Merry Christmas!

Schlepp went down to Old Town so that the Chilcotes, visiting from Seattle, could enjoy a New Mexico Christmas tradition:  thousands of luminarias. 

It was cold and a stiff north wind made for a chilly experience.  More than a few luminarias were blown out.  Here Schlepp is seated beneath the huge Christmas tree just off the main plaza. 

A Happy Christmas to all and a Joyous New Year!  

Traveling without Leaving Town

Went to the zoo this weekend with the folks. Beautiful weather and a great opportunity to get them out of the apartment. We managed to get through about 1/3 of the place in 2 hours of leisurely strolling.

As it happened in Victoria, we came across some small primates. I was hoping for lemurs, but those are in a different section. In the Tropical Americas Exhibit there were Golden Lion Tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). The little critters pretty much stayed at the far back of their cage. I don't blame them--they are critically endangered in their homeland of Brazil.

Then Schlepp, of course, got out and made friends. They were timid at first but soon, just like in Victoria, they were at the front of the cage, eager to find out what this strange new animal was. Perhaps they think he's another tamarin. Maybe he's just friendly and furry like they are.


Either way, a good time was had by all. We'll have to go back soon and see the lemurs.

A Quite Summer... Almost

Not much travel for a Travel Schlepp since May. Perhaps something will come up in Oct-Nov. But there's always time for adventure. Yesterday the furry one got to meet our resident salamander. Whether its a Suzi or a Steven Salamander, we don't yet know.

Here's a picture of our intrepid bear with his new tiger salamander friend in the Hidden Garden.

Schlepp Visits Oak Ridge

Its been a couple months since Travel Schlepp had any traveling to write about. This past week, though, he was in Oak Ridge, TN visiting Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Here we are inside the ORNL conference center. There we were instructing over a dozen students in the nuances of on-site inspection under the International Nuclear Safeguards Additional Protocol.




When we flew back to ABQ, we left from the nearby Knoxville airport. In the main hallway leading to the security checkpoint, there are beautiful waterfalls that fill the area with the sound of tumbling water. There's also a couple of Tennessee black bears soliciting donations for black bear habitat. Schlepp of course took some time to chat.

Albuquerque Fencing

No, this isn't about building a fence, which is what fencing usually refers to in NM. This is about Fencing--foil, saber, and epee. Nephew Peter is in town for the Junior Olympics, which this year is being held in, of all places, the fencing capital of the U.S., Albuquerque, NM. The tournament is this weekend and we'll be there on Sunday cheering Peter on.

Happy Birthday, Travel Schlepp!

Well... its been 10 years already--ten years since Karl opened a small box and found the furry one inside. And with that first trip to Vienna combined with his first digital camera, we've had 10 years of adventures together. Here's the very first photo of me: #61 taken on Jan. 22, 1999, in Hotel am Stephansplatz:.

We were working with the UNSCR 678 Action Team, the fellows who were keeping Saddam from getting the big, bad bomb. Nuclear disarmament inspections in Iraq had been halted, but Gary Dillon wisely realized that the pause was the time to bring the Action Team up to date with its information systems.

Debbie and I worked on their intranet, their inspection planning systems, and their analysis tools. We were probably just getting started with GIS, mostly by giving Martin a surplus copy of an old ArcInfo license.

Then it was off to Amsterdam. Here Karl and I lounge around the hotel room before going out and exploring the town. The next day it snowed and was icy everywhere. We took a train to The Hague, gave an ACE-IT demonstration at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, took the train back to the the airport, and late in the evening caught our flight back to the States.

Since then its been trips from Ankara to Shannon, Mumbai to Cairo. Eventually, Karl would take over 7,000 photos on that old reliable Kodak. Even though its been retired, there have been over 7,000 photos taken on a second Kodak. The way things are going, the second 10 years will have even more trips to more exotic locations--gotta keep the bad guys from getting those big, bad bombs.

Schlepp Goes Cross-Country

Yesterday Schlepp and Karl got a break from elder care. Along with their friend Ric, they grabbed skis, snowshoes, and packs and went up to Sandia Crest for some winter fun.

Ric had never been on snowshoes before, so he was enlightened with the ease with which he could manuever in the crusty, icy, 4-day old snow. Just the week before, he was defeated in a hike up to the South Crest by two feet of snow.

As you can see, everyone enjoyed the trek up to the Kiwanis Hut. Alas, on the way down, one of Karl's 20-year old Karhu skis finally gave up the ghost, cracking just behind the 3-pin binding plate. Time for some no-wax skis.

BTW, Gert and Henry are doing well. Today the physical therapist took Gert down the hall a goodly distance and back, non-stop. The trip measured 95' one-way, more than far enough to get her to the dinning room down on the first floor. Tomorrow we'll try doing lunch downstairs as well as unpacking the last of the boxes.

Update on Telephone Service

Just a quick jot to say that phone service hasn't come online as expected. A technician is going to work on the problem tomorrow. Meanwhile, Gert and Henry's cell phone is the only way to call the new apartment.

