We had the honor of a visit from Chuck and Sivi O'Grady, my aunt and uncle from San Diego! They were on one of their marathon journeys north to visit with various friends and family members in California and Oregon, and now we, fortunately, qualify as an additional stop along the way. As it happened, they arrived during our first bit of rain in six months, so we had two reasons to celebrate!Sivi (my mom's youngest sibling--given name, Sylvia) and Chuck have lived in San Diego since the '50s and have been a part of the P.B. and La Jolla Beach scene forever, Chuck having been an avid and accomplished surfer and diver. He's also one of those can-do guys who can fix or find a solution to anything from a toaster to a car. Of course, it may not get done, right now...Sivi is Ms. Congeniality/Hospitality and runs the Hotel O'Grady, available to any number of friends, family and even strangers for any length of time necessary (and more...). She's unflappable and unfailingly upbeat and "can charm the husk right off of the corn", as they say.
We had a bunch of fun just hanging out, catching up, reminiscing, and munching Mexican food. They've always been able to work cool adventures into the fabric of their lives and have great stories to tell. For years, when it was a bit safer to do so, they would spend a few months camping on the nearly-deserted beaches of Cabo San Lucas. Hard to imagine it, now, with hotels crammed along the shore like they are. Also, for quite a few years, they traveled the Senior's Pro Golf tour with Phil Rogers (Chuck as caddie and Sivi as long-time best friend of Phil's wife, Karen), visiting all but three states in the process. After that, it was spending springs in Key West as Phil would teach golf to other golfers.
They're fun and interesting and a younger couple in their seventies you will never meet (further evidence that 70 is the new 50)! Siv held up remarkably well to my forced march through all the Andy Goldsworthy books! Such a trouper, even with that little touch of arthritis in her knee! They were here for a little over 24 hours and, by now, have safely arrived at their next stop just down the hill in Penryn to visit with Chuck's brother's kids and their families. Then, it's off to Fresno to see my mom and sister and her family before they head home after several weeks.
We hope that this is the first of many such visits. We wish them a safe journey the rest of the way home and look forward to next time!
