It's all about me

Every night I like to find two "stories" from the people who come in to the restaurant. Of course, we are a destination town. A vacation town. Every night, it is someone's birthday. Someone's anniversary. The smile hasn't left my face when I say, "Be sure and let your waiter/waitress know".  Yes, we do give a complimentary dessert, no we don't sing. We would be singing all night. 

Last week? We had a couple come in three nights in a row. With three children in wheelchairs they had adopted from the Ukraine a year ago. One night they had only brought one child in, Michael, he is 8. A year ago he was non-verbal (didn't speak). He speaks now. Full of questions, much like any 8 year old. Wanted to know my name, age, last name, age of my kids, my kids names, and on and on and on. And the name of every one that walked by. The last night they came in, he told me the restaurant was wonderful and I was beautiful. My his life has changed in a year.

Three men came in last night. A couple and their friend. They were waiting near the bar. When I went to get them, I was taking them to the other side of the restaurant. One said, "Oh, but Seth (the waiter), we want HIS section!" Smiling and laughing with me. I turned with mischief in my eye and said, "He doesn't play on your team." I knew it was brave of me, but I also could tell they were having fun. They laughed. I gave them a table right on the ocean and said "Will this view due??"  When they were leaving, they told me they had just moved here from Maui, I let them know they were more than welcome anytime and we are a very friendly community. They gave me a twenty dollar tip. I don't receive many tips directly from our patrons, so this was really nice.

Our company had a part-time office position available. 9-1pm Mon-Thurs. I had spoken to the HR person about the position. It was a good position. Making a little more than I am as hostess. Not standing all day. I could wear whatever I want, the office too is right on the water. The HR person, let's call her J, then called late Friday and said it would really need to be more 9 - 3, Monday - Friday, but I could still leave early the two days a week to go to canoe club to help the kids in the afternoons. I told her I would let her know on Monday.

I called her Monday and told her I was having too much fun as the hostess. I let her know when I was ready, I would be back.

Last night, the Director of Operations came in for dinner with his wife and friends. He introduced himself and said "I've heard good things about you". I smiled and thanked him.

"You know, you broke J's heart" (by not taking that other job), he said. I smiled and said "Well, I was going to break someone's heart". This time it's not mine.

Side Effects

I took a part-time job as a Hostess at a local fine dinning waterfront restaurant. Dinner hours only. Two nights a week. They are only open 4pm (happy hour only). Dinner from 5pm - 9pm. 

Beautiful restaurant. Right on the water. Beautiful sunset. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

I remember saying 12 years ago. I want to be the hostess there one day.

Well, by now, we know I play the long game. I guess I have more patience than I think.

What I DIDN'T expect?? The HARDEST part of the job???

Wait for it......

Trying not to cry every time I work. 

What did you say??

Because, this is what I'm so lucky to hear when people ask for their tables:

The VERY SECOND TABLE I EVER SET: Smiling woman from ear to ear, "This is my Granddaughter" Smiling mid twenties woman standing next to her "She flew into to surprise me yesterday, the rest of the family had dinner here last night. We now have 4 generations here. She and I are here for happy hour, the two of us." I literally couldn't say a thing. I did my best to smile and nod my head. Sat them at the best two seater table right on the water. Thinking of all my trips with my Granny.

We are here for our (Pick a year) Anniversary. We have always wanted to come to Hawaii.

I seat a table of 6. Anniversary trip of a group of friends. They befriend a group of 4 friends waiting on their table. By the end of the night, both groups are taking pictures of each other together. As they are all walking out the door together, we are going to a party together on Monday. I smile and reply "Vacation friends make wonderful friends." I should know, I have a daughter from a vacation many years ago.

Older man, I say that like I'm 20, kept coming back to the hostess stand to tell us silly jokes. Do you know the only kind of bee's that don't sting? Boo bee's?? :-) Boo is right. He did give me a ten dollar tip. Their family was celebrating anniversary 41. I said to his wife, how did you do it? She smiled and said he keeps following me! They were fun.

This is a bucket list trip. It's my last trip. 

A family of 6. The mom was standing there telling me about her 13 year old daughter taking pictures of another group in the parking lot. She said her oldest daughter was 20. So the mom knew that the next few years were not going to be easy with the 13 year old so they had come on this trip as a "bonding" one. 

