Mind, Body and Soul.....

  We've arrived at our home in Waianae, and it's beautiful here as usual. Temperatures never exceed 80 degrees and rarely drop below 70 at night. We're very comfortable and already enjoying a stricter diet. It seems a little easier to eat less when the weather's so beautiful. Both of us are snacking less as well, and Steve has discontinued the persistent grazing he does when trapped inside by the weather. I'm sitting on my lanai as I write this entry and have a fabulous view of the mountains. One mountain, covered with a rain forest, stays emerald green and misty year-round. It sits behind the other, a desert mountain that is golden brown with blotches of lime green this time of year due to the rains. My mango tree looms large over our little beach house and yard, protecting both from the rising sun. While I continue to take weight loss seriously, I'm trying to remain free from stress. The contentment I feel sitting within this gorgeous space is hard to describe and certainly promotes a healthy mind. Also, during the holidays, I remembered how good it is to laugh. We watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles every holiday season because it is filled with timeless hilarity, and we did a lot of laughing and talking with visitors. So, as usual, this holiday was filled with laughter from several sources. According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter is one of the best ways to improve health. It oxygenates organs, soothes tension, and relaxes the stress response. I sometimes forget how great it feels to have a good laugh. Several things have made me laugh lately that I will share. My biggest laugh came from this short film my son sent me called "The Offensive Translator." I think he and I have the same sense of humor because I usually laugh at the things he thinks are funny. In honor of Betty White, who I think lived a remarkable life, I'm linking an SNL skit called "The Census Taker." I think you'll enjoy this as well. One of my favorite comedy actors played Niles on Frazier, and I'm linking one of his funniest performances. Be sure to try to watch the entire thing. It will make you laugh out loud! The week before we left was particularly stressful because the bay overwhelmed the seawall along with our neighbor's properties, flooding the houses and destroying some of their outdoor structures. One neighbor lost an outside wall to their home, and another lost part of a patio to a sinkhole created by a powerful undercurrent. Steve and I removed the bulk of the water from our friend's home because they have difficulty traveling from Canada to Birch Bay due to Canada's COVID rules. They finally made it just before we left, so I'm hoping things go well for them. In the meantime, we look forward to the months ahead of us in Hawaii and then in Birch bay during the summer. We are blessed.