Other Important Members of the Family

Orion, a Golden Retriever, was our first dog and what a sweet dog he was.  My first real interaction with dogs was when Orion became not only our pet but family member.   In this photograph he is looking at the Olentangy River.  This post is a homage to the 14 wonderful years we spent together.  He will never be forgotten. 

In this photograph, John and Orion, when both were young, playing in the snow.

I raised Argos, my dog in Greece, for three months when he was a puppy.  He now lives with a lovely young couple and Mark their one year old son.  I visit Argos every time I am in Greece.  I am sure he is wondering when his father will end his itinerant lifestyle.

The two cats are Pounce to the right and Theo to the left.  I am not going to take sides to the argument if dogs or cats are more clever and loveable, as I like both.

The newest arrival in the family is Louis.  King Louis is a hunting dog. He is a mixed breed beagle and Jack Russell.  He is also a sweet dog that likes chasing squirrels, birds and other little critters.

The bus trip.

The final leg from Chicago to Columbus, Ohio was a mere 360 miles. With this trip our journey came to an end as we returned to where we started.

We made this journey on the Megabus that departs outside the Union Station on Canal Street in Chicago and makes stops in Indianapolis at OSU Student Union and downtown Columbus. There is no doubt it is the slow way to travel as it takes one hour by plane versus 6 on the bus.  Of course in the one hour you have to add a couple more hours that you should arrive to the airport prior the take off time.  You should be prepared to wait in long lines, remove your shoes, belt etc and God forbid if you carry a small bottle of water!  Keep in mind that due to adverse weather conditions thousands  of flights have been cancelled so there is a good chance that you may sleep at the airport.  Recently most of the airlines charge even if you carry a suitcase and I am willing to bet in the future they will add an extra charge to those who are overweight!  So go bus! 

The flag of the State of Indiana has 19 stars, with the outer circle representing the 13 colonies and the 5 stars in the semi-circle stand for the states admitted to the Union prior to Indiana.  The star above the torch symbolizes Indiana, the 19^th state.

The flag of the State of Ohio is unique due to its shape.  Ohio’s flag unlike all other is shaped like a pennant and is referred as a burgee.  The large blue triangle represents Ohio’s hills and valleys.  Inside the triangle are 17 white stars, the 13 to the left surrounding the large circle represent the colonies while the 4 to the right symbolize the next four states to join the Union.  The large red circle represents the first letter of the state’s name and also the fruit of the state tree, the buckeye.  The three red and two white stripes symbolize the land and water routes of the state.