Get-Together 2004A few days in Santa Barbara

The unauthorized official souvenir booklet

Text by Pat Crawshaw

With photos by Kathryn Drozdik, Pat Crawshaw and “file”.

1

Wednesday, February 18

Inevitably, after four weeks of no rain,

On this morning of the long-awaited arrival of Terri and Kathryn

It’s raining.

We go to the Amtrak station by car

Park in a blue space close to the platform

Bernie starts the crossword, I get out with umbrella

To enquire about the estimated time of arrival

Of Terri’s train from San Diego.

The ticket agent doesn’t know

The baggage agent doesn’t know

The waiting passengers don’t know much -

There is a rumor of delay at Camarillo...

It’s cold and wet and I retire to the warmth of the car.

The train doesn‘t come

But an Amtrak (connecting?) Bus leaves

The car windows steam up

I’m getting warning signs of plunging blood sugar..

The rain stops, I emerge again to look for sustenance.

Find no coffee machine, no snack machine

No nothing - in this million dollar renovation....

A waiting adult with mobile phone

Announces that the train is close to Carpinteria-

His class is on it and he’s phoned them...

The waiting throng cheers up in expectation.

As the sun comes out

The headlight of the train appears well down the track

The crossing bell clangs, the gates descend

And, about an hour late, the train pulls in and grinds to a halt.

Terri staggers down from the upper level after the six hour trip

We pile the bags and us into the car

Depart for lunch at the Mesa Café,

2

Stopping only to get me a sandwich from “home” -

Such is the state of my blood sugar.

After lunch Terri checks in at the Marina Beach

And in no time at all Joan arrives, having worked all morning.

At three o’clock Joan drives us to the Radisson

To meet Kathryn’s bus, not due in till three thirty

We have time to wander a little on the beach

But cross the road back as the bus appears.

Manoevred into the parking lot, the door opens

Passengers descend and the driver dispenses baggage.

We look at each other, start to say “She’s not on it.”

3

But at that moment, Kathryn appears, encumbered by bags.

Joan greets her enthusiastically..

We drive off for the motel- via Montecito, at Joan’s behest

Have tea and cookies provided by Bernie

And set out to eat at Super Rica,

A taco stand favored by Julia Childs.

It being early, we take the long way round

Via the riviera and towards the Mission.

Over the original route of the missionaries

Officially named Alameda Padre Serra, but locally just APS

We speed over the narrow winding undulating road

Clinging to the edge of the hillside.

Kathryn, in the front seat and unaccustomed to the terrain

Hangs on and hopes for the best

While Joan explains everything enthusiastically.

4

Arrived back at SuperRica we find it suspiciously dark.

We stop, and read “Closed on Wednesdays”

As another disappointed customer rattles the door.

We contemplate alternatives

Almost settle on Japanese at Joan’s local restaurant

Then I remember Rudy’s, close to the Marina Beach.

We set out for it by a roundabout route including Anapamu

With its amazing avenue of Italian stone pines

5

At Rudy’s I am clueless about the menu

And settle for cheese quesadilla

The knowledgeable order more exotic combination plates

Including “chili relleno”later to be sampled by all.

It is cold and draughty in this take out/eat in establishment

So we move away from ill fitting windows.

Joan organizes cutlery and condiments for all

Terri enthuses about the green salsa

And we all share the tortilla chips.

6

Back at the Marina Beach

We talk a lot till Joan departs for her favorite TV show.

Terri and Kathryn go to their room to sort things out

And rest for the morrow -

A full day with much sight-seeing planned

As nobody has other commitments lined up.

7

Thursday February 19th

Terry and Kathryn accompany me

On my pre breakfast walk

In hopeful looking weather

Past the machinery resculpting the beach

8

To the end of Stearns Wharf

- and back.

We eat outside on the lawn

9

Usable for the first time after reseeding

By Sam the gardener

Under the instructions of

Nan the manager.

Joan arrives and leads us towards the college,

We cross the park, pass the tennis courts

And start to climb the hill.

Faced by too many stairs, I balk

So Joan reverses her route and we ascend the slope instead

To the wonderful lookout she opened

In her presidential days.

Kathryn takes a photograph over the park towards the town

10

While Joan, gesticulating, explains.

Kathryn takes another photograph

A little further round

This time over the harbor and ocean

Towards the mountains.

11

We continue along the cliff top, skirt the many portables

Cross lawns and admire statues.

Kathryn photographs, Joan explains.

We go by the cafeteria and admire the new bright chairs

But shudder at the music, overpowering the speakers.

We cross the bridge to the West Campus

And are impressed by Joan’s name engraved on a plaque.

12

We pause at a sculpture doubling as fountain

We visit the library

Lose track of buildings

Lose track of each other as Kathryn and I

Consult about cameras

But come together again to visit the nursing lab

In another modern building

13

Down a gleaming corridor

The fascinating place masquerades as a hospital

With many mannequins in bed

Most of them slumped with open mouths and closed eyes.

Apparently far from well,

The star patient Buddy’s potential is impressive

As described by Michael.

He can be beset by all sorts of terrible conditions

Breathe, open his eyes, receive blood and bleed

And react appropriately to nursing procedures

Including complaining where appropriate...

