You Never Know...

How a seemingly random experience in 2011 would result in something 14 years later.

We began our short term rental business in 2011 when we designed and built our two bedroom + loft in Pacific Beach. Haley was attending Georgetown and Daphne was still living at home with me.

We appreciated 99% of our guests, with some leaving a more memorable impression than others. Notably, Patrick and his wife Carol, along with his brother and niece, stood out. We connected well, or as the younger generation might say, we vibed. This resulted in a spontaneous suggestion from me: 'Hey, hop in our V-Dub and let's go get fro-yo,' and off we went.

Fast forward 12 years later and a lot of water had gone under our keels. My heart didn't forget this moment but when a seemingly strange couple knocked on our front door and said 'remember us?' I didn't.

He then mentioned, 'it's Patrick and Carol, we hopped into your V-dub to get some fro-yo!'

Patrick and Carol?!!!!! Wow, so stoked you took time out of your vacation to visit us, yes - how could I forget you?!

A day or two afterward, Doug and I met them for coffee, and it seemed like no time had gone by. As we parted, they said, 'Come visit us sometime in Minnesota,' and now, two years later, we were on our way to see them.

Oh gosh, I remember them being nice, but we really didn't spend that much time with them. Here we've committed to five days there and what if we don't vibe like we did?

Well, as soon as we were warmly greeted and welcomed into their beautiful home, which we would have been staying in if we didn't have 50 feet of rig to park, it was abundantly apparent that we made the right choice.

Some people are just meant to hang out. My friend Tommy says 'we find each other on the playground of life.' I like that.

We spent the day reconnecting,

listening to stories about their life

in Minnesota and sharing our recent updates.

Then we all climbed into the V-Dub, reminiscent of old times, and headed to a dog-friendly restaurant for dinner. It was a heartfelt evening, even though our week-long visit had just begun.

The following day, we embarked on an official tour of Minneapolis, a city I knew little about and assumed was just another large city. How mistaken I was. It quickly became one of my favorite cities, and if we could manage the cold weather and relocate our entire family, we would still be there. The city was brimming with charm, beauty, history, bicycles, and numerous parks.

Did you know that when Minneapolis was designed, a park was included within six blocks of every house? The parks vary in size, but the original intention has been maintained over the years. This is my favorite fact about Minneapolis.

Carol guided us on a tour of a tall performing arts building, allowing us to view the Mississippi River and the once-thriving old mills, while Patrick took Pearl for a walk in the nearby park.

Then altogether, we explored a bridge over the river, surrounded by expansive parks. The city is breathtakingly beautiful and prioritizes bikes. Their bike infrastructure might even surpass Portland's; in fact, I believe someone mentioned that it does!

They should know, for Patrick and Carol have been avid bicyclists for decades. Not only have they traveled across multiple parts of our nation they have also adventured across numerous countries abroad. They literaly walk the walk, or should I say pedal the path as they haven't owned a car in over 30 years. I find them to be inspirational, fascinating and humble. For the stories did not flow endlessly, they were artfully woven into our other chats, leaving me wanting to know more!

We concluded that day at an enchanting waterfall and outdoor space, where everyone embraced the carefree spirit of the season. A restaurant with open picnic tables beneath shade trees provided a delightful way to end our day.

The next day Patrick and Carol had graciously offered to watch Pearl so that we could take in Minnesota's state fair and that we did! We drove to a shuttle, so that we could get to the fair with ease. I was picturing the shuttle for the Del Mar Fair that goes a mile or so from Mary's feed and tackle to the fairgrounds. Boy was I wrong. We boarded a big charter bus and onto the freeway we went. It was a distance to get to the fair but I'm sure it was the way to go, since this is not your local fair, it's ginormous!

We attended on opening day along with 99,999 other fairgoers. While that number might initially seem overwhelming, it's important to consider the vast size of the fairgrounds. The walking paths resembled streets with curbs, and although 100,000 attendees is significant, the fair's size accommodated everyone comfortably. We never felt crowded or bothered by the number of people.

We began by riding the sky buckets to the opposite end to get a good view of everything. The variety of foods was fascinating. Besides the typical corn dogs and cheese sticks, there were cheese curd tacos, fried olives, deep-fried alligator, and numerous items served on sticks. We tried a pasta dish wrapped in bacon—on a stick—and also had a salad on a stick to keep with the theme.

There were structures dedicated to honey, baking contests, pumpkins, and livestock. When I visited the 4-H building, two young girls asked if I was a member of 4-H. Upon hearing that we didn't have it because we lived at the beach, their jaws dropped in disbelief.

I encountered a pleasant young boy who was there with his 8-month-old calf named Lucy. He was comforting and spending time with it as one might with a dog, which was heartwarming. His face brightened when I inquired about his calf. It was evident how significant this aspect of life is for these children.

The following day, we went sailing on their nearby lake. Being on the water was incredibly enjoyable, and at one point, they anchored the boat so we could all take a swim in the lake. That was wonderful! It was delightful to sail and have more time to chat while surrounded by a stunning backdrop.

On the last day, we took care of some errands at a local outdoor strip mall, where Home Depot served as the anchor store. While we were in the parking lot, a young man approached us and asked if he could conduct an interview. Doug politely refused, but I, on the other hand, fluffed my hair and asked about the lighting. The young man has an Instagram page called joyrydesus, where he shares all his interviews, primarily conducted from his modern car while driving Lyft passengers to their destinations.

Later that morning, we scheduled a spa appointment for Pearl to receive a much-needed bath, brush, and haircut. We decided to have lunch nearby to pass the time, and when we returned, we saw that she had received the best haircut ever at just a third of the usual price.

Unfortunately, our plans for a second sail and farewell BBQ were canceled because our dear friends contracted COVID. We found ourselves in a drugstore parking lot, taking COVID tests with fingers crossed. Thankfully, they recovered quickly, and we were relieved not to have caught it. This allowed us to continue visiting more towns as we made our way home.

In closing, I'd like to give a huge shout out to Patrick and Carol, who are just phenomenal humans. Their ability to host in a way that we've truly never experienced to this degree stems from their huge hearts and content selves. It never felt like it was a forced effort, quite the contrary, they just flowed from their centers and gave freely what they already had within. We are truly grateful to have met them, that they returned to us 12 years later, and that we fulfilled our promise of visiting them. We eagerly anticipate hosting them in San Diego again in the future. Meanwhile, we now have cherished friends in Minnesota.

Here's to connecting with those who speak the same heart language. Who truly want to make the world a better place through unity, love and mutual acceptance of one another across the globe.

Cheers to Friendships both near and far, Shari

PS we left them with some get well goodies from doTERRA. We wanted to give back some of the love and kindness that they had shown to us.