November 28, 2010 (Part 3)

Part “tres” – that’s 3, in Portuguese – betcha didn’t know that

Thursday – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

We really enjoyed skyping our family (sorry dad, we’ll skype you again this week).  We miss everyone, but we’re glad you all had a great Thanksgiving.  Ours went something like this…

We received a phone call telling us that we weren’t going to be able to get a turkey.  Rick had ordered one at a store on Tuesday, but they ended up not being able to find one.  So, we waited until our dryer was delivered (they had told us between 8am and 2pm).  They came at 2pm.  Then we headed out to go to the dog pound again and some other grocery stores to see if we could, by chance, find a turkey. 

I first want to tell you our dog pound experience.  Saddest thing ever!!!  We sent Rick up to the door/gate first to make sure it was open and to see if we could go in.  It is located in an alley type of thing across from the ciganos (gypsy).  Not an attractive area to begin with.  The ciganos set up these “camp” type of communities.  Basically, they find a vacant area and then start building shacks out of whatever they can find.  They have beat up old cars and they hang their laundry wherever they can find a spot.  It’s one step above “homeless”, in my opinion.  I’d really love to see the inside of one of their houses - I’m so intrigued by their lifestyle.  Anyways, back to the dog pound.  So, the lady tells Rick that we can come in.  So, Kaylie, Tanner, and I get out of the car and walk up to the entrance gate.  I almost gagged.  Kaylie and I looked at each other with the same expression at the same time – pure disgust!!  The smell was so overwhelming.  I told Rick I didn’t know if I’d be able to handle the smell.  But, the kids wanted to go see the dogs so badly that we forced ourselves to handle it.  Really, the only way I can describe the condition of the place, is – it was a concentration camp for dogs.  It was like walking through a cave at first – a narrow passageway, made out of concrete type walls, with very little light.  That area had bowls of cooked rice and bowls of bread pieces.  Rick assumed that they were probably given leftover bread from the bakeries (the stuff that didn’t sell).  Once we got passed that area, there was a concrete path that led you in between the dog pens.  I think there were a total of 6 cage areas full of dogs.  We found out later that they house over 200 dogs.  Along that pathway we had to be careful where we stepped – there were piles of doggy diarrhea right in the middle of where we walked.  That explained why the lady who worked there was wearing rain boots and a full plastic apron.  The whole time we were looking at dogs the lady would be yelling (and I am not kidding – I tried to secretly video tape her, but I couldn’t pull it off) at the dogs so loud to shut up.  We could hardly even talk to each other over the dogs barking and the lady yelling.  We found a few that the kids liked, but it was so hard to decide because they all looked like mangy strays and every time the kids would try to pet one through the gate 20 other dogs would crowd around barking.  There was a cage area right when we had walked in the main gate that was housing puppies, so we went back to look at them.  Of course we all fell in love with them (except for Rick).  After looking at the puppies we went back to the other dogs.  For me – that was the wrong choice.  I had already left once because I had to go out and get some fresh air and clean my hands.  When we went to the back again the dogs were so excited to see us.  As I walked up to one of the gates several dogs jumped up and flicked poop and urine right at my neck.  Then my natural instinct was to quickly wipe it off.  So, at that point, I now had poop and pee on my neck and my hand.  Can you say vomit?  Because that’s what I almost did.  At that point I was ready to go and we decided that it was too crazy to try to choose a dog anyway.  The lady said if we came back the next day there would be 2 of them to help us.  So, we decided to leave and think about it.  Before getting in the car we all had a good wash down with the antibacterial wipes.  Although, we still smelled like the place.  Luckily Rick had an extra sweatshirt in the car that I changed in to.  We still had turkey shopping to do.  We went to several stores looking for a turkey.  We even drove to the next town, Torres Noves, which is bigger (and a half hour away).  In Torres Noves we were able to find a turkey – in pieces!!  We could buy turkey wings, turkey legs/thighs, and they had 1 gigantic turkey breast (12 lbs - it was actually both breasts together).  So, we decided that the turkey breast was better than nothing.  We had the butcher cut it in half and took the one breast home with us.  We called and told the missionaries that we’d be having Thanksgiving the next day.  So, when Friday came along I was all set to go with a unique Thanksgiving dinner.  I started cooking in the morning, typical.  But, I soon realized that I had forgotten an ingredient for the pumpkin pie.  And cooking with a single oven that doesn’t work too well was a real challenge.  Because we called Thanksgiving for the next day, I didn’t really have a chance to make anything ahead of time (like the pies, for instance).  So, working with a single oven was difficult.  I prepared all the veggies, marinated the meat, made the pie crust, partially cooked the stuffing, then we headed out to get a dog and go to the store for the ingredients that I forgot to buy.  When we arrived at the pound the other lady came to the gate.  And it turned out to be the lady that we had met at FHE the previous Wednesday night.  Funny.  She talked with Rick for a few minutes.  Rick had told her about the dog that we wanted to see again.  This time we had stopped by a “Chinese” store and bought a collar and leash.  She went back and got the dog and brought it out to us, so that we could see it interact with the kids without 100 other dogs barking.  The dog was scared to death.  She just coward away from us with her tail between her legs the whole time.  I was kind of bummed because I was hoping she’d be playful once she was away from all of the other dogs.  But she wasn’t.  We tried to get her to play with us for a while, but she just wouldn’t.  I told Rick I thought they should go back in and check out a few more.  So, they did while I ran back to the store to get my pie ingredients.  Rick called my cell phone and said that they had adopted a dog and were heading to a park and for me to pick them up there.  I was surprised.  Turns out this dog was happy and playful at the pound, but once they got her on the leash and took her down the street – she froze.  I guess these dogs like their concentration camp.  We’re hoping she opens up and becomes playful again.  Now we’re trying to come up with a name for her.  When we got home it was back to cooking again.  I felt pretty panicked because I was running out of time (Rick was picking up the Elders for dinner at 5pm) and the whole oven issue, hmm….

But, it all came together – a little late, but none the less – we had Thanksgiving dinner.

Ok – it’s going to be a 4 part-er.  Good night!!