Category Archives: Wowwee’s

Scarf Attack

Posted by rdgringa on May 17, 2013 No comments

Teli and I were in bed I was on the Kindle and she was dozing off next to me. We were all calm, comfy and cozy. All of a sudden she started growling while looking towards the door.

Her hair was standing up on her back. The growl got bigger as Teli jumped to her feet. She was in full attack mode it seemed. I sat up as well.

There is a divider blocking the door from my view. First thought is that someone was hiding behind the divider. I was starting to grab my stick I keep by the bed. Teli jumped off the bed and ran into the living room, my viscous attack dog was a chicken.

I was alone with whatever it was behind the divider.

Just at that second the light in my brain lit and I realized what was happening. I laid a black scarf on top of the divider earlier today. It did not belong there.

Teli came running back in and jumped onto the bed still growling, a deep frightening growl. I bet that scarf was scared to death of Teli ready to attack it.

I grabbed the scarf and threw it down on the bed next to where she was standing. She jumped up in the air, all for feet off the bed. Frightened. Then she gave me a look like what the heck looking from the scarf then to me a few times. Then the brave dog sat down while sticking her nose into the offending piece of black cloth. All was safe and she was happily throwing the scarf into the air and playing with it.

Teli with her scarf

My guard dog saved me from the big bad scarf, that is, after she ran away in fright. She had her bad scarf and laid down again and I returned to my Kindle. All was safe and sound.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my dog Teli? (Teli wrote her own version of this story on her blog The Dominican Dog Blog)

Bad Bra Employee

Posted by rdgringa on May 16, 2013 No comments

I went out to pay my bills and do some much needed shopping. I hate to go out and leave my baby Teli at home so I make all the stuff I need to do happen at once to get it over with. Also, I so hate shopping. Always have and always will. I walk into a store and my brain turns to mush. I cannot remember what I wanted. I always have a list but still it doesn’t help much.

I went into a store, I will not mention the name, to get hair dye and soap. I figured I would see if they had any bras in my size that were inexpensive. They will not let you try on the bras any more in this particular store (which I understand why now) so you have to stand there and try it over your clothes.

The girl came to help me. I found one I liked than saw that the price was way more than I wanted to spend so I told the girl thanks but I did not want to buy it. She went on to ask me how much money I did want to spend. I told her and she told me to wait. She came back and the little security thingy on the item was gone. She told me to go into the dressing room and put it on and I could just pay her the money that I wanted to spend. I could not believe it.

She was telling me to put the bra on, give her the money and for me to walk out of the store with me wearing it! She wanted me to steal the bra and give her money to do it.

I kept telling her no. She held my arm and told me it was OK. So I figured I would ask her if I could pay her with a debit card, which I knew I couldn’t. She told me I had to give her cash. I told her I did not have any cash, which I did. She said told me to go to the cash machine in the store and get the cash. I told her my card was from USA and it would not work in that machine, which it does work in that machine.

I just wanted to get out of there. I was not going to steel a bra. I was not going to pay her for the bra when it did not belong to her. I was not going to go to jail for steeling a $20USD bra. Then I thought that I should tell the managers what she was doing. But I didn’t. I just went on to the next store to buy my food all the while thinking about girl almost forcing me to take that bra.

El Motoconcho Video

Posted by rdgringa on April 22, 2013 No comments

I had to share this video. It is oo funny (except for when the moto hits the dog). Welcome to Dominican Republic!!

“El MOTOCONCHO”

Take a Ride Down The Stairs

Posted by rdgringa on October 17, 2012 No comments

Most mornings I take my baby girl Teli, The Dominican Dog, out for a walk. She loves her morning walks before the streets get noisy and full of cars and humans. We usually run into other neighbors taking their dogs for walks also. We meet up many mornings and talk, catching up on what’s happening around the neighborhood. We discuss family, dogs, neighbors, all the good neighborhood gossip and information. The dogs enjoy themselves playing and romping around while the parents share.

History – About 5 days before this on the morning walk on Calle las Damas the big black metal balls they have buried in the cement at the end of the street was ripped out of its mooring and bent. These balls are placed around the Colonial Zone blocking vehicle access to different areas, especially where roads were changed into pedestrian walkways. This large heavy ball was lying in a bunch of broken bricks and cement on its side looking a bit sad. There were bricks strewn all the way to the stairs of Las Damas/ Escaleras de las Damas. I thought someone hit the barricade, maybe the breaks gave out on the car, or maybe the city tore it out for some strange reason. It seems that I was very wrong.

Calle Las Damas. Traffic block missing

The neighbor, Cesar, told me this story about what he says happened.

