November 5, 1998
Uh, did I say Winston was really cute when he went to sleep on his back?
Hey, just a minute! How many of my, mmm, Readers...Let's see, 1, 2, 3, well uh--all of you.
I wonder how many of my Readers can think of a good caption for this photo?
Just send an E-mail to:
November 4, 1998
8:00 a.m.
Winston was a very sweet little dog. He was extremely affectionate, which is normal for a Cocker Spaniel. He always wanted to be close--this was great when you were lying on the sofa and needed a foot warmer. He was feisty, and an escape artist, and always wanted to have fun. When I got home and walked to the door I could hear Fritz barking and Winston wailing and howling--coming home was a real event! It was always funny to see him asleep--zonked out on the couch--lying on his back. Winston was a chow hound. He loved his meals. When he got a special treat or canned dog food he was the picture of unbridled excitement. And that tail. Winston's tail always seemed to be wagging--it wagged so much it wagged in circles! We didn't have him long, but, in spite of his numerous indiscretions, we loved him very much. He made our lives happier.
5:00 a.m.
Here is a photo of "The Guys" in happier times.
Last night Winston died (he's the blond Cocker Spaniel in the photo). It wasn't easy for all of us at the Vet's. The decision to "euthanize" a pet we loved and cared for is very difficult.
Winston hadn't been well for over a month. A little over a month ago he had a series of about 9 seizures in a 12 hour period. After a stay at the Vet, we began giving him daily medication to prevent any recurrance of that problem. However, he never seemed to fully recover.
Last evening, when I got home, he had a terrible cough. After dinner we noticed that besides the periodic cough he had labored breathing. We then realized that he had blood on his lips. I took him to the Vet.
Winston was very anemic. For some reason, blood was filling his lungs. The symptoms seemed to suggest that he had been poisoned (possibly rat poison). I have no idea how he could have gotten into any poison. There were other possibilities, but we will never know for sure. Considering his age, his history of seizure, his pronounced heart murmur, and very grave condition, the doctor said that there was very little or no chance he would survive even the most intense treatment. It's a terrible decision to have to make.
I am so glad I paid special attention to him last weekend. Saturday I took him to the Vet for a pedicure. Then we went to Pet's Mart where he checked out the other dogs, and I bought the dogs a new grooming comb. When we got home I spent an hour or so grooming him. He seemed to enjoy the attention. He really needed to be groomed.
I used to call him "Mr. Fun." Our other dog Fritz is a rather stoic determined type. Winston liked to play. Fritz wasn't sure what to make of that.
We had only had Winston for two years. Some friends of my daughter had found him wandering around the TU campus. In those two years he certainly won his way into our hearts. We'll miss him.
October 30, 1998
My Lucky Coin
I haven't gotten a "new" car for four years. I put new in parenthesis because the car wasn't really new, it was just new to me.
Sometime after I got my car I happened to receive a Susan B. Anthony dollar coin in change--I don't remember the circumstances. Those of you who are familiar with that coin know that it is easily mistaken for a quarter. I decided I wouldn't spend it. I tossed it into the glove box of my car and said to myself "that will be my lucky coin."
Being a lucky coin made it special. I'd just leave it in the glove box and maybe it really would bring me luck.
Today I took the Museum's traveling exhibit to a large high school in a southwestern suburb of Tulsa. Ours was one of several special exhibits spotlighting Northeastern Oklahoma set up in the gymnasium today. It was a long day--I spoke to approximately 700 students during the day.
A special added attraction was a concession booth where students could purchase Indian fry bread. I thought I would like to try some, but didn't have a dollar to do so.
At break time near lunch I walked over to the concession stand to get a cup of coffee. I struck up a conversation with the lady at the booth, and she offerred me a piece of fry bread. I told her I would like to have a piece, but couldn't pay for it just then. She said that it was alright for me not to pay since I was an exhibitor. I thanked her but said I would be leaving for a while and would get some money to pay her. The small piece of fry bread was good.
I went home for lunch, but forgot to get some cash before I returned to the school.
I felt really bad about not being able to pay for the bread I had eaten--but then I remembered the "lucky coin." How perfect! Now it actually would be lucky! I rummaged through the glove box. I worried that the coin might not be there. I hadn't looked at it since I had thrown it in there. Well, I found it and I paid for the bread.
My lucky coin had allowed me to keep my word. It finally really did bring me luck!
October 29, 1998
Finally got the last photos from Italy printed. I hope you like them. There's even a photo of ME!
Just click on the Roman Coin and You're there:
October 26, 1998
Things are moving along quite rapidly this fall. I haven't even gotten my slides from Italy organized, and I'm having to finalize arrangements for our upcoming trip to Egypt over Thanksgiving week. Looks like we'll be arriving in Cairo on the 21st of November. We'll probably stay at the EgyptAir transit hotel near the airport, because early on the 22nd we'll be flying to Luxor. After three days in Luxor we'll be moving on to Aswan. There's a new major museum there and we'll be staying at the Oberoy Hotel on Philae Island. We may fly down to see Abu Simbel, but that's not certain yet. From Aswan we'll head back for 3 or 4 days in Cairo--Then back to the States. It should be great. Especially with the whole family going.
October 21, 1998
I know, I know, it's been a long time since I have written in here. I've been pretty busy since I finished posting the photos from the trip to Italy.
