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Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 27, 2024 


KITTEN “CLOVER”

FEMALE TUXEDO

BORN 2/24/24

Looking to add a touch of 
sweetness and charm to 
your life? Look no further 
than Clover, the adorable 
tuxedo kitten with a heart 
of gold and a personality as 
vibrant as her namesake.

Clover may not sport the 
traditional Siamese look of her mother, but don't let her 
appearance fool you—she's got all the affectionate traits of 
her Siamese heritage packed into her petite frame. 

 But there's more to Clover than just her striking 
appearance. This little lady is as adventurous as they come, 
always eager to explore every nook and cran-ny of her 
surroundings. Whether she's scaling the highest shelves or 
pounc-ing on her favorite toys, Clover approaches life with 
boundless curiosity and enthusiasm.

 In her spare time, Clover indulges in her passion for glamour and beauty as an aspiring kitty 
makeup artist. With her very own vanity table as her canvas, she delights in playing dress-up and 
primping to her heart's content. Who knows? Maybe she'll even lend you some fashion tips if you're 
lucky! 

 Although Clover won't be ready to leave for her forever home until after April 24th, she's already 
accepting applications for her adoption. So, why wait? Don't miss your chance to welcome this 
precious gem into your family.

 Clover would thrive in a loving home where she can shower her humans with affection and share 
her adventures with a feline friend by her side. Whether you're a seasoned cat parent or a first-time 
adopter, Clover promises to bring joy, laughter, and endless love into your life.

Ready to make Clover a part of your family? Submit your adoption application today and get ready 
to experience the magic of having this delightful kitten by your side. Your new best friend awaits! 

Presented by Lifeline for Pets

Call or text foster mom Gabbi at (626) 808-8557 for more info! .


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

[Nyerges is an educator and author. He authored “Extreme Simplicity” which tells his story 
about attempting to live self-reliantly in the city. More information about his books and 
classes at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


ON LIVING WITH 
VERY LITTLE

“YOU AMERICANS 
ARE ALL 
MILLIONAIRES.”

 While traveling in Mexico with 
a small group of fellow Americans, one of the 
Mexican we were visiting and having lunch with 
said, “All you Americans are millionaires.” That 
caused a bit of surprise among the Americans. 
Everyone laughed, and then one American 
woman said, “We’re not millionaires!”

The Mexican woman smiled and continued, 
“I grew up in a small town where the mud and 
adobe houses were built up along a stream that 
flowed through the area. All the houses were 
like squares, with open spaces for the door and 
windows. We hung cloths over the openings.” 
All the Americans listened with great interest.

“We had no electricity. We used simple oil 
lamps, and a simple wood stove in the corner for 
cook. We had no indoor plumbing. We washed 
our clothes in the lower part of the stream below 
our homes. We had a special little house that 
was our latrine,” she said.

“Really?” said one of the Americans, trying to 
take it all in.

“Yes, we just took all that for granted, and it’s 
how we lived our life. So, to many Mexicans, 
you Americans are all millionaires. Even in 
the poorest U.S. neighborhoods, you expect 
electricity for lights and TV. You expect indoor 
plumbing as naturally as you expect oxygen. 
You know, a toilet, a washing machine, a kitchen 
sink in every house. You’d think that life wasn’t 
possible without all that.”

The Americans were a bit dumbfounded by 
the story. Most of them did, in fact, expect all 
those amenities in their homes and apartments. 
None were actual millionaires but they naturally 
expected a level of home services and appliances 
that much of the world only dreams about.

Our small group then asked the woman a few 
questions, such as more details of how she lived 
growing up, and whether or not she felt deprived. 
It was a very spirited discussion.

I realized that she was right: all of us in the U.S. 
take a lot for granted, especially water into the 
home, electricity, and a toilet.

DESERT SURVIVAL

This reminded me of a “survival outing” where I 
spent a few days in California’s high desert. Our 
small group was there to learn basic survival 
skills. We brought minimal food, and we 
collected wild plants and even roadkill for our 
meals. We made a fire for cooking, hauled water 
from the aqueduct, and we slept in dug-out holes 
without sleeping bags. We used a camouflaged 
hole for our toilet. While we learned some skills, 
it was more an exercise in learning to deal with 
the cold, hunger, inability to sleep soundly, and 
constant wind.

Yes, no normal amenities, which was difficult 
and eye-opening. One woman later said that 
the experience “changed my life.” In my case, 
though I had camped and backpacked before, 
this was one of the first times of going into the 
wilderness with so little.

When I returned to my lower middle class home, 
sparsely furnished, I really felt a deep gratitude 
that I could take a safe bath or shower with hot 
water! A miracle. I had plenty of canned and 
refrigerated food at my fingertips, and I began to 
realize what the woman in Mexico meant.

Not everyone in this world has access to clean 
water in their homes. Not everyone can wash 
their body and their clothes in their own 
domicile. Not everyone has the benefit of 
electricity where they can keep food in storage, 
or light up the home at night.

Living for just a short while in the desert with 
no modern conveniences made me feel a deep 
appreciation for these basic things that most 
Americans automatically expect and take for 
granted.

As I sat that night in my humble bathtub, relaxing 
in the hot soapy water, I felt fortunate to be born 
into a place where my health and safety is more 
or less assured, assuming I do what’s needed to 
pay for it. In some countries, there is simply not 
the infrastructure and economic foundation for 
these basic amenities to be present.

I am a strong supporter of learning survival 
skills and periodically choosing to deprive 
myself of some of the “comforts” that we deem 
essential. Doing so reminds me that my life will 
continue without plumbing and electricity, and 
might even be better in some respects.

A further bonus of learning survival skills is 
that we become less traumatized if there is an 
emergency such as a flood or fire or civil unrest 
which temporarily disrupts our utilities.

Shouldn’t everyone know how to cook over a fire 
in the backyard, if need be? Shouldn’t everyone 
know how to use, and empty, a porta potty? 
Shouldn’t we all regularly keep some food that 
won’t go bad if the power goes out? And it’s not 
unreasonable that we should all be able to take 
a shower with a simple solar shower bag in the 
back yard if the water heater goes out.

Yes, we should all be thankful that we live in 
a place and time where so much is available. 
Simultaneously, we should never get so 
complacent in our expectation of “public 
services” that we cannot miss a meal or cook in 
our own backyards.


Pet of the Week

 Look at that smile! Dewdrop might be the happiest dog 
at Pasadena Humane, and she is bound to bring a world of 
smiles to the family who brings her home. 

 This sweetheart is a three-year-old Rottweiler mix. She only 
weighs about 65 pounds, so she’s like a pint-sized Rottie. 

 All the volunteers at Pasadena Humane have fallen head-
over-heels in love with her, so she gets lots of walks and trips 
to the yard every day.

 She has started to learn some training cues, but it’s difficult 
for her to focus because she really just wants to cuddle and 
get lots of attention. 

 Dewdrop is an ideal size for an active family. She would love 
to go out hiking or camping or whatever other adventure 
comes her way. She’ll walk right by your side (like it or not!) 
and then sit as close as she can to you on the couch to recover. 

 This sweet girl will make her new family smile ear-to-ear 
just like she does. Make her (and your) day be bringing home 
Dewdrop!

 The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, 
and age-appropriate vaccines. 

 All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. 

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA 
Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for 
your pet. 

 Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, 
adoption appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30, and can be scheduled online. 
View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com