What A Way To Start the New Decade

Honestly, I really should not complain.

We started this year, as we do most every year, in a tropical location under starry skies, fireworks, and palm trees.  After visting with friends we met last year in Argentina and making new friends in San Juan, we danced with other tourists and local Puerto Ricans in San Juan as the television crews filmed the celebration.

Like many of my friends, I was happy to bid farewell to 2009 and the tumultous decade that preceded it. 

The dot-com bust of 2000, 911, a war on terror, the housing bubble and the financial crisis were enough to give even an optimist like myself a few sleepless nights.

The decade however, was not bad on a personal level. 

I met and married the love of my life, traveled, decorated and was blessed to watch my daughter grow and still have my World War II era parents and aunt here with us. New friendships were made and thanks to modern technology, old friends, have kept me sane thoughout every crisis for the past ten years.

Now looking outside at the melting snow, I am hopeful about the coming years.

Turning thirty was a sad time for me for so many reasons, thirty-five inspired my self-improvement kick and regular visits to a plastic surgeon, but forty, now just eight months and a few days away, feels like a true celebration...a victory...an event that demands dancing!

So no complaining from me; well, except that it's cold here and I'd rather be in Mexico.  But as far as 2010 goes, I couldn't be more hopeful!

Happy New Decade!

The Best Time

Perhaps it's the scent of coffee brewing or the way the warm mugs feels in my hand, the stillness of the house and garden, the absence of interruptions or the anticipation of a new day, but the early morning hours are my best time.

Or it could just be another verification that I have, in fact, reached middle age and no longer require as much sleep.

Either way, these hours are when I plan the upcoming errands and events of the day, catch up on e-mail and jot down a few lines on my mindless little blog here. 

The very best days are mornings on the beach watching the sun come up. Each coast has it's perks...the big orange fireball rising over the Atlantic never fails to captivate me, but in Puerto Vallarta, on the western coast of Mexico, the sun rises over the dark purple mountains, illuminating them with golden rays until it reflects on the Pacific.  Sunrises in Puerto Vallarta  are in the hues of the most precious jewels. Sunlight dances on the sapphire water, the trees on the mountains appear either as emeralds or deep amethyst depending on the hour. The sun is golden there, not the harsh light of the Caribbean.  And once in a while, very rarely, visitors are treated to the green light on the horizon at sunset.

Several years ago, we spent Christmas in Puerto Vallarta and celebrated the day with hot chocolate on the beach as we waited for the sunrise.  That day has stayed with my daughter more than any other Christmas morning memory.  She doesn't recall the long lists of toys and presents every year, but she remembers that one special sunrise.

I had only married the Mid-Western Yankee the month before so the trip was our new family's first Christmas together.  And wanting a fresh start, I broke with tradition and left the holiday chaos and cold weather behind.  I traded turkey for fish tacos, coats for flip flops, mistletoe for suntan lotion.  It was grand!  We skipped the shopping and enjoyed our time together and for once, I wasn't exhausted on Christmas morning.

On a more recent trip, I spent my birthday on the beach in Charleston.  I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate than walking along the Atlantic shore with my daughter when the sun was not yet up.

It's these mornings I treasure.

The daylight has appeared as I've been rambling here and since it's not raining right now, I think I'll take my coffee outside and enjoyed my favorite time of the day.