The door happened to be empty and a let's say a 14 month old walked in, no shirt, no shoes, blonde hair and blue eyes with arms in the air. (I could see the parents in the background) But just for a moment, it looked like he was all on his own. There were two other people standing to the side. I owned the moment for him. "Aloha my friend!" "Are you looking for a table?" "I'm sorry, I know this is Hawaii, but we do require shoes and a shirt". I'm not sure who was smiling more. Me or everyone around. All I could think was, I knew just a few seconds ago, two little boys who looked just like you.....

I've been waiting for this job for a very long time.

Have you ever TRULY been to Wal-Mart?

 Have you ever TRULY been to Wal-Mart? or really, it doesn't have to be Wal-Mart, it can be any store. Any store. Any store that is large enough to have a cross section of a population. 

You do have an intention of buying something, but take a minute next time. Walk WITHOUT intention.

I've done this a couple of times at a couple of different stores in my life. But, it's almost become a every other a week habit at our Wal-Mart here in Kona since December. 

The backstory:

• I HATE Wal-Mart in general (they are usually dirty). I don't like their business practices.
• I do not like our Wal-Mart as it has a HORRIBLE parking lot. It's difficult to get in. It's crowded up front. I will go to other places of businesses based on the sole reason of their parking lot. Therefore, when I do have to go here, I park as far as I can and just walk to the door.
• I have therefore avoided this particular location for YEARS, but do occasionally (maybe a once in a year stop) due to convenience go in there.

We had to go in there this summer. Group of us. Two young boys needed dinosaurs as a reward (short version of a long story). I didn't go in. Major meltdown happened in the store. Resulting in tears. I later proclaimed Uncle Jeff was also very sad because he didn't even get a dinosaur at all, much less a little one. 

Fast forward. It's Christmas, I wanted to get Jeff a dinosaur for Christmas as a joke. I go into Wal-mart. WOW! It's a whole different world in our Wal-Mart. I had forgotten!!!

You have your tourist. And your tourist section. You have a McDonalds. You have food. You have fresh fruit. You have medicine. Alcohol. Garden Stuff. Christmas Stuff. Tools. Bikes. Sewing Stuff. Clothes. Toys

Now about the Toy Section: There is a WHOLE aisle dedicated to Barbie and all this pink stuff. So, I'm looking for the dinosaurs. I said to the Wal-Mart guy "Excuse me, where is the Dinosaur Aisle" He looks at me like I have three heads. Another guy standing there (WITH HIS DOG MIND YOU) smiled. And replies, "The dinosaur aisle???" I said, YES, where you get Dinosaurs. LET ME TELL YOU, there was only ONE FOURTH of ONE AISLE with DINOSAURS. I was very disappointed. I did find a little dinosaur to buy. 

My boys never really went through the "dinosaur" stage, but really a WHOLE AISLE of PINK stuff???? 

But now, I've truly become fascinated with our Wal-Mart. I think I spent two hours that day just wondering. I've been back two more times.

The employees are all happy. There is a sweet lady that sits at the door to check your receipt. She tells you to have a "blessed day" or "make sure you get those drinks on some ice soon" She's all smiley. 

And the view from the parking lot, is amazing......

Hanai

 The word in a word in Hawaii that sw=means fmailiy and tha means family. People scoff. But if I were to say that world means "ssssssx" in Italian" or x in russian they might be okay.

But no, a third world country owned by the United States???

Hanai, means family you choose. Not because your cousin married someone. Or married someone. Or because someone you have known and loved someone one since you, who cares since when. 

My daughter. was here today. She made she choice to wake up early and wake up her boyfriend and come paddle with me and my canoe club.

That's the beautiful thing about those we invite into our "hanai" and to those " hanai" in which we become. We never feel it is happening. We become.

She was there. With her boyfriend at 6am, at Keauhou Bay to go paddling. Only one person - so who is Lily? We just smile. My teenage daughter I reply. Jim, across the boat replies, "Are they teenagers?". They will always be in my mind. 

Lily and I swim. We paddle back.

As we get the boats in and walk to the club. Jeff is there. 

Not what I was expecting.

Lily wasn't either. She had asked me earlier if he had paddled, I relieplied no. He captains late night manta dives. William, her boyfriend, had been caught up in old time "rowing" conversation.

As, my former, and also younger self walked up to greet him. Along with my duaghter.

Everything, everything, going to be all right.

