Boxing Day Bonus.

I intentionally don't lead a stressful life, so it's not like I sit in Makawao and think " I need to get away from it all”, but there is something to be said for walking out of your front door and in to another, where you are responsible for nothing but your own good time.

Even driving to somewhere as familiar as Hana, travelling by myself always gives me a little hit of self confidence and as someone once said, “confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can wear”. So as I headed East, listening via podcast to Michael Caine's Desert Island Disc's I could not have been more content.

For about a week now (in my head) I've seen myself sitting at Hamoa Beach, so once in Hana I headed straight there and matched my own picture perfectly. Chair precisely set up-body in the shade-legs in the sun, book in hand, camera within grasping reach (for Kodak moments like these) and then inwardly congratulated myself for a job well done.

Three hours later I packed up and headed back to my flower farm nest where I sat in the hot tub and recited out loud all the things I'm grateful for.....it took a while.

Hana Bay black sand magic.

Next stop was a Cosmo and some lovely Hawaiian music. I'd barely sat down at the bar when a lovely woman from the hotel came out of no where to ask me “Are you Sharon?”. “Yes”, I replied, perplexed and not yet on board with the ruse that was about to accost me. “Well happy Boxing Day and welcome to the Hotel Hana Maui”. My first thought was “blimey, talk about a full service hotel!”, especially given that I'd snuck in the Art Gallery entrance not even passing by the Front Desk. “So you've come to listen to the music?” she continued “and I know that traditionally you're supposed to be eating a Turkey sandwich, so I've asked the kitchen to see what they can do!” Bloody hell.........Michelle, the Manager on duty was good, very good!

As I began to recognize the words from my Christmas Day post I was sure my friend Cheyenne had called the Resort and told them to look out for me. Michelle floated off as serenely as she'd arrived and left me to ponder my extraordinary welcome, only to return with a Kukui Nut lei and CD of music recorded at the Hotel! “Who put you up to this?” I asked, not willing to let her leave again. I was truly puzzled as only two people knew of my plans, neither of whom could make it. She gently caved, “Well these are from Mark our GM who is English and he'd read your blog”, then she added “and now I know more than I'll ever need to know about Boxing Day”! “He's gone home for the night but I rang him and he said 'Say Hello to Hodgepodge ”.

How gobsmakingly ridiculously cool is that?!

As I sat there contemplating my luck, the man who'd gone home showed up. Enter the lovely and talented Mr.Mark Stebbings who confessed that having read my plans he thought “Oh I can have some fun with this one” and he did...hook, line and sinker. What I loved most was his knowledge that he could totally mess with a complete stranger, but what the hell - you have to figure another Limey's gonna appreciate a joke.... and appreciate it I did.

Ab Fab....note to self, must get more inventive with yanking friends chains. Thank you Mark for a job well done, you took it to another level my son, another level-oy and you still owe me a turkey sarnie PLUS a Hobnob now I know you have a stash!