Part 2…An experience unlike any other!…What a night!…What is “haptic seating”?…

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Not our photos. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 04: Sphere lights up for the first time in celebration of Independence Day on July 04, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 366-foot-tall, 516-foot-wide venue, the largest spherical structure on Earth, features an Exosphere with a 580,000-square-foot display, the largest LED screen in the world, and is expected to open later in 2023. on July 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

We are still reeling over the experience of visiting the Sphere in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, hosted by Richard, along with dinner at Aria Resort and Spa. What a fun night it was! I took a few photos, but when the scenes passed so quickly before our eyes, I had little time to adjust my phone’s camera to capture them. No regular cameras are allowed in the theatre.

Today, we’re sharing some photos we took during the presentation, Postcards from Earth, which was an astounding experience. An exciting aspect of the presentation was the “haptic seating,” which, of course, Richard ensured we had with our excellent seats:

“The Sphere at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas has 18,600 seats and a standing capacity of 20,000. The Sphere is a 516-foot-wide, 366-foot-tall, circular theater that opened to the public in September 2023.”

When we first saw this scene on the big screen, we all wondered, “Is this it?” But only a second later, the visuals appeared on the massive ceiling and dome of the entire theatre. It was breathtaking!  

“Haptic seating” is described as follows:

“The Sphere at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas has 10,000 haptic seats. The seats are integrated with Powersoft’s infrasound system, which uses a compact transducer called Mover to provide haptic feedback. Mover’s moving-magnet technology uses an audio signal with ultra-low-frequency reproduction to make the chairs vibrate and shake as desired for each performance.”

While we had the sensation of being in a spaceship, the effects were outstanding. It couldn’t have been more fun. We felt like kids on an innovative, technologically advanced ride at Disneyland or Disney World, except it was more profound than anything found at those venues.

It felt as if we were in an aquarium with these sting rays.

The cost to build the Sphere is astounding as follows:

“$2.3 billion
After accounting for design changes, supply chain crisis, and inflation, it is understood that The Sphere ultimately cost $2.3 billion.”
There are conflicting reports on whether the Sphere has been making money since its completion, included in the following:
“Las Vegas Sphere reports $98.4 million loss, the CFO quit as well,” said a post from Daily Loud, the “#1 Source For Hip-Hop/Viral News Across The Planet,” according to its X profile. Photography website PetaPixel went with a similar headline, saying, “Las Vegas Sphere’s CFO Quits as Company Posts $98.4 Million Loss.”
We all gasped as the beauty of this scene played out in 360 degrees.
In another report:
“As of February 5, 2024, Sphere Entertainment reported a $51 million profit in its second quarter. This includes $314 million in ticket sales and $159 million in expenses.”
Describe the technology of the Sphere:
“The Sphere in Las Vegas has many technologies, including:
  • LED screen
    The Sphere has a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that wraps over and behind the audience. The screen uses Lens Projection Formulas and spherical trigonometry to map images onto the curved display. The screen is also designed to be permeable so that reverb doesn’t tarnish the sound.
  • Audio
    The Sphere has speakers with beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies. The 10,000 haptic seats have actuators that tune frequencies and act as low-frequency bass. The Sphere also uses a new camera system called Big Sky to create a new cinematic experience.
  • 4D experience
    The Sphere uses 4D technologies, including infrasonics and haptics, to create a 4D experience.
  • Energy
    The Sphere is powered by about 70% solar power, most coming from Nevada’s leading electricity utility, NV Energy.”
    We felt as if we were underwater with a school of fish.

Based on the above information, this venue has been quite an undertaking. Is it worth attending, even with family members, when tickets for good seats are over $200 each and parking is $70? That can only be determined by one’s willingness to bear this expense for a relatively short but astounding once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Would children enjoy this? I’d say it wouldn’t be suitable for kids under eight years old and might be frightening even for children of that age. Preteen and teenagers would undoubtedly enjoy it.

The haptic seats vibrated with the sounds of the elephant hooves hitting the ground. Guess what this reminded us of?

As for seniors? If mobility is a serious problem, we wouldn’t recommend it. Although the facility has options for wheelchair assistance, it would be essential to book this before booking the seats to ensure the senior or disabled person can maneuver the way to their seat, which is very difficult if mobility is an issue. It appeared they had particular seating areas for those in wheelchairs, which wouldn’t require climbing over people on the narrow, steep ledges.

Aside from today’s main photo, I took all the other images we’ve posted today from my seat, but the seating was too tight to turn around for better shots.

There were hundreds of scenes, many of which we’d seen in our travels. But, I needed to sit back, relax, and be immersed in the experience.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 23, 2014:

Marabou Storks will eat anything they can swallow, including shoes, clothing, and tin cans. They can become aggressive if fed by humans when they are refused food. Although not vultures, their behavior exceeds the traits of vultures whose diet consists of animal remains. For more, please click here.

The action packed days continue…Tom’s at it today!…Last night’s special “chef’s” dinner with friends…

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We quickly drove over the Gray’s Bay Bridge on our way to Connie & Jeff’s home.

Yesterday was another whirlwind day for me while Tom was able to kick back and unwind a little while I was out and about with Maisie. Today will be my day to stay put while he and Tammy pick up Vincent at camp, attend a gun safety clinic, and then take Vincent to lunch and see Wonder Woman.

Tammy arrived at our hotel around 11:00 am to pick up Tom, leaving me with a free day and a vehicle. Wow! That’s a first. I have a few errands to attend to and will return long before she drops Tom off at the end of the day.

This cheese is the best we’ve ever had. It can be purchased at Amazon.com.  Click this link if you’re a cheese enthusiast and curious about “Belton Farm Red Fox.” It’s pricey but is a five-pound block and could be shared with others. Although once you taste it, sharing may be out of the question.

The three are headed to Chipotle for lunch and then to Plymouth Grand 15 movie theater to see Wonder Woman at 1:10.  Hopefully, it all runs smoothly, and the timing works out. Vincent is chomping at the bit to see Wonder Woman.

Had I not seen the movie last week with Maisie, I’d go with them but I have my day planned with the errands and to work on Tom’s new clothing, removing tags, folding and packing, as I’d done for mine last weekend when there was a lull in my schedule.  

Tom, sitting at the table at Connie and Jeff’s table on their veranda.  I guess you call that a “deck” here in Minnesota.

