A routine

We have several different groups visiting us while we are in Hawaii. We have come to appreciate the differences in our experiences. While a week may seem like a long time for those who must go to school and work, it really isn't that long when you travel a great distance. It takes a while to overcome the fatigue of the trip and the difference in the time of day. You have a few days of frantic exploring and fun. Then sadness sets in as you realize it is time to make the trip back home to your real life. When you are retired and still in reasonably good health, this is your real life. You have time. You even have time to fall into a routine.

I like a routine. When in Minneapolis, I have my own routine. I like to walk to Starbucks in the morning. It is not the type of coffee shop I think is ideal, but it is 1.2 miles from our home and this is about the ideal distance for me both getting in some exercise and having time for coffee and my hobbies. I spend a couple of hours reading and writing. Then, I walk home. I can do this for days at a time. It is what I enjoy.

I found that I can do almost the same thing here. I found a coffee shop that is also 1.2 miles from the condo where we stay. It has a small seating area where I can read and write. The coffee is better than Starbucks. Kona coffee is great, but a little more expensive than Pike Place. They even play mostly 60s and 70s music. I have no idea if they actually prefer this period or just have a lot of old customers. I don't like the Internet here, but my phone works just fine as a hotspot unless I want to upload video. Cindy will even sometimes make the trip with me. I don't expect guests would want to do this, but their time is when I explore. A routine is a great way to fill in the time between.

A word to friends and family in the midwest. We are watching your situation with concern. The weather you are experiencing is brutal and probably worse than we ever experienced. Keep safe and remember your present situation will make great stories when you grow old and spend your winters in a warmer location