About 3 years ago a young couple (upper 20’s) bought the 8 acres next to us. We were leaving for a short vacation when we saw the man filling a washout at the entrance to his drive with a shovel and a wagon. We stopped to say welcome to the neighborhood and told him that when we got back I would bring the tractor up and fix the drive.
That was the start of an unusual relationship. We got to know then very well over the years. The house they bought is currently an Airbnb but their long range plan is to move from their “LA” home and live in the desert.
They were not married when we first met. They planned their wedding on their site and needed a venue. I cleared about an acre, installed lighting, set them up with a caterer and built 10 picnic tables for the reception all of course with their help. I have done many other maintenance work gratis due to their remote living. When they planned their wedding, they asked my wife (age 77) to be a maid of honor. And then when we were seated, our seats were the closest to their head table, IN FRONT of both their parents. We had become their honorary grand parents. In fact they call us G-ma and G-pa.
The love passes both ways as every time they come up here they bring food and cook meals for us. When my wife had a minor surgery, they came up and prepared full meals for 3 days so that she could rest.
Well now to the crux of the story. They had their first child on Wednesday, and yesterday they told us that they gave him the middle name of “James” in honor of me. I’m sure that their first daughter will have Elizabeth!
How lucky can you get.
