Sunset on arrival day in Kona

I have done a good deal of traveling in my life but as I look back on it, my longer trips have been on cruises and with other people. This is my first trip by myself in quite sometime and that right there makes a big difference! When I arrived here in Kona, HI, I knew the fruits would be good, no problem, salad makings, no problem, meats, fishs, no problem, so I head off to Costco, I had checked it out my last trip here and felt I would find everything I wanted or needed.

I decided that the 4-5 lbs. of ground round would be perfect for many meals, did I mention I am not a cook! The tempura shrimp would be something different, avocados, great, oh yes, don’t forget the bread! I am a bread addict so I happily picked up the 2 loaves of fresh baked Rosemary Olive Oil bread and the 2 bags of  cheese bagels . That ought to do for a little while…oh yes, the white corn tortillas for my tacos! Ummmm, about 60 of them. There are actually 100 in the bag! OMG!

Knowing Costco the way I do, I knew where to look for my Pinto beans, I  needed those for the chili beans I planned to make. I hunted all around for the Pinto beans, not even uncooked Pinto beans were to be found. What? No Pinto beans!?  Not only that, but no Chile Verde that I normally purchase in Costco in Arizona.  

That’s when it hit me that those were items that you will not find everywhere you travel. My cousin Pamela had told me to take my tortillas and jalapanos with me, but I just KNEW they would be in Kona! Luck for me all that I was missing were the beans and the chile verde. I left Costco and began to drive to the local market by the condo.

As I was leaving the Costco parking lot, I realized there are so many things that I always take for granted, not just in the foods I expected to find, but many other things in my life…I have so much to learn. Perhaps this is another reason I am here in Kona…learning more about me every day…





I first spoke my dream outloud in November after returning from a week in Kona for Thanksgiving. I said it was my intention to move to Kona by February 15,2011, partly to live a dream of being in a tropical area and partly to expand my greeting card business in the tropical paradise.

On February 15, 2011, I boarded the plane and headed to Kona, filled with fear and excitement. Totally out of my comfort zone and alone…a mixture of plans in my head and written on papers. I had set my intentions and now it was falling into place. It is now up to me to keep myself motivated and encouraged. I remind myself that there is NO FAILURE if I don’t quit…

My flight to Kona was a non-stop from Phoenix, AZ on a smaller plane than the one I traveled on in November. I sat on a row with a vacant seat between me and Steve, a resident of Kona returning from a trip to the Carolina’s where he had visited his adult children. He filled me in on many things about the island that I didn’t know and invited me to contact him and visit his home. It is nice to feel as if I have a connection as we come in for our landing. I have a couple of others to catch up with that I had met at Thanksgiving, perhaps I will call or email them on Sunday.

We arrived about 3:30 and I took the shuttle to the car rental only to be asked if  I realized I was at the wrong location and would need a taxi to get me to the correct office for  my rental car…of course it was rush hour and there was no rushing the process, so I did what I always tell others to do..BREATHE. I had a nice conversation with the driver. Though he was not overly talkative, I decided to ask about the tatoos which covered his body.  I asked about them and he shared many stories about the different ones covering his neck, arms, and fingers. I learned so much about Julius and Hawaiian traditions that the time passed quickly. He will drive me back to the airport when I leave in April.

By the time I got my car it was too far from Costco and the shopping I had intended to do before going to the condo.  So, I just drove to the Kona Coast Resort where I will be staying the next two months. I grabbed my bags and “lugged” them to my condo, no easy task, but I found a sidewalk so I didn’t have to use any stairs.

Once the bags were in the condo, I cleaned up and decided to walk up the hill for a little dinner and some milk for in the morning…forgot the milk but had a nice dinner (hamburger with bacon and the most delicious fries!!!) before returning to the condo and flopping on the bed for the night. Welcome to Paradise!

 As I sit here during my last hours in Kona, HI, looking out over the beautiful Pacific ocean where I will soon be parasailing, I wondered if “you” are ever too old to make life changes. Considering the things I have done and am about to do on this trip, I have decided the answer is definitely a resounding NO!

I am healthy, have a business that I can take and run anywhere in the world and a partner that is willing to travel this adventure with me! What more do I need?

What would you be willing to do if there was nothing to hold you back? Would you pack it up and give it a try? I am willing to consider at least a year here in Kona. Yes, it is a little scary, mostly because of what it would take to get my Chester and Scooter here, but heck, what an adventure! If I liked it enough, perhaps it would be a f inal destination OR help provide me with the courage to travel to another country.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. What are your dreams? I am collecting memories for tomorrow and dreams that I never thought were possible. This is happening because of my love of sending cards and sharing the possibilities with others that are also loving the dream of making a living through giving.

It’s been a long time since I have had BIG DREAMS, it takes my breath away…it is exciting, beyond exciting.

Can you feel it?

As I prepare to post this blog, as I speak my dream outloud, I feel my heart speeding up, yes, it is scary…living outloud is scary, but it is living. It takes you to the edge, then you have to take that leap of faith. Aim for the moon, you just might hit the the stars, far better than living with the “What if’s” the rest of my life.

Anyone out there that has made some BIG changes in their lives after the age of 60 to fulfill your dreams, I would love to hear from you!

“Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.” -Betty Bender

“Never mention the worst. Never think of it. Drop it out of your consciousness. ” – Norman Vincent
Peale

“He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is enlightened.” -Tao Te Ching

“Treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile…”

~Linda Ellis

R.A.K. (Random Act of Kindness– pay it forward — http://ow.ly/1Y875

Do you know your “WHY” for doing your business? We have all heard that our “Why” should make us cry. Does your “why” make you cry, does it make others cry?

I often struggle with my “WHY” , what is my passion for doing my card business? I often listen to others talk about what brought them  to their business and how they got started, what their passion for “working the business”  is and I feel lost. I began my business when my mother passed away because I kept receiving many heartfelt sympathy cards from so many people. As I began to write my ”Thank You” cards, I thought, “Why don’t I give them a try and see what this is all about.” I haven’t stopped sending cards yet.

I traveled to Long Beach, CA a few months ago and had the opportunity to visit with friends.  I had not seen most of them in a year or more  so there was much catching up to be done. Several people came and gave me hugs and it was wonderful to be surrounded by familiar faces and long time friends. My former Minister, Rev. Mary Ellen Kilsby, came up and gave me big hug and told me how my many cards/”hugs”, had helped her through some difficult times. She lost her husband a year ago and I sent cards just to let her know that I was thinking of her. I was happy they had meant so much to her.

In honesty, I am not sure if this is my “WHY” for doing my business, but I do know that each time I send a card, I touch someone’s life. I know that through sending cards I have been able to improve relationships, maintain customers and bring smiles when hearts are aching. 

The Power of the Heartfelt Card

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt. (That little voice in our heads can do that on its own.)