Now and Then

It's funny how so much distance and change is thrust between today and 365 days ago...
I can begin with last year-- Nick and our Wags and our joined families of Wags', Reeses and Starms met up in Manhattan. 
Nick and I first took our conjoined families on the Metro North to Grand Central. Bundled in comfy, cozy layers, the 8 of the Starmwebers walked around Time Square, up 5th Ave, over to Columbus Circle (where Nicholas proposed only two weeks prior) and then back up into Mahattan, where we meet the Wags clan at a fabulous Brazilian Steakhouse called Plataforma (definitely check it out if you're looking for an entertaining dinner experience!). We indulged in dining gluttony in pure and joyous celebration of Nick and Wags' college graduation. 
As the wind whipped between scrapers and through allies, our families shared wine, stories, and plate upon plate of the most delectable foods -- sushi,  prime rib, filet mignon wrapped in bacon (Wag's favorite!), pork tenderloin, fried plantas, potatoes and pasta and the list is almost endless. Our three families exult infinite love for both Nick and Wags, and my mental photo of our families toasting their accomplishments and our adoration for their friendship will forever be one of my top 10 moments of last year.

        

          

And so 365 days pass ever so quickly, despite periods of seeming endlessness. Today, Nick and I trekked to the North Shore of Hawaii (6,000 miles southwest of NYC) where we spent the day soaking up December sunshine on some beach between Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, watching surfers rip waves that I sure as hell would never brave. We ate lunch in the historic little town of Haliewa (pronounced: Holly-Ava), and of course, treated ourselves to shave (not "shaved"... it's like scratching a nail on a shiny, metal plate for an English teacher) "shave" ice (for Nicholas) and ice cream (for me). Let's be honest, I think I boycott the "shave" ice purely because of its lack of grammatical correctness.  Oh and p.s., I find it a personal oddity seeing photos of my black hair juxtaposed to my blonde hair...

          

            

Although the morning started off rainy and it rained through lunch, the weather was agreeable (yes, I just finished Alcott), so Nick and I were able to enjoy a quiet, relaxing day before .....
WAGS ARRIVES TOMORROW!! <3 Ah, perhaps it will be a reese/wags weekend always for the rest of our lives! I think a new tradition is surely in order. Our Wags arrives at HNL tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m. So tomorrow is comprised of cleaning, grocery shopping, (more importantly) booze shopping, present wrapping and then our Wags will be here!! :)


The boys' graduation, our big family dinner, moving back to our homes and celebrating the holidays in 2010. It's a mind-baffling feeling to think it was a whole year ago, and yet, so much time, so many moments, so much change has happened since; ha-- I must be feeling especially nostalgic this evening.


Anyway, it will be SO good to have our Wags here.... ah, if only my Kage could come, too, then our little family of four would be complete again :)

I hope to be diligent and sober enough in the next week to upload photos of our trio's escapades. For those of you who know us at all, you know that when Wags is in town, I am merely Nick's mistress on the side. Don't worry, I set up the guest bedroom for myself so I have a bed. Thanks for your concern...
 I ascertain that Hawaii is not quite ready for the Nick-Wags combo...
Watch the news, everybody. If there's smoke coming from Oahu, it's not any volcanos....


I wonder what the next 365 days will deliver <3 


Me ke aloha,
M.