Picky picky picky.

In the winter of 2018-19, after a string of four personal losses in eight weeks, my world was turned upside down and difficult decisions lie ahead. One pressing decision was finding a full-time residence and preferred destination to begin anew.

Maui, baby! No questions asked. For more than three decades I had been telling family and friends that Hawaii was my dream of dreams. Island magic. Turquoise waters. Pristine beaches. Time to cash in.

As part of “living the dream” came a list of THREE lifestyle criteria that HAD to be met. All or nothing. Not negotiable. Sorry Meatloaf, “2 out of 3 ain’t bad” was not music to my ears. The list:

1.  Warm Weather 365
2.  No Freeways
3.  Being Able to Walk to the Beach

Fortunately, I was in a solid financial position and arrived on the Valley Isle with a plan. I had been chatting with Alex P. – a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway and young fella who had grown up in West Maui. He knew the area. He knew my budget. He dug in.

On day 2 Alex mapped out four condo units to peruse in a sea of vacation-rental complexes. It was eye-opening. Those four turned out to be duds and reality set in! Big-time downsizing was mandatory and the only way forward. Bye-bye to cartoonish square footage and four bathrooms.

I was humbled yet determined. Into the picture stepped Paki Maui – an ocean-friendly oasis that delivered on #3 and allows me to walk to the water’s edge in about 50 seconds.

Criteria captured. Turtles galore. Nightly sunsets. Home.