Whew!

Got Gert and Henry into the new apartment and all is well. She's still moving kinda slow but can make it from the curbside all the way up to the 4th floor. Everyone is happy about the look-and-feel of the new place.

When we left they were having dinner with some neighbors from down the hall. Tomorrow Gert starts out with home P/T at the Woodmark--she doesn't have to go back to Health South for out-patient P/T.

I think I'm going to sleep for the next week.

The Big Day

Looks like we're going to survive the big move. Got Henry all packed up, Ty is coming down with some last minute items, and I'll be picking up Gert from Health South around 11:00. Should have them both over to the new apartment by new if all goes as scheduled. Of course all this is contingent on doctor's discharge orders and that moves at the speed of insurance paperwork.

More news later today....

Yet Another Sunday Update

Gert's doing well and expected to get "sprung" from Health South Rehab tomorrow. Gotta run now 'cuz we're frantically unpacking all the boxes that came down with the movers on Friday.

Hurry, hurry. Scurry, scurry.

The Great Geezer Migration

My good friend Paul McGoey has a remarkable way with words and has deemed this week "the Great Geezer Migration." On Friday morning three movers with a 23-foot van head up to White Rock. Lou and Ty meet them at 10:00 and they load furniture (carefully numbered and labelled) plus something like 19 boxes that have been packed since mid-November.

The movers blast down to Albuquerque and they unload into our pre-planned arrangement of furniture. With Gert still in rehab, we have Sat. and Sun. to "stage" the apartment for Gert's arrival. Whew!

I'm still amazed that on Friday the phone company will turn off good ol' 672-9164 up in White Rock where its been an active number for 39 years. New phone = 881-5146.

Meanwhile, the icy roads prevented an AM visit to Gert but Caro and Henry saw her in the late afternoon. She's doing very well.

Henry has quite an appetite these days. Ty and I cooked up sausages, baked apples, gourmet grits (cream and smoked Gouda), and biscuits--very much the Low Country cooking of the Carolinas. Afterwards Henry had the last couple bits of "spotted dog" bread that we baked on Sunday. Finally he had a bit of egg nog and a chocolate chip cookie from Millie's diner.

Yet Another Sunday Update

After a frantic day of Mom-care, driving up to White Rock, packing like crazy, and then driving back to ABQ, Sunday truly is a day of rest. We've got things as ready for the movers as we can.

Its a grey day with snow and rain showers earlier. The forecast promises much colder and snow tomorrow. At least the streets are passable right now. Keeping our fingers crossed for the movers next Friday.

Caro is up at Health South with Gert. After a so-so day Friday and yesterday, she is back on track with improved spirits. The doctor has her scheduled for discharge a week from tomorrow (12/22).

Right now Henry is playing the accordion in the next room and I've a rare chance to put the iPod with a microphone next to him. Earlier he finally got his chance to make pancakes, which traditionally are a Saturday breakfast.

Yesterday, during the hectic packing expedition, Kent and Ty did yeomen's service by taking care of Henry all day from 8 'til 8. They got Mom's collection of crosses up on the wall and Dad got to see the apartment for the first time after painting, shelving and lighting were installed.

Sunday Update

Gert is doing fine, comfortably settled in at Health South. She's met the physical therapist and the occupational therapist, nurses, and other staff. Serious rehab starts on Monday. Probably the only complaint would be less than stellar food.

Henry is staying in the guest bedroom and seems to do alright. This morning while I was putting together a crockpot pot roast, he and Caro had a long talk about family care giving, death and dying. He worries more about taxes and is already concerned about next April 15. We assure him that we'll get professional tax help for him.

Schlepp and his human, Karl, are glad to be back home after some really hectic packing in White Rock. Probably one more weekend trip should pull it together. Despite the broken hip, surgery, and rehab, people keep telling us that Gert will be ready to go to the new Woodmark assisted-living apartment on the 19th.

Getting Gert Going

Yesterday the Physical Therapist had Gert up into a chair for lunch. Then a little later, he got her into a walker and they went out into the hall, perhaps 30' or so. It was painful and tiring, but the leg can bear her weight. The hospital is getting Gert a cool 4-wheel walker, in purple, so she can get used to her own personal one instead of using the lenders that PT brings.

A social worker has set things up for discharge on Friday to Health South, a rehab facility in Albuquerque. Henry will come stay with us for awhile, using Frances' room with its new sofa bed. They expect that Gert will be out of rehab in about two weeks, just in time to move into Woodmark Assisted Living.

So despite the drama of the past few days, it looks like there will be little impact on the move out of White Rock. The main thing is that we have to get things packed up pretty well today.

122 Azure

Schlepp spent a subdued Thanksgiving weekend with the folks up in White Rock, packing the house on Azure. Forty years of living layered into closets, shelves, and nooks have so far been distilled into 14 boxes. Each carefully labeled and its contents written down in a notebook.

Schlepp helped where he could, but he's a little bear and the boxes are big. Some family treasures have come to light--more about that later. The big move will be the 19th, when Gert and Henry leave the house for assisted living in Albuquerque.