Today is the halfway point in our six-week stay in Minnesota.  We’ve been so busy the time has flown. However, we feel we’ve had a lot of quality time with family and friends, with much more yet to come.

Speaking of friends, last night we visited the home of friends Connie and Jeff, whom we met 25 years ago when we all joined a gourmet club. The club lasted about a year, but the friendship with Connie and Jeff continued over the years resulting in many good times together, laughing, talking, and sharing good food and drink.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post here, Connie is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef. With the utmost ingenuity with husband Jeff, they made a fantastic, perfect-for-my-way-of-eating meal that was delicious. 

View of the lake from their veranda.

It was the first time we had a steak that wasn’t grass-fed in a few years, and I must admit the flavor and tenderness surpassed that of grass-fed meat we’d purchased in a variety of countries.  We’ve found grass-fed meat generally to be less flavorful and less tender.  We’ve accepted these facts due to the added nutritional value and safety of my diet. Thus, last night was a bit of a splurge.

On the recent cruises, some of the beef was purchased in countries that produce grass-fed meat as a matter of course. But, in the US, grass-fed beef is expensive and not a staple for most meat-eating households. Of course, we’re not cooking now, so it’s of little concern. 

Look!  You can see Tom’s hands flying while he talks to Jeff.  That’s my guy!

It was terrific to see Connie and Jeff in their lakefront home located in the highly desirable and prestigious Deephaven area of Lake Minnetonka. Since we arrived, it was the first time we drove through my old familiar area of Lake Minnetonka, where my two sons grew up. 

As we passed over the Gray’s Bay Bridge, I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me for the first time since we arrived three weeks ago.  I’d been thinking and focusing on people we love, not locations. But that drive left me grabbing for the camera.

This is Candy, a sweet Staffordshire rescue dog that is one year old and very well trained.

I couldn’t take many good photos as we moved along in the busy construction zones in every direction. I’m determined to return to that area to take photos in the next few weeks, which we’ll post here. Tom grew up in the city, but I was always a suburban kind of girl. I guess those differences have ultimately played a role in the mingling of our different ways that have proved to be a vital part of our special connection to one another.

We dined on Connie and Jeff’s veranda overlooking a gorgeous bay of Lake Minnetonka while their adorable one-year-old rescue dog, Candy, couldn’t get enough attention from both of us. At first, she barked at both of us but within minutes was all over Tom for attention. 

With a few of my choice high-pitched voice sounds and a bit of nuzzling, she mainly was mine for the remainder of the evening, nudging my hand, raising a paw, and sitting on my feet.  Periodically, she approached Tom for more of the same, keeping her eyes on me all the while. It reminded me (not that I needed reminding) how much I love animals and how well they respond to me.

The table was set with a nautical theme and the most fabric-like paper napkins we’ve seen, which Connie purchased in Provence. Note my little bottle of liquid chemical-free sweetener, a few drops of which I add to sour cream to make my favorite salad dressing. The meal was exceptional.

Of course, there’s the companionship of old friends and…the evening, along with the exceptional food flowed as one would expect with “Chef Connie” and “sous chef” husband Jeff as the ideal hostess and host. 

As usual, when invited to a friend’s home, we picked up a good bottle of wine on the way as a host gift. Luckily, I selected an excellent French Malbec that they seemed to enjoy during the dinner. 

With Connie’s vast experiences in Provence, France, French wine was in order. I never tasted it, although my mouth watered over the prospect. As my gastrointestinal issues continue to improve, there was no way I’d risk a relapse by drinking alcohol in any form.

We arrived shortly after 5:00 pm and didn’t head out until 10:00 pm with a “doggie bag” with some of the finest cheese we’d had to date, Belton Farm Red Fox.  Its quality reminded us of the caraway cheddar we’d purchased in Tasmania last Christmas, but its flavor surpassed the intensity and texture of the caraway cheese.

The seasoned, roasted cauliflower with grilled sirloin steak cooked medium rare/rare to perfection. Dinner was served after the cheese and other appetizers. The side dishes included a green salad with various add-ins, potato salad, and a heated-on-the-grill baguette.

Note the name of the cheese in the above photo, which can only be purchased online. Perhaps, someday when we’re settled somewhere, we’ll have a giant chunk shipped to us. It’s beyond compare if you love cheese as we do.

Earlier in the day, it was spent with Maisie. She went with us for Tom’s first US haircut since 2014 before Christmas on the Big Island of Hawaii. After a quick trip to Michael’s for a craft activity to do with Maisie, we dropped Tom off, and Maisie and I spent a busy rest-of-the-day.

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll be back tomorrow with more new photos!  Have a day filled with your favorite activities!


Photo from one year ago today, June 16, 2016:

What a sight this was in Bali! What a resourceful biker, hanging his laundry to dry on a stick and his bike.  Resourceful, eh?  For more photos, please click here.

Finally, photos of Minnesota…The hectic schedule continues…Dining out almost daily…

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Avenida, Mexican-Asian Kitchen located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, was quite good.  We’ll return soon.

Last night, I dropped off grandson Miles at home at the end of his “date with grandma,” which began at 8:00 am until almost 5:00 pm when I returned him to his house. 

The traffic was outrageous, taking more than 50 minutes to drive about 10 miles and slightly less on the return to the hotel. Making this round trip twice a day, three or more times a week, results in plenty of drive time, at about three hours per day. 

Gosh, I’m not used to this. Then again, after not driving for two years in the South Pacific, I must admit I do get a kick out of the new Ford Explorer’s digital equipment, especially being able to make a call or do a text through the vehicle’s navigation system using voice commands only. 

Tom looked a little tired in this photo taken at dinner last night, but he perked up after a good meal.

Listening to my favorite radio station from years past, 107.1, has also been relatively entertaining. Of course, when the grandchildren are in the car buckled into the back seat, the radio is off, allowing us to chat in typical kid speak. Talk about “entertaining!”

Having each of my three grandchildren one-on-one over these past weeks has been the best possible way to enhance our relationships further. Quickly, we’ve found our way to a new level of closeness we never even had in years past, especially now that they’re older.

But, not surprisingly, in many ways, they’re the same little people they were when we lived here in 2012, each unique in personality and demeanor, each engaging in their special way. Luckily, over these years, we’ve stayed in close enough touch that they immediately felt comfortable being with us, whether it’s just one of us or when we’re together.

