Liz Living Life in Hawaii: September 2010

I have such great lady friends in Hawaii...and they are all so very different and add something different to my life...

First, there is Demaris- she is older than me, and looks younger than me. We met at Yoga, and she helped me find the very first place that I started to volunteer at... a Nature Center, She was there too, and brought me on , not missing a beat. She is married to a very smart man, who works in the world of construction, not unlike David, and she has two children, like me, both grown. She has embraced living in Hawaii, coming from California, and never wants to leave. She spends her time gardening, exploring the culture of the Island, seeing foreign films and traveling...she talks to her children daily, and I believe, is still very in love with her husband...I believe she loves plants almost as much as people.

Then there is Jan...she is a former teacher, and loves the ocean and beach almost as much as I do. She and her husband Will retired early- and both love to read, and spend time outdoors.
She is a volunteer with the seals, and actually asked me to get involved. She is a true animal lover....and does not have any children, She does have a dog, she loves very much, and he is treated as a member of the family. We often volunteer together with the seals, or at school with the kids, and love our weekly " Beach date". Her passion, besides her dog, is Hula class and all things Hawaiian.

My friend Collette is much younger than me, in fact, she could be my daughter,
She recently got married and then went on to have a baby....I met Collette thru Yoga, as she is the instructor. She lives near by, and I am able to see her often and chat wither her about health issues and alternative medicine, and she lets me play with her baby...who is almost one. We have similar values regarding family ...She has a beautiful yard, to embrace, but what is better, she has a beautiful spirit.

There is my friend Kathy, who is married to a man in construction also..
We met through volunteering with the Homeless. Kathy is a master seamstress and cook...eating at her house is always a treat. Formerly from California, she travels often and has two grown daughters, one that lives near by, and one, on another Island. She loves being a grandmother, and often helps with her two grandchildren. We don't nearly see each other as often as we should.

I have a friend on loan from Alaska- Betty. Her husband works for David....and she has led a very interesting life- coming from living in Alaska, She came here, to Hawaii, when her husband came for work. She is retired from the school district, but has held many jobs in her life- including being a dog groomer. She has learned to make jewelry since living in Hawaii, and loves to be out doors and be active. She is fun, and and very generous. She has no problem leaving Hawaii some day, she is just on to the next adventure.

I met Vicki, as she was our real estate person...I was looking for a new place to live, and Vicki found it for me. Vicki is pretty and has a very warm and caring presence about her. She has experienced some tragedy in her life, and it has affected her greatly...Vicki lost a young daughter in a senseless way...and the way she honors her memory is to talk about her. She dances the Hula and is very good at it.

There have been a few friends that I have met, that have moved on...
Jan K. almost like a soul sister to me in my mind- her husband took a new job only a few months after we discovered each other, and she had to return back to California, but we stay close, and still try to see each other.

Siobhan was another young woman, who could be the age of my daughter. She had her first child Noah, and is an amazing mother and friend. She is very pretty and married to a "surfer dude". She is a creative artist and I am lucky enough to have some of her art pieces. She recently moved away to another Island, but we still stay in touch,

Through my volunteering and friendships, I have made other friends...there is Rose, a former life guard,and mother of five..divorcee of many, she is quite a bit older than I, and her Irish personality is a welcome friend when she joins us at our beach day...she keeps us laughing with her stories...she loves to read, loves the water and loves to cook...always good for interesting conversations...Dana, a southern belle from Atlanta, who I met through volunteering with the seals,...She too, is a great cook, loves to read, and enjoys animals...She is a very hard worker and very good around all sorts of people. Dana will do anything for you...I believe.

There are others, but this is the core group...I love them all.............and I feel so fortunate to have found them.