VISTA, Calif. — We all went a little stir crazy during the COVID-19 stay at home order. In this Zevely Zone, I went to Vista to see a do-it-yourself project from the heart.
Walking throughout Rod and Linda Green's Vista property is an adventure.
As Linda feeds a tortoise some watermelon, Rod invites me to look through their homemade kaleidoscope that sits in their beautiful garden.
Rod and Linda view life through a different lens out here. Touring their property is very much like this couple, it just goes and goes and never stops.
"I feel like we should have left bread crumbs because I have no idea where we are," I said.
Linda tells me they will show the way out although throughout the COVID-19 lockdown they only left their house three times. They mostly ate eggs provided by their chickens.
"Omelettes or over easy?" I asked.
Linda replied," Over easy because I love the runny yolk."
The high school sweethearts say when you discover paradise in each other and in a home, why leave? They dropped anchor here 23 years ago and it got them thinking. What if they used a lifetime of belongings for Rod to build a COVID Robot?
"We are scrappers," said Linda.
So Rod used a bucket for a head and old water valve as a nose.
"And the eyes are from a faucet," said Rod.
For the torso? "This is off an old fire engine. This came off a dish network satellite dish," said Rod. "These arms are from an old antique car."
And for hands? "This is a post hold digger and a shovel," said Rod. And just to be safe. "His COVID 19 mask," said Rod.
Talk about a 'bucket list' moment.
"I've done everything in life including my life's dream which was sailing," said Rod.
I thought he was going to say his life's dream was to marry Linda.
Rod explained, "Well that was second life dream."
That's okay. Linda loves Rod, but the COVID Robot?
Linda said, "He's a little big for my garden and I hope he stays right there."
Rod still has high hopes for the garden.
"At some point yeah when I find the right spot," he said.
For disagreements around here, they consult the kaleidoscope. I looked through it and announced, "I see the COVID Robot never finding a home in the garden."
Linda got the last word, "He's too big, he'll scare the chickens."
Wherever the COVID Robot does end up, it'll take some heavy machinery. Rod says he needs a tractor just to move it.