Maui: Mimi and the Polar Bear Club

Enjoy this amazing song while you journey to a brown sandy beach in Hawai'i with me...

"So, Mom, when we get to Maui, what do you want to make sure you get to do?"

"I want to swim in the waves of Pacific Ocean!"

One swim in the waves of the Pacific Ocean coming up!

We struck out one morning in search of a beach in Wailea known for good snorkeling.  And, I mean SEARCH.  Without my Maui Revealed iPhone app (worth every penny) and my TomTom, I'm not sure how we would have found the place.  Directions to some of the best places in Maui include instructions like "pull into the dirt-packed parking area by the large wall of rock just past the 33rd mile marker."  The beach's public access was in sort of a neighborhood-y area.  We turned down a short street with a couple of small parking lots on the right side of the street.  All of the spaces were filled, so, I dropped off Kelly, Mimi, and our stuff at the end of the road by the entrance to the beach area and went... 

OMG.  I've got the TV tuned to HGTV, and "For Rent" is on.  So...every now and then when I hear ooohs and ahhhhs, I get distracted.  "It's got the bright natural lighting and character that you're looking for!"

...to aggressively circle the parking lot following people who looked like they might be leaving.  

Notice the new bathing suit!

Parked at last, I trudged to the place where I had dropped off Kelly and the Meems.  With my arms full of stuff and Mimi clutched to my elbow, we began the journey down the uneven sandy steps.  The beach was crowded, but Kelly found a bit of square footage where we could unfurl our jacked hotel beach towels.  

"I'm hoping that Jason and Sarah will love the makeover of their brand new downtown loft!" 

Once our stuff was situated, I began the arduous task of helping Mimi lower herself into a comfortable position on one of the beach towels.  We faced each other and held hands as she slowly began to squat.  "Wait!  Don't let her sit there!" exclaimed a nearby bald-headed, bare-chested, tattooed man, "We've got an extra chair she can use!"  He scurried over, set up the chair and helped Mimi sit down on it.  I could have kissed his little bald head.  "He's so NICE!" Mimi cooed.  Heartfelt thanks were given to the bald-headed, bare-chested, tattooed man with the extra chair.

"This loft makeover came in at $915 which is just under the amount of one month's rent!"

After we got Mimi settled into her comfy red chair with a bottle of water, some banana chips and a piece of Kleenex in case her nose got runny, Kelly and I flopped off in our flippers and masks ready to snorkel. That is when I learned that real snorkelers don't put on their flippers until they are about waist deep in the water.  Flop.  Flop.  Flop.  It was the most exercise that I had done in months.  I was exhausted by the time my body began to actually float.

I snorkeled alongside Kelly for a while until the rise and fall of the ocean swells kicked in.  Seasick.  Yep.  Seasick from snorkeling.  So, I made my way back to the beach to "check on Mimi."  She was snoozing in the shade with her mouth hanging upon just a bit.  Flippers and mask in hand, I flopped down onto the Hyatt Regency beach towel and grabbed a bottled water and some banana chips ready to dissolve into my good beach read.

"Jason and Sarah love living in their new loft which is just a 30-minute commuter train ride into the city!"

"When do I get to play in the waves," Mimi said softly as she slipped out of her sleep.

"When do you want to play in the waves?" I asked.

"Whenever you're ready to help me," she replied.

"The water's pretty nippy.  I don't think that you'll like it," I cautioned knowing that Meemilocks doesn't like anything that is too hot or too cold.

"But, this is Hawaii!  It can't be all that cold," she insisted.

"OOOOOOH KAAA-AAAY," I said hoping that the my inflection would discourage her.  I could already see it coming.  I know my little mother all too well.

I tucked my unopened book back into my beach bag and waved Kelly out of the water.  "MIMI'S READY TO SWIM!" I called.

With Kelly one on side and me on the other, we lifted her from her comfy red chair and walked her to the water's edge.

As soon as the water tickled the tip of her toes, Mom squealed, "Oooooooo!  It's cold!  And to think!  I tried to swim in the ocean in California, and it was too cold.  I tried to swim in the ocean in Nantucket, and it was too cold.  I tried to swim in the Meditteranean, and it was too cold.  Now, I'm here in Hah-Y-Yuh, and the water is cold again!  I thought for sure it would be warm!"

"Want to go back to your chair?" I offered.

The Polar Bear Club

"Nope.  I'm going to go out a bit farther so that I can say that I played in the waves of the Pacific in Hah-Y-Yuh!" she said with determination.  

"Kelly, walk out a bit with her.  I'll stay here and take pictures!"  Heh.  Heh.  Heh.

Here you have it, folks.  Helen Katheryn Kinzbach "playing" in the waves of the Pacific Ocean in Hah-Y-Yuh.  Weeeeeee!

Oops!  Wait a minute.  Kelly's hair is dry.  I guess I've got it out of order.  Mom went wave dancing before we snorkeled.  My dramatic memory totally trumps the photographic evidence.  I could rewrite this blog to put everything in the correct order but...

"Designed to Sell" is just came on and this dude's house needs SO much help!  I'm transfixed!