Learning to think positively, love freely, forgive lavishly and have an open mind
The City I Love
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Good and bad, I love my city. It is where my heart is.
Ventura is a very laid back, relaxed town. Culturally diverse, fun and funky...
There's about 106,000 people here....76% white, 31% Hispanic, etc. At the last count, of those 106K people, 306 were homeless. That number seems a little low to me but I'll take it. With all its beauty and great location, it is not cheap to live in Ventura. A young family of 4 needs to have an income of $82,000.00 to live modestly. Childcare and housing being the largest expenses in a budget, averaging around $1150.00 for childcare and $1500.00 for housing, minimum wage jobs just don't cut it.
That being said, if you are one of the lucky ones who can afford housing, food and other basics, there are many things to enjoy about our town;
According to a Washington Post article in 2015, Ventura County is the most desirable place to live in America for climate. I can't argue with it. Our warm months are from June to October where we see an average high of 73°F (22°C). We will see a spike of a few weeks in the summer where we all suffer through it and go to a lot of movies because very few people in Ventura have A/C. The cool months are November to April with an average high temp below 67°F (19°C) and rarely going below the 50°'s. We get a May-June gloom that I am not overly fond of but some people enjoy.
All in all, we have the beach, mountains, good food, great weather, decent schools and loads of brewerys for you beer lovers. I love it mostly because it is where my people are and where my person is.
Welcome!
Mission San BuenaVentura - founded in 1782
(That's REALLY old for us Californians)
View from City Hall
Famous Two Trees♥
One of the lucky ones that can afford to buy a home.
We pass by the house frequently since it sits on a busy thoroughfare. We know to look every time we pass and guess what will we see. Will it be the two Dalmatians, sitting on the couch that backs up to the giant panel window, waiting for their human to come home? Or will it be their human, sitting slightly to the right of middle (allowing for a better view of the giant mounted tv across the room) of the said couch. They are never there at the same time. It’s one or the other. One sleepless night, when my body was willing but my brain was not, I did a little sleuthing. It’s amazing what you can find out about a complete stranger. His name is Gary and, from what I can tell, he’s never been married. He has worked his way up in a air duct company. He’s now the senior VP but it’s a small company and he still goes out on jobs, judging from the reviews on Yelp. I know he has two siblings and that their father passed away in 2018. His memorial was held in a Buddhist temple and Gary sr. soun
I would like your input on this letter I am considering sending out. Darryl, I once considered you, if not a friend, a very friendly acquaintance. Our daughters are the same age. I am sure that your daughter is as special to you as mine is to me. McKenna is 21 years old and starting out her life with some tough situations. SHE IS NOT AN OBJECT. She is a person who has her ups and downs, her struggles and triumphs. She has, in the past year, completely alone, had to make scary medical decisions for her mentally ill, addicted father. She has had to watch as the man who was an amazing father slowly turn into a shell of a man who has little to give and much to take. Whether purposefully or accidentally, you have added to her already difficult year. I wonder…would you appreciate my ex-husband leering and making inappropriate comments to your daughter over the course of a long evening? Think about that for a moment! What were you hoping to achieve with your behavior? Whether
2 1/2 years have passed since I left everything I knew behind me. Well, not everything. I brought along a Boy Scout, a Scruffy dog and the "stuff" that managed to be important enough to tow behind us. This journey has been scary, challenging, wondrous, frustrating and, above all, life changing. Or should I say "Linda" changing. Ways I have changed: Fear is no longer the master of my life. It doesn't guide my choices, my relationships or anything else that it once lorded over. I learned for the very first time what unconditional love means. I have received it from a few people in my life but I did not know how to give it. Fear didn't allow it. Boy Scout has given it to me and, now, I am learning to return that gift. Loving him as he is. Joy entered. I look for it. Intentionally I seek it and find it regularly in little things. Even when life throws bumps, I eventually find my joy. Friendships. God how I had longed for friendships and how they eluded me. Th
It does look like a tropical paradise!
ReplyDeleteAs we are in a drought, not incredibly tropical but we are all adjusting and trying to do our part.
DeleteIt looks lovely. The weather sounds perfect! No wonder you love it so!
ReplyDelete