Tiki-Spent

Exhausted. That's the only word I can come up with. We're all spent. Wes, me, Charlie, the kids (Wes's AND mine). We've all busted ass to move the shop (www.houseoftiki.net) from the old location to the new. We've put so much stuff in storage because the new "hut" is smaller than the old place and Wes has outdone himself with the build-out on the new place. He's turned a WWII quonset hut into a tiki paradise with lots of bamboo trim and funky "Shag-Art" paint. All this, with a new puppy underfoot. In record time (less than two weeks) we've worked and worked, packed and unpacked, painted and cleaned, and stuck an "OPEN" sign outside the door. My home hasn't seen a vacuum cleaner, or a clean load of laundry in weeks.

The past year at the old place was an effort in futility. I don't know how we made it through and it was pretty evident we weren't going to survive another month there. The year before that was devastating with the failure of the coffeeshop and the subsequent sale of the property and move to an obscure, off-the-beaten-track warehouse. We had to make a tough decision; close permanently, or try again in a smaller, more visible for retail location. I told Wes I would do whatever it took not to go back to the corporate world. My luau feet CANNOT handle being put back into dress shoes.

It's been hard and kinda scary. The one day off we took last week for Thanksgiving gave me a minute to reflect. I'm so grateful for a husband that continues to support my decision to give up a financially stable job in the corporate world to pursue this not-well-paying dream to keep the Spirit of Aloha alive on the mainland. I'm so grateful for my kids who didn't have to, but came to help in the biggest ohana type way. I'm so grateful for a friend like Wes who first believed in that dream and let me take the ride with him. We've had a hard few years, but I have to believe in my heart that this will work. Tiki Gods willing.

I promise to post pics of the new place soon. Until then, please send good mana our way. We can use it.