After our mad rush to Denver and back, we rushed up to Vail to get to a beautiful home where the people are moving back to their home in Boca Raton Florida next month. Our friend who has a consignment shop is helping them sell all of their stuff in an estate sale in about 10 days. She arranged for us to go in early and check it out. The boys and I arrived at 2:30 thinking no one was home. It turned out that the couple who own the home was home and welcomed us into their house. This house was originally built and owned by Jack Nicklaus. They bought it from him about 13 years ago. They were super nice and you could tell extremely wealthy. The couch we came to look at was gorgeous and priced so reasonably I thought there was something wrong with it but it turns out they’re just needing to liquidate a whole house full of stuff. As we began talking, the man said he had some friends staying with them he wished we could meet. He offered me some wine which I declined but of course this led to what I do for a living. Anyhow as we were getting ready to leave, their close friends from Florida showed up.
As I introduced myself Mr. Johnson (their friends) did a double take when I said my last name. He looked at me funny and said, “your dad was either a banker or a general”. I proceeded to tell him who dad was and he broke down saying he testified with dad in Congress and knew him well from Independent Bankers for years! Turns out he was President of the Florida Independent Bankers and they had started 7 banks in the early 70’s and was also an attorney. Anyhow he couldn’t stop gushing about what a great man Ivan was and how he was a legend. They insisted that when Lori was off work, we all come back. So a few hours later the four of us went back and spent the next few hours becoming friends. Turns out the Johnson’s are quite famous as he’s a board member of the Heisman Trophy committee, has met 6 of the last 7 Presidents in the Oval Office, has multiple businesses with our host, who is pretty famous in his own right, along with some 4 star general. Anyhow the evening was great, the people who own the home who are fantastic (he’s a famous physicist and she was a model that looked like Audrey Hepburn in her day) insist we come to Florida in February to stay with them and visit and the Johnson’s insist we come to their suite at a Florida Gator football game, if not this year, next for sure. Now they made a point of letting us know these are not empty requests, they really did insist and we all exchanged information. Both men and their wives couldn’t stop complimenting the kids who were so well behaved and polite. Mr. Johnson told the boys that he knew their Grandpa well and what a great man he was and how proud they should be of him. He also told them he knew they’d be great Americans as they have great parents and really great Grandparents. Meanwhile the lady of the house was giving the boys gifts of knick knacks around her house that she could tell the boys were eyeing. Ty came home with a china teapot that looks like a Panda Bear and a stuffed Panda and Jagger with a glass blown orb that is an oil lamp from Venice. They used to own a company in Venice and have been there like 300 times. He also came home with a ski boot coffee cup of hers that she used to keep her pencils in by her phone. We didn’t see this going on as she took the boys into the kitchen and gave them this stuff or came out with things wrapped up for the boys. Anyhow by 8pm or so we decided to make our way home but not before they gave the kids some more things like 6 decks of cards and some home made candy. I don’t want to give their names as I’m sure they’re searched on the internet often and we want to respect their privacy and generosity. In any case, they were just thrilled to meet us and insist we come back a bunch before they move in early September. We’ll go over today and try to move the couch if I can find some help. I could go on and on as it was a remarkable serendipitous evening. In any case, they were both really nice couples and very very generous to us and kind. I don’t know why but people seem to like us as a family a lot as these kind of things seem to happen to us often. We’re always humble, respectful, and polite. Guess we’re just a likable family, who knew!
That’s it, lots to do today, hope all’s well, God Bless.