Birthday Getaway - a photo essay

Dearie: Hon, Happy birthday!
Me: Thanks...
Dearie (wryly): When is your birthday again?
Me: This month - March!
Dearie (jokingly): And what year?
Me: Every year! .....(LOL!!.. gotcha!)

The only two times a birthday is an important enough occasion and milestone worthy of celebration, gifts and presents are: 1) when a person is still a little child; and 2) when a person is ooooold - I mean going on 60, 70, 80, and so on.  During the middle years, birthdays are usually just imaginary special days or as Paul McCartney would say "it's just another day".

Parents plan their little children's birthday parties. But the roles are reversed when the parents are old - it's the children who plan the party.  So in other words, when your children start planning your birthdays, that's a dead  giveaway (pun intended ..hahaha) that you, as a parent, are old, or getting old. I think that's what happened this past week, when our children committed the "giveaway" by planning my birthday present which was a getaway.  Hence according to the logic, I'm either getting old or already there. Yes, old.  So Dearie and I went on an all-expense paid trip to one of my favorite places, St. George; which happens to be one of the top rated places for retirement in the US.  Yep, another proof - if not a foreshadow - of getting old. Anyway we had a great time relaxing and just spending time together.  Faafetai Tele to our children and grandchildren!

So we packed our stuff in the car, made our last stop before the getaway.
And yes, I just looove long road trips

The seemingly endless yet scenic freeways, blue skies, clean air, snow capped- mountains and hills all
make driving a restorative and curative pleasure for me.
Not to mention the shared and cherished moments of talking, laughing, reminiscing, etc.
Just the two of us.

Sometimes flirting with what seems risky and dangerous can also
trigger a needed adrenalin rush ..:)

... stopping and resting along the way

... taking pictures and making memories

... and smiling

... me too

Dearie's dinner treat mo lo'u birthday - seki a le seafood!  lol!

Friday, we drove around to look for a place with Polynesian food
and we came across this one (Honolulu Grill).  Food was awesome.

We drove up to one of the higher points where we had a nice view of the city.
Quite a unique topography

... in front of the St. George Temple before attending one of the evening sessions

... me too

St. George Temple later in the evening.
The St. George Temple was dedicated on April 6, 1877 making it one of the first and
oldest temples of the Church.  There's about 170+ temples presently around the world.
Compare the St. George Temple with the yet to be dedicated Payson Temple below - 138 years later.

The Payson Temple (Utah) - to be dedicated in June this year (2015)
This picture was taken from inside the car by Dearie while we were traveling about 80 mph; I was surprised it turned out this nice.  The snow-capped mountains augment and complement the temple in its peaceful and pastoral setting.

"There exists a righteous unity between the temple and the home. Understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family; understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple." —Gary E. Stevenson

Back home Sunday evening, and had our to'ana'i.  Home-cooked meals are always the best.

(All pictures were taken using Dearie's phone)