Backyard Bonanza

Here are a few pictures of our backyard and the chaos that ensues.

It's been windy here for the past week - mostly in the late morning/afternoon - which is when I do laundry. It's soooooo annoying. I did two loads of laundry today then spent most of the afternoon chasing down socks, shirts, and unmentionables that were flying off the line into the dirt. Makes me very crabby.

Here are a few pictures of our finished dog cage. Michael is proud of its Redneck qualities including the broken bricks that line the bottom - because Sadie found a way to crawl under the fence and escape - and the cardboard pieces and tattered yellow shower curtain twist-tied to the side for shade. The cage also features a scrap door with bungee cord fixtures.



Bricks now line the cage inside and out after Sadie's Houdini-type qualities found her outside the cage happily chasing leaves while a depressed Belle moped and whined from inside.

A couple days ago I heard a strange noise outside my kitchen window and discovered two goats grazing on some bushes. Wow. Only in Mexico. The goats made their way to our backyard, under the clothes line, and stopped abruptly when they stumbled upon the dogs. Of course, the dogs made their presence known with a wild showcase of howls and yelps. The goats, seemingly unfazed, just stared at them in bewilderment.

As I was taking pictures of the goats from my laundry room, a frantic horse galloped by in full speed. He was neighing and causing quite a stir. Then his rope got tangled in a tree and he was rearing and carrying on like a child told "no" in a candy store. Goodness. Only in Mexico.

After things settled down, I went outside to let the dogs out. The three dogs were eating food from their 5-gallon bucket while the two goats, and two horses grazed near-by. Only in Mexico.

Homeward Bound

Just a quick update: Many of you know that Innotec asked us to stay for an additional 6 months - maybe longer. After a lot of prayer and conversation, we have decided not to stay in Mexico. Although we are having a good experience and learning a lot, we are both ready to come home. Thanks for those who have been praying for us as we struggled with this decision. We feel confident that we made the right choice. We do not have an official return date - but we are planning to come home early July.

We are also planning a visit to Michigan on April 16. If you want to hang out with Michael, grab your gun and a turkey call and head up to Branch! Actually, he is really missing his friends and family - so I'm sure we'll see you around!

Got the itch

For more than a week, I've been suffering from painful, very itchy sores. I first noticed a red bump on my neck that began to itch. I didn't think much of it until another developed, then another.... And they got bigger and more itchy each day that went by. I also had the sores on my face, a couple on my arms, a large one on my back, and on my leg.

I started to do some research on the Internet. First I thought it was flea bites - since we now have two cats and three dogs. I looked at both cats very closely and could not find any evidence of fleas on them. The pictures of flea bites on the Internet had similarities to what I was experiencing, but there were differences, as well.

Next, I researched beg bugs. This option scared me. Each Web site talked about how difficult it is to get rid of beg bugs and that professional help is recommended to clean the house. Plus, bed bugs can live up to 18 months without eating - so they could return at any time with a vengeance if not properly taken care of. I immediately ripped off our bedsheets and bedspread and washed them in hot water. I lifted the mattress to look for evidence of an outbreak. I woke up in the middle of the night and flicked on my tiny mag light, hunting for the tiny wingless creatures. I found nothing. Still, I was worried that the tiny bugs were crawling all over my face every night - I spent several sleepless nights thinking about this possibility. Gross.

I started to get names of doctors who could diagnose my condition. On Wednesday, I went to Bible study and showed one of the ladies (who has some medical background) the lesions on my neck and face. She didn't even think twice: Ringworm.

I was relieved to find out that ringworm has nothing to do with worms. It's a fungus infection that I most likely got from our kitten. I'm treating it with an over-the-counter medication. So far, I'm still pretty miserable at times but I have seen significant improvement. I'm just glad I know what I have. We are also treating both cats for ringworm. They both had baths last night with a special shampoo - much to their displeasure. What a fiasco! We have to give them baths 2 to 3 times each week for several weeks.

I hesitated to share this on the blog because it's not very appealing. However, I could use some prayers for a quick recovery. Most Web sites say it takes up to 4 weeks to completely heal. Here are a few pictures so you can see what I'm talking about.

