If you're looking for a good laugh, may I direct you to my cousin, Mandy's blog?  I'm pretty sure you won't be sorry!  I'm still laughing...

Where do I begin? 

I lived in California when I met him.  He was from South Dakota and was a player.  No I don't mean he was a womanizer; he just loved to play.  Whether he was on the beach or his bike, he loved to have fun.   I'd find him boogie boarding  or playing frisbee on the beach in P.B. when I thought he should've been following up leads in his real estate business.  I'd work up my appraisals on the beach and take a break and throw the football around with he and his brother or jump in the waves with them.  Pretty soon Chuck and I were inseparable, became best friends and more.  He was so much fun to be around and always wore a smile.  He was always happy. 

He had sold his health club in South Dakota before he moved to California.  He received a call one day because the buyer defaulted and before I knew it he and I were on our way to South Dakota with all our belongings packed in a U-Haul.  It was a difficult decision because I enjoyed San Diego and my job, however I didn't want to be without him. We eventually got married in Positano, Italy.  Positano is built on a mountainside cliff overlooking the Meditteranean.  The patio overlooked the sea and as we said our vows I could see all the people above hanging outside their apartment windows watching us.  As we left, people actually came out of their businesses and stood in the narrow streets and clapped and cheered.  It was so special. 

When we got home, we sold the club and started ranching on a beautiful ranch he and his dad owned.  I loved the lifestyle, I loved the animals and I loved the 76 Ranch.  It had pastures for grazing, mountains, creeks, dams and so much wildlife.  While I lived there, I encountered mountain lions, wild turkeys, elk, deer, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, foxes and coyotes.  We both learned a LOT.  Chuck was not your typical rancher.   You'd find him in his beach attire complete with the Vans on his feet.  All the old cowboys and ranchers got a big chuckle out of us.   Ranch life wasn't for Chuck.  He liked socializing, playing golf and water sports, so we sold the ranch which saddened me and we moved to 'town'.  

We used to go to Maui for the winters and I'll never forget the first time he left for Maui without me.   My best friend and I parted ways (for various reasons I won't go into), but he drove away and I realized, there went my best friend...  We never fought, it was just pure sadness that we were not to be together anymore.  I'll never forget that day.  It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of it.  Some decisions are so hard in life...

Since then we've stayed close but it's heartbreaking to see the look in his eyes sometimes and feel the sadness in my heart as well.  It would never work between us but that doesn't stop us from still caring about one another. 

We continued to have fun together as friends, but today he left South Dakota to move to Huntington Beach and so I had to say goodbye to him today, again...  I feel as though he left me here in the place "he" brought me to.  I am here in South Dakota and he is moving to California..  It feels so strange.   Before he left he said, "I am so lucky to have found you in California.  I don't think I'll ever be that lucky again."  I was so struck at what he said, I forgot to tell him that I feel very lucky too.  I was so extraordinarily honored to be his wife.  There was so much  forgiveness in those two sentences.

He taught me kindness, caring, patience, humor, sports, and how to enjoy life and people.  And that my friends is my Chuck - the gifted and talented pianist, athlete, comedian, and sweet ex-husband of mine. 
6/06