I’m sitting at the San Francisco airport, waiting to board my plane home to Florida. We actually extended the trip another day because neither one of us was ready to come home! Typically, once we get to the end of a vacation, Kevin starts to transition mentally back to work and is ready to get home, but this time, he really relaxed. I was so happy for him, as I know he was fully present in the moment this week. It made it all the more special for us both.

He was surprised by one of his cousins who “phoned a friend” and arranged for Kevin to play golf at the second-most exclusive club in the country (second only to Augusta), called The Santa Lucia Preserve or “The Preserve”. They allowed me to ride along and also arranged for a young pro to play the round and introduce him to the course. This was such a highlight of our trip for Kevin, that he wanted to make sure I included it in the blog record of the trip. In his words, “These women need to let their men know that good things happen to men who plan special trips for their wives!” Here’s visual aid if you need to do some convincing:

Another quick aside about golf: Kevin told me that he thinks there would be a lot more men attending church if they would just put a chapel at the “turn” (just before the last nine holes). With a chaplain in there ready with a platter of hotwings and a prayer over the back nine, those men would be dropping to their knees in record numbers! :o)
We’ve been sleeping with the windows open to the cool breeze and the sounds of the tide. I lay there this morning upon waking, knowing it would be the last time I would hear this ocean for quite a while. It’s different here than in Florida. The tide crashes against the rugged, rocky shore line, both changing it’s appearance and character over time, and accenting it’s steadfastness. It made me think of our years together. We’ve been watching our home videos each evening, marveling at the “freshness” of our look in those early years. Faces smooth and dewy. Eyes bright and full of promise. We look a little different now. A little more “weathered”. Time and experience have crashed against us, and while they’ve changed us to be sure, they’ve also strengthened our foundation. We are aged, but steadfast. And, I’m happy to report that our eyes are still full of promise.
Thank you for traveling with me and indulging me in laying out my thoughts this week. Your sweet comments meant more to me (and to my man!) than you’ll ever know. I’ll be returning to my more usual ramblings here on the blog, but the memory of this “mystery revealed” will remain with me for many years to come.