hotel on our two previous trips to Waikiki and it had always caught our interest.  It's one of the older hotels on the strip but it's a fun hotel.  The round shape of the hotel gives the rooms an interesting shape and also great views from any angle.  Although our room was in the back we could still see the beach from an angle on our deck.   It was an affordable and interesting choice.

Shaka brah - cruising in our rented convertible 

We rented a convertible car and with the top down we enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air driving around the island.  And not once did I think about the dreaded birthday.  We drove up into the mountains, explored historic graveyards, and explored secluded beaches.  

We spent our evenings dining and drinking local Hawaiian brewed beers.  

I even got to give the one fingered salute to a certain politician who shall remain nameless on this blog.  

Where Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster embraced in waves in the movie From Here To Eternity

Two days before my birthday we explored the beaches on the north shore of Hawaii.  It's the winter season when the waves are tall so it was great fun to watch the big waves at Waimea and the other beaches.   We got to see the famous beach where Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster embraced in the surf.   I even got to take this 65 year old body for a nude dip on one of the north shore beaches.  You can thank me later  for not posting photos.

My plan was to climb Diamond Head on my birthday.  I thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate.  I had climbed Diamond Head three years earlier and knew it was a good hike.  So I did not want to wear myself out the day before and not be able to enjoy the hike on my birthday.  While we at the Maui Brewery Company, one of our favorite bars in Waikiki, the bar tender told us about Manoa Falls.  He said it was between Waikiki and Honolulu and had an easy trail and was very worth seeing.  Manoa Falls is located in Manoa Valley in the rain forest between Honolulu and Waikiki.  The falls is 150 feet high and empties into a small pool of water.  Since the area around the waterfall is considered a rain forest it is prone to heavy rainfall often raining daily.  We were told it was a beginner trail so we should not have problem.  So we decided why not?  We wanted to see the falls and it sounded like an easy hike.  So it should not interfere with out plans to hike Diamond Head the following day,

Manoa Falls - Oahu

The falls were beautiful.  And yes it does rain in that area every day.   And no the trail was not a beginners trail!  The first half of the hike was not difficult.  The trail was paved and wide for the most part.  But the second half was another story.  The trail narrowed and the tropical plants grew taller and thicker.  We ended up climbing wet slippery rock formations and sliding in muddy trails.  It was quite a journey.  It was a lot more than I had expected.  But it also was not an advanced or dangerous trail.  We were tired the next day, but we both agreed the climb up Diamond Head would happen.

Mark  and I on the trail to Manoa Falls

The next day was the big day.  And also it was our final day on Oahu.  So no matter how tired we were from our many days of walking and swimming this the day we had to climb Diamond Head.   

Field below Diamond Head as we begin our hike

We arrived at Diamond Head the next morning.  I was now officially 65 and it was time to finish the planned celebration.  The volcano seems impressive from the bottom.  But the hike is not difficult.  The hike up Diamond Head is only about 45 minutes.  It was much shorter than the  hike to Manoa Falls the previous day.  The path is wide and well paved with hand rails and  benches to stop and rest if you need them. 

Mark on the trail to the top of  Diamond Head

It's an easy climb but with heat and humidity on Oahu it is a bit tiresome.  There are wonderful views as you climb the base of the mountain.  When you get near the top there are steps you have to climb a set of steps so it best to know this in advance.  There are 74 four steps that lead to a tunnel.  

I survived the 74 steps and then made it through the tunnel

After leaving the tunnel you still are not at the peak of Diamond Head.  Once you leave the tunnel you see another set of steps.  99 steps this time.  You can hear the sighs and the voices saying "Oh no" as you leave the tunnel.  But it's really not that bad.  

The final 99 steps to reach the top of Diamond Head

Mark on top of Diamond Head with the volcano caldera behind him

And we made it. We climbed the trail, steps, and walked through the tunnel.   I turned 65 and I climbed Diamond Head.  And it was worth it.  I spent the dreaded day not thinking about the age, not   dreading the moment.  I realized once more, just as I did turning 30, that age does not define you.  It would have been a lot easier at 30 than at 65 to climb Diamond Head.  But it would not have been a major accomplishment at 30.  And I would have not appreciated the experience as much.  We are going back to Hawaii again this coming November.  I do not know if we will climb Diamond Head again or not.  I may just save that for turning 70.

Happy to be 65 on the top of Diamond Head

(Thank you Mark for making all of this happen.  You will never really understand how much I appreciated this.)