Letters to the Editor

To Our Santa Barbara Family,

These past several weeks have taught us all so much more than we may have wanted to know. It has scared us, challenged us, made us much more conscious of our presence in each other’s lives and engendered a spirit of common resolve.

 At Jeannine’s, we have realized anew, over this past month, that our place in the Santa Barbara community is as much about social connections, and about creating a space of recognition, welcome, and acceptance, as it is about preparing food. To be cut off from many of our regular customers and valued employees, to hand over a bag at arm’s length and rush people out the door as quickly as possible, feels cold and unnatural and takes the heart out of what we have tried to do over the past 30 years.

It is disconcerting to live in this time when no decision stands out as the right one, but that is the lot we all bear at this moment.  The livelihoods of our Jeannine’s family, their physical well-being and that of our patrons, guided by the recommendations of health experts, and the future viability of our business have felt like competing interests. Reconciliation of these is a hard place to find. And know that every small business in this town is experiencing the same heartbreaking dilemma.

We are humbled every day by the generosity and thoughtfulness of our friends and neighbors. To those who have supported our employees beyond expectation, purchased more gift certificates than they needed, or offered a word of encouragement, we offer our humble, heartfelt gratitude. Although we cannot name you all, you know who you are. And to our family of employees who have remained remarkably flexible, loyal, and positive, we recognize that it is you who are the true heart of Jeannine’s; it is you that causes our community to feel welcome, to come home.

In difficult moments, we strive to maintain a realistic perspective by remembering that we are blessed beyond measure to have our physical health when so many suffer grievously. We wish comfort and peace of mind to each of you who read this. We will all find ourselves on the other side of this and we will perhaps find in ourselves a new sense of Community that recognizes and remembers the kindness we showed each other during this trying time.

The Hardey Family
Jeannine’s Bakery

Dear Community,

I was walking on Miramar Beach today and was passed by several people walking with their dogs off leash. Dogs lick people and things. Then they run up and try to sniff and lick people and other dogs. In these uncertain and scary times in which we are going to such efforts to socially distance, please have the consideration and personal responsibility to leave your dogs on a leash when off of your property.

Thank you!

Janet Murphy
Montecito

Just Another Day

Not going CRAZZZZZZY…Yet!
So much to do around the house!
Today for instance… A really BIG DAY!
I put the dirty dishes
(Two plates…Two forks…One spoon) in the dishwasher.
And I made
my bed…Putting all the pillows facing the right way.
And… I THOUGHT about taking the garbage out!
WHEW… I’m exhausted!
I’m already in my PM Pjs
(Just removed my AM Pjs) and ready for bed because tomorrow
is going to be an even BIGGER DAY!
I will be SOOOOOOOOO BUZZZZZY washing my towels! Yes… Drying them too!
AND… The garbage must go out or else…
So … I hope you are coping as well as me!
Sending Lots of Love
and Giggles!
And… Butterfly Kisses

Nina Terzian
Montecito

Park Predicament

The Rangers at Manning Park will not activate the picnic area electrical outlets without a reservation during a National Emergency.

Matt McLaughlin
Santa Barbara

Simpatico No More

I used to eagerly look forward to the MJ weekly issues in large part to read the Letters to the Editor section. But it’s obvious that the new ownership and I are not “simpatico” and I need to kick the habit and won’t be a returning reader in the future.

You did make it obvious from the beginning that things were going to change and they certainly have. What you don’t understand (?) is that the appeal of the Montecito Journal was that it was the only voice of sanity in response to the liberal garbage spewed out by the other weekly journal. “We” (and you know who I’m talking about) are totally outnumbered in this area by the tens of thousands. I’ll call the “Mob,” who would gleefully destroy all the American values many of us proudly cherish and would have our heads on a pike if they could. They are ignorant, lazy, vicious etc, etc, etc puppets of the Left and the liberal media and the MJ was our only outlet for fighting back.

And so, in reality, you probably DO understand and have no problem if your paper and its Letters to the Editor section will become a place to trade favorite recipes, tips on gardening and the latest junk-science rants. The “can’t we just all get along crowd.”

No we can’t… not on their terms

Patton Brooks

Pictures in the Age of Corona