Another body of water

Here I am again, sitting in front of another body of water wondering how I got dealt this hand. This time the tide won’t rise so I don’t have to worry about destroying things. This body of water is so small it doesn’t have a name. As a matter of fact, you could live here in Scottsdale Arizona and not even know it exists.

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I finally surfed!

After over 20 years of wanting to surf, I finally did it! I learned to surf on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.

I lived in California for a year and never managed to find the right opportunity to surf. I vacationed in California a few times and still wasn’t quite able to connect the dots. I vacationed at a handful of islands including Aruba. I even vacationed on the coast of Panama, Florida & North Carolina and despite my attempts I was not able to conjure up the right opportunity to surf. It wasn’t until I landed here on Waikiki Beach Hawaii that I was able to make it happen. Although, to not surf here, you would have to intentionally say no. It’s that easy. ^_^ Life is good. Aloha & Mahalo.

Italy

Z and I had the most wonderful experience visiting Mulan, Varenna (Lake Como) and Venice Italy.

Cruising Lake Como on a Varenna Taxi.
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Moving Pro-Tips

I have moved more times than I can count. I really enjoy it but realize most people find it quite painful so I figured I’d share some of my moving tips.

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Flights for my daughter.

If your mind is is anything like mine then you absorbed the title of this in two ways. You’re either sending your daughter somewhere on a plane or purchasing some alcohol for her. Fortunately, in my case, neither of those things have happened.

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Playa Bonita Panama

As I sit here on a rock on the beach at nearly midnight with the waves lapping over my feet I can hardly believe I’m here.  I could not have imagined I would be looking out over the Panama bay horizon glowing from the lights of container ships tonight.  I can’t help but to think that despite the chaos of life and my own personal ability to cause havoc that my life would be so ideal at this moment.  

Like many of my life’s wild adventures I did not make an intentional effort to be here today.  My presence is absolutely the result of the people I have surrounded myself with.  Specifically, my amazing wife who made this happen as a gift to me.  But as I pull this iPad closer to avoid the incoming tide and the splashes that come with it, I am ripped with questions.   Why have I been blessed with such a great life?  How does Z know how to bless me with amazing experience yet I can hardly gift her with a good scent?  

I want everyone around me to have an amazing life but I feel like my answer is always to work harder but I miss the intricate detail everyone is working harder for.  I am very proud of the ability to work harder and longer but I am disconnected by the inability to acknowledge why my closest of family are absolutely grinding. 

BAH!  The iPad has water running down it from the rising tide splashing against the rock I’m sitting on and I am completely soaked having spent the last hour thinking about these few words.  It’s time to post this and head back before I lose it and have to swim.   

I pray everyone can work hard and ponder their existence on a beach in their own head….  

I navigated my way back to the resort and resolved that you actually need a Z.  I have one, so you are are on your own.  

Remodeling!

Our house in preparation for paint.

If you had asked me if I had any idea what I was getting into, a solid “no” would have been the most appropriate answer. 😂 I received the keys to our house back on October 1st and given the circumstances, Z and I decided to renovate! During this round we chose to replace all the flooring, trim and paint. We will be remodeling the kitchen cabinetry and bathroom amenities in a future remodeling round.

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Back to Scottsdale!

After renting our home to some awesome people for two years, it’s time to head back to Scottsdale and get it back in shape so we can get ready to move back in! We likely wont move back in until after March but we’re excited at the thought! Hopefully it’s in great shape!

Visiting Scottsdale

Life is really good. Maxine learned how to swim earlier this summer by spending a lot of time at the pool and just figuring it out on her own but she really got to flex and have a lot of fun late this summer as we went to Scottsdale where it was still over 100 despite the fall temperatures kicking in northern Virginia.

Maxine showing us how to cannonball in the deep end.

Maxine is 5!

You know she asked to go rock climbing for her 5th birthday.