I had a wonderful time visiting my mom this month. I'm so proud of her for being such a healthy person in her 90s. I hope I can be like her at that age! She still lives in my hometown of Lompoc (contrary to popular belief, it is pronounced "Lompoke" not "Lompock"!).
Every morning while there, I accompanied my mom on her daily walk of 3 miles. It was always so foggy and cold in the early hours. The chilly air that greeted us when we went out reminded me of my first semester of my freshman year in high school: I had swimming (it was mandatory) first period! What a cruel joke it was to have to jump into that frigid pool every morning. By 1 pm to 5 pm, it was sunny and clear and in the 70s -- the fog having burned off after noon.
I did a painting of all the things we saw on our walks that I only see in California — particularly on the Central Coast, where Lompoc is located. The climate, flora and fauna are so different from that of New York! The call of the California quail is comforting. When I was a child, many lived on our property, and they gathered under the manzanita bushes.
While in Lompoc, I was fortunate to have a book signing at the wonderful Chapter Two Bookstore. It's a such cozy gathering space. The owner, Leslie Sevier and co-worker, Stephanie, are terrific at getting the word out, and they are very supportive of local authors. They always make me feel so welcome whenever I'm in town. It was a lovely opportunity to connect with old friends.
My friend from junior high and high school, Joy Shane, stopped by. I met her daughter, Laurie, who is a teacher in Riverside county. I'm kicking myself for not getting a photo with Joy!
I was also bowled over to see my 7th grade science teacher, Mrs. Hunking, who stopped by to buy a book! I hadn't seen her in 43 years!!! Her son is that age, and she was pregnant with him the year she taught my class.
Many other family friends came, as well as people I got to meet for the first time. Lompoc is a tight knit community and people are very friendly. It is comforting to know that my mom is surrounded by so many good folks!
While in Lompoc, I also visited my friend, Jack, whom I first met in kindergarten! We were classmates through 6th grade. I didn't see him again until 2019 when he came to NYC to visit, and we reconnected. It is really crazy to talk to someone who knew you when you were so young. There are memories that he has of our class that I have no memory of and vice versa!
We had brunch at our friend, Dennis Block's restaurant, and Dennis himself stopped by. I met Dennis at my first real job in high school —Taco Bell!! He now owns a restaurant that has been going strong for several decades and is a local favorite.
Afterwards, Jack showed me around the downtown area which I hadn't seen in awhile. I felt very nostalgic when we stopped by the Lompoc Theatre. I remember watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sound of Music, and the first Star Wars film there as a child. It is currently undergoing a huge renovation that has been in the works for many years, called the Lompoc Theatre Project. Money is being raised to restore and reopen the theatre. We ran into Mike Sewall, a local author, business owner, and board member of the Lompoc Theatre Project. He invited us in for a tour.
The theater was built in 1927 and originally featured silent movies and served as a venue for plays and vaudeville acts. Mike wrote an intriguing book, called The Lompoc Theatre: At the Heart of the City, that covers the beginnings of the theatre and its evolution through the decades. I read the entire book on the plane ride back to the east coast. So much about the theater's history encompasses the history of the town and its community. I learned so much about my own town, and I highly recommend it. All profits from the sale of the book go to the Lompoc Theatre Project. Learn more about the theatre and donate here.
Continuing the theme of connected with old friends, I met up with my friend, Elizabeth, whom I knew in art school at Art Center College of Design! We hadn't seen each other in 27 years! She now lives in Santa Barbara County not far from Lompoc. It was so wonderful to see her again to meet her lovely husband, Mark. Elizabeth is a fine artist and shows her work in galleries in southern California and sometimes does commissions. Her portraits are wonderful. Visit her studio at: https://simplyelizabethart.com/ and check out her work on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/elizchan/
My visit felt short at just one week. Soon I had to return to the east coast. I flew out of Santa Barbara to LAX where I had a three hour layover before my red-eye to Newark.
While at LAX, I went to the United Lounge for dinner and to my amazement, I bumped into another old friend who also went to Art Center! Pat and I met in NYC after we graduated. We worked together at an ad agency. It was my first job right out of art school, and I worked full time while I was getting my career started in publishing. The last time Pat and I saw each other in person, our sons were two years old — so basically, it had been 17 years ago! Sharing a meal and catching up at the airport was such fun. We both called our spouses and had group conversations on speaker phone (thankfully the United lounge at LAX is huge!).
It's been awhile since I randomly ran into someone from my past like that. It used to happen quite frequently when I was younger, and it always tickled me. I like to think that it means I'm on the right path and in alignment with the Universe when this happens. It always feels like such a gift. It makes me reminisce and feel grateful for all the people who have popped into my life and all of the adventures I have had thus far during my time on the planet.