Window "Pains"

It's REALLY windy today.

I almost had an accident in my pants a few minutes ago when a swift gust of wind blew the laundry door shut! It was so loud - I thought it was a gunshot. A few minutes before that the kitchen curtain swept a bunch of Tupperware off the counter onto the floor, which also made a big crash.

Ahhhhh...... another door just slammed shut. My heart is beating a bit too fast for someone sitting on a couch watching TV and writing a blog. I'm going to go close the windows.

There. I'm back. Did you miss me?

Most of the screens in this house are just sitting in the window frames. The screens have metal frames and when it's windy they sway back and forth, crashing between the glass window and metal bars - even when the glass panes are shut because there's drafts. It's quite loud at times. So I guess I'll have to get used to sudden alarming noises today.

I used to keep the front door open on nice days with slight breezes. However, a few weeks ago I stopped doing that because a flock of birds flew in and gathered in the entryway! I was appalled. I had no idea what to do. Of course, the dogs were in the house and went nuts. Most of the birds quickly took off back through the front door. One bird, however, decided to go down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

It was chaos! Dogs barking and scampering around the house. Bird crashing into every window with desperate attempts to get back outside. Cat eagerly swatting at the terrified bird every time it came somewhat close, while hissing at the dogs when they came too close. Then the bird started pooping. As if it wasn't horrifying enough.

Then the bird darted into one of the bathrooms. I shut the door and contemplated what I should do next. The dogs stood there barking and whining and scratching at the closed door while looking up at me as if I was crazy for not locking them in there with the poor thing. So I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me and opened the window - hoping he could escape. But all of our windows have bars to keep things OUT, which also keeps things IN.

Still at a loss of what to do, I grabbed my camera so I could at least document the moment. I didn't get very good pictures since the bird was fluttering in a panic all over the room, crashing into walls, hitting the shower curtain, falling to the floor, pooping, and flying into the window he thought would let him escape from this terror.




When I opened the bathroom door, the bird snuck out and took off down the hallway with two yelping dogs right behind, past a hissing cat, through the kitchen, around the dining room, then finally back out the front door. Wow.

So I don't leave doors open anymore. Just the rattling windows.

Parras

On Saturday, Michael and I drove to Parras - which is about 1.5 hours away from Saltillo. Parras has been described as an oasis in the middle of a desert. Several water springs bring life to beautiful trees and there's grass! We haven't seen very much green grass since we moved to Mexico. In fact, the city of Saltillo often uses AstroTurf along the roads. Hey, at least it's green and it saves a lot of money on water - which is very sparse.

The climate in Parras is also ideal for vineyards, and there are several wineries in this unique town. Although, Michael and I quickly agreed Traverse City produces MUCH better wine. We were not too impressed - but it was still fun to do some taste-testing.

The buildings in the city are very old and there's a lot of character. We also discovered how incredibly narrow and confusing the system of streets are. We did A LOT of riding around aimlessly with an inaccurate map. We planned to spend the night there, but almost every hotel and hostel was filled. We were just about to head back home, when we finally found a place to stay. It was not the most fancy joint - but at least we could spend the night.

This is a bat cave located near one of the vineyards we visited. We were hoping to spend the night at the hostel, but they were full. Michael wanted to see the bats, though. So we took a walk and found this cave, sat, and waited. Apparently, a bunch of bats fly out at dusk. Oh great! This is for you, Steen. I'm not sure if it's worse having a bat flying around inside your house darting at you, or a whole cave full swooping at your head. Well, we waited for a long time and saw a few bats - but the "flock" or whatever you call it, never came pouring out like I was envisioning. However, the 10-15 bats that were flying around were enough for me. They swooped within inches of my head! I actually felt one of them when it flew by my face! Michael thought it was hilarious - but I had about enough after the fifth dive-bomb.

The main cave where the bats live.

One of the vineyards we visited - Casa Madero. This was a HUGE production. There was one wine here that we actually liked and they were sold in little individual serving sizes.

The distillery - they also make brandy and some type of tequila.

The other winery - Hacienda de Perote. We were searching for the tasting room and finally found it in the back of the building - not exactly the entrance we were expecting.

