Monday, December 6, 2010

It's not over yet! Hello from SLO. Monday, Dec 6, 2010

Hello all!

I've been staying with my friend Erik and his roommates in San Luis Obispo this last week.  I have been helping Erik with some of his projects and have been spending as much time as I can with my daughter Kate.  She is very busy right now with work and with studying for and taking finals.  Yesterday I borrowed Erik's bike and stopped by a Christmas tree lot at the edge of town.  I bought a small tree there and a man named Jess helped me strap it to my back!  I carried that thing for about 2 miles, then got off and put it on the bike and pushed it!  I got to Kate's place and called and told her I had a surprise for her and her roommates.  They were pretty excited- they had wanted a tree this year!  We put lights on it and decorated it with some ornaments that we went out and bought.  Now they can have the Christmas party that they had wanted to have! 

The story doesn't end there......... When I walked into SLO last week I noticed the Christmas tree lot that I just bought a tree from.  I took a few pictures of it, in fact.  It looked like an interesting place- it is an old farm and it looks like it.  It also has a produce stand and all the other assorted old equipment associated with farms laying around.  It kind of felt like home back in Humboldt County, where I am from.  As I left Erik's house yesterday to buy a tree, Scott, one of the roommates, told me about the place where I was going to buy a Christmas tree.  It is actually a farm called Sunny Acres, and it is run by a man named Dan DeVaul.  It is a working farm that Dan opened several years ago to take in homeless people and people who are recovering from drug and alcohol problems.  I Googled Dan and his farm and found that it is steeped in much local controversy!  He and his farm have gained national attention.  On the way home from my daughter's place today I stopped in Sunny Acres and met Dan.  He is a no-nonsense kind of guy and he reminds me of people I know.  He smiles a lot and we got to talking a bit.  He had heard about me- he saw me on the news.  We talked a bit and he said, "Are you interested in volunteering?"  I thought about it for a bit, then said, "Sure, how long?"  He said, "Until we get tired of each other."  I said, "How about a week?"  He said sure, whatever you want to do.  He made a call and told me to meet with Ken, and Ken would set me up with some work clothes and a place to stay.  I will room with Ken in one of the sheds that they have as shelters for the people staying there.  You never know where you may end up!  I'm going to do it to see where it leads.  I'll probably use my carpentry skills to help out around the place.  Stay tuned and I will fill you in as I can.  Check out Dan's website at www.sunnyacresca.com  and see what all goes on there- it's interesting!  Google Dan DeVaul and read about some of his experiences- I did.  Now I will get to see it all for myself. 

I want to take this time to thank Erik Poor and his roommates for their gracious hospitality.  Erik and his friend Dan both shared their faith with me- both are believers and are good men.  I have had a great time bunking here with Erik and his friends.  Erik loves his neighborhood and I can tell that his neighbors love him too.  Erik sees his neighbors as his family, and treats them as such.  If only we all were to do the same- the world would be a much better place.  I am so fortunate to have made friends with Erik and his family along the way, and to have had the opportunity offered to end up here where I did!  Now I am off to something else that is interesting.........we will see...................

Sincerely,
God bless,
Stay tuned,
Craig

2 comments:

  1. Now that's going with the flow! Have a Merry Christmas "down on the farm"!

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  2. That's Great, Craig!!! Right where you need to be...
    However,I'm sure there are those of us who miss dancing with you....
    God Bless,,,,Be Well,,Mary

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