Discussing the event at the top of the stairs

Late one night someone, well really, some vehicle, smashed into the guardian sphere. They tore it out of the ground, and proceed to drive across the park to the stairs. Then the vehicle proceeded to descend the stairs to Avenida George Washington far below.

Tire marks

Cesar pointed out the tire marks that were almost washed away after a few hard rains we had. They could still be seen. He also pointed out a few places on the stairs where the end pieces were broken or cracked. At the last turn on the last landing before hitting flat land again the cement railing is broken. He said that the car smash into it and broke the cement. Then it continued on down to the Malecon and drove away, he supposes.

And on down the stairs went the vehicle

It had to be some big well-built vehicle to take out the metal ball and keep going. Then there had to be some mighty good steering going on to make the twists and turns needed to make it to the bottom of the stairs alive. Then to continue on, accessing the highway. Traveling on their merry way down the Malecon without detection or problems. I did not see any oil spill or glass broken. Maybe it was a semi-ghost vehicle carrying one very talented driver (it is Halloween month you know). That, or the driver was drunk and incredibly lucky.

I wish I could have seen this happen. Weird wild stuff for sure…

Policeman Hurt in Motorbike Crash 8-27-2012

Posted by rdgringa on August 27, 2012 No comments

I was cooking my lunch about 3:20PM when there was a dull crash sound outside in the street on the corner of Padre Billini and Isabel la Catolica. I did not go look at first but Teli came running into the kitchen. She stood at the door, looked at me, then turned and ran back to the living room. I decided I best follow.

I went to look out the window and there in the street was a young police man just laying there face down with all the money changer guys, the taxi guy, the parking guy, anther police man and a few people I did not recognize who ended up being the owners of the car the motorbike-riding helmet-less policeman crashed into.

The policeman was laying face down in the street. He was trying to get up it seemed. The guys there held his elbows and lifted him to his feet. He could not stand so they laid him back down face first. He didn’t seem to have any strength in his legs.

Police laying in the street

I was yelling in my head for noone to move the guy. It looked like he could have a back or neck injury. But here when there is a crash and someone is hurt they usually always just pick the person up and place them in the back of whatever vehicle is around and transport to the hospital.

This is what they did here. Four men, each holding an appendage, carried the guy, still face down to the waiting car. It was the car the motorbike riding policeman hit. The policeman was holding his head up but nothing else seemed to be moving.

Carrying the injured man to the waiting car

They put him in head first down on the back seat. Then they pushed and pulled to get him into the car. This entire time I was winching thinking about protecting his neck and back but they were only thinking about getting him into the car.

Pushing the injured man into the car

Then the drivers got into the car with people yelling out where the nearest hospital was. Someone should have gone with them to show them where the hospital was but noone did. The other police just stood there like he might have been a bit dazed holding his gun.
Where the red circle is is where I think the policeman on the bike hit the window head on. It is cracked.

Policeman loaded into the car with cracked side window and on way to hospital.

Then they picked up the bike with the other policeman looking on still a bit dazed and took it off the road. They were picking up pieces of it off the road. The policeman pushed it off to the station on the next street over.

Checking the bike

Then all the guys had to stand and discuss what happened. From what I picked up the policeman, again I saw NOT wearing a helmet, braked fast as he did not stop going through the intersection which is the normal thing here. He flew off the bike and went head first into the window of the car. The car was not going fast. The policeman riding in the back just went down with the bike and did not get hurt bad. The driving policeman ended up face first in the middle of the street. Things like this happen here often because noone stopps at street corners and people do not wear helmets.

I hope the man is OK. I feel so bad. There was no police taking a report. There was no ambulance. There was no back or neck board. I felt sick watching it all happen and still do not feel that great. I will try and find out how the young policeman is later today.

I was going to have this posted right after the accident but nooo… As I was uploading the pictures the electricity went out for the second time today so I ad to wait to post this breaking news for an hour after the fact when the electric came back on. I think they are working on fixing the stuff after the Hurricane Isaac past us by.

The Bridge in Ocoa Before and After

Posted by rdgringa on August 26, 2012 No comments

Hurricane Isaac has visited out island in the Caribbean. Haiti and Dominican Republic both have had damage.

Listin Diario posted this picture of the bridge in San Jose de Ocoa showing it has been destroyed by the floods after the storm passed.

I have a picture of the same bridge when I visit there last year October 2011. There was very little water in the river. There was even a cw taking a stroll in the almost dry river bed.

Check this picture out. You can click on the image to get the full picture to open. Its incredible. So sad for the people in the area. It is the only bridge connecting San Jose de Ocoa, Sabana Larga and Rancho Arriba. I hope they get all repaired soon.