Here Today, Gone To Maui
It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for your disposition
When Erin and I left Portland today, it was 46 degrees, raining, and windy- a pretty typical Portland Saturday morning in November. But, on the other hand, it was grey, dreary, and damp- the kind of day that might make some consider juggling razor blades in their bathtub. On most weekend mornings, I’d look out into my backyard, see weather like that, grab another cup of tea, find a heavier sweatshirt, and go back to watching soccer.
Even when I’d open the back door to let Magnus out, he’d look at me as if to say, “Are you nuts? It’s miserable out there.” And then he’d curl on the couch and go back to sleep.
November has always been the most challenging month for me. It’s undeniable that the seasons have changed, Daylight Savings Time has come to an end, and with it goes pretty much everything that makes Portland enjoyable- at least weather-wise. Unfortunately, on days such as this one, it seems as if only ducks and loggers seem to be capable of enjoying this kind of weather. For a while, it looks as if everything’s taken a turn for the worst.
Today was a bit different, though. After walking down the damp, freezing jetway at PDX, we walked down a much warmer humid one at Kahului Airport on Maui. It was 86 degrees and sunny, and at that point, I didn’t even care about the humidity. I felt as if I’d landed in Bizarro World, a version of Puddletown in which everything was precisely the opposite of what it was supposed to be, and I loved it. It’s my first time on Maui, and it seems November’s the time to be here.
Growing up in Minnesota, I knew people who were “snowbirds.” They were those fortunate souls who could afford to escape Minnesota for warmer climes during the winter. Most went to Arizona or Florida, a few went to Texas, and some didn’t much care, as long as it meant they didn’t have to shovel their driveway.
Nope, no snowdrifts here….
As a kid, I knew why the snowbirds headed south, but it wasn’t until I moved away myself that I came to fully appreciate the reasons for their early departures. A Minnesota winter is a terrible thing to live through, and I could regale you with stories of the day the temperature hit -54 when I was a kid. I won’t, but I could. Portland winters aren’t that bad, qualitatively speaking, but at least Minnesota gets sunshine. Unfortunately, in Northwest Oregon, we can sometimes go 2-3 weeks without seeing the sun, which really CAN play havoc with your frame of mind.
Erin’s here for a conference at the Grand Wailea Resort, so this is a “working” vacation this coming week, and 100% play the next. It’s the first time we’ve taken a two-week vacation since our honeymoon. It will be nice to have some time together in a beautiful place.
My posting over the next two weeks may (or may not) be somewhat sporadic. I’m not going to lose sleep either way because those who want to know me don’t judge me. They’re generally people I let in.
Stay tuned. You might learn something about me during the next two weeks, Or perhaps not. We’ll see what I can come up with something interesting.
On a lighter note, if there’s something you’re interested in me writing about, feel free to drop me a note at yuppieskum@gmail.com. I’m not out of ideas, but I am curious about what piques my readers’ interest.
Mahalo.
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