But Monday has had its own twist. After a couple doctors appointments in the morning, Gert was getting out of the car and she fell. She has a fractured femur. Surgery is set for 7:30 this morning.

The Colt

While I ended up with Grandpa's Mauser on my wall, my older brother got his WW 1 vintage Colt .45 automatic. The wooden diamond-shaped pattern cut into the grip had been worn completely away where his hand held it, although the incisions are at least a 1/16th of an inch deep elsewhere. He must have literally had it in his hand all the time for the entire deployment. That might have been 500 days because as a professional soldier he was sent overseas early to learn trench warfare from the French shortly after the US declared war (April 1917). Most doughboys didn't arrive until 1918.

Colt service automatics had a safety feature that prevented the gun from firing if the muzzle was pressed directly against something. I remember someone telling me that he had filed that safety off. Lou says it just wore down from constant use. At any rate, better to have it blow up in your hand and take out your adversary when you're in hand-to-hand combat.

He mentioned once that a trenching tool (that cute little folding shovel you see in Army surplus stores) made an excellent weapon in close quarters. I shudder to think about two men fighting in a trench, one with a bayonet and the other with the modern equivalent of a battle axe because he has emptied the Colt's magazine. The fact that my grandfather survived leaves one stunned to think about the other unfortunate soldier. And how often did it come to that? No wonder he came home, hung up the uniform, and put all the guns away.

He told the tale of running through a young stand of trees, only able to take cover behind 1" saplings. He took a .22 in the bicep that passed clean through. At the aid station they simply put a bandage on one side and then poured iodine directly in the wound and capped it with the top bandage. He said that hurt much more than the bullet.

Another time an artillery shell exploded beside him and he continued on for some minutes until he noticed wet blood on his Colt. His arm (again) had taken the shrapnel and he hadn't felt a thing.

My brother had had the Colt inspected by a gunsmith and he even fired it a few times at the shooting range. It had a tremendous recoil. Grandpa said that if you had a choice you aimed at the pelvis, so the momentum of the bullet would strike bone and knock a charging soldier down. No good to shoot someone and have them still run up and bayonet you. Imagine the kinds of lessons our soldiers are learning in Afghanistan and Iraq today.

Unfortunately Grandpa's Colt was stolen when burglars broke into my brother's trailer back in the 90s. The thief may just have thought that they had gotten an old gun to pawn, but instead they had taken an irreplaceable piece of our family history.

The few stories we know about that terrible war make sure that we Horaks understand that war is not a game and that sacrifice is real. Despite Grandpa leaving the military after the war, both my father and uncle served during the Second World War. It has only been our great good fortune that war has not overtaken my generation--my draft number during Viet Nam was 311--just lucky, I guess.

Relief and Astonishment

The entire Bears' Home Front Brigade has issued a collective sigh of relief. Whew! Obama made it! Chili Bear can (almost) relax about endangered polar bears. Travel Schlepp can (almost) feel the international tensions settling down a notch.

All the bears and critters are wondering aloud that America truly is amazing if it can go from 8 years of Bush to a free election where the black son of a Muslim Kenyan father and a Kansas farm girl rises to become our next president. The bears are proud to be American bears today.

Schlepp's Civic Duty

Schlepp has voted... well, at least his human has. The first attempt, last Wednesday, ended when he walked into a darkened polling place downtown. A power outage had taken out the lights. Even though the voting machines have backup power and procedures exist to keep the balloting going even without power, there was no order or organization and he quickly left. Thursday evening in Ranchitos he had better luck and was finally able to vote.

Amazingly, there are teddy bear political sites out there. The best we've seen is Polar Bears Against Palin. Certainly Chili Bear agrees with that sentiment.

In this photo Chili hangs out with Maddie, Jennie, the Cat with No Name, and the Schlepps.

With a little Googling you'll learn that Bobo is Barack Obama's childhood teddy bear. Its a good thing to have a teddy bear close at times like these. I think Bobo has Secret Service protection.

But whatever your political persuasion, be sure to get out and vote. If you can, vote early. If you can't, vote next Tuesday. A week from now we should know who our next president is.

Schlepp in DC

Schlepp and I finally escaped the World Plone Conference briefly today to take the air, which was surprisingly warm and sunny. We walked down to the Mall and watched the people go by, admired the buildings and monuments from a distance, and quietly reflected.

You see, Aunt Frances, whom we had been hospicing in our spare bedroom back in NM, passed away late yesterday afternoon. She died quietly and peacefully surrounded by her daughter and niece.

Even if Travel Schlepp and I weren't there, Big Schlepp and the entire Home Front Brigade were. Fido and Cousin Middle Schlepp were there, too, and Paddy stayed curled up next to her to the end.

Although we'll miss her, somehow this all feels right... as though in her death was the completion of something important and in its own mysterious way, miraculous. Life's journey takes many unexpected twists and turns. Certainly Aunt Frances life had more than its share and in the end gave us memories and lessons of living that will stay will us all.