a video tribute to my Do

Here is a beautiful picture video tribute to my Do that was played at the wake. It shows pictures through the course of her life.

Click here to watch it on youtube

Dorothy Thaller Schultz

I know I have yet again become lazy in my postings to this blog. It is as though I hardly have time to come up for air in my course of study. However, I must take this moment to share my love for a beautiful life that has recently passed away from us.

My grandmother, Dorothy Schultz:

Dorothy T. (Thaller) Schultz

(written by my mother, Mary Schultz)

DOROTHY T. (THALLER) SCHULTZ, 90, died on September 28, 2008 in a circle of care like many she had drawn around all the stages of her life.

After 10 years of progressive illness, Dorothy came to nursing home at St. Dominic Village for the last weeks of her life. It was just steps from the office where she had served as School Health Coordinator for the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (1975-1982) and just around the corner from the Dominican Sister's retirement/ rehabilitation center, initiated with nursing services and policies established by her (1972-1975).

Born the 13Th child of immigrant parents farmers from Alsace-Lorraine, Dorothy grew up as a farm girl, surrounded by family in central Illinois. She took up the profession of nursing in the footsteps of a beloved doctor who'd become her mentor after both parents died. After signing on as an Army Nurse in WWII, she met and married Colonel Charlie Schultz who brought her home to the rest of her life in Texas. Faith and family were Keystones to the life of Dorothy Schultz. Though the values were immovable, they could be demonstrated through gentle compassion, tough determination or playful camaraderie.

Husband Charles often referred to Dorothy as "an activist"- a term which may have described her constant energy in work and volunteer projects, usually for the Church; or maybe her progressive politics which was in contrast to his own; or perhaps to Dorothy's propensity to step in and take care of any family member or friend in need. Dorothy Schultz's creative contribution to children and Church began when her three young children were primary students at parochial school in San Antonio. Form 1956-1958 she established a kindergarten to support the mission of the Presentation Sisters. The kindergarten continues to this day. While living with the family in San Antonio, Dorothy also taught both full time and substitute in the parochial school; a work she continued at Mount Carmel grade school after the family moved to Houston in 1963. She was director of religious education at Mount Carmel (1966-1969) and Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral (1971-1974)

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband Charles Schultz (d. 1994) and all of her sisters and brothers. But the gift of her life will live on with gratitude and love in the lives of her three children, Mary Emily Schultz, Charles T. Schultz and Carol J.S. Coulston with husband Robert; three grandchildren, Joseph Coulston, Andy Coulston with wife Sae, and Emily Lawson; as well as two great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2008 from 5- 7 p.m. with a prayer services at 6:30 p.m. at Forest Park East Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, 11011 Hall Rd., Houston, TX 77089. Interment will take place at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Columbus, TX. The family is requesting that you sign the guest registry on line at www. Houston Chronicle.com. In lieu of flowers donation can be made to Dominican Sisters of Houston, 6501 Almeda, and Houston, TX 77021.

To sign the guest book, click here.

Port Au Prince, Haiti

I started working on this post in March, but didn't get past uploading these pictures. So, this will have to do for now as I would like to try to catch up on my postings.


We had two weeks of spring break in March and knowing I wanted to go somewhere warm, I bypassed the ideas of typical beach destinations like Cancun and the Bahamas and opted for somewhere far more unstable. A good friend of mine has spent the last 8 months or so working on her PhD in Haiti. She is studying Haitian politics and the governments reaction/interaction with outside aid. Since she was there, I decided to spend a week of my spring break visiting her in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.


I have seen poverty all over the world. This place has some of the most tangible that I have ever experienced. Never have I known that people around me were actually eating dirt in attempt to survive. Never have I had to scoot past guards with semi-automatics in *every* store I entered. Never have I seen UN peacekeeping trucks around every corner with troops from countries around the world.

And yet, as usual, I felt welcomed and embraced by the people I met and got out of the city long enough to experience some of Haiti's natural beauty (namely some gorgeous beaches).
Before leaving I packed a huge duffel bag full of children's clothes (after a friend from church suggested it and organized the collecting of them) which I took to an orphanage. It was difficult for me to leave without one of those beautiful children

It was a great experience and I am glad to have had the opportunity to go. Fortunately, I returned before the unrest began again in April. Here are some pictures of my trip to give you a small glimpse of this island country.

Sunset in Port Au Prince

a woman coming home from the market

street market

view of the smoggy city

Port Au Prince at night

public transport

and from the back

you have to pay to have your garbage picked up, so there are lots of community made dumps like this one

many houses look like this because the taxes are less if the house is unfinished!

a view out of the gate

(I love this picture)

this one speaks for itself

superstars!

With my friend Sheree (who I was visiting)

visit to the fort in town

Some boys we met there

A night of Salsa in Haiti!!

trip to the beach - we're not as tough as we look!

one of these things is not like the others....

girls in the sunset

boys working on their future music careers

sunset with Sheree

saying goodbyes

Final stop at the orphanage - aren't they beautiful!