We got a little tour - all in Spanish. Of course, we both nodded as if we understood every word.

I should probably note here that Michael did not wet himself. He was swimming right before we went to this vineyard. I thought I better go back and edit this post to explain. Oh heh.

Pretty old school wine production.

This is Santo Madero - a church built way up high on a hill.

Here's a view of one of the spring water ponds from the church.

There are several fresh water pools in the area - Michael took a swim in this one.

A view of Parras from the top of Santo Madero.

Grito en la Noche

We came to Mexico with two dogs and now we own three dogs and two cats. Oh my.

This is Noche (which means Night in Spanish)- a little kitty we rescued off the streets of Arteaga. The first time I met Noche was actually a couple days after we arrived in Mexico when we were staying at Paul and Tamara's house. I heard a faint mew - not an adult meow - but a high-pitched kitty mewww... I opened the door and walked out into the street and saw a tiny ball of black fur huddled under a car near the rear tire. He just kept meowing the most pitiful sound I ever heard. He was so tiny - I knew he was way too young to be away from his mother. I tried to get to him but he was scared and ran away. I figured he would die that night. It was so cold. I heard him crying almost all night and the next morning it was quiet. I felt bad for the poor little kitten. But the next night I heard him crying again. And the next night, and the next... This seemed to continue until we left and moved into our own house.

A few weeks ago, while I was in Michigan, our other cat got into a huge fight with the dogs. Michael said the puppy went into the laundry room, where Vino was eating, then he heard the puppy yelping. Rita probably tried to eat Vino's food while he was eating. Vino is very protective of his food. Well, we found out that Sadie is very protective of Rita. Sadie and Belle both took off to the laundry room and what followed was a very violent struggle between the dogs and the cat. Michael said there was blood everywhere. Vino clawed at the dogs while one had him around the neck and one had him by the tail. They chased each other around the house until Vino finally found a way outside. Michael said all three animals were bloody. Vino was lying outside breathing very sporadically. About an hour later, he was gone.

Michael figured Vino ran away and would either die or not come back because he was too frightened. So he told Paul and Tamara's daughter to look for another cat - thinking he could just replace Vino before I returned to Mexico. I was sad to hear Vino was gone. I really started to like that cat.

Alexa had just rescued a black kitty right outside their home - I'm sure it was the same kitty I heard every night while we where living there. So Michael brought him to our house and told me that we had a new cat. I was still upset about Vino, though. Michael said if Vino came back, we would get rid of the black cat.

Well, Vino came back on his own - living up to his name Solo Vino. Michael said both cats were hiding all the time. He said he hardly saw the black one since he brought him home. I returned to Mexico a few days later and found both cats in one of the bedrooms. I picked up the black kitten, and Vino followed me to the couch. Since then, they have not hidden. In fact, the black cat follows me everywhere I go. Of course, after a few days of this, we decided to let both cats stay.

I decided the black kitten's full name would be Grito en la Noche - which means Cries in the Night. You might think this sounds like an Indian name. But you would be wrong. It's Mexican.

Anyway, Noche and Vino seem to get along well for the most part. They do have their moments - like most brothers do I suppose. I've come to the conclusion that Noche is like the annoying little brother. I often see him take a swat at Vino when he walks by. He likes to nag and pester until Vino takes revenge and tackles him to the floor. Then Noche cries like a baby. What a tattle-tale! "Help! He's hurting me! I didn't do anything." Vino was getting into trouble until I realized Noche's crazy antics. The fights sound violent, but when I break it up, they end up playfully chasing each other around the house.




Noche is a very friendly and playful kitten. He has a lot of battle scars from living in the streets. And he has a strange tendency to "nurse" on a blanket when he's tired. Yes. This is very weird. You would think he would stop since he's not getting any milk. I guess this is a side-effect from being abandoned by his mother at such a young age. I wish they made pacifiers for kittens to satisfy his oral fixation.

Don't stick your tongue out at the camera. Smile nice.

That's better. "Good Night!"

Margarita

Meet the newest canine member of the VanDerKolk family, Margarita.