The ambiance at Avenida is pleasant and well-lit.

Tom’s interaction with his three grandsons is different, spending valuable time with them as a family as in TJ’s two sons Jayden and Nik, and now with some alone time with Tammy’s son, Vincent. 

Last Friday, Tom took Vincent to the family cemetery in Winsted, Minnesota, after Vincent had expressed considerable interest in ancestry. Tom, the ancestry.com guru, was delighted when Vincent showed interest in this topic, and Tom was all over it. Afterward, Vincent and I watched a good kid movie together, Rise of the Guardians.

We both look forward to more interactions with all of the grandchildren and our adult children, and their significant others during the remaining 24 nights in Minnesota. And, of course, we’ll undoubtedly spend more time with Tom’s huge family.

The combination of the Mexican and Asian decor was a bit odd, but it’s trendy. What do we know?

Also, we still have many upcoming events planned with friends. It doesn’t appear we’ll have time for multiple friends “get-togethers,” but we’re taking advantage of every available moment during this period. 

As for dining out at least six times per week, it’s working out well.  We’ve held up well with our budgetary goal of spending an average of no more than $30 per day for our meals, especially when breakfast in the hotel is complimentary.

The fact that we aren’t drinking any alcohol, ordering appetizers and desserts, is very doable even with generous tips we’re leaving for excellent service. We continue to try new mid-range restaurants, finding it easy for me when I mostly order Cobb or chopped salads with lettuce, chicken, boiled eggs, bacon, cheese, guacamole with a side of full-fat sour cream as the dressing.

My chopped salad with a side of Mexican season shredded beef.

Last night, we decided to try a Mexican-Asian restaurant, Avenida, which, although about $10 higher than we usually pay, we found to be very good. It was odd to see this two-in-one style of the menu…part traditional “gourmet-type” Mexican food and options for slightly elevated Asian dishes. This must be something new in the US.

Tom ate two bowls of complimentary tortilla chips (without the salsa) and ordered an Asian Sweet and Sour Chicken dish for his entree while I took a few tastes of the salsa without the chips. 

Again, as shown in today’s photos, I ordered a chopped salad with a side of shredded Mexican seasoned beef. It was the best such salad I’d had since we arrived and I hope we’ll return for more in these next weeks.

Tom’s entree, Sweet and Sour Chicken. He picked out all the bell peppers, leaving him with a third less on his plate.

It’s all good; the loving interactions with family and friends; the hotel, Country Inn & Suites; the meals at the hotel and in restaurants; the red Ford Explorer SUV and its gadgets; the extra car we borrowed from son Greg (thanks, Greg!), a Ford 350, 4-door, diesel (only Tom drives this) and the excellent quality clothing we’ve been able to purchase at reasonable prices sans sales tax. (The donations pile for Goodwill is growing).

The only negatives are the traffic, the crowds and the waiting in line. But, we can console ourselves with the fact that the trade-offs are undoubtedly worth it…being together with those we love. 

It doesn’t hurt to know that the backed-up traffic and crowds won’t be a permanent challenge for us when in 50 days, we’ll be in a relatively quiet and somewhat remote area in Costa Rica with beautiful memories to sustain us.

The journey continues…

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 13, 2016:
 Praying Mantis on the edge of the infinity pool in Bali. With his/her reflection in the water. For more photos, please click here.

Sorrow over more London attacks…Keeping our families safe…More garden photos…

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Beautiful garden pond.

According to this report, I just saw a blurb on the US TV show, Sunday Morning, explaining that as a result of 535 terror attacks, 3635 have lost their lives throughout the world so far in 2017. This isn’t even the “tip of the iceberg” when considering the hundreds of thousands who have died at the hands of terroristic regimes and governments. 

Blue, as a less common color in nature, always catches our eye.

Our hearts and prayers for the injured in last night’s terror attack in London and for the families and friends of those who lost their lives. Will this ever end?

We live in dangerous times, not only from terrorism but also from disease. For example, from this site:

“This annual report provides the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in 2017, as well as current cancer incidence, mortality, and survival statistics and information on cancer symptoms, risk factors, early detection, and treatment. In 2017, (in the US) there will be an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed and 600,920 cancer deaths in the US.”

Tom is smiling at the edge of a garden pond.

We live in dangerous times. With our promise not to express “politically” based views on this site, we steer our discussion in a different direction. “How do we keep our families and ourselves safe?” 

A golf course like neatly trimmed grass.

Do we really have some control over our personal safety, health, and well-being?  To an extent, we do. We can take care of our health even amid the endless confusing reports on what is actually “healthy” and what is not. 

We can siphon out what we know for sure; a healthy diet, a positive outlook, reducing stress, staying active and engaged with others, avoiding toxic chemicals, relationships, and excesses all contribute to pointing us in the right direction. 

Pretty flowers line a walkway to a gate.

For those who so choose, incorporating a spiritual aspect into their lives may be instrumental in improving theirs and their family’s odds for longevity, health, and well-being.

To see the entire gardens in time to return for the meeting time at the van, we maneuvered our way through the crowds.

As for the risks of terrorist attacks, becoming victims of crimes, involvement in accidents and injuries, we still have a degree of control in some circumstances (of course, not all). Do we avoid high-risk locations, events, and scenarios? Are we careful and conscious of our limitations when we perform or engage in specific tasks or activities?

Many may say we are overly cautious. We don’t zip line, skydive, bungee jump, scuba dive, or snorkel. Based on the constraints imposed by my precarious spinal condition, we avoid those activities that have the potential to put an immediate end to our world travels.

Perfect expansive lawn.

We may travel to some higher-risk countries, but we try to avoid public venues as much as possible, even quickly hurrying through airports, train stations, and other forms of transportation. We avoid outdoor cafes in high-risk areas. We do the best we can. But, no precautions regarding terrorist attacks are foolproof.

Fountain garden.

Even staying indoors isn’t 100% effective when many lose their lives in household accidents each year. From this site:

“Did you know that more than 18,000 Americans die every year from injuries that take place in the home? This makes it the second most common location for such fatalities. Why are home injuries so prevalent? Most Americans are unaware that they can prevent such accidents. From minor burns to poisoning, electrical shocks to suffocations.”

Lush evergreen at Butchart Gardens.

