Seasons

A few funny conversations yesterday...

It all started out with my hair dresser Jenna announcing yesterday that it was officially fall and cold out. Which apparently explained her wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and moccasins. She also said she was looking forward to pulling her boots out and wearing them again.

Cold? Long sleeves weather? Moccasins and Uggs? Well..... Truth is, we've had an unusually warm summer, as have a lot of you. While we are normally able to open the windows and enjoy 80F breezes on summer evenings (yes, this is still pretty warm for some), this summer we couldn't. It was just too humid and often times there was no breeze. Thank goodness for the photovoltaic panels on our roof, because we sure have used the A/C this year. This past week it's been cooling off in the evenings. But is it cold? No.

My kids overheard my conversation with Jenna, and I laughingly said - it was definitely not cold yet, that we really don't have seasons here on Maui. To which my youngest piped up - yes we do, we have spring, summer, fall and winter. Ah yes.

I find it funny that the kids learn about the seasons in school. They should, I guess, Hawaii being part of the United States and all. In school kids learn what differentiates the seasons - colored and falling leaves in fall, snow in winter, new green growth and blooms in spring.... It's head knowledge for them, they read books about the seasons and make crafts, but most kids here have never experienced it. In fact, I was talking with a friend in his late 20s who has never seen snow. When he was a teen it 'snowed' on Haleakala, so he and his buddy drove to the top to have a snowball fight - turns out it was hail and really hurt!

Seasons here are hot, really hot, hot and a little less hot. At least to me - but then, I am always hot.

But I do have to agree with Jenna on one point... it is nice to pull out some other-season clothes and wear them on Maui. So when it started pouring rain yesterday afternoon (thanks to Tropical Storm Oho passing by), I put on my jeans, grabbed an umbrella and went grocery shopping. Was it really cool enough to wear jeans? Not really, still warm and humid. But it was fun to pretend. And Safeway can be kinda cold...

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