Karwoski Life

I was talking to Julie the other day and mentioned something about my finger, the surgery, etc…and she just looked at me puzzled. She hadn’t a clue what I was talking about. She asked if I had mentioned it on the blog, and I realized I had not. Well, it’s too good a story NOT to share…so here I am. On our third full day in Hawaii, we traveled out to snorkel on Julie’s family’s favorite sandbar. Of course, it ended up pouring on us and we never did get to snorkel in that spot. Leonard was determined to find a spot for us to de-boat and float around a bit, so he beached us right up against Coconut Island (which is actually the island in the opening credits of Gillian’s Island!). A few of us decided to get in the water and float around; including Hope and I. It was still sprinkling a bit overhead and the girls outside the water were wet and chilled, but Hope and I were warm and happy exploring the waters just off the island. As we made our way around the outside of the sea wall, Hope swa...

So I’ve been thinking…Maybe I should train to run the Des Moines Half Marathon. Every once in a while I’ll look up from my work and see the picture of me crossing the finish line at the Disney half. I remember what it felt like to finish that amazing challenge and part of me kind of longs to feel it again. I keep that picture, along with several other race pictures (and one of Rocky Balboa)in my line of site at work. Whenever I’m feeling low, or frustrated, I glance up and see my favorite fictional hero…and myself. A similar underdog, I suppose. Before last year, I never once wondered with excited curiosity what it would feel like to complete a half marathon. Before last year, I never even really knew what a 5K was, or how many there are around Des Moines alone! I never concerned myself much with physical fitness or planned physical activity. I accepted early on that I was not a runner, not an athlete, not a physical competitor. I quit track in junior high after about 2 practices; ...

I know – this is hard to believe, right? Let me tell you, my temper and crabbiness are legendary. I am not proud of it. Nothing is worse than being completely consumed with irrational anger and being totally aware of it at the same time. Last night I set out to mow the lawn – a task I generally loath. However, we finally purchased a new mower and last night was to be its maiden voyage. I was almost…ALMOST eager to try it out. My friends have been telling me that a self propelled mower would be life changing for me – so I assured myself that I would LOVE to mow with the new mower. I was optimistic that gone were the days of lunging forward with all the strength in my lower extremities to get myself up the hill in the front yard. After a brief tutorial with Matt, I set out to frolic in the yard with the new mower. I’d made a few passes and was just getting the hang of sort of being drug behind the mower when suddenly – it stopped self-propelling. It felt as though the mower was digging...

Last summer I wrote about how Matt and I talked about selling the Chevette and getting some sort of hotrod/cruiser: Boys and Their Toys Well, I’m happy to write that last week we welcomed a new hotrod into the family! A 1971 Ford Torino station wagon. Yes, you read that right…a FORD (gasp). If you know Matt (and care at all about car talk) you know that he has always, always, ALWAYS been a Pontiac man. They are his true passion, his true automotive love…which started way back when he was a boy and got his first Trans Am Matchbox car. He thought that car was the coolest thing ever…right away it was special to him, and he has one just like it perched on his desk at home. The love affair with all things Pontiac stuck with him all through his life and culminated with the purchase of the Trans Am. He loved that car more than seems reasonable to say. I think he always felt like he’d achieved his boyhood fantasy when got that car and each time he drove it, the little boy inside him jumped f...

There’s so much to say about the second week in Hawaii, I’m not sure where to start. So many people have asked me what my favorite part of the trip was, and I simply can’t answer. Everything?! Well, except maybe for Honolulu traffic and the ridiculous LACK of road signage anywhere on the island…but otherwise, it was nearly perfect. Friday Amy and I eagerly waited for the boys to arrive at the airport, where Julie had dropped us at the curbside. We wore our matching new ‘Woman to Blame’ shirts and floppy hats…the boys were unimpressed. Matt even told Blake to run AWAY! Obviously, they don’t know what’s cute. After cramming our load of crap into the rental car we were on our way to Ko Olina Marriott Beach Club – where we would spend 7 wonderful days! Saturday morning we rounded ourselves up and decided to head down to the beach for the first time. There are 4 manmade lagoons at Ko Olina, which were so perfect for swimming in; no big waves and no threat of big marine life! Heading down t...

The weary travelers have returned and I finally have a few minutes to collect my thoughts and reflect back on what was truly an amazing trip. After 12 days in Hawaii, it was hard to come back to the real world and I’ve been slowly adjusting my attitude about work and chores and regular life. I joked about having a vacation hangover…I was just so sad to leave beautiful Hawaii (and being able to loaf about all day) and return to face a gloomy, rainy, and cold April in Iowa. I think I’m finally starting to snap out of it a bit and get back into my regular routine…SLOWLY. Where to begin??? I guess with the girls’ week. Amy and I flew to Honolulu on April 3rd and met up with Julie, Hope and the rest of the girls that afternoon. That first week, we stayed at Julie’s cousin Leonard’s house just off the shores of Kaneohe Bay. Driving to his house my ears popped as the highway wound its way through beautiful mountains covered with lush, green vegetation. I’d never experienced anything like it....

I’m sure most of you have heard Israel Kamakawiwo Ole’s version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’. It is a beautiful rendition, which I remember hearing for the first time when Dr. Mark Green was dying on some beautiful island with his family, on the show ‘ER’. Matt teased me more than a little about how sad I was…but the song was so beautiful it really just tugged at my heartstrings for this silly television character I had known for so many years. The other day as I was getting ready for work, Matt told me he had a surprise for me. He had found the song online and played it through the computer speakers for me, knowing how much I loved the song, and also how excited we are for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. I smiled and closed my eyes as I let the words and simple strumming of the ukulele float around us in the early morning quiet of the house. The beauty of the song, it touches me every time I hear it. As we’re planning our big trip and excitedly making plans for activities while there,...