We are saddened by the loss of lives and injuries incurred by terror attacks throughout the world and often ask ourselves, “What is the answer?”  Ideally, we can only hope and pray that our leaders across the globe can make the best decisions to enhance our safety against these pointless attacks. 

We pray for the safety, health, and well-being of you and for those you love.

Photo from one year ago today, June 4, 2016:

As we exited the bedroom in Bali to make our cheese plate, we spotted this considerable Nursery Web Spider. Although their bite may be painful, it’s not life-threatening. Tom was able to scoot it outside with the broom. No screaming. Just photos. For more details, please click here.

We made a booking error!…Final hotel expenses…Tonight’s the night!…We’re off to Sydney on the red eye…

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The hotel chef made a special spicy sauce to accompany my brochettes.

Gee, this week whizzed by considering how little we did, hanging out in our hotel room for days, content as we could be in air conditioned comfort with nary a fly in sight. 

As a matter of fact, having meals without having to bat off the flies was rather pleasant for a change. But, we know this cool comfort and fly free zone won’t last forever. 

Once the 33-night cruise ends on December 3rd, we’ll spend a total of three months in two locations in Tasmania, which is rife with wildlife and insects of all sorts, a fact that attracted us to this Australian island. 

Tom got another bowl of chips not shown in that photo.

Fortunately, we get used to the scary creatures we have encountered otherwise we would not have chosen to visit Costa Rica, South America and again Africa in the future.

As for our stay here at the Hilton Garden Inn Ngurah Rai Airport a most peculiar thing happened yesterday. We discovered we’d made an error when booking this hotel. Here how it went:

1.  First, we’d booked the hotel for Saturday, October 29th to Sunday, October 30th, although we’re checking out tonight at 9:45 pm when it will still be October 29th. With this late flight we preferred not to spend hours waiting at the airport so we booked the hotel for the one night with the very early checkout. With the low rate of US $50, IDR 652,874 it was better than the alternative.
2.  When we decided to leave the villa early due to the poor WiFi signal, we created an additional booking at the same hotel from Monday, October 24th to Friday, October 28th.

Is my booking error obvious? 

Each morning Tom had a few of the doughnuts shown on the right.

Based on how I booked this we’d be without a room between Friday and Saturday. I should have booked the added nights from Monday, October 24th through Saturday, October 29th and then, our extra night would kick in. 

Yesterday at noon, staff at the front desk called our room (we were wondering why our room hadn’t been cleaned) kindly explaining we needed to clear out of the room (duh) and return today for the 2:00 pm check in time. That would have been some predicament!

We wondered what the huge red pot contained. Was it decorative or a buffet item?

Well, safari luck kicked in, we rebooked yesterday’s one night at Hotels.com on our site for which rates, last minute had escalated, but the hotel was able to let us stay in the same room.  Thank goodness.

We apologized profusely for our error, had our WiFi and key cards updated and continued on with our day. We finished and packed our clean laundry and once again I worked out. Later we closed and weighed our bags to see if we’d be charged for overweight luggage. 

The gym was nicely chilled and spacious.  This guy of the left was the only person I’d seen in the gym in five days.

Virgin Australia charges per piece for economy (that’s us) and also for overweight fees. Each of our two clothing bags are within a kilo and of the 23 kg max with our third bags well under without an extra inch of space to stuff the slight overages. We’ll see how it goes. On this particular international flight paying online in advance for baggage isn’t allowed.

After a good breakfast, by dinnertime, we both felt hungry and decided to head down to the restaurant for a meal. The menu was tricky with many items that wouldn’t work for me. 

I ended up ordering a specially prepared satay dish without sugary peanut sauce, which consisted of two small skewers of chicken, one small skewer of beef and a skewered medium sized prawn. Knowing this would be ultra small, I also ordered two fried eggs and a half of avocado. It all worked for me.

It felt good to get on the cardio equipment. Over the six days I improved my endurance more than expected.

Tom, prepping for his “cruise diet,” ordered a bacon cheeseburger (with bun) with fries and extra fries.  Here he goes! He’ll be dining to his heart’s content while I’ve promised (as usual on cruises) not to say “boo” about what he eats until we’re settled in our next vacation home when I’ll start cooking again.

We’ll forego dinner tonight and grab a little something at the airport if we’re hungry or we may use our remaining IDRs to purchase nuts for the flight. After all, we’ll be awake all night, a little munching might be in order.

As for the hotel bill for these six nights including meals, tips and taxes:

Room rate for six nights:   IDR 4,989,658,  US $382
Meals not included:           IDR    806,242,  US $ 62
Total for six nights:        IDR  5,795,900, US $444
Average cost per night:      IDR    965,983   US $ 74

This flower is blooming on a tree by the pool.

Wow! This was reasonable, less than our average cost per night when living in vacation homes.  Sure, we forfeited six nights at the villa, but we’d already factored those costs into our budget and certainly received our money’s worth.

Tomorrow, as mentioned, we’ll be in Sydney staying overnight in the hotel.

Our post may be late if we didn’t sleep on the plane. If we were able to get some sleep on the plane and feeling alert in the morning, we’ll post at our usual time.

These are interesting flowers blooming on a tree by the pool..
See you from Sydney, one of our favorite cities in the world! Bear with us once again, since we’ll be posting photos of the amazing scenery of the Sydney Harbour.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2015:

We could only imagine how beautiful our photos would have been in Fiji had it been a sunny day when we went sightseeing. That’s life in the tropics! For more details, please click here.

The Joy of NOT Cooking…

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As mentioned in a previous post, we continue to share photos of our route from Denpasar to the villa. This picture and a couple of others were taken by our driver who stopped to receive a blessing from a local priest at a shrine along the way. Find out more in the photos below).

“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”

While lounging at the cabana, we noticed this guy take off his shirt and lie down in the sand.

In my old life, I loved cooking, baking and entertaining guests often making elaborate gourmet meals and desserts. Before commencing with this way of eating over five years ago; low carb, sugar, grain and starch free, our meals often included homemade bread, rolls and time consuming to prepare dishes.

From chopping, dicing and food prep to the final presentation, I was in my element in every aspect of cooking. Conscientious about cleaning and washing dishes while preparing meals, I was thrilled when Tom took over doing the dishes after the meals. 

A little later, he rose to begin throwing sand all over his body.    We never saw that before.

When we frequently entertained guests, we both shared in the cleanup after the guests had left, even going as far as washing the kitchen floor and starting a load of laundry containing linen napkins and cloth place mats. On some occasions, the cleanup kept us up to as late as 2:00 or 3:00.

In the morning after dinner, we wake up in a clean house, leaving us to relax for the day after finishing the laundry and emptying the dishwasher. We’d usually made enough food to keep enough aside as leftovers for the next night’s meal when at that point, we had no interest in cooking again for a few days.

This amount of cooking transpired over the years while I worked full time, often as many as 10 to 12 hours a day. Looking back, based on my painful spinal issues, I have no idea how I did it. By the time we decided to travel the world beginning an almost year of preparations, my interest in cooking had begun to wane.

He kept throwing sand all over himself. An unusual practice that can be used by many people who do not have access to a shower or running water.

Now, after all these years, I literally don’t feel like cooking. Of course, we love sharing a meal with others as long as someone else does the cooking.

How do we survive now with my apparent adversity to cooking? Luckily, this restrictive way of eating only requires a short period to prep veggies to be grilled, roasted or steamed, make a salad of one sort or another, depending on availability of appropriate produce (lettuce is not available in some countries) and prepare some form of protein; beef, chicken, fish or pork.  Often, we prep sufficiently to last over two or three days.

Finally, he entered the ocean to clean off the sand.

We haven’t cooked for ourselves since we left Phuket five weeks ago. We won’t be cooking again until we arrive in Tasmania on December 3rd, 56 days from today.

Calculating how many days we’ll have cooked for ourselves from January 2016 to December 31, 2016, it proved to be a week shy of 6 months. Thus, this year we’ve reduced our cooking down by 50%. Included in our calculations for the year in the total four months we’ll have spent in Bali with the two Ketuts cooking and the remainder spent on cruises.

Food, flowers and miscellaneous items were for sale at the site.

Fortunately, as advocates of intermittent fasting, we both eat only one meal a day when cooking for ourselves, although Tom may have a plate of egg salad during the day. While on cruises, we eat breakfast and dinner. Duh? Free food, no cooking required, hard to resist. 

Am I dreading cooking again in Tasmania beginning on or about December 3 when we arrive?  No, not dreading. I’m already making a list of possible new recipe ideas I’ve saved from the “low carb, high fat, moderate protein” community online. 

Parking space were readily available for those stopping for the ceremonies and blessings.

I joined a few low carb, high fat, moderate protein groups on Facebook that post amazing recipes almost daily, many of which I’ve already saved in the recipe file on my desktop. Using an online calendar, I’ve already posted recipes and ingredients to purchase for specific dates. 

With Tom’s birthday on December 23rd, when Christmas Eve and Christmas Day follows, I already have some interesting new recipes planned for our celebrations. Trying new recipes usually enhances my interest for a short period.

In our travels, we’ve often dined in restaurants on Christmas Day. We’ll see how that rolls out once we arrive in Tasmania after we’ve checked out local menus.

We were greeted warmly by those selling their wares.

As for the upcoming US Thanksgiving celebratory dinner on November 24th, we’ll be aboard the ship.  Most like, they’ll serve the traditional turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, other side dishes and pumpkin pie.

Of these options, I can only eat the turkey, leaving me little choice but to order off the regular menu. 

This doesn’t bother me at all. I’m long past longing for and thinking about foods I cannot have, instead focusing on those I can. I’m never tempted to even take a taste, after these five plus years of eating this way. It’s just not worth the potential repercussions.

As we look toward the future we’ll have periods when we won’t be cooking and others where we’ll have few other options than to do so. Carry out (takeaway) meals don’t usually work for my diet and dining out is sketchy at best. In any case, we have no angst about cooking. We simply prefer to keep the time spent in a kitchen to a minimum when possible.

As we continued on the drive, Butu had bits of flowers and rice in his hair after receiving the blessings.

Today is cloudy, although we expect it will be another glorious day in paradise. We’ll walk, we’ll swim, we’ll chat endlessly and we’ll continue the never ending research for future travels. This early evening at 5:00 pm, (we dine early here so the two Ketuts can get home to their families) we’ll dine on yet another divine meal lovingly prepared for us.

It’s highly unlikely that 6 months of each year we won’t be preparing our own meals. When we do cook for ourselves, we shift our thinking to a level of high enjoyment in shopping at local farmers, meat markets and often sparse and unusual grocery stores. In a funny way, it’s highly entertaining.

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, October 8, 2015:

These goats in Fiji were on the shoulder of the road, free to roam. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Balinese food prep and arrangement…Expenses for four night resort stay…

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Bruschetta was served at our table each evening. Tom ate my share the way he often does when such items are served.

This morning, after we finished our final included breakfast we walked up the steep stone steps to the lobby to checkout and pay the balance allowing us to quickly be on our way by 1:45, hoping to be early in the queue at the immigration office.

This plate of mixed seafood was my favorite during the four dinners.

The fee for both visa extensions was IDR 710,000, US$54.63, which we paid for Wednesday’s tour. Our hotel bill at Puri Bagus Lovina in its entirety, including the room rate, two pairs of pants, one shirt and bottle of custom made Balinese body oil came to a grand total of IDR 10,313,030, US $793.49. 

Avocado salad with feta cheese.

We were pleasantly surprised with the total and couldn’t have found a more enjoyable and affordable alternative to driving back and forth to Lovina three times in five days for the required process. 

Although this doesn’t appear to be sweet and sour pork, it was indeed. Tom said it was wonderful to order it for two consecutive nights.    Notice what’s under the green cone on the following picture.

When we return to the villa we’ll pay for the rental fee for the van which will be IDR 200,000, US $15.39, per day for five days totaling IDR 1,000,000, US $76.94, plus fuel at IDR 200,000, US $15.39, bringing our grand total for the entire experience to IDR 12,223,300, US $940.47.

The server removed the green cone to display the rice beneath.

It was a lot easier than flying out of the country as some tourists may choose to do in order to get a new visa stamp allowing an additional 30 day stay, depending on one’s passport of origin. 

I ordered these roasted vegetable skewers along with the yellow tuna salad shown above and in the next photo below.

We’ve had an exceptional experience at Puri Bagus Lovina  with all the thoughtful attention we received from the management staff in appreciation for our four days of stories highlighting their exquisite property. We could not be more grateful for the many ways they have reached out.

