BENNIE WAS VERY ILL LAST NIGHT. 5/24/2012.

For no apparent reason The Benster got all sick w/ his allergies last night. They are never doing very well but this was crazy. I took him for a walk and 30 minutes later he looked like this.

His poor little amputated stump. I have some strong steroid pills that I'm only supposed to use when he is really bad. I'm supposed to give him 1/4 of a tablet. That never does any good at all. I gave him 3/4 of a tablet and he FINALLY improved.

These pictures don't seem to show how intense this allergy attack was...we found out he is allergic to Cedar, Mesquite, dust mites, storage mites (whatever THAT is) some grasses etc. etc.

That back foot is always the worst...and it WAS....and he's only got the one back leg. It looked like a damn raw sausage. It's GOTTA hurt. This afternoon Gene and I had an appt. for him w/ Dr. Pharr to begin his allergy shots. She is his Del Rio vet. Dr. Scott is the San Antonio skin specialist. He had mailed the serum to Dr. Pharr and she showed Gene how to give the injections. He will get TINY amounts every 3 days for a number of weeks. Then the doses will get stronger and farther apart. If this doesn't work I just don't know WHAT I'll do. I showed Dr. Pharr these photos and she said "No dog should have to be like that Mary. GIVE him larger doses of that steroid if you have to. Last night was the worst I've seen him in the 5 months that we've been wrestling with this problem. I'm sad and fed up...so is Bennie. And the bill is HUGE. It's not the money that bothers me...it's that NOTHING we've tried so far has helped!!!

MOVING DAY- 5/19/2012

I did not take many pictures on moving day...which was last Saturday. First of all my camera got packed and then I found it but was just too busy to do much w/ it. Too bad because there were some amusing moments. There were a few coin tosses to see who had to ride in the back of the truck. Gilbert is on the left. He's a junior at Gene's high school and on the track team. David is on the right and is graduating this year. He works hard on a ranch in Mexico. Gilbert came back and cut our grass at the old place and the new place.

David is moving my grandfather's dresser. Gee, our stuff has been moved around so much...it's a wonder any of it still exists. When I was a little girl...I used to steal chocolate covered mints from Woody's dresser. They were under clothing in the 2nd drawer. He HAD to have known...but never said a word about it.

This is Blanche. She is one of Gene's seniors also. She had asked to come help when Gene was recruiting students and he told her "no". I flipped out and said I needed help too. So, I was thrilled for her to come and help me clean and pack the kitchen and lots of art. She is very smart and pretty and mature for her age. I enjoyed spending the day w/ her. THAT GIRL CAN CLEAN!!

There's Avery...in the back. He's a graduating guy too. These were all very nice and hardworking youngsters.  They said we have alot of stuff. They needed the money. And believe me...it was HOT & hard work. They cussed my Daddy's desk because it's so big and cumbersome. But that was nothing compared to Gene's Mom's cast iron crossbar that the plantation bell and pots hang off of...they said: "What the HELL is this thing?" It took 4 guys to carry it to the truck. That item has become an albatross around our necks since we have become so mobile and non-home owners. We are still gathering up odds & ends from the garage and patio of the old place. I'm pretty fed up.

DIEGO AGUIRRE...aspiring actor.

Diego is Jamey's boyfriend. He just did a commercial and makes a good looking cop.

A couple of months ago he was an EMS guy. He was also in play recently called An Adult Evening With Shel Silverstein.

OUR POOR BABY BENNIE...still not too good.

We have been watching Bennie chew himself up from allergies for FOUR months. Yesterday I took him to the skin specialist in San Antonio for the 3rd. time. Left at 5:30 a.m. in a driving rain...for a 9:30 appt. Got home at 6 p.m. Dr. Scott detected a heart murmur so he was sent downstairs to the internist and heart specialist and is now on a heart med. Heart murmurs are not so unusual or worrisome according to the doctor. Whatever.

The place I take him is South Texas Veterinary Specialists and they have an excellent reputation. It is 26 miles down 1604 from Hwy. 90...so not even really into S.A. very far. Bennie has been tested for so many things at a HUGE expense. Is he EVER going to get well? They assure me that he will. It's a case of ruling out this and that and the other. Whatever.

Actually these pictures aren't even as angry and red as he gets sometimes. He has been on an extremely strong antibiotic for 60 days...finished with that now. He has at least 6 or 8 kinds of meds including- swabs, lotions, shampoos, unguents, ointments etc. etc. Two of his meds I get at the pharmacy at Walmart...he isn't a dog...he's  "people". Whatever.

Yesterday he finally had his skin test (he was tested for 30 things)and it did not show what we had hoped...so a blood sample was sent away for further testing. Dr. Scott said that Bennie's reaction isn't much compared to others he's tested. The bloodwork should be ready in a week and his serum will be mailed to us. Thus, begins a year of allergy shots.

He is a very brave patient and is popular w/ the staff at STVS...of course 3 legged dogs draw attention. Bennie says "WHATEVER!". On the way home just outside of Uvalde, TX... I saw 3 great big roosters running down the shoulder of HWY 90...in single file. They were running FAST. Where were they going? Where had they been?                                                                                                           On a lighter note: Willie (our other dog) was left trembling and scared with Gene in the garage yesterday morning. Willie is terrified of lightening and thunder. They were having coffee and cigarettes. Gene said he looked SO sad and scared that he took Willie to work and smuggled him into class. WILLIE WAS A ROCK STAR all day and got tons of attention. Unfortunately lots of people found out and Gene got a little paranoid and took Willie home at 2 pm. Gene denies everything and insists that he did NOT bring his dog to work. It was a dead pig at the end of a leash and the class dissected it...evidence gone bye-bye. Whatever Mr. Poole!!

DRHS PROM 2012. PART 2.

Yes, unfortunately for those who aren't interested...there is a Prom Part 2 Blog.

I had Gene submit my name to volunteer to help doing anything to put the prom together...nobody called me. Why?

The cupcakes looked really yummy!! And we sampled quite a few. They also had sandwiches and fruit kabobs.

Gene w/ 2 assistant principals. He's smiling because he was just offered a new 3 year contract. I wonder how old he'll be when they ask him to retire?

Some students look 15 and some students look 25.

I like the girl in black...she has an attitude. Gene teased her and said she was a "bad girl". She gave it right back back and declared him a "bad teacher".

Seems to be alot of blue. This is in the lounge area.

Hi there. We are good looking.

This girl did NOT want her picture taken.

These ladies were working the table where students voted for Prom King-n-Queen.

Hi there. We are not wearing blue.

These are 3 coaches from the high school who were quite a hit at the dance. They are holding flashlights that they ran around shining in dark corners. They had a few "dance offs" w/ the kids and got lots of applause. They were definitely the silliest chaperones.

Hmmmm...should my text color here be blue? Or pink?

Cool kids....and she had GREAT, odd shoes.

We are young and pretty and you are not.

The girl in the  middle decided to pose after all instead of covering her face.

Another cumbia. There were quite a few dances that lasted forever it seemed like. Some dances were like a punky-pogo style with arms in the air and lots of screaming and fist pumping.

The dance floor got packed after awhile. There were a few attempts of tossing a guy up in the air but the coaches put the nix on that immediately for safety reasons...but they tried it again a couple more times. Gene and I were the oldest people there. We snuck out 40 minutes early.

DEL RIO HS PROM. 2012...PART 1.

Gene has 60 Seniors this year. About half of them were at the Prom. He wanted a picture of everybody.

The decorations were really great this year. I didn't get a picture of the "lounge" they made...it had white couches and these huge fabric columns with lights inside. The table coverings, chair covers and center pieces were really good also...lots of sparkle.

There was every kind of dress imaginable. I always laugh at the long and/or strapless dresses. If their gown was both it was constant tugging on the top to keep it up and folks were constantly stepping on the skirt.

Many of the couples have matching color schemes.

Everybody had a really good time. I was bored after an hour and a half.

This guy forgot to smile.

Gene and 2 of his "knuckleheads". He calls ALL his students knuckleheads...no matter how smart they are.

There were between 300 & 400 kids there and they danced and danced and danced....

Mostly is was a big Cumbia-Fest.

There were a couple of country line dances. The kids know ALL the dances.

A pretty smile.

I liked these girls alot. Some of the students were shy to have their picture taken. I'm sure some ran the other way when they saw Mr. Poole.

Hello, we look 25 years old...and are very attractive.

Happy Seniors. That's Mr. Garza the principal to the left.

These are 2 Science teachers that were greeters at the door. They look SO young...and they are.

Stars on the ceiling & a giant "2012" wrapped in tulle and glitter in the background.

More teachers at the check-in table.