Daily Habits

 The only way to do this again. Because I do TRULY love to write. Is well, to start to write ever day.

So, here is today. Write now. :-) 

Mission Accomplished

Ironman 2022

Everyone has been telling you your WHOLE life to be patient. Not one of your virtues. NO, I didn't do it (this time). I worked it. 

Not sure if you learned your lesson or somehow it arrived it in due time (as usual.....).

FIRST TWO DAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ever! 😅Yes, EVER.

TWO years of COVID cancellations. ELEVEN years of wanting to be there on closing night.

In true Leasa style, it showed up even better. I was there on closing night. I was EMPLOYED by IRONMAN. I was on the VIP FINISHERS PLATFORM. 

SO many changes in my life over the last ELEVEN years. What am I talking about the last 11 years?  Not all good. Its been hard work to get here. Slow and steady DOES win the race, or at least it gets you across the finish line. Or to the start line. At least forward and not stuck in a place that you don't want to be. Hopefully, we are to the run now....

Many stories from the last week I can't yet put into words. 

One of my dear friends I lost in 2019. To say I was heartbroken over losing her is an understatement. (That's a song for another time). 

There was a large Honu (turtle) who appeared in the water just before the finishers were approaching the finishing line.  The turtle arm came into the air.

I'm on the finish line platform. I looked in the water. I waved to her. She said "You are welcome darlin" and swam back into the sea".....Yes, every single emotion you are feeling right now was there. Breathe deep.

The dolphins who appeared just before all the pro's jumping for the crowd. The dolphins made the news feed. Of course they did. 

I know this is my magic. This is my special place. I can feel the magic here. If it's my job to share it with others, I'm happy, I share my joy in all sorts of ways.

Saturday night. The closing ceremony was happening. The last runners were coming in. The magic of the whole event was coming to an end. I never stay to the very end.

I sneak out the side. I like to remember the moment, just before the end. The moment when everyone still is holding on to the magic. I like putting all the magic together. That place between dreaming and awake. 

As I sneak into the parking lot, the ceremonial drums are beating. We still have awards ceremony the next night. The lights are beginning to fade. The moon is full. Jupiter is above the moon. There are drops of Jupiter. 

Mission accomplished.

(I'll catch you up from 2016 - 2020 some other time it, but please do know, you too can heal.) 

Victory Lap

One last lap.......

Everything is set in place. "The car" has been delivered to it's next destination. Furnishings of the house are almost all gone.

Extra trashed picked up. Artwork and collectibles ready to go.

No - the house deal fell through. At least the Denver house. The Hawaii house is ready to we are closing on Thursday.

Thursday - Nolan's 21st birthday. The first time we ever went to Kona was on Nolan's 12th birthday. This has always been my weekend.

But oh no, we can't just "go".....

Going away party is tomorrow night. Seriously, well, who else would throw my going away party???

Nothing is in place. Tons of stuff still in the air.

Although, I think I have some new friends to meet and rent one of our places - a traveling nurse and her husband. On to the next adventure.

Tomorrow night is the "A hui ho" party (A hui ho - until next time) - 6:00pm - 10:00pm on a Saturday night during the middle of COVID (I guess I will have to explain COVID later).

Nolan  will be there, "but I might be late"

Duncan (coaching an Under 14 hockey team) - "tryouts don't end until 8, I'll get there when I can"

We are all doing our best to "social distance", but DAMMIT, you can miss you (or at least leave your hockey try-outs early for your mom's going away party).

Duncan coaches for the team whom he played for, the team I hosted Russian hockey players in the basement for a year.

I pulled the mom card.

I called the head coach.

Please don't tell Duncan I called you. Here is the situation: "I'm moving to Hawaii, the going away party is Saturday night starting at 6. He let me know try-outs don't end until 8 and he would do what he could to get there".

The coach and I had a nice wonderful conversation. He promised me he wouldn't let him know I had called him. Paul (the coach), I understand it's try-outs, but can you do what you can to let him leave early? He will NEVER ask you if this is okay.

Couple of hours later:

"Mom, what time is the thing on Saturday"

"Six - Ten"

"I'll be there"

Me: "Thanks for making it happen"

Him: "Of course."

All those years of volunteering. All those years of hockey mom, carpool, exchange student hosts. Carpools, Mother's Day brunches, trampolines, sleep overs and on and on........

The victory lap was worth it all.......



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