That rare tuna salad I ordered was amazing.

Today we display pictures of delicious and beautifully presented meals during the four-night stay. Not only was the food in the superb category, but the gracious service and attention to detail further exemplified the objectives of this Balinese resort abundant in charm, ambiance and service. 

The western-style omelet bar where custom omelettes are prepared to perfection.

We were never disappointed with a single meal. Tasty, fresh and well-seasoned dishes were placed in front of us, of course afterwards, never weakening in perfect timing and courtesy. Drinks were served just as we prefer with plenty of ice (an American thing) and in large iced glasses. 

Tom and I both ordered the surf and turf platter. He gave me his prawns, squid and veggies while I passed him my fries, flat bread and onion rings, requested on a separate plate. The steak was a filet, cooked to perfection and the most tender we’ve had for a long time.

We were encouraged by management to inform them about any less than ideal food or service. Long ago, we accepted the realities of “island time” because we did not need or want to mention what is simply cultural in Bali… no rush, easy does it. 

There are several fixed price three course options on the varied menu. We were allowed to mix and match items we preferred. Tom ordered this salad, unbeknownst to me, with the intent of giving me all the prawns. What a guy! He’s always thinking of me.

Many tourists fail to accept such cultural differences when coming from a hustle and bustle lifestyle in their home country.They want something and they want it now. This is not to imply service was slow at Puri Bagus Resort & Spa. It wasn’t. It was gracious and done in a manner that never made us or the attentive staff feel rushed or stressed.

Tom’s said his French onion soup was divine.  He hadn’t had this soup in quite some time.

The Hindu culture centers around a gentle, low key sense of peace and well being. Puri Bagus Resort & Spa definitely exemplified this culture with ease and seamlessness in not only its good service but also in its traditional focus on nature, cleanliness incorporating the Hindu and the Balinese ways of life.

Last night I ordered this platter of three types of fish, including John Dory, halibut and snapper with a few prawns and grilled squid rings.  Fabulous!

We’ve packed our belongings and will be ready to head out the door in time to make the 2:00 pm appointment at the immigration office. Shortly, thereafter, we’ll change into our shorts for the long two hour harrowing return drive to the villa. It’s ironic the roads are so crazy when the people of Bali are so calm and peaceful. There again, its purely a cultural thing.

Tom’s Western style dinner last night; steak, onion rings and twice baked potato. Again, he passed me his veggies.

We’ve yet to share many other photos we’ve taken over these past days, which, as we continue with our stories in Sumbersari, Bali, we’ll incorporate into future posts. 

Tom’s dessert… crème Brule, around profiterole cookie with a white frosting base and bits of fresh fruit. He enjoyed every morsel.

Stay tuned, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow with lots more photos and new “Sightings on the Beach in Bali.”

A special thanks to all of our loyal readers for traveling with us wherever we may go! We always feel your presence at our side. Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 30, 2015:

Savusavu, on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji is a busy little village. We loved going to town to shop at several locations for our week’s groceries. Many locals and some tourists take buses to other parts of the island. Our driver Ratnesh, took care of all of our transportation needs. For more details, please click here.

Part 1…Balinese food prep and arrangement…Romantic Dinner on the cabana under the stars…

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During the daytime we stopped to see the two cabanas where the “romantic dinners” would occur. Many other decorations were still forthcoming as shown in today’s pictures below.

During our first meal of the four night stay in Puri Bagus Lovina in Lovina, Bali, we felt confident the chef had easily determined how my meals should be prepared to maintain the integrity of my restrictive way of eating.

The elimination of all sugars, starches, grains, potatoes, rice and starchy vegetables from my menu choices is not an easy feat when many Balinese dishes include some, if not all, of these items.

Even though the sun had vanished behind the clouds, we revelled in the beauty of the evening scene.

When I was introduced to my first dinner, I felt confident that we were in luck. The effort that the chef has made in recent days has been emphasized in the diligent and thoughtful preparation of each meal.  

I never had to remove delicious food from my dishes. Although Balinese meals may include rutabagas, 33 grams carbs per cup; turnips, 8 grams carbs per cup; and/or parsnips at 24 grams carbs per cup, none of these were in my meals. These types of vegetables have insulin spiking carbs comparable to a potato at 37 grams carb per one cup serving.

Before dark, the cabanas were adorned with flowers and candles for the after dark event.

Generally small amounts of starch and sugar don’t have an immediate negative effect as would gluten touching other foods, unless a person has an allergy to specific items in these categories. But, the chef at Puri Bagus Lovina was extra careful.

Sitting on the cabana mat while dining may not have been ideal for some.  But, it certainly looked appealing.

The previous night I was concerned about some delicious chunks of what appeared to be butternut squash, which contains 16 grams carbs per cup. I took a bite, realizing it was carrot, which I can eat, and immediately felt as if I’d taken a bite of a delicious dessert with the exquisite seasonings and preparation. 

Traditional Hindu decoration was used in creating the ambiance.

In most cases in fine dining, once a chef is aware of my restrictions they make every effort to accommodate. But, that rarely is the case in a casual restaurant/bar by the beach. As a result, we’ve never tried any other restaurants while in Lovina. In Sumbersari, there are only a few tiny on-the-beach type dining establishments at which we’d never considered partaking.

The flowers are easily picked from trees on the property.

In any case, we’ve had some of the best food we’ve had in our travels here in Bali both by the fabulous meals made by the two Ketuts at our villa, two hours down the road and then…here at Puri Bagus Resort & Spa in Lovina.

Carefully crafted fringe adds a final touch.

Not only has the food been delicious, but the presentation has been comparable to that which one would find in the most upscale dining establishments throughout the world.

The first course, a soup.

Last night was special when we had the opportunity to take photos of the meals served for the special menu option of a “Romantic Dinner” served under one of the oceanfront cabanas, exquisitely decorated with flowers and candles, presented course after course, while the romantic couple dines in luxury.

Surely, we’d have opted for such a special evening for ourselves but many of the food items didn’t fit into my diet and there was no way we’d expect the chef to modify each plate, bowl and platter of food to be befitting for my diet. 

Second course, crab and vegetable bruschetta.