Besides catching up with things at work, we drove to Houston to be at my niece's wedding, my daughter's moving back into the house and I have to make room in the garage for the stuff from her apartment, and I've also been making preparations for our upcoming trip to Egypt.
I've been straightening up some of my things and came across an advertisement in a 1937 LIFE magazine. I like to show it to folks and say, "and you thought you had problems?" Just click here.
Haven't developed photos from the wedding as yet, but I have launched another website. I decided to put my thesis online. It will take awhile before I get it all posted. I thought it would be an interesting project. Why bother? A couple of reasons. 1) I'm still interested in the subject and thought the information should be online; 2) An internet friend of mine is doing some research on disease control, and I thought the references and content could be of some assistance. You are welcome to take a look.
October 1, 1998
The final part of my vacation photo series is now online. It documents our visit to Perugia and Assisi. I hope you enjoy it.
Click here for Perugia and Assisi: 
September 26, 1998
Florence Part II is now online. I already want to go back.
Click here for Florence Part II: 
September 24, 1998
It's early morning, and I've just finished posting the first part of my Florence gallery. Florence was almost too much to take in at one time. It is obvious why it was a center for the Arts.
Click here for Florence Part I:
September 21, 1998
We were only in Venice for a day and a half. Considering the expense, that was enough. However, it is a really beautiful and enchanting city.
Click here for Venice: 
September 18, 1998
Here is the second installment of Italy with my narrative:
Click here for Rome Part 2:
September 16, 1998
I got my slides developed--all 19 rolls. I took slides so I could use the images in the classroom, since I teach Humanities and History. HOWEVER, Estelle took 9 rolls of photos!
I've scanned some in and had some fun. So here is Estelle's Italy with my narrative:
Click here for Rome Part 1:
September 9, 1998
Yeah, I'm back from Vacation. Just took my film in yesterday. I took 19 rolls of slides. I didn't think I'd take nearly that many, but Italy is just inspirational. My biggest realization is the incredible amount of creativity, skill, and artistic talent produced in that country over the last 2000 years--truly AMAZING.
September 12, 1998
I have to admit, I was aware of the artistic achievements of the Italians in a general sense, but it only really hit home on this trip. It's so easy to poke fun at Italy and Italians--Olive Oil, Pizza, Pasta, Mussolini, Funiculi Funicula, The Dramatic Loves in Italian Opera, Overweight tenors and Gondola rides. Mind you, I don't mean malicious fun, just good natured ribbing.
This trip brought to mind the host of individuals and their achievements which are so completely bound up in Italian history. The most amazing things that happened to me in Italy occurred in Rome and Florence.
---In Rome we happened on a Baroque Church I had heard of many times before--Il Gesu. It is the mother church of the Jesuits. It's somber and plain exterior does not prepare one for the glories inside. The vaulted ceiling is painted to appear as if the heavenly host were spilling into the sanctuary. An altar dedicated to the apotheosis of St. Ignatius is resplendent in gold and lapis lazuli. Simply standing in the nave and surveying the interior is an exceptional and moving experience.
---In Florence we visited the Pitti Palace. I really did not know what to expect at the Pitti. The Uffizi is a more straight forward museum, and I basically knew the collection. The Pitti, on the other hand, was to surprise and astound me.
The exterior of the Pitti Palace gives no indication of its magnificent interior appointments. From the outside it looks more like a prison--the guidebooks say "rusticated exterior." Inside in the "Palatine Gallery" are some of the most sumptious rooms I have ever seen. Aside from the Raphaels and Rembrandts, I was most amazed by the details. Wondrous vaulted and decorated ceilings, Intricate carpets and parquet floors, skillfully tailored fabrics and furnishings all combined to make it an execptional experience. Also at the Pitti is the Museo Degli Argenti (displaying the vast treasures of the Medici family), a Porcelain Museum, and Costume Museum.
However, I think I was especially taken by the many many tables with stone tops. These tabletops were decorated with stone inlay. The craft of inlay is called Intarsia. Some of these tabletops had geometric designs, some had designs of musical instruments or bouquets of flowers--all done in inlayed stone (marble, granite, lapis lazuli, malachite, onyx, etc.). My favorite was a tabletop made of granite. The color and pattern of the granite had the appearance of a sandy beach. Inlaid into the top--as if scattered by chance--were several forms which looked perfectly like seashells. Seashells scattered on a sandy beach--and all done in stone.
---The third big surprise, and possibly the most moving experience I had, was our visit to the church of Santa Croce in Florence. As one enters the church and looks toward the right one is confronted immediately with the tomb of Michelangelo. I hadn't realized that this was his resting place. Next to Michelangelo's tomb is a monument to Dante. Next is the tomb of Machiavelli, then the tomb of Rossini--this was a little overwhelming for me. On the other side of the nave are the final resting places of Lorenzo Ghiberti and Galileo, and memorials to Marconi and Enrico Fermi.
[Note: For Rossini and Ghiberti the highlighted reference links to an Internet biography, since I have no photo of the actual tomb. Rossini's tomb was quite elaborate (a stone sarcophagus with a praying figure). Ghiberti's tomb was comprised of a simple inscribed marble slab on the floor of the nave.]
There were other high points and surprises. It will all just take time to get online. I took a fall in Perugia and hurt my leg. Thought it would be alright without a trip to the doctor, but guess I'm wrong. I'm working on an overview of the entire trip. I'll try to upload it soon.
Return to Allan's Gallery Index:
