Mish Mosh

What’s in a name?

Our first dog was found on Beverly Boulevard, near the intersection with Fairfax, while my husband, was working at CBS in 1973. Since the pup was a boy dog, we named him Fairfax, not Beverly, and bought him a yard, which the house we were renting, in the hills of Laurel Canyon, did not have. A home came with the yard we bought for the dog… so when a stray white female cat chose us, we brought her in and named her Beverly. 

Next came Pico, an all black, knobby-tailed Manx, who was always on the wrong side of the door, and he was VERY vocal about it.

With all these through-way names for critters, when our first born daughter arrived, we thought for a moment of calling her “605”, because the pediatrician gave her a “free-weigh.” (Mark made me do it!)

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Save water... shower with a friend, or tear out the grass... or both

In trying to do the “right” thing by the environment, we’re contemplating a turf-removal project. Did you know that the DWP will give you two dollars for every square foot for grass you remove from your property? Google DWP and water conservation rebates. Cool beans! Not yet sure what the financial costs will be, but we’re working with a top notch xeriscaper (native plants expert) in our neighborhood, and I love the plans Kathy Glascock has drawn up. 

We’re already in the habit of filling empty gallon juice bottles with shower water while it’s heating up, and using it to flush the toilet, or water the plants. Turn water OFF while soaping up in the shower, or while brushing teeth. Definitely got the hang of slow trickle of the precious stuff while rinsing soapy hands or dishes. Orange is the new black? Our cars are fashionably dirty. Bird poop, insect and rain splatter is the new standard of “clean.”

We’re gonna need to get really creative soon... have you driven Highway 5 through Middle California lately? It’s scary! Dust bowl in the making!

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Loss and opportunity…

Dr. Maya Angelou is in my heart and in my brain. I cannot get enough of her cadence, rhythm, tone and diction as she reads several of my favorite poems... When Great Trees Fall, and Still I Rise are among my favorites. Worth googling her to see her animated countenance speaking directly to you... via youtube.

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Dinner tables, water tables, and nourishment…

Sunday evening, I attended a salon (discussion group) for body oriented psychotherapist types which was heap-big lotta-plenty NOURISHING - even before the pot-luck portion of the night. A couple of dozen folk met and got to talking about what nourishes them; what resources they draw on while being with clients who bring BIG SURVIVAL ENERGIES into the room. At least three of us spoke about being mirrored adequately, and loved unconditionally by grand-parents. Mine saved my butt and I’m forever grateful.

I’m feeling the draw of a very special almost five year old granddaughter who has a HUGE magnetic field emanating from her throbbing heart center. She’s drawing us north, north, north. 

Which part of California do you suppose will fall into the Pacific first? North or South? After Sunday night’s shaker, I’m guessing bottom first... or maybe over time, SF and LA will be on the same latitude! That’ll save on gas! Maybe San Andreas’s only fault will be to uncover a huge as yet unknown water table... and we can pull up our chairs to that table and feast in the Garden of Eden once more. Pass the apple, please, I want to know EVERYTHING… snakes, worms and all. I can take it, my grandmother loved me, and that meant EVERYTHING.