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 Mountain Views NewsSaturday, August 17, 2024


MEET CUDDLY 
CHANDLER

• Chandler: Male Feline

• Breed: DSH Brown Tabby

• Age: Six Months

• Vaxxed, Neutered, Chipped 
and more

• So sweet

True to his namesake, Chandler is playful and enjoys every 
moment of kittenhood. He loves to cuddle in your arms and 
is always ready to curl up in your lap after a fun-filled day of 
exploring and playing.

We would prefer an adoption where there's another young, friendly cat at home to keep 
him company.

While he hasn’t been around dogs, he is young enough to be gradually introduced to a 
canine friend with patience and care.

Give Chandler the loving home he deserves, and let him bring endless joy and laughter to 
your life!

See more pictures of Chandler and apply to adopt him at https://www.lifelineforpets.org/
chandler-joey.html


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

[Nyerges is the author of several books including “Self-Sufficient Home” and 
“How to Survive Anywhere.” He also leads wilderness classes every weekend. 
He can be reached at School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 
90041, or www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


CHILDHOOD’S END

 

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a condensed version of a story that appears in 
Nyerges’ book, Watermelon Dreams, available on Amazon]

 

I hadn’t been able to sleep much the night before. For various reasons, it had 
been a long, introspective night, thinking about my entire life, what I had accomplished, 
where I had failed, all the things I had done wrong, was my life worth living -- that sort of 
thing. I arose very early. It was Saturday, and the sun had not begun to rise over the hills 
to the east. It was very quiet, and I could actually feel the collective heave and sigh of relief 
as the city took a break from the madness of racing around day after day so you can afford 
to do whatever it is that you believe you’d rather be doing than racing around every day 
making money.

 

The streets were still dark, and cool, and devoid of people. I began to bicycle through the city 
streets, first working my way through the downtown apartment areas, and then gradually 
north where there were more trees and bigger yards. The mountains were glowing with 
the rising sun, and by now the sky was light and birds were chirping everywhere. A few 
cars were now on the road, and an occasional jogger whished by on the sidewalk. 

 

The sun took its time in rising and the sky was overcast and cloudy on this early Saturday 
morning. A cool breeze blew down the city streets as a mountain breeze might blow down 
a canyon. 

 

I turned my bicycle around and began to coast back down the hill, and after a few miles, I 
turned down a street where a family I knew lived. I slowly bicycled by and saw that only 
Jim, the young six-year-old, was out in the yard playing. Jim was the son of a friend of the 
family. I said hello, and he recognized me and said hello. He asked me if I wanted to see 
the dirt people. I got off my bike, and got down on my hands and knees, and he showed 
me the little tunnels and trails of the dirt people, and he showed me where they lived, and 
how they drove around on little pebbles. He pushed a pebble with a long stick, and made a 
sound like an automobile engine. 

 

“See how they go?” he said, excited. “Make yours go,” he commanded, and so I began to 
push a little pebble around with a stick. I had to make sounds like a car when the dirt 
people wanted to turn quick or stop suddenly, and I had to keep the pebble on the roads 
that Jim had built. Jim told me about the monsters that come out sometimes and the dirt 
people have to run and hide, because the monsters are so powerful. 

 

He pointed to a little ant that had come out of a hole, and Jim gave voice to what he saw 
as a monster ant: a slow, deep growl as it walked along the dirt people’s road. I was 
informed that the monster always takes the easy path along the dirt people’s road, because 
the monster was lazy. That was its weakness, and the dirt people could use that fact to their 
advantage when they wage a war against the monsters. 

 

Each pebble, each leaf, each stick, each undulation of the ground had a name and a meaning 
in Jim’s world into which I had entered. I was lying there in the dirt with him, pushing a 
pebble, making sounds, and truly enjoying myself when his mother came out. “What are 
you guys doing?” she asked to both of us, but really to me.

 

Jim responded, “The dirt people are all getting together because the monsters are getting 
ready to invade. We watched the monsters begin the war, and the dirt people are now all 
trying to defend themself, right?” he looks at me.

 

His mother looks at me sideways, noting that I am covered in dirt as is Jim. She smiles, 
and says only “Oh.” She just stands there and looks, and I know that it means nothing to 
Jim, but I feel the censure of an adult in the adult world, and I realize that I should feel 
embarrassment. When I think about it, I realize that I did feel a little embarrassed, but 
mainly because somehow I’ve been taught that some things are for children and some 
things are for adults. Adults are not allowed entry into the make-believe world of children, 
at least not by other adults.

 

So after a while, I got up, and shook off the dust. I told Jim’s mother that I was just passing 
by, and I said goodbye to Jim. Sobered up to proper reality, I rode on, and eventually 
headed back home.

 

I had truly enjoyed myself lying there in the dirt, without video games or electronic 
entertainers which so many of today’s youth are addicted to. We were enjoying a simple 
pleasure of life that required nothing but an active imagination and the ability to believe. 

And that’s what’s wrong with adults. Our bodies got older and we allowed our minds 
to ossify. We put aside imagination for 
pragmatism, and we gave up the ability to 
believe for hard-earned cynicism. 

 

That morning, I realized that childhood ends 
when you can no longer lie in the dirt and 
imagine.

Pet of the Week

 
Pedro Pascal is six years old and mostly responds to just 
“Pascal”, because he’s one of those cool cats who goes by their 
last name. 

 He likes following his favorite people around to supervise 
their activities, lounging on the floor, leaving his pawtograph 
on cardboard cat scratchers, and watching TV (usually any 
programs with birds). 

 Just like the real Pedro Pascal, this Pedro is a friend to all – he’s 
great with adults and children and doesn’t even mind being picked up!

 Pedro is FIV-positive, but that doesn’t preclude him from living with other cats. Cats 
contract FIV through deep bite wounds or from the milk of their FIV-positive mother, 
so when kitties are living in harmony and everyone is spayed and neutered, the risk of 
transmission is very low. In addition, although FIV-positive cats have a lowered immune 
system that make them more susceptible to infections, they can live long, happy lives when 
kept healthy through regular veterinary visits. So don’t let that stop you from meeting this 
sweet guy!

Come to Pasadena Humane on Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Clear the 
Shelters! Adoption fees are waived for all available dogs, cats and critters.

 The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and 
age-appropriate vaccines.

 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.

 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. 

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


HOT TEMPERATURES CAN MAKE CONCRETE AND ASPHALT 
TOO HOT FOR YOUR DOG’S PAWS. 

Asphalt and concrete temperatures can usually be 20-40 degrees hotter 
than the ambient temperature. If the back of your hand can’t stand the 
heat on the concrete or asphalt for 7 seconds, it’s too hot for a walk.

When it's above 90 degrees outside, bring dogs and cats indoors.


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