People are good. I find myself being reminded of this on a daily basis. I am grateful and feel fortunate when people come in and out of my life for whatever reasons and often touch my heart with simple acts of kindness.
Today, I had multiple encounters with new acquaintances,old friends and newly befriended neighbors. I am amazed how open people can be illustrating the best of themselves. I contemplate the world we could live in, if all people, were open, all the time, in all aspects of their lives.
This morning, my brave dog, Rabbit went for a run without permission. He eventually came back, tired and dirty, but more importantly I had two wonderful neighbors who asked about Rabbit. Both had recently met me, and they were there if I needed them. One actually knocked on my door when Rabbit first came home to make sure I got him back inside. It’s the little things that really count.
Later in the day, James, Ty and I went to the pool. No one was there when we arrived, but by the time I had left, I was all the wiser meeting all the people who had flowed through. I met the most interesting family. It all started with Hula Hoops; the mom, Alex, was impressively using an extra large, weighted hula hoop wrapped in decorative ribbon. “It’s a new weight loss program!” She announced to the few of us who were at the pool mildly gawking, as she effortlessly moved the giant hula hoop around her waist.
One conversation lead to another, and before I knew it I was immersed in their family history. It really is such a small world, and I say this with and an inspired mind. Let’s begin with their beautiful daughter, Daphne, who assembles the Hula Hoops by hand and sells them via personal orders. She personally lost 20 pounds using her hula hoops ten to fifteen minutes a day, twice a day. She also progressed her hula hooping talents to include tricks. Check out her YouTubeVideos, she is actually pretty good. Daphne travels the country with her parents, is currently home schooled, has her own blog and is one of the brightest, articulate teenagers I have had the opportunity to meet. We have similar views on life regarding travel and she has enthusiasm to travel the world, already planning a backpacking trip through Australia and New Zealand after graduation. I could only hope my own boys have similar life desires at eighteen.
I casually mentioned I would tell the world about her amazing weight loss hula hoops that have given her an hour glass figure. She thought that was pretty great and was open to allowing me to include her in my blog. I have to be honest though, I had no idea there was so much more to learn about Daphne, her hula hoops and her family.
I continued talking to Daphne, her mom, Alexand dad, Bob. They are the family who owns the Schnitzels N’ Giggles, German Bratwurst truck. I have seen them around the campground. John and I meet their beautiful, silver dog on Saturday. She is a Weimaraner. Thedog sitter was walking her, while the family was at the New SmyrnaBalloon Festival & Sky Fest this weekend selling Schnitzel. I mentioned to John we should stop by their truck for a Brat and introduce ourselves, but we never made it. At the pool today, when they told me they owned the food truck, I knew exactly who they were.
A Weimaraner: never barks and has the best disposition
They also owned The Inn at Danbury in New Hampshire and Alphorn Bistro. After doing a little research, I learned they were on Sneak Attack and have had other TV slots. Their food was so well received that many customers wanted them to open more restaurants throughout the country, they compromised and decided to take their restaurant on the road, Oktoberfest on wheels, coming to a town near you. It’s been a huge success.
I snapped this photo on my way back from the pool.
A lot of their publicity was created when their family was catapulted into homes across America on the hit reality show WifeSwap back in 2008. Their episode still airs and coincidentally re-ran today on Lifetime at 7pm. I had just missed it, but then again, I’m not sure if I get Lifetime.
I discovered after sharing my Long Island roots that the family Alex was swapped with lived in Bayville, NY only thirty minutes from where I spent my childhood. They shared a few highlights of their show with me and I’m glad I asked. It seemed like quite an extraordinary experience.
I did my homework for this blog and learned more interesting tib bits about The Graf Family, much more then I can share this evening. Here are a few of my favorite highlights. Bob is a world traveler, an award winning chef and quite the husband for agreeing to swap his wife. Alex was born in The Haque, The Netherlands, speaks four languages and was Mrs. Salt Lake City in 2001. (A detailed history is linked appropriately) Their food is award winning and I look forward to sampling some before they move on next week. Their entire list of events are listed on their website, http://www.schnitzelsngiggles.com/. I strongly recommend, if they are coming to your area, to stop by. It will be worth your time visiting with them and trying some of their fabulous German food.
Alex & Daphne
Bob & Alex
The final piece meeting the Graf family is they are getting ready to start their very own reality show. I look forward to following them on social media and learning about their journey along the way. If their show gets picked up by a major network,I’m confident people will be tuning in, they just have that way about them, personable,friendly, open and engaging. I’ll be rooting for their success, and look forward to seeing them when they find their way back to New Smyrna Beach next year.
I thought my day had peeked after meeting this lovely family. However, an old friend from Georgia gave me a call outof the blue. He is what I would call one of my secret blog readers. He's been following along, and I had no idea he'd been keeping up with us since day one. He told me he is impressed with what our family is doing. He verbalized what I feel in my heart, that we are doing such a fabulousthing for the boys and creating life experiences they will never forget. We are molding their minds to be creative, toexplore, and it will allow them to be unique individuals in their adultlives. It meant so much to me considering all of hischildren have grown up to be exceptional adults. I was given reassurance from someone who counts. He also shared hehas been living the ‘less is more’ mantra, and feels most people can talk thetalk, but won’t walk the walk. Yet, herewe are doing it and succeeding. Itfeels right and I would not change athing. Thank you my friend, for givingme a gift today, your support and honestly wrapped in a big bow of hope.
My last little happy moment today was seeingthree of my male neighbors hovering over my sewer drain. It was disconnected most the day. My son told me a ‘squirrel’ did it. I think my son’s middle name is ‘squirrel’. Or maybe a squirrel fell on it! Regardless, I couldn't get the thing back together, I decided to leave it, and not empty mytanks until John came home tomorrow. Myneighbors were not going to let me go shower less for another day. They looked at it, messed with it, and put itback together probably better then it was before. Thank you guys for taking the time to work on my sewerpipes. I will be happily showering latertoday.
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I took this photo to show John earlier today.
Damn Squirrels!
Good people are all around us. I try to take the time to talk and share withpeople. I could probably do a better jobsometimes, but when I do take the time, I learn so much more about people, who theyare, what they do, and what drives them in this life. Good people who do good things, that’s what Ilove about being here; it’s a never ending revolving door of interestingfabulous individuals.
Thanks to the Graf family, thanks to my fabulous neighbors and thanks to my old friend from Georgia for allowing me to share our moments of goodness today.
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