Quito, Ecuador

My final posting from Ecuador contains sights of Quito - the capital city built in a great Valley near the center of Ecuador.

From the top of TeleferiQo, you can see the whole city spread up and down the valley. Every inch seems to be covered.

the three cousins about to ascend to the highest point in the city to see the view

And what a view!

almost in the clouds

a view of the city at night (from a little lower - at a friend's house)

And, of course, no capital city of a country names Ecuador would be complete without the equator running through it.

Strangely enough, the large equator monument, built by the French several hundred years ago) is just slightly off - by about 500 yards. So, we had to visit the large monument (actually the "wrong" equator) and the smaller museum (built on the correct one - and proven by forces of nature)

Not really it....

the real thing!!!

one foot in each hemisphere .... so cool!

If you are ever in doubt as to whether or not you are standing on the real equator...here are a few tricks that will give you a definitive answer:

1. It is very difficult to balance on the equator. Our bodies are used to the pull of one pole, so if you try to close your eyes and walk with your arms out along the equator, the pull of both the North and South poles equally makes it very difficult!

"I think I can, I think I can"

2. When you are directly on the equator (without arms etc extended) there is only one force. Unlike the northern or southern hemispheres, where the primary pull is north or south, respectively, on the equator the pull is directly down. This is shown a couple of ways. First (not pictured here) the water going down a drain does not swirl at all, it goes straight down and out. This was proven on the equator by filling a sink with water, placing a leaf in int and pulling the plug. It swirled around in both the northern and southern hemisphere (only just a few feet from the equator) but directly on the line, the leaf moved directly down without any circular motion. Secondly, you can balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. This is true because the fluid inside is being pulled directly downward. It took some adjusting, but I did manage to balance this egg:

Look, mom! I did it myself!

Another interesting tid bit about Ecuador, that we learned at the equator museum, is that the shrunken head tradition is Ecuadorian. In case one might be inclined to try it at home, here are the directions:

Your end product should look something like this:

The last fun fact from this museum that I'll share with you is the role of the guinea pig in the Ecuadorian culture. In the past, people kept multiple guinea pigs in their homes. They say that they warn of evil spirits and negative energy. Apparently, if someone with ill intent enters the premises, the guinea pigs will start running about and squealing frantically. They had some on the tour and fortunately, our group had great energy because they just went about their business while we were in there (but the tour guide did say that he's had 3 groups that set them all a flurry)

Funny, I wouldn't have pegged these guys are "guard pets"

Stranger yet may be that though these animals are revered for their energy sensing powers, traditional Ecuadorian cuisine also includes roasted and fried guinea pig. Hmmm...??? Doesn't quite add up to me. But, I guess if your guard-guinea pig population is multiplying rapidly you have to do something about it. Martina and I had to try it out for ourselves:

you could see their little toes (see next to Martina's thumb)

but I ate it anyway. A little greasy, but not the worst thing I've ever eaten (believe me!)

The first part of my time in Quito was spent with my cousins. Martina had been living there and was just moving when we arrived. So, we helped her move and saw a couple of the neighborhoods in Quito.

the view from the roof patio of the first house

moving day: there was no room in the cab, so I squashed into the back

a view of a street seller from the back of the moving truck

With Asha and Martina we had some nice dinners out in Quito and took a trip to some natural hot springs in the mountains near Quito. It was truly magnificent - fueled by the volcano, the water was so hot and relaxing. The cold mountain air made the experience even more wonderful.

Dinner at Tapas y Vino

Emily and Asha in the hot springs with the mountains in the background

And of course, no trip to Quito would be complete without seeing some of the old town. The colonial center of town always has a buzz of activity surrounding these beautiful stone buildings and cobblestone pedestrian streets.

a plaza in old town

a view up one of the old town streets

the statue on the hill is the virgin of Quito

a cathedral in old town

inside the cathedral

the "gargoyles" are native animals (these are Galapagos turtles)

Yes, this is a modern cathedral!

another street in old town

After returning from the rain forest with the Herolds, we spent a couple of days together in Quito as well. One day we took a trip out to Otavalo market - a traditional market in the mountains a couple of hours from Quito.

at the market - I love the colors and patterns

Happy and I in our wares that we purchased at the market

lunch break after a full morning of shopping

On our drive to and from this market, we saw rows and rows of green houses. We learned that Ecuador is one of the biggest exporters of roses. We stopped at at "flower shop" where we purchased 4 dozen roses for about $3.00. Amazing!

aren't they beautiful?

On the Herold's last day in Ecuador, we all had lunch in old town. It was such a fantastic group of people that included the Herolds, me and Martina, Jorge (our guide from the rain forest) with his wife and daughter and Maria Clara (the daughter of the owner of another place they had stayed). Here's a fabulous group photo:

And because I had to leave in style, my last evening in Quito included one final shopping spree where I bought this amazing carnival mask. I'll let it speak for itself!