Pamela Lewis:
CLASS OF 1973
San Marcos High SchoolClass of 1973
Santa barbara, CA
Pamela's Story
Life
OK, to put 50 years in a nutshell, this will be a challenge.
In my 20's I worked in the hotel industry as a Catering Manager for large hotels around Calif. Then I moved back to SB and started ABC Party Rentals, a division of my father's business. We were highly sucessful, doing all the planning and equipment of large events in SB, including President Reagan's parties and many of the movie stars that had weekend homes there. I ran this business for 10 years.
Got married to a guy from Pennsylvania who made lots of money, had fast cars and boats, lots of travel, but unfortunately he also loved his cocaine habit. After 7 years of marriage and 1 gorgeous son I left, but not after trying desperately to save the marriage.
Now a single mum, I went to design school for a year, but then got headhunted by Jordano's Grande Affair back in Santa Barbara to manage their party division. My son was 3, I was single and 34 years old. It was a great job, once again handling large parties and functions of the rich and famous, this time with the backing of Jordano's money behind me. Dated quite a bit, but knew I wasn't ready for another serious relationship. Until I met David.
Met him at the door of The Harbour Restaurant. He was on a Royal Air Force (English) detachment at China Lake in the desert, and was in SB for the weekend with a couple of the other pilots. Tall, rugged and gentlemanly, with that leather bomber jacket and his sexy accent I was hooked.
It took us 17 months of dating across the Atlantic (and lots of love letters as this was before email) before my son (also named David)and I moved over to England. We were married the next year and have been happily married for 28 years now. I adore him as much today as I did back then, and still fancy him like crazy!
I retrained as a counsellor in England, working for a large company counselling their employees and also had a private practice. I handled couples for marriage counselling and I laugh at how David and I got together (met in a bar, fell in love and lust quickly, made a huge committment early in relationship, etc.). It's not the ideal situation but it's worked for us.
We've lived in 5 counties of England with David's postings taking us all over. He is now a retired Squadron Leader, having switched to an Aerospace company doing test flying.
After a neck injury 18 years ago, he had to stop flying. He then got into scuba diving and is an instructor.
My son is now a strapping 35 yea...Expand for more
r old, who emigrated back to California when he was 21, but didn't like it! He came back to England and went to law school in Manchester. He and I are both dual citizens,USA and England. He has the English accent and feels much more British than American, making fun of my 'accent' all the time. He emigrated back to California 7 years ago to work for his dad there. He was enjoying it very much when 1-1/2 years later his dad got ill and died very quickly. My son took it extremely hard…and has had some tough times since. But he’s married a lovely California girl, they visit us here in Spain snd I go stay with them in San Diego…
We have travelled all over Europe, all the places I never thought I'd see while living in Santa Barbara. I love the European lifestyle, but I'm not fond of the English weather. So we bought a house in Spain in 2006 hoping to someday go and live there for a change of pace and a warmer lifestyle, and just for an adventure!
I had breast cancer in 2006 which was horrific, but I am well and strong again now, and it has changed our priorities, or just moved them up a bit. So we did move to Spain, and have been here now for 13 years. It's a challenge, as we are in a very Spanish part of Spain, with 3 different dialects spoken, which can make life very interesting. But we swim in the Mediterranean sea daily from May through to November! It's fun here for now,we've made lots of new friends from all over - Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian, French. We live a fun and simple outdoor life here. Before Covid we travelled a lot, especially on scuba diving trips…and this year we are starting again with Malta in September, Bonaire in November. We love the Maldives and hope to get back there next year…
I know I’m lucky to have found love and adventure again, and I enjoy our lives here together. As we all get older we have friends and family going through rough times…illnesses, deaths…and it makes us appreciate our health and lifestyle…but as we’ve all seen wit these past few years of a pandemic life can change suddenly.
So we try to see/help family and friends as much as we can, stay fit and healthy, and enjoy every day. X
Update 2023: We went back to the Maldives in January for 3 weeks of diving and snorkelling, just love it there. Heading again to Malta in May, then to my 50th reunion in SB in July! Uk in September to visit family, Egypt in October for diving…lots of friends and family booked in here to us too. Never a dull moment!!!
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