My Hometown(s)?

Knott's Berry Farm entrance, 1973
I really can't say that I grew up in any one particular town. At the age of ten, my family moved from El Paso, Texas to Los Alamitos, California. From there, we lived in Buena Park, and Westminster, California. I married while living in Westminster, and then lived in the City of Cypress, again in Buena Park, and Los Alamitos again, Garden Grove, and eventually in Riverside County, which I have lived in since 1984.

We moved quite a bit in my youth, as my father just had itchy feet, as he said. He really disliked living in one place very long. I think he just liked traveling, and with a wife and three children, we all were along for the ride, so to speak. Moving didn't bother me a lot, as I made friends quickly, and had no problem fitting into new schools, and learned a lot about people in different areas of the United States, as well as many different areas of southern California. Over the years, we went to Knott's Berry Farm a lot, which I always loved, as it was rustic, and until they fenced it in, and started charging entry fees, it was more like an old so called ghost town, and I got to ride the Burros, and the train into the Calico mine, too. I also loved riding the stage coach.

My children also grew up going to Knott's Berry Farm quite a bit. By the time they were old enough to really appreciate it, though, there were many large rides and things such as Montezuma's Revenge, and the Log Ride, Parachute Jump, in addition to the lake and what was them called Monkey Island across the east side of Beach Boulevard, or Highway 39 as it was also known. The girls loved the merry-go-round, as well as pick-nicking on the then free side of Knott's.

 We occasionally went to Disneyland, but I always preferred Knott's Berry Farm. Sure, we also went to the beach, as from practically everyplace in southern California, one is never really too far from the mountains or the beach, or even the desert, either. Even living in the Inland Empire of Riverside or San Bernardino County, the beach, mountains and desert are within a reasonable driving distance. Even the Mexican town of Tijuana is only about ninety minutes away for those who choose to visit there, as well.


If I keep going, I won't get any sleep tonight, and I have been gone all day Saturday, as Sunday, and really need to sleep. I may come back tomorrow and edit this, or just start another chapter about fun times growing up in SoCal is it is better known to us folks who live in this part of California.

Horses, dogs, cats and other animals have also always been a big part of my life, and in most areas, I have had all kinds of critters, from the usual, to a monkey, a parrot, , goats, chickens and ducks, and even a tortoise or two.
Pot Bellied Pigs are also dear to my heart. I have had, and still do have two Banded California King Snakes, three dogs, a cat, and a hermit crab, and a pool with about forty fish.

I should soon be selling my present home, and relocating.  If I have room, I hope to have an area for a vegetable garden, a few fruit trees, and maybe even a Burro with a small cart that I can drive in areas that are safe, since I am no longer supposed to ride horses.

Hey, I may be sixty-five, but I'm not dead yet, and even though I must be careful about my neck and back, there are ways around it, that I may still be able to enjoy a few things and animals that I have had to avoid for some twenty years.