It is autumn in the mountains
A pot of home-made split pea soup is simmering on the stove, a second load of laundry is in the dryer, the bed is made, dishes washed, and I am now caught up on my favorite soap, “The Young and the Restless”. Life is returning to my “old normal”.
This past Saturday evening we finally made it “home” to our tiny cabin on the side of the San Bernardino Mountains.
During our drive up the winding road, Tim and I talked a little about what it would feel like to walk in the door after being away for seven months. Would it feel like “home”? Would we have any regrets about selling our family home in the San Fernando Valley over a year ago to free us up to travel the world? Would we find something alien growing in our refrigerator? Had the squirrels, mice, or any other critters eaten their way inside? Would we find another wasp nest attached to the porch overhang?
We had shut off the water at the main valve under the house and drained the pipes before leaving, to prevent a water leak or a frozen/busted pipe.
It was after dark when we started lugging fresh groceries up the stairs and prepared to unlock the door.
I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT WE FOUND!
Unbeknownst to us, our amazing friends, Laura and Michael had driven two hours from their home in Orange County the previous weekend to clean our cabin and make it welcoming for our return.
They had vacuumed, dusted, swept the deck, aired the house out, and cleaned the refrigerator (and yes there was an alien growing in there). We had a pretty potted plant blooming on the table and a large photo collage of pictures from special times we had shared together.
Also, unbeknownst to us, the local water district had discontinued service to the cabin. L and M had found a turn-off notice hanging on the door for lack of payment.
When we left home last March, getting everything set up on an auto-payment schedule was one of our tasks. We thought all accounts had been taken care of, but somehow this one did not get activated. We actually found out about it several months back, paid the balance, corrected the problem and assumed that all was well.
Evidently one department did not speak to the other and our water never got turned back on to the property.
Michael called on our behalf, even offered to pay the bill to get it turned on, found out the account was current, and arranged for someone to come out to turn it back on so we would not arrive home to find NO WATER.
He even called back a couple of days later to confirm that it was back on.
So instead of returning to a cabin that was filled with cobwebs, dust, something growing in the refrigerator, and no water to be able to use the toilet, shower or clean up, we walked into a tiny cabin that was overflowing with LOVE.
Needless to say, we were blown away by this tremendous act of kindness.
I am grateful for my life, my family, but especially for my friends!
Gratitude Moment: Today I am grateful for having the best friends anyone could ask for. And a very special thank you to Laura and Michael for being at the top of this list. We love you guys!
A Note From Abroad 
Wow, what a story. It warms me to read it and I don’t even know Laura and Michael. My best buddy has done similar things for me. There’s no better blessing than good friends.
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Mike, I have another best friend story that happened years ago at Christmas that I may need to share someday. Aren’t we fortunate to have these special people in our lives?!
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What a great story and what wonderful friends. Glad you’re back safe and sound. Thanks for letting everyone be on the 7 month journey with you. Your blogs were fabulous. Hugs, Karen
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Thank you Karen. I’m in the process of putting together a recap of our trip around the world. Trying to pick out a favorite picture or memory from each country is a monumental task!
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WOW! We wanted you to come home to a nice clean home ! I know you would do the same for us-friends for life
!!!!
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Yep, the next time you take off for seven months, I’ll come clean your house! HaHa. Seriously, I’m honored to call you two FRIENDS! Can’t wait to plan our next fun day with you.
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We are so excited to go on our adventures again. We missed you guys !!!
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What amazing friends you have! That is the kind of home to return to. I am wondering if it felt weird to be home after being away so long. When Shane & I were gone this summer for 6 weeks (not nearly as long as you two were away 🙂 ) it felt strange walking into our home. It had been so long it felt like the furniture had been rearranged. Of course we did not want to come back so it took a few days to get used to being home. Now,after being home 2 months it’s like we never left, well except for all of the great memories and pictures. Welcome home and getting back to “normal”.
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Yes, we do have amazing friends. It does not feel weird to be home. This cabin has long been our sanctuary from work or stress. We have come here for years to unwind, clear our heads or hearts, or simply relax. It is now the perfect place for us to return to between our get-a-ways.
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Lovely homecoming! Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Sent from my iPhone
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Barb, thank you for joining us!
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Wow, you guys are really bless to have such awesome friends! You guys must be a really good friends yourself. I love this story.
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Thank you Lisa!
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This is such a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing. What a nice way to come back home. Made me smile 🙂
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Hi Chloe, believe me, coming home to a clean house made me smile too…
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Wow, what a nice surprise and such sweet friends 🙂
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A very welcome surprise to come home to.
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Now that’s a proper homecoming! I’m sure you will pay it forward at your first opportunity. Blessings.
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It will be a tough act to follow 🙂
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Between your amazing sharing and the wonderful responses, there’s really nothing more to say, except…YOU.ARE.BLESSED!!! Welcome home-ish!
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We are blessed indeed! Home-ish – I like that description. Made me smile.
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This was such a nice surprise to read when I read your blog…….we really wanted you guys to come home to a nice clean home! I am so glad you are home and we can start going on our photo adventures again…we have missed you both..
Cam arrived last night and will be here until Sunday when we go to Mom & Dads.
Love Laura
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Enjoy your time with your sister. Our next photo adventure needs to be SOON!
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Hi, Sounds like you had a great return home. That was so nice of Laura and Michael to clean the cabin for you and all the other things they did as well. I’m sure it made things so much easier all the way around. Sometimes, the smallest things can make a world of difference.
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You are right about that!
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What a hearwarming surprise. Great people never rans out of wonderful friends.
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It was the BEST surprise to come home to – a clean house and toilets that worked, LOL.
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What amazing friends. They are keepers for sure! What wonderful people to be cherished.
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I wouldn’t trade them for the world!
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Wonderful… Good to know there is still kindness and humanity alive 🙂
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Yes, there is really quite a bit of kindness out there when you are focusing on looking for it. 🙂
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That is just a wonderful, wonderful story. Home is really people as much as a place, isn’t it? Welcome back.
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Christine, YES, home is made up of all the wonderful people that make life all the sweeter.
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