Instead, Gede, the kindly resort general manager, arranged with the kitchen staff to ensure we’d be able to take photos of the extraordinary plates as they passed by us at our dining table on their way to the two sets of guests dining under two separate cabanas.

A starter, scallops with rice and (under the leafy cone).

Aptly named a “food voyeur,” a title Tom bestowed upon me long ago, I was totally enthralled with the smells and visuals as I took photos in the dark dining area as the foods were carried out by the enthusiastic servers, smiling all the while over the excitement of the photo taking and their part in the beautiful service.

Soon, our own platters of carefully crafted and displayed foods arrived while we found ourselves once again, pleased with our choices and the abilities of the chefs in this establishment of making each meal special in both design and taste.

The main entrée, one of these giant platters per person, included fresh seafood, a variety of meats and various vegetable and fruit dishes.

Earlier in the day and then again in the evening, we took photos of the decorations used to create the ambiance of the “Romantic Dinner” under each of the cabanas as shown in our photos.

The cost for the meal for two is a surprisingly reasonable IDR 1,350,000, US $104.33 (plus a 21% service fee for tax and gratuity) which includes a bottle of wine.

The average cost of our meals and drinks combined, including the 21%service fee hasn’t exceeded IDR 776,400, US $60, each evening.  Breakfasts have been included in the room rate.

The servers were obviously proud of their unique presentation.

Tomorrow, we’ll return to our final food and scenery photos of the lovely Puri Bagus Lovina and the total expenses for our four-night, five-day stay at this special property.

These servers squealed with delight when we shot this photo.

As for the immigration office visits so far, we’ve completed Monday’s and Wednesday’s requirements and tomorrow, Friday at 2:00 pm (the resort is providing us with a late checkout), we’ll return for the third and final visit to collect our passports and visa extensions and then to begin the harrowing two hour drive back to our villa. 

The dessert plate served to each party in the Romantic Dinner setting.

We’re both thrilled to have chosen this means of conducting this otherwise cumbersome process over the required five day period. We’ve had a fabulous experience, but we’re hardly disappointed to return to our breathtaking villa and attentive staff. 

In no time at all, we’ll be back outdoors situated on the chaise lounges overlooking the infinity pool and the sea under the shade of an umbrella and enjoying our last full day in this paradise at Puri Bagus Lovina.

Have a beautiful day filled with wonders!

Photos from one year ago today, September 29, 2015:

In Fiji one year ago, Badal, our neighbor Sewak’s dog, visited us almost every evening at dinner time. We always made him a plate of food, whatever we happen to be having.  Badal especially enjoyed chicken night.  For more details, please click here.

Part 2, the villa’s menu options…Food around the world…

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Tom’s plate with Blue Fin tuna made with a tomato, lemongrass sauce, spicy vegetables with a side of coleslaw.

“Bali Sightings on the Beach”

Each day when the tide comes in before noon, the sea is as close as 10 meters to the edge of our pool. When it recedes, it leaves behind ocean refuse and trash. Each day but Sunday our pool and landscape guy, Ribud, cleans the beach in front of the house. Yesterday, (Sunday), we captured these three dogs playing after the tide had gone back out, leaving a muddy play area for dogs.
Yesterday, we enjoyed the quiet Sunday at home with the staff off for the day. I made the bed. Tom made coffee (as always) and did the dinner dishes. The only food prep necessary was to make the salad, heat the veggies and fish and we were good to go. Swimming in the pool and doing research while lounging  in the cabana, out of the scorching sun, has totally entertained us.
My plate with fish and veggies.
Of course, food made fresh that day is always the most desirable. The precooked tuna was a little dry after we reheated it in the microwave, but, we ate it anyway, happy to have a good meal without much effort. I think I’ll become spoiled with the thought of not cooking until July, only reheating a meal for Sundays when the staff is off.
The daily stir fried veggie platter laden with Balinese spices, is a dish we both love.

In a way, the heat, humidity and ants have made cooking less interesting for me over these past years of living on several tropical islands where these three factors are always to be expected. Add the difficulty of finding some ingredients we use in cooking “our way,” it makes the process even less appealing. 

Each day, the Ketuts present us with this itemized list of the cost of the ingredients to make  the meal(s).  The “petrol” at the bottom of the list is the daily cost of fuel for their motorbikes, IDR 10,000, US $.75.  For two meals for both Saturday and Sunday the total cost was IRD 185,000, US $13.87  Unreal, eh?
Over these past many moons of travel, we’ve talked to more and more people who prefer not to cook.  Either they’re busy while still working, often with young mouths to feed or, like me, simply have lost interest in spending long periods in the kitchen. 
Dinner menu, Page 1.
It’s no wonder prepared meals are readily available in the markets, along roadside stands (in many countries) and a wide variety of fast food and other dining establishments to suit the needs of most diners. Unfortunately, such meals aren’t an option for us, other than occasional pre-cooked organic chickens made without wheat, sugar or starch.
Dinner menu, Page 2.
My lack of interest provides me with little excuse not to cook. Our way of eating requires homemade meals while we’re living in most countries. I have no excuses. Always on a mission to spend as little time cooking as possible, when we’re preparing our meals, we have a few dozen options we tend to repeat over and over again.
Dinner menu, Page 3.
Here in the villa in Bali, it’s not a lot different for the cooks. In perusing Part 2 of the menu, posted today with choices of dinners and desserts, it’s easy to determine the options suitable for us are few. As a result, we’ve all been creative in designing the perfect meals. None of the desserts are adaptable.
Dinner menu, Page 4.
Thank goodness we purchased the mince (ground beef) that Gede picked up in Denpasar this past week or we’d be alternating chicken and fish, night after night. That could get boring for these two months. So far, it appears the only fresh fish available is Blue Fin tuna and small prawns.  Perhaps, there will be more variation in time.
Dinner menu, Page 5.
Today, Monday, we devised the menu for the week, although the two Ketuts don’t require that we do so. Monday and Tuesday, it will be chicken, veggies, salad; Wednesday and Thursday it will be hamburger patties with bacon, cheese, onion, salad and veggies; Friday and Saturday it will be prawns with veggies and salad; Sunday we’ll have our pre-made leftover ground beef dish which is in the freezer along with sides of veggies and salad. 
Dinner menu, Page 6.
In actuality, we’d be happy to repeat this weekly menu over and over. As long as the meals are befitting my way of eating, more variety is hardly necessary. The cooks seem fine with our repeats understanding the degree of limitations.
Dinner menu, Page 7.
There are no restaurants or resorts nearby and if there were, we doubt we’d be able to dine out when most Balinese meals contain lots of carbs, starches and sugar.
Dessert menu, Page 1.
Tom’s sunburned feet are healing and soon we’ll get out to take more varied photos and get more cash. In the interim, we’re having so much fun watching the activity on the beach in front of us and swimming in the pristine pool, we’re supremely content. 
Dessert menu, Page 2.
During these past few days, we’ve been busy applying for visas for our upcoming Mekong River cruise and booking many flights necessary over the next several months.
With the slow signal, this is a time consuming process.
Dessert menu, Page 3.
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there. May your day be filled with love and wonderful surprises.
Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2015:
View of the drive to the Kilauea Lighthouse in Kauai when it was closed on a Sunday. For more photos of this popular historic location, please click here.

