Good to be 95
February 19, 2025
We visited Sally’s mom today. Mrs. Alden was a huge part of my village growing up, like all the moms of my best friends, especially those in the neighborhood.
At 95, Sue is such a champ! Were it not for an unfortunate case of macular degeneration, which affects her vision, Sue would be living the life of a 60-something, or at least some 60-somethings, including me on certain days. I mean, she’s 100% present, lives alone, manages her property and household chores, and would do all that and much much more if she could see better. As it is, she can’t drive and struggles to read (though she finds a way to keeps up with social media). But other than those kinds of site-dependent activities she handles most of life’s load of tasks and activities just fine. So, yeah.. a champ.
She turns 96 in April.
And so cool… she’s just down the road from Sally in Mountain Ranch where she and Holt built their home I don’t even know how many decades ago.. prob in the 80s sometime. It’s an absolutely gorgeous home on 10 acres.
As we drove through the Gold Country, between their two places, there was a lot of fire damage, reminding me that those beautiful hills, peppered with trees, is so very vulnerable to fires, especially in the golden rolling hills (as Kate Wolff used to sing) part of the year.
Here’s a photo of where the Butte fire destroyed so much of Calaveras County back in 2015.
Sheep Ranch is on about that southeastern-most point, halfway between Murphys and Mountain Ranch. It takes about 15 minutes to get from Sally’s to Sue’s place.
What Evacuation Looks Like
January 15, 2025
I wanted to make sure my family history blog includes these few shots, even as the fire threat in LA has subsided a bit (winds haven’t died down just yet and the state still hasn’t gotten any rain so the risk hasn’t completely been eliminated).
These were from last week. The John Frames evacuated their home, way up the hill in Arcadia, pretty much on the wilderness boundary line. Arcadia is a bit east of the Eaton fire that destroyed Altadena. The fire crews used their back yard as a gathering spot, or staging area of sorts, or so it looks from these pictures. The crews had thrown all flammables into the pool, had beaten back the flames — which came within 20 feet of John and Maita’s property — and here are enjoying some cold drinks before returning to work. I think that’s about the story.
You can see the fire line here…. some shrubs still smoldering.
That’s a lotta firemen…
Scarily close. They’re back home now. Maita says there’s a bit of survivor’s guilt, but they’re happy to be repopulating their pool deck and sweeping up ash and wind debris…. rather than the alternative.
Pacific Palisades, Not Palos Verdes
January 7, 2025
I’ve been getting well-meaning welfare checks from a number of friends about today’s fire in Pacific Palisades — still raging tonight — thinking I grew up there and have family and friends who may be in harm’s way. It is a mixup people in both communities deal with a lot.
I really appreciate people’s concern! (But I grew up in Palos Verdes.)
For now, PV is fine, but PP is not. It’s horrible down there, and not limited to Pacific Palisades; fires are breaking out all over due to 1) the Santa Anas blowing up to 100 mph; 2) the heat that comes with that; 3) the fact it hasn’t rained in months down there and the vegetation is dry and serving as fuel.
I was planning to head down to LA the day after tomorrow to stay with Matt and Michael for 3 days and join them, Chris and Pam for a movie screening (of all things!)… but I will be rethinking this plan.
Here’s a picture Chris took this late afternoon. He’s standing on a cliff in Palos Verdes, looking across the bay at Pacific Palisades…
Life of Wry 