14

But Buddy is comatose too today - for lack of advance warning

His computer switched off,

His problems unprogrammed.

His voice on “mute”as he lies asleep

Surrounded by emergency paraphernalia

Terri is particularly appreciative.

We check out the computer lab

Well supplied with software

Simulating virtual patients and conditions

And with monitors set down into desks at an angle

Thus reducing the risk of neck pain for the students.

Lunchtime calls...

The nurse in charge recommends the café

Run by the culinary arts students

Especially the Chinese salad.

Having early ruled out the cafeteria due to the noise

We accept her recommendation

Though we only just manage to find a table

And have a variety of dishes.

After lunch, Kathryn takes a photograph of the rest of us

15

A maintenance man passing by with his broom

Offers to take one of all four of us and we accept.

On the second attempt he’s successful

16

Then it’s down the hill again to pick up our car

This time I drive - north on 101, left on Storke

Right on Hollister, left on Coronado

To arrive at the Butterfly Preserve.

As we walk in I warn of probable mud after yesterday’s rain

But alas - the usual mud is flowing water

To try to ford it would be foolhardy

We must walk around maybe half a mile.

Along level ground

Then up and back on the edge of the open heath

17

Then round and down till we’re back where we started

But on the other side of the water

Terri finds the messy

eucalypts shedding

their bark weird.

18

While Kathryn photographs a notice:

But as for seeing butterflies....

The weather’s cold, their wings are closed

And it is said they have started to leave...

Kathryn manages a single

closeup on the ground

19

But the light is hopeless for photography in general

Except in silhouette...

We give up and climb back up

Cross the grassy expanse of Ellwood Mesa

Disturbing several unperturbed baby rabbits

And view the ocean from the edge of the cliff.

20

Kathryn takes photographs

While Joan explains

We retrace our steps to the car

Set out for civilization in the shape of big box stores

Elegant Santa Barbara style - though this is Goleta.

21

We arrange to meet by the Cinema then split up:

Terri to Costco, Joan to Linens and Things

Kathryn and I to CompUSA for a printer

Then on to Borders and we too separate.

I find Joan sitting outside with a cappuccino

But I decide on an ice-cream from McConnells.

It’s got ice crystals in it but tastes good anyway,

Kathryn arrives and goes in for ice-cream

Comes out with a photograph...

22

Terri gets ice-cream too

Somehow it seems to be a very large one...

Maybe a language problem?

We sit around and lick and sip

I ask has anybody seen Calendar Girls? No..

It’s left downtown but we track it down in the Independent

To Goleta Twin Cinemas not far from here

But it’s not shown on Thursdays.

We file the idea away for a possible rainy day

And drive “home”.

Nobody’s hungry. Everybody’s tired.

We rest....

What we would

have seen three

weeks ago....

23

Friday, February 20

Today Joan has to work but invites us to dinner

And I have a bookmaking course at nine

So no early walk for me

But we arrange to meet downtown for lunch.

Bernie leads Kathryn and Terri

On an expedition to the Harbor

But fails to persuade them to risk

The hazard of waves

Breaking over the breakwater

An obliging passerby with dog

Exchanges her leash for a camera

And snaps a cheerful portrait.

24

After breakfast Terri and Kathryn set out

To checkout State Street on foot

Maybe do some shopping on the way...

Terri calls in at the English pub as requested

To bring greetings from her neighbor.

25

They check out the Paseo Nuevo

Plunge to the depths of Tuesday Morning-

Terri buys a bargain price water resistant anorak.

They are intrigued in Victoria Court

By a bush with velvety purple flowers and orange leaves

Then it’s time for lunch....

26

They make their way to the meeting place

As do I - but my time and place are different.

The Art Museum café is full and there is nobody to meet me.

I hang around for awhile

Eventually I go in the library looking for Bernie

Meet him on the way out.

We come upon Terri and Kathryn hovering uncertainly

Between the Museum and the Library

Having found nobody near the mentioned Acapulco cafe.

I am feeling fragile and disinclined to eat

A disturbed night with still disturbed digestion is taking its toll

So I retrieve the car and go to bed.

The others decide to eat outside at the Acapulco

They enjoy the food

But Terri is concerned that there are more turtles than rocks...

27

After lunch a look at the outside of the Courthouse

Then a walk back down State Street

Spurning the shuttle I’d recommended

(25¢ up or down but not around)

28

Under the freeway - Highway 101

And back to the motel where I am resurfacing.

In due course we leave for Joan’s

Carrying with us two battered tray tables just in case.

When we arrive, the door is locked - no-one is home

Except of course Jake

Who greets us with invitations to play

29

Soon Joan arrives from her College event

Delayed by having been the recipient of a certificate.

With great speed and sleight of hand

She produces a delectable meal incredibly fast

Served on a new set of tray tables so ours are surplus.

We have chicken masala with authentic spices direct from India

And salad complete with caramelized walnuts.

Dessert follows - Japanese mochi ice cream - and tea.

Kathryn and Terri look at Joan’s India pictures and souvenirs

30

Especially Kali:

She is wild and untamed

Stands on her husband Shiva who protects the world

From her intoxicated dance after she kills the demons.

Kathryn produces a tiny clock for each of us

Mine in the form of a sewing machine

Joan’s a rollaboard suitcase, Terri’s a treasure chest.