Part 1, the villa’s menu options…Food around the world…

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The two Kataks and Ribud (the pool and landscape guy) holding up the three kilo Blue Fin tuna for last night’s and tonight’s meal. After it was cleaned and filleted there were two huge portions which we’re sharing each night.  Such wonderful people!  Such fabulous fish!

“Bali Sightings of the Beach”

Crab trail and buffalo footprints in the sand.

Today is the first day we’ve been entirely alone in the villa. The staff hung around last Sunday to make sure we had everything we needed to settle in including a nice Sunday dinner. The fact they gave up their regular day off meant a lot to us. 

We could have easily figured out everything on our own as we often do when the owner, the manager, or other staff isn’t handy to show us “the ropes.” Somehow we always manage.

The two cleaned fillets.  Hard to imagine we could eat one of these between us, each of two nights, but after picking out bones, and the less than desirable darker flesh commonly found in fresh tuna, it was the perfect amount. Adding the fabulous vegetables and coleslaw, it makes a perfect meal. The cost of this fish was only IDR $145,000, US $10.85. There’s no cost for the cooks preparing our meals other than IDR $10,000, US $.75 daily for fuel for their motorbikes. We’ll provide tips at the end of our stay.

In a previous post, we mentioned, we wouldn’t be cooking until July 23rd when we settle into the house in Phuket, Thailand for almost six weeks. We were wrong. We’re on our own on Sundays going forward for the remaining seven weeks in Bali, this time around.

Breakfast menu, Page 1.

Actually, I don’t feel like cooking. As mentioned, the kitchen is the domain of the two Ketuts, not mine, and with the number of ants roaming around the counters, the less I prepare the better. Oh, I’m used to ants, even those crawling on me but they’re annoying when preparing food when all they want to do is crawl inside the dish I’m preparing.

As a result, yesterday I asked the two Ketuts to make the second portion of the fish and another plate of vegetables for us for tonight’s meal. Today, I’ll make a fresh batch of coleslaw which I can complete in less than 10 minutes, most of which time is spent fine slicing the cabbage. 

Breakfast menu, Page 2.

Last night, before the Ketuts left for the evening we gave them money for Monday and Tuesday’s roasted chicken and vegetable dinner. Each day before they arrive at the villa they visit the early morning markets where they purchase locally grown vegetables, meat, and fish. They bring us change or ask for more cash if they were short. Daily, they provide us with an itemized price list of items they’ve purchased.

If necessary, they stop at the tiny market for grocery items such as soaps and paper products. From what we’ve seen so far, these little markets also carry a wide array of “junk” snack foods that are purchased by tourists and locals alike. Obesity and type two diabetes are as prevalent in Bali and the mainland of Indonesia as in many other parts of the world.

The lunch menu, Page 1.

Yesterday, they visited the fish market and again picked up a huge Blue Fin tuna as shown in today’s main photo. After thoroughly cleaning and deboning it (mostly) we were left with two huge filets, enough for last night and tonight’s meal.

They’ve explained that most guests chose from the menu requesting three meals a day, each with two or three-course, all of which they prepare six days a week. With our one meal a day, they’re able to spend less time here in the villa with us, mostly cleaning in the mornings, leaving midday, and returning per our request at 4:00 pm to prepare dinner.

The lunch menu, Page 2.

We requested our dinner be ready at 5 pm each night, a little early for us.  In doing so, they can be out the door earlier to return home to their families. They clear the table after we’ve eaten, wash the dishes, bring in the chaise lounge cushions and beach towels and close the huge accordion glass doors for the evening before the rampage of mozzies begins. 

By 6:30 pm, we have the evening to ourselves. We avoid opening the exterior doors or stepping outside until after dark when the mozzies are less frenzied. There’s a nighttime security guard that sits on a chair all night a few doors from our villa, guarding the few villas along this narrow road. 

The lunch menu, Page 3.

Today, we’ve included a portion of the villa’s menu options from which we’d choose if we could eat the items listed. Tomorrow, we’ll show the dinner and dessert menus.  

Instead of choosing items on the menu, we pick and choose adaptations of the items offered, ensuring they don’t include any sugar, starches, or grains, all with minimal carbs. So far, it’s working when I’ve had no ill effects. 

The lunch menu, Page 4.

We thought it might be interesting to share Part 1 of 2 of the menu today and tomorrow for our “foodie” readers. For those of you with less interest in food, soon we’ll be back with more of “your type” of stories and photos.

The lunch menu, Page 5.

We want to thank all of our new readers we met on the most recent cruise (and past cruises, of course) for stopping by and checking us out. Our stats have indicated a huge increase in hits over the past several days. 

We’d love your input via comments at the end of each day’s post or, by email (see links to both of our email addresses on the top right side of any day’s post).

The lunch menu, Page 6.

As for our regular readers, wow! You continue to hang with us, many of who’s been with us since the beginning of 2012. Thank you for making us feel as if you’re right beside us, day after day, more friends than one could ever expect in a lifetime. The journey continues.

Happy Mother’s Day today for all the moms in this part of the world where it’s Sunday and again tomorrow for all the moms on the other side of the world where you’ll celebrate tomorrow.  May your day be as special as YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, May 8, 2015:

Beautiful purple flowers we encountered on a walk in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.  (Error correction from yesterday when I mistakenly posted this photo which was meant for today. A new photo for the appropriate date has been replaced on yesterday’s post. Click here to see the correction..