Sunny afternoon.

It's summer time which means flat water and that's great for my sailing.

My commitment free days off are driven by the question "should I sail, sup or bike ride"? Lately, if the conditions allow, windsurfing has been my first choice. For so many years this sport has frustrated me to the point of tears, but lately I've been having a lot of fun and realized part of it is being at a level where that exasperation doesn't show up. Which, I don't mind telling you is nothing short of a fucking miracle.

At the risk of stating the obvious, Maui provides weather that allows you to frolic outside year round, but the long summer days provide more play hours and less intense water conditions, and for me that equals more smiles.

Say "Pee" (which I'm not)!

Post sesh like a total nit-wit, I'd packed up leaving the Gopro on my paddle and still in the 'photo every two seconds' mode. One Mississippi, two Mississippi....

.....three Mississippi, four Mississippi....

.......five Mississippi, six Mississippi.

Testing one, two, check-check, testing one, two, three.....

Good evening Wembley!

I've been plucking away now for a little over a year now and am of the belief that I don't have much ego around it. The sheer joy of learning a new chord pass or mastering a strum is enough, it really is one of those simple pleasures which makes it easy to find gratification in the journey. In his infinite wisdom, my teacher, sound engineer and producer, Cyrus, had decided it was time to set up a recording session. Blimey, it's a good job I'm easy about the whole thing because hearing myself in headphones really exposed the areas that need more work. Plus there's definitely an added sense of pressure in wanting to get it right (enter stage left, the ego). At one point (having just botched my solo) my inexperienced recording fingers started trembling! That being said, I could have done it all day because the thrill of getting it right was ridiculously satisfying.

As it's sunny afternoon, I thought of this song and hope you're enjoying your summer.... peace, out.

Time to go to church.

Brace yourselves......I've become a regular church goer!

Every Thursday at 7pm I show up at the Keolahou Congregational Church and take my seat in a pew near the front. The other parishioners are sweet, kind and quite old. They all have their favorite seats and I wonder as I settle in, whose spot I'm sitting in. I watch them greet each other with genuine affection and caring and it feels nice to be in a room with such a warm community.

The church itself is inviting, small, cozy and wooden, smelling of nothing. We open the windows and doors to let in the warm night air and finally he arrives, barefoot, wearing shorts, a t-shirt and a big beaming smile.

Jarret is an Ukulele teacher who gives a group lesson free of charge and he's created quite a loyal and eclectic following. One of his students works at the church and so we are lucky enough to borrow this fantastic little space in which to play and sing. You should hear us! It's pure joy when you've got 40-50 Ukes strumming away, accompanied by our choir of voices and the impromptu hula of those who know how and feel so moved.

Here's Jarret doing one of my favorite power songs.

His community lessons are his way of spreading the seeds of Aloha. He's dedicated to passing on his knowledge of the Hawaiian culture and language, which (trust me) with these songs is really helpful and he gives explanations of the myths and legends behind them. It's juicy stuff and I'm really loving it.

Who'd have thunk?!

Play time.

I have a t-shirt that reads 'always tardy,' which is only amusing because I'm perpetually (some may yell anally) on time. When I wear it people assume I'm a latey, or a teacher or proclaim that they should own the shirt as it describes them perfectly. This blooming creeper was so stunning, that I actually gave my self permission to be late for work as I had to pull over to click a snap......and I still arrived before my business partner who truly is always tardy!

Ulli asked me the other day "So Shaz, whatcha been up to"? There's always a small part of me that wishes I had a really mind blowing answer to this question, but alas I'm a creature of habit. "Nothing unusual" I said, "but I'm really enjoying my summer sailing, SUP and Uke practice". The truth is, I'm having so much fun doing the same things, I just keep doing them!

Dry hair = not trying hard enough, GP does not suffer from the same affliction.

Untitled from Sharon on Vimeo.

It's been about three and a half months since I've been taking weekly Ukulele lessons. Every Sunday morning, Cyrus shows up (on time) to my house and my learning curve unfolds under his gentle tutelage.

He's a soulful chap who believes in having fun and allowing the music and my skills (for want of a better word) to dictate the journey. If you want a technical lesson, as a seasoned musician of 30 years, he can go there but he doesn't push it, which for me provides heaps of room to be creative verses academic. That's not to say he's not a stickler about learning the foundations of accurate chord changes, pacing and chart reading, yet within a few strict bounderies he provides lots of room to play.

And play we did.....here's a few minutes of last weeks lesson with Cyrus going seriously off piste!

Same old - same old.

On a wind blown beach there's nothing but fun to be had when the ingredients are a giant inner tube, testosterone and young male imaginations.

Yes, they are rolling it up to the top of the beach. At which point a show off will curve his limbs in to the donut hole and be rolled by his cheering pals into the sea. Highly entertaining.

Meanwhile, not ten minutes away, this burned out tangle of spaghetti is sugar cane about to be harvested.

The same wind that makes Kanaha so fun to sail, makes this a dirty, dusty, mucky business and my commiserations if you live down wind from a field. You'd have to have a vacuum sealed house for that dust not to seep into your world.

No need to wait until you're 16 to drive on the water.

