Much to My Surprise

I looked back to see when we last blogged. It was November 2019!

Holy $h!+ Batman has a lot changed since then.

Bill and I had just returned from  South America – altitude sickness, messed up travel plans because of Yellow Fever and being caught up in the riotous ousting of the Bolivian president for election fraud made up for a conundrum of a trip.  (Click on photos to enlarge).

No sooner did we return to our little slice of heaven in Charleston and our twin granddaughters were born. They were a month early – their mother extremely grateful for that. Talk about living tiny – they were busting at the seams!

Bill and I in a moment of joyous bliss (when we heard the impending news) lost our minds and committed to babysitting 3 days a week for a year while the girls’ parents figured out balancing life, work and two babies.

Ponder our situation. Staying put was going to be our challenge – not watching babies!

Two months into our routine Covid happened.  Kids kept their jobs and so did we.

Routines didn’t change except for the added use of Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer and wearing face masks. 

At first we relished in the eery quietness of our daily strolls around downtown Charleston.  The community came together –  storefronts signs and chalked sidewalks were messaged with words of unity. As time passed and the chalk marks faded, for lease signs flourished as Charleston shuttered business after business.

In September our home in Indian Wells, California sold. We masked up and headed West to empty the house and sell the treasure we had collected over the years.

My heart was heavy as each person carried away a momento from our moving sale. We passed on stories that perhaps they too could pass on.

Tiny living in Nevada and South Carolina meant there was no room to keep things. 

By about the fourth day of dealing with the massive lockdowns in California vs having come from a state that had opened most things up we were suddenly over our sadness of selling. We shortened our trip and got the hell out of Dodge. 

Adiós Gavin. 

We feel for you California. ❤️

It was bittersweet.  The end of one chapter and the beginning of another…

We drove a few personal items back to Nevada (enough to necessitate renting a Store-all). Visited with family and friends and headed back to job numero uno.

Babies cooed, rolled over, crawled and walked. Before we knew it our time was up.  What a difference a year makes.

Christmas 2019

Christmas 2020.

Bill wanted to leave the country and old scaredy-pants here asked for a compromise. So we flew to Nevada to shoot ducks and geese and to catch up with family and friends.

 

After a month we have flown to Hawaii. 

Feels like a different country but there’s American healthcare.

First stop – Maui to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary where we said “I will”.

(Prepping for our marriage vows  Bill asked me to ask him specific questions where he could answer “I do”.  

The hippy who married us apparently didn’t get the memo and asked us questions where the only appropriate response was “I will”!)

I will laugh at your jokes. I will let you do the dishes. I will love you for a life time and I will travel the world with you!

We pray that all is well in your life. PLEASE tell us about you in the remarks!

11 thoughts on “Much to My Surprise

  1. Joy uhart

    Hi again Bill and Paige! Sure liked seeing you with family and those babies and reading what you wrote, Paige! It always makes me laugh. I celebrated in Elko this weekend my d.i.l’s surprise 40th birthday dinner party at The Star (Basque). Great time but can’t do that late nite stuff anymore! Beautiful snow today heading home morrow – Happy Valentines Day u2lovebirds🕊!

    1. Claudia & Dick CONGER

      Good to hear from you. We were in Egypt when the pandemic hit and cut our trip short to get home when the country locked down. Many trips planned for 2020 cancelled and we have lots of airline credits to use in 2021 and 2022. First try is to Poland in April, then to Bordeaux in June etc. Stay well and enjoy those Grandchildren.

      1. Bill and Paige Post author

        Great hearing from you. Our favorite bartender in Charleston was in Egypt as well.

        I bet it has been hard for you and Claudia to stay put. You’re always in the go.

        Enjoy Poland. Hopefully our paths will cross again soon.

        Hugs to the both of you.

    2. Bill and Paige Post author

      Hi Joy! So glad to hear from you. Elko is the best place to be in a snow storm. Especially Lamoille Canyon. We love to finish the day with drinks and a hearty meal at the Star. Lucky you!

      Paige 😘

  2. Pingback: Yesterday’s post removed photos and words while we were sleeping – click link below | Zigzagging with Bill and Paige

  3. George and Margaret Palmatier

    Aloha and Happy Anniversary! 25 years – Wow!! Glad they let you into Hawaii without quarantine. Enjoy Maui!!

    1. Bill and Paige Post author

      Thank you George and Margaret. We jumped through all the hoops and made our way here. We’re enjoying the weather and beautiful island. We look forward to seeing the both of you! Happy Valentine’s Day!

  4. Louise

    Thanks for sending me your blog and will stay in touch that way. Just come back to Charleston before too long. We miss you!

  5. horses1960

    Hi Paige & Bill love your blog! Your photography!! Your stories! Congrats on your twin grandbabies!! 🤗🥰🌻🧡

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