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E Magically being transported from blah to bliss That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor 21 | Thursday, May 5, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com ven at 5 a.m., even for South Carolina, it was unseasonably hot and unreasonably humid. I was sweating just thinking about having to haul all of our stuff out to the car. This was before I discovered the elevator was out of order. This was before it dawned on me that we had no way of getting a dolly up to our room, before I started hauling two weeks worth of everything -- heavy suitcases, over lled boxes, sets of golf clubs and two awkward bikes -- down four ights of stairs, from condo to car. It was the rst of many unwelcome, albeit inevitable, `back to reality' moments; those sinking instants you get after a holiday that's magically transported you from blah to bliss. By the time I nished loading the car, my knees were weeping, my back aching, and I was so sweaty I had to take my second shower of the day. All this before the sun had even bothered to rise over the Atlantic. Two weeks previous, we were two pasty people from `We The North' country. Honestly, winter had been tough on us; the season had ripped a strip off our souls. We needed to heal. We needed to rest, recreate, recharge, reconnect. We needed to nd ourselves, and each other. We packed up and pointed the car south, our seventh such soulsaving `sortie' to the palm-treed oasis that is Hilton Head, S.C. It was remarkable just how quickly we went from blah to bliss. How quickly we eased into a healthy , relaxing rhythm of life: beach-walking, pleasing vistas, ora in full summer bloom and fauna: fox squirrels, prehistoric-looking herons, dive-bombing pelicans in search of sh, and sun-bathing gators. With the car packed, and with memories of what my travelling companion called `the best holiday ever' stored in the vault, we headed north and drove straight through with no sissy stopover. That's 17-plus hours of watching the temperature steadily dropping and clouds congregating and opening above us all the way home. That's 17-plus hours of 99 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall. That's back to reality.... But having gone from blah to bliss, we feel healthy, whole, and ready to wrestle reality. ­ Contact Andy Juniper at ajjuniper@gmail.com. biking for hours, afternoon siestas -- caressing ocean breezes stealing in through wide-open windows -- followed by lazy Happy Hours and incredible cuisine in the island's excellent eateries. Just like that, we had shed winter, layers of Canuck clothing, loads of stress, and turned into carefree beach bums. Granted, the environment was ideal, and the weather obviously helped facilitate that huge transformation. Over the two sun-kissed weeks, I think we saw a dozen drops of rain, and the occasional eeting cloud, otherwise it was all azure skies and healing heat. One day, we golfed in 33-C heat. We were (almost) tempted to complain, until we heard from our kids back home it was cloudy, cold and drizzling. Ah, golf, sweet golf. We squeezed in our rst four rounds of the season. Muffed, mangled shots that after only one Manhattan, magically became... majestic. But even when we were shanking those shots, we were smiling, giddy because we were gol ng, in short sleeves and shorts, in April -- and because the golf courses, like the island itself, are 2376 Parkhaven Blvd, Oakville 2376 Parkhaven Blvd, Oakville · 905-257-5880 905-257-5880 maximekitchens.ca maximekitchens.ca Bhandari Family Dentistry returns to Oakville Bring in yOur Family FOr a CheCk-uP at Our new mODern CliniC Dr. Bhandari is an advocate of oral health with 31 years of experience. He and his team pride themselves for their professional and comprehensive approach to dentistry. Dr. Bhandari has proudly worked with a number of celebrities throughout his career, helping them maintain their red carpet worthy smiles! Customer care is our core concern. Whether you're looking for general maintenance, regular check-up treatments or cosmetic dentistry, we can help. Give Dr. Bhandari a call to book your appointment or consultation. Sienna Shoes & Apparel aCtual Patient treatmentS By Dr. BhanDari Oakville's best kept fashion secret...! With the purchase of any pair of shoes, receive a gift. Crowns before Crowns after Bridgework before Bridgework after Porcelain Veneers Crowns and Bridges Teeth Whitening Restorations Composite Resin Dental Implants Laser Dentistry New Patients & Dental Emergencies Welcome Periodontist on site Dr. Vineet BhanDari BSc DIH DDS 905.825.5110 Monday to Friday 7:30 - 5:00. Evening and Saturday appointments available. Palermo Professional Centre 2525 Old Bronte Rd., Suite 470 Oakville (at Dundas Street) · www.bhandaridental.com 321 Cornwall Rd. Oakville (Wholefoods Plaza) Ph: 905.842.5559 www.siennaboutique.ca Mon-Wed, Sat 10-6, Thur-Fri 10-7, Sun 12-5