Today I was reminded that I don't need much to have fun. Small glassy people free waves (free), a gorgeous day (free), a desire to play (free), a friend to play with (free), turtles sightings (free). Drat....now my formula breaks down as I also needed my truck, the board, the paddle, the chair, the umbrella, the lunch, the camera, the phone etc. WTF, it still feels like a simple life worthy of leap of joy.

Beach practice. from Sharon on Vimeo.

A little more torture for you all.

See ya laters alligators.

Pun, fun & strum.

At the Olukai race last week, the girls who performed Hula also demonstrated how to make their thick ti leaf skirts and fragrant plumeria lei.

This made me think of a cleaning company here called 'Lei the Maid' and of a cheese shop called 'Who cut the cheese'. At the risk of being a pun snob, they just don't do it for me.

Yet somehow these do... in Kent there's a van company called 'Van Gough', in Hillsborough a furniture store called 'Sofa King Cheap', in Sheffield on Effington Road 'The Effing Sandwich Shop' and a bunch of classic chippies, of whom 'A Salt N Battered' & 'In Cod We Trust' rank high amongst my faves.

Whilst I'm on the subject, I fish sat for a few days last week and had flash backs to all the aquariums I've ever owned. It made me glad I don't have one any more, too much work....but happily Henry (said Betta above) was ameanable, quiet and well behaved.

Orchids are much easier, though under my care don't live as long as the fish. This one was purchased in Paia at the new Agua de Flora Botanicals, stop by if you're in the hood it's delightful inside.

Talking of Paia, my friend Aaron who works at Maui Cyclery is heading out on the mother of all road trips next month. Awakened by the contrast of not living his dream, he's taking the next five years to cycle around a good chunk of the planet. Check out his website www.beyondthe greatdivide.org, the Q & A will give you a really good idea of what he's in for! Dude-good luck.

It was so stinking windy all weekend, I had to venture elsewhere for fun.

Starting with the Makawao Forest. The mystery of passing more friends than normal running and riding was solved when I stopped to chat with my pal Tom. He'd organized a 12 hour forest romp for anyone that wanted to come & play, the banana's and water were on the house. I pulled over to let three expert riders fly by "hey nice to see you up here", yelled Jeff as he zoomed past. 10 minutes later and peddling hard up hill I crossed paths with Marsha and a girlfriend on their downward run, "hey how's it going?" and so it went on. All of us appreciating the trails and getting in a good work out in the process, super fun.

And then there was time to practice, practice, practice....though clearly not enough!

Messages, mojo and music.

A few days ago I listened to a BBC podcast about how residents of remote Scottish Islands used messages in bottles as a means of communication. So as I clambered about this one caught my eye. I'd like to return it to the owner with the following message (penned in stylish calligraphy) "next time you get pissed at the beach, take your farking trash with you-you lazy drunken selfish git". It's shocking the amount of rubbish people leave behind after they've enjoyed and used a public place for their own hedonism.

Gandhi said "be the change you want to see in the world. Confession time: as I write I just realized tbat I got so caught up in taking the photo, I forgot to do the right thing and pick up the bloody bottle! Agh...

It's been a bit of a Goldilocks kinda weekend . The waves seemed to be either too big or too small and the wind was either blowing when I went SUPing or not when I went windsurfing. I know the best way to learn is to go out in all conditions, but my mojo was lacking. This coupled with a lot fruitless driving and running around makes me quite happy that my demeanor was as relaxed as it gets. I put this down to the afore mentioned BBC podcasts that make all my journeys a five star experience. Never over estimate the divine pleasure of learning, laughing and driving!.

Oddly, for exercise this weekend the gym ended up being just right.

Subliminal message to a friend, (foxy chic added for additional work distraction)!

I'm not exactly rocking in the free world yet, but as an absolute beginner it was a total pleasure to sit in the company of a man who's been playing music for 30 years and is now teaching. I haven't a clue if this lovely little instrument will grab my creative imagination enough to want to play it, but that's what I intend to find out over the next few months. Naïvely I thought I'd be learning by watching and imitating the teacher-wrong! Instead, (having been told less than an hour ago) I'm scratching my head wondering what time signatures, measure repeats and rhythm figures are exactly? Luckily I'm only supposed to only think about these things if I want to, other wise just play & have fun....stay tuned (no pun intended).

First day of vacation.

"On the road again......just can't wait to get back on the road again" ahhh the joys of paradise. Only one thing wrong with this picture, I'm supposed to be in Durango! Unforeseen circumstances cancelled my 10:40pm flight last night and at 1:30am I gratefully climbed back into the clean sheets of my own bed, that I'd so thoughtfully prepared for my return.

Assuming they'd received last night's text's I called my friends in Colorado to explain further, just as they were driving into the airport to pick me up! Unbeknownst to me "delayed flight-will miss connection" and "flight canceled will call in the 'am" were sent to an inoperable phone. "No prob, we had reservations, so we'll just go to lunch without you" they said, "see you tomorrow". Then I then called my Maui friend Cheyenne and off we went to breakfast!

Post breckie I found myself in the wonderland that is Mele Ukulele.

You find an Uke you like and hand it to this handsome gent, Uncle Peter who plays it with love and lets you hear if it's a match for you. Here's a nice youtube clip I found of him.

2:00pm zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz