Pieces of heaven on earth. I have been given that by both people and places. My life now resembles a "coat of many colors", irreplaceable and beloved. When you wish for another's life, you also wish for their hardships, their tragedies, their challenges. My life has had all these things, yet I would not exchange it for anyone else's. The City of San Buenaventura (Ventura's full name) gave me a piece of heaven today... freely, with both hands. The surf calmed down overnight and I know the surfers were disappointed, yet they had a day of incomparable beauty. I hope they appreciated what they were given. Do any of us appreciate what we have? I talked to people in Ventura who are blind to it's desirability. They've been here so long they literally cannot see. On the other hand, when's the last time I went to one of Miami's parks or beaches? Maybe that's why I am as I am... when I wander, I appreciate. I picked up lunch at Lassen's natural food store. A raw organic salad of my making, a Odwalla smoothie, sweet seaweed for dessert, and sugar coated date and almond logs rolled in coconut for more dessert... what's the point of eating well if you can't have double desserts? In the store the produce manager gave me a big, sincere smile and wanted to know how my life was going today. "My life is wonderful! How's yours?" His smile widened. "Oh, I'm good too. Can I help you find something?" "No, I'm waiting for the salad bar to open." "Time for a snack?" "No, I'm taking lunch down to the water to see if it's as riled up as it was last night." "Was it riled up last night?" "Sure was. They closed it." What about the surfers? Were they there?" "I didn't see any. But it's hard to keep them away, especially when it's rough!" "Why is that? I mean, I don't know about surfing." "It's about the undertow, I think." "Yeah, I guess. I was listening to NPR and they were talking about a guy - a surfer - who sneaked onto a closed beach to try to catch the biggest wave and it crushed him." "Where was that?" "Hawaii, I think. The police were waiting to arrest him if he made it out." "I doubt he cared about that." "That's what the police said. Too bad though." "Not so bad. Bet he died with a smile on his face.He figured out what made him happy." "That's what his friends said!" "You should go to the beach after work. It was so beautiful last night, I almost drove off the road looking at it." I took my food and headed for the pier. On the way I took a wrong turn (once again, there are no coincidences in life) and ended up at Marina Park, full of people who DO know what they have... and their children and dogs. Danny loved it there. He doesn't think much of New Mexico and Arizona.. Texas either. He likes grass under his feet. We stayed and enjoyed 'til well after lunch. Time to turn north again. Solvang awaits. But first, I needed to see Lucia's beach again. The beach that "talks" as the tide goes out. I found it quickly.. Faria Park. AND they allow overnights there. I'll be back, Ventura. Wait for me. On the way we got gas in Carpenteria. Little town, full of energy. Passed Santa Barbara.. it's a place I've been before and my daughter Jocelyn lived there. Santa Barbara is probably as perfect a town as money can make it. Maybe that's why I don't like it, imperfect as I am. In little more than an hour I was at the turnoff to Buellton and Solvang. Buellton bills itself as having the world's best split pea soup. Anybody who's had mine knows better than that. I turned toward Solvang when suddenly I saw a field of ostrichs... grazing. I slammed on the brakes. Danny fell to the floor, unhurt. Good thing our pets offer unconditional love.(Photos at the bottom are from Lucia's beach. All others are Ventura, heaven on earth)
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