Gus

What have I done?
     On March 12, I adopted Gus, a Lab mix, from the Humane Society. He was 3-4 months old, according to the info card on him.  He was one of 4 in the litter at the shelter.

     I had been looking for a dog for a while at the local shelters in the area. I was undecided on getting a mature dog or a puppy. I figured that a mature would come with "issues." On the other hand, I would be able to train the puppy and in time he would adopt my "issues." I finally decided on a puppy and began looking for the right one. I did not know how I would know, but I knew that I would.

    I took him to the vet the following day to initiate a relationship with the local vet and to have Gus's eyes look at. He was oozing stuff. That vet said that Gus had a congenital defect in the eyes. The bottom folds into the eye, causing the hair to irritate the eyeball. This of course could be remedied with surgery, similar to an eye-lift. There was also a concern about distemper and parvo virus. Yikes. Color me scared.

    That night he started coughing and gagging  I was close to taking him to an all-night clinic. Early the next morning, I took him to a different vet. I did not care for the first one. Again there was great concern about Parvo and distemper. I had already read up on these and was very concerned. The vet wanted to keep Gus in the hospital with IV, antibiotics, and isolation. I picked him up for days later. The symptoms for distemper and parvo never developed.After 2 weeks of antibiotics, he seemed recovered. His appetite recovered and his behavior seemed more normal to a puppy.

I want to make sure that he gets enough exercise to allow him to develop as he should. The vet predicts a large dog. The daily routine is an early breakfast, a 3-4 block walk, some freesbie fetch, some yard roaming and cat pestering. The he goes back inside for a nap. There is another walk and yard play in the late afternoon. He does not seem to understand that I have a bad knee.

For now he has been spending much of his time indoors, because of his size and maturity. Although I don't think he will run away, he cannot be trusted outside without supervision. Is he chewing on a plant, on paper, on bugs?  Will he challenge the cat to within an inch of his life and maybe lose an eye? Once he gets older and has found his boundaries, he will have more time alone.

 House training seemed to be in his genes. He has his spot for #2 in the yard. He is now on a semi-regular schedule of when he needs to go. I am still getting up in the middle of the night (3-4 a.m.) to allow him to pee. I am thinking he could hold it but I have not dared to take a chance. I know he won't poop.

If I was advising someone on adopting a dog from the shelter, I would ask more questions about the birth mother and home of origin. I would ask about the other members of the litter.

Gus keeps me moving. I am not a walker and certainly have no need to walk four blocks twice a day.  I now know that people are meant to grow old with their pets. Old people should not adopt puppies. He is good natured, well behaved, and has now started barking. He may be a good guard dog. I will keep you posted.

Family Tree

I began my research into the family roots last year. I posted about my Aunt Bea and the nuclear family. I have also mentioned the story about my grandfather and finding my grandmother's tomb in Matehuala. So far I have 185 names on the tree, most verified through official documents. The oldest date is 1835 - that of my great-great-grandfather on my mothers side. I have one generation older than that on my maternal grandmother's side, but I have not been able to verify the data.

                                                                     What is new to me?

Who are the Monterrey Folks?

     Those folks in Monterrey (the well-to-do), with whom I stay on occasion, I knew were related, but I did not know how. Now I know that they are 3rd cousins. My grandmother's mother and his grandfather's mother were sisters. These are Carlos and Javier.


         Javier                                                                             Carlos

Missed Opportunity

My friends in the poor colonia in Monterrey told me that there was a lady in the neighborhood that was always asking about my Aunt Bea and that she had a family resemblance. I was told where she lived and I went a-knocking.

The moment I saw the house, I knew that I had been there as a child. The woman's name was Aurelia Villanueva, unmarried. Her father and my paternal grandmother were siblings. Aurelia ((80) was not home when I went looking for her. She was hospitalized and was due to be released in a few days. I was greeted by the youngest of the sisters, who told me that Aurelia was indeed the one to talk to. She knew all of the family history. I was scheduled to return home the next day. I promised to return on my next trip.

The next time I went looking for Aurelia I learned that she had died 2 week prior.

This side of the family continues shrouded in darkness, but I continue to look for the light switch.

                                                                            A new cousin

     My last visit to the relatives was in December. The newly discovered Vidales cousins - their father and my father would have been cousins - presented the youngest brother, Eduardo. My sister and I think he bears a strong resemblance to my father.

Eduardo                                        my father                                                       my grandfather

 

I also saw a resemblance between Eduardo's sister and one of my aunts. I am wondering if Eduardo's grandfather and my grandfather married sisters.

The search continues.

ALOHA - Back again - Catching up

I could not believe that my last post was almost 4 months ago. Time flies when you pick your nose.

       Today's post is all about Hawaii. I had an amazing time there, thanks to my friends who were gracious enough to host me, feed, and tour me. Although I had been to the Island of Oahu several years ago, that trip was a "postcard" trip. Oahu and Honolulu is the where the tourists land and where many stay. The sight-seeing and island information is pre-packaged. My impressions of Hawaii were wonderful, but they became deep and meaningful after this last trip to the Big Island.

       I will not post all the picture I took on my trip. My memories of each image are still vivid and if you come by the house and enjoy a cocktail or two I will tell you all about it. Here is just a sample.

Although I don't get any commission from Hawaiian Airlines, I associate this image with the Islands - the colors, the hibiscus in the hair, and the beautiful people.

Without lava, there would be no Hawaiian Islands. You encounter it on the beaches of the island, the massive lava fields, and of course the active "Caldera," with it billowing plumes of steam.

What is amazing is that when you have lava, and add many years, and bucketful of rain, you get such beautiful vegetation. On the Hilo side of the the Big Island, the annual rainfall is over 100 inches.

I am trying to follow my friend's example and grow pineapples in my yard - in Southtexas. This plant was in the front yard of their house in Pahoa. Although my plant has not sprouted any fruit, it continues to be green and has not died - a good sign of things to come.

The "Ttraveller Palm" was fascinating. It is supposed to grow in one direction, telling lost travellers their compass direction. Since I did not know which direction was which, the palm was not much help to me.

 The "taro plant" is the source of poy. I continued to see these plants as "elephant ear plants"

Another of my favorite plants was the "fern tree." The branches are gigantic and resemble other species of fern, but there is a "tree trunk" in the middle.

The history and mythology of Hawaii is something that most visitors to the Islands do not hear about. I do not remember hearing anything about it on my first trip. I saw a variety of dancers and performers thinking all were Hawaiian, not knowing that I was seeing Fiji and Samoan. From this trip I walked away with an appreciation and an interest in the history of Hawaii.

Pele

                                                                                City of Refuge

Rainbow Falls

Plantation House

Last, and certainly not least are the indescribable vistas. My camera did not do these justice.

ALOHA!