This past weekend we headed down south to my original hometown of Ventura, CA. The purpose was two-fold: to see my Uncle Dan and help with a huge yard sale, and to help celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. It was a low-key weekend; the yard sale made good money and helped clear out a TON of stuff for my uncle, and we had a great dinner out on Saturday night at Wood Ranch with Mom, Ron, Dan, and friends Tim & Maria.
It was bittersweet for a few reasons... On Saturday I had some time to drive around Ventura and visit many of the old, familiar places -- the house I grew up in (& my best friend's house across the street), the elementary/junior high school I attended, the apartments where my grandparents lived. Everything looks so....different -- smaller, old, and actually kinda run-down. Unfamiliar. I fought discouragement because the happy days of my childhood felt so....far away and unrecognizable after so many years. Part of the reason for the yard sale at my uncle's is because he's moving out of the house he's lived in for 17 years -- lots of great memories there, and I felt I was saying goodbye. And the reason he's moving is because my beautiful aunt, Mary Catherine, passed away unexpectedly in August. So it was goodbye on a couple of levels.
I'm so grateful, though, for the drive I took on Sunday -- this time with my mom. She has a way of helping me see things from a different perspective. We drove up up up into the foothills above Ventura to see a beautiful, "big picture" view of the city and the coastline from Grant Park. With this broad perspective I could see the beautiful Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands (so many sailing memories), the curving white beaches (so many childhood days spent boogie boarding and building sand castles), the pier (where my grandpa used to take me fishing), and the beautiful Sierra Cross that lights up at night as a "beacon on the hill" over the city. I think it was my first time seeing the whole of Ventura, and within it I could see the 13 years I spent there. Beautiful city, happy & healthy childhood, full of love and family.... I was filled with peace and a real sense of blessing that I had been missing all weekend.
Thanks, Mom, for helping me look "up and out." I love you!
Views of Ventura & the Pacific from Grant Park:
And a picture of my aunt, Mary Catherine Sullivan.
Mary C. Sullivan, 59, of Ventura, passed away Monday, August 24th following an illness of six months. A Ventura resident for 42 years, she was a family law attorney in private practice for 25 years....she was also a 23-year member of Ventura Sunrise Toastmasters. Born in Columbia, Missouri, her parents relocated to La Mirada, CA when she was still quite young. The family moved to Ventura in 1967. She graduated from La Reina High School in Whittier. She attended Ventura College and graduated from Cal State University Fresno in the early 70's. Mary was the oldest of 12 children... She had 15 nieces and nephews. She is survived by her mother, 4 sisters, 3 brothers, and her lifetime companion, Dan Murray.
Last weekend, on the way to my Aunt and Uncle's 50th anniersary party, we stopped by my parents' boat, put in for the summer at Channel Islands Harbor Marina in Oxnard, CA. This was Tess's first trip to "the boat," which, for our family, is a significant milestone. I've been sailing since I was Tess's age (or younger -- not sure how old I am in the pic with my Dad to the right) and I'm really excited for her to experience the beauty and fun of it and make wonderful memories "aboard" like I was able to. We didn't get out of the slip but we enjoyed a delicious lunch and had a fun time watching Tess play in the cockpit and try on her new life jacket (thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!). Below are some pics of Tess's first adventure on the water!