"Rita" is a Weimaraner puppy and she has been doing great so far. She seems to be getting along well with Belle and Sadie - however, Sadie seems to be pretty jealous at times. Sadie wants to be the baby of the family forever.

Rita loves Sadie, though. Every time I let them out, Rita tries her best to keep up with our leaf-chasing dog. Sadie sprints across the yard in pursuit of a tiny leaf and little Rita clumsily scampers behind. She often gets caught underfoot and takes a tumble. The little ball of fur rolls to a stop in a cloud of dust and she whines pathetically. This does not seem to faze or slow Sadie down one bit. She is still cocking her head with every slight breeze, quickly looking this way and that way, then she takes off again - usually chasing nothing. Perhaps willing a leaf to appear before her. I think Rita is as confused about Sadie's past time as the rest of us. After a while, she stops running and just stares at her in bewilderment.

Here are a few pictures of Rita:

Notice Sadie in the background looking for a leaf!

Michael was really concerned about Belle last week. We noticed her nipples were very swollen and she was producing milk. We do not want her to be pregnant - especially not by some Mexican stray dog! Oh dear. But we think this may be a result of Rita trying to nurse from Belle. Apparently, dogs can produce milk when puppies constantly try to nurse and stimulate the area. I don't know. We're keeping an eye on Belle to see if she gets larger in the stomach area. Anyway, I know this is still happening because this is what I saw a couple days ago. Belle, you are one patient, dog.

Do you mind? I'm trying to eat, here!

This dog definitely belongs in this family. Yah! A stick!

This is how Rita eats the food she SHOULD be eating. I can see why nursing from Belle is a more attractive option for her. This seems like a lot of work!

Whoops!

Smile for the camera!

Whatcha lookin at?

A visit from mi familia

Yesterday I said goodbye to my mom, dad, and Deb. They left Saltillo at 6 am and returned home around 9 pm last night. Sounds like the trip home went well. I miss them already.

We had a great time together. Aside from the hospital stay, I think they enjoyed their trip to Mexico. Here are some pictures of our adventures:

Deb and I pose for a picture with a pig head at the market in Saltillo. Don't even start with the family resemblance jokes. I just know someone out there is thinking it. Ha Ha.

Mom and dad with their first souvenir from Mexico: A pair of slippers from the hospital. Not exactly on their list of things to bring home, but at least they got better. This was taken right before they were released.

Our hotel in Puerto Vallarta. We were there Monday through Friday.

The view from our balcony, overlooking one of the pools and the marina.

The opposite view - looking toward our balcony from the marina.

Swim-up bar

One of the pools on the ocean side. Our hotel had property along the marina and across the street there was more property along the beach.

One day we took a free tour of the city, which was included in our package. This is our tour guide.

Inside one of the beautiful cathedrals we visited.

We ate at an amazing seafood restaurant overlooking the ocean. This is the view from our table.

Me and my dad.

Deb and I took a little tequila tour. They explained how tequila is made and we got to taste several different types - almond tequila, coffee-chocolate-vanilla tequila, and a high-quality regular tequila. It was very good. We think they guy who gave us the taste test had quite a few tours before us because he was very crazy, but very funny.

Tequila!

My mom shops at one of the markets we stopped at during the Puerto Vallarta city tour.

Each morning we ate at this little restaurant overlooking the marina at our resort. Our resort had four different places to eat and the food was great.

Deb and me at our favorite spot. We loved to sit in the sun and listen to the ocean.

We watched this sunset while we ate at the outdoor restaurant on the ocean side.

Little kids chase pigeons in downtown Saltillo. We headed back to the Saltillo market on Sunday because mom and dad missed out the first time we went because they were in the hospital.

Our favorite restaurant in Arteaga, Pollo Feliz- which means "Happy Chicken." I know. These chickens don't look too happy; but we are certainly very happy when we eat here. It's soooo good!

We took a little drive near the mountains on a rare rainy day in Arteaga; despite the weather, it was a beautiful view.

It was so nice to have visitors here for a while. Now it's back to cleaning the house, doing the laundry, and washing the dishes. Now that I have more time on my hands, I'll try to give more frequent updates on the blog.

Tomorrow I'll try to post some pictures of our puppy - who is growing way too fast!