Lana and Puma in California

MamaLana's Rule Of Mountain Climbing

DON'T LET GO OF WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU HAVE GOOD HOLD OF WHAT'S AHEAD.

Report from Pacific Grove:  We've been postponed until Sept 15th.  Ho Hum.

Caution!

We will be allowed to move in as soon as the city issues the permit.  But the situation isn’t perfect. Temporary occupancy status
could mean just that — temporary. If Forest Hill — owned by California-Nevada Methodist Homes — doesn’t complete its south wing or meet the other conditions, the cottage residents could be forced to move out. But that scenario is unlikely.  “It would have to be a really extreme reason.,” said the city's attorney.  Oh I have so much faith in that statement  . . . . .  NOT.

Cautiously Optimistic

Superior Court Rejects City of Pacific Grove Petition

The City of Pacific Grove filed a demurrer to Forest Hill Manor’s writ of mandate concerning the occupancy of cottages at the Pacific Grove retirement center.  The matter was argued before Monterey Superior Court Judge the Honorable Robert O’Farrell on July 27, 2007. Had the Court ruled in favor or the City the litigation between the City and Forest Hill Manor would have concluded with the City of Pacific Grove prevailing.

The Court ruled that there were enough issues as to whether Forest Hill Manor has exhausted or attempted to exhaust the administrative
remedies available to them so the Cities request for the demurrer
was overruled.  The Court acknowledged the City has refused to issue an occupancy permit to Forest Hill Manor.

The matter will now proceed to Monterey Superior Court to begin litigation on August 16, 2007.  We are all cautiously optimistic!

Curb Appeal Trois

Steve Simpson's boys spent five days tearing out my old driveway and putting in a new one.  I think it's very pretty.  I've had to park my car ouside for the duration, and I'm not allowed to drive on the new cement for two more days.  I have to water the cement daily so it "cures." 

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Now I have to stop my neighbors from using my driveway and lawn as their usual shortcut to their house.  How rude!

Progress at Forest Hill Manor

Happy Fourth of July!!

. . . and the 1812 Overture.

The 1812 Overture was written by Tchaikovsky to commemorate Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.   The French National Anthem becomes overwhelmed by "all the bells of Russia" and the strains of the church hymn "Spasi Gospodi, ludi tvoya"  ("O Lord, save Thy people") are followed by the old tsarist national anthem "Bozhe Tsarya Hrani" ("God Protect the Tsar").  Why is this piece played every year on the 4th of July in the United States?  Why are canon clearly marked U.S. Army blasting over the mall in front of the U.S. Capitol in time to the music?  Why, you may ask, would the national anthems of two quite foreign nations evoke such a strong, pro-American surge of patriotism?  It beats the living daylights out of me.

Feeling a Little Naked

  I had the tree people over today for some tree take-downs and major trimming.   "RTEC Treecare:  Our Tech for Your Trees."  They did a good job and didn't just give everything a 'crew cut.'  I asked them to take down the two trees (a cypress and an arborvitae) which were surrounding the front door.  The entry way is much cleaner looking now, but I feel sorta naked!  Another step completed in the Curb Appeal project.   BEFORE
AFTER

AND ta-da the Arlingon County Department of Environmental Services, Solid Waste Division delivered my new garbage can!  The old one was 23 years old and had lost one lid hinge and one wheel.  Now I can again wheel out my garbage with pride!

The Big Cleanup Part 1

I've just spent the last two days doing a big cleanup job with my helper Dina's assistance.  Sort this, toss that, donate this, sell that.  The biggest job still ahead is shredding dozens of pounds of documents and business papers.  Whew.

My final goal, a while in the future:

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

LAWSUIT, LAWSUIT

From The Carmel Pine Cone, May 10, 2007

By KELLY NIX

AN ATTORNEY with Forest Hill Manor said she is preparing to sue the City of Pacific Grove over its refusal to issue a permit that would allow senior residents to move into newly constructed cottages. The litigation would raise the stakes in Forest Hill’s ongoing battle with the city, which won’t issue an occupancy permit for the cottages at Fountain and Gibson until another project at Forest Hill, which includes new apartments, is completed.

Ted Hollister, a would-be resident of one of the cottages, said the city should have notified Forest Hill long ago that it had no intention of issuing an occupancy permit for the cottages until the other building was completed. “This is a low point in small-town politics,” Hollister said. “The elected officials are playing games with the lives of 14 seniors. I think it is shameful."

H U G E Day

Today my team of Dina and Abrahan cleaned out my attic!  This is really  H UG E !!  The attic was my dear husband's secret stash and defense against the Bolshevik Monsters.  No one was going to ever take any of his stuff . . . . EVER . . . . again.  It's unbelievable how much stuff he managed to tuck up there.  It all came down these rickety steps and through the plastic-sheeted tunnel.

The first load waiting at the curb.  (The second load was even bigger.)

And now you can see the nice clean attic, waiting for its new owners.  Man, I hope someone thinks all this space could make a great McMansion!