Award Season
I received an award at our recent award ceremony. Thanks to my boss for submitting me and the award committee for awarding it.
The award includes a plaque and a cash award. The plaque citation reads: "Franklin Award presented to MinnesotaMel for your efforts in improving the housing program and providing safe, secure and comfortable homes for Embassy Staff." The plaque has an image of Ben Franklin on it. It is really quite nice.
In addition to my award, many other members of my GSO staff were recognized. The Warehouse Staff, Property Staff, Housing Staff and Motorpool were all recognized. I am very proud of them all.
It's a girl!!!: Kokomo joins the family
A funny thing happened on the way to lunch… As of 12.15 today, I became a MOM!
Alan (my boss/friend) and I were going to lunch at a restaurant across the street from our office compound. As we got across the street, there was a puppy sitting on the sidewalk. Now, in Kathmandu one frequently sees dogs hanging out on the streets. There are many street dogs here and most of them are quite mangy. This particular puppy was small and looked only a little mangy. She looked up at me and gave me a universal all-knowing look. I reached down, she sniffed my hand, and then licked me. I patted the top of her head. I stood up to continue the walk to the restaurant and a few steps down the road, Alan noted that “your friend is following us”. I turned and he was right, the puppy was right at my heels, her little legs running to keep up. She continued into the courtyard of the restaurant with us and then sat down in the driveway. I worried that a car was going to turn in and run her down, so I called her and she came running. I looked up at Alan and he asked “So, are you going to keep her or what?”
I did a bit on internal debate and “Keep her” won.
I called my driver to come and “Get our new puppy”, and she joined us on a chair in the restaurant while we ordered and waited for him to arrive. Did I mention she is VERY MELLOW?
My driver arrived, with the temporary “puppy” Laika I am dog-sitting in tow. He heard “Bring the puppy” not “Get the puppy”. So there I was, at a restaurant, with two dogs who really could not be in a car together yet.
I gave him the NEW puppy and asked him to take her to a vet, then take her home, and then come back and get Laika. Laika hung out at the restaurant with us through our meal, watching the ducks in the outdoor pond. She was VERY good.
I decided to take the rest of the afternoon off and take care of the pooches. Thankfully Alan was willing to give me “Maternity leave” on sudden notice. I called my driver again, then a vet used by most of the embassy community. We picked him up on the way and he came home with me (he does house calls for about $13). After a brief inspection, he pronounced her a good, slightly malnourished puppy, with fleas and probably worms. (No surprise there). He thinks she is about 3 months old. He gave me flea shampoo, worm medication and vitamins. We spent the rest of the afternoon shampooing to kill the fleas, and trying to help Laika and Puppy (took two days to decide her name is Kokomo) get to know each other.
Picture this…
Laika: 100 pound Siberian husky
Puppy: 8 pound mixed Nepali mutt
Laika, who is incredibly gentle, is trying to be friends with the puppy. The puppy, who has been living on the streets, has had to protect itself from larger dogs. She reacts very angrily to any friendship overture from Laika. Why would she think a big dog would want to be her friend? Laika, in turn, decides that if the puppy is not going to be friendly then she will retaliate by putting her huge paw in the middle of the puppy’s back in order to show her who is boss. However, Laika’s bravado disappears each time the puppy nips or barks at her. Very funny. The two gradually start to get less “angry” toward each other, but it will take awhile before they curl up with each other.
Now, they are both sacked out. The puppy is in the kennel that Laika never uses and Laika comforted her when she was whining and is now sleeping next to the kennel.
Photos are available in her online abum:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=16nw59zt.a2fsd0w5&x=0&y=-po0lzyI think we will register for “baby gifts” at Petco.
