Out of this World
Inspired by the Wild Boar Dachshund
Published by
New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
Copyright © 2016 New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
Table of Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1 – Houston, You Have a New Family
Chapter 2 – Jett Meets Jasmine
Chapter 3 – Struggles
Chapter 4 – Balancing Work and Family
Chapter 5 – Grand Canyon or Bust
Chapter 6 – Man on the Moon
Chapter 7 – The Public Relations Man
Chapter 8 – Early Anniversary
Chapter 9 – Deserved Promotion
Chapter 10 – Mission Success
Foreword
The Dachshund featured in this drama is a Wild Boar Dachshund. I had not ever heard of a Wild Boar Dachshund until recently. They are incredibly beautiful dogs!
This fictional story is based in Houston, with the dad in the home working in NASA’s Mission Control. I do hope you enjoy this one as much as you have the others.
I would like to thank my team for their assistance in preparing the book for publishing: Al Rosario, illustrator; Jan Lawrence, co-editor; Drew Simenson, co-editor and Lucinda Campbell, formatting.
Proceeds from the sale of this book will benefit New Mexico Dachshund Rescue and Dachshund rescue in New Mexico and Texas. Thank you for supporting our mission.
I am dedicating this book to our precious grandson, Rex. We had spent years thinking that our grandparent quiver would be full with three arrows, but God had another plan. In a few short months you have brightened and blessed our lives beyond measure. You are loved!
--Stella Dillenbeck on behalf of New Mexico Dachshund Rescue
(Featuring the Dachshund Rescue Series by Stella Dillenbeck)
Chapter 1 – Houston, You Have a New Family
Hans was 10 years old when his parents made the decision to leave their beloved Norway and immigrate to the United States. They wanted to make sure their children, Hans and Olga, would get the best education possible. All of the paperwork was in order; they all had their passports, their visas and boat tickets. Hans had no sense of regret whatsoever; this was an adventure for him.
After their arrival in New York City, Hans’ family checked in first with the customs’ agent and secondly with the embassy’s immigration staff, getting the final clearance they needed for their move to Texas. Upon arrival in Houston they found a small, but comfortable, 3- bedroom cottage. As soon as they settled, the whole family started the naturalized citizen process to become U.S. citizens. Then Hans and Olga were enrolled in their school district. The parents' dreams for the children's education was becoming a reality and in due time, they all became citizens of the United States of America.
To say Hans was enthralled with Houston’s Space Program would be an understatement. For years he dreamed of being an astronaut someday. He set hefty goals for himself, looking far ahead into the future to prepare for college and astronaut training. He wanted to graduate from high school early and get into college as soon as possible. He also had plans to begin pilot training, so when the time was right he could meet NASA’s requirement for flight hours clocked.
Shortly before Hans graduated from high school, he received an acceptance letter from Streamline Technical Institute in Houston; he would be majoring in Nanotechnology Engineering. He was 17. His high school graduation was the first of many benchmarks he had set for himself. His parents and his sister Olga were all so proud of him.
Hans decided to live at home to stay close to family, and commute to college to keep his costs down. During his senior year he worked part-time at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. With his coursework and his job keeping him busy, his four years in college went by quickly. He finished his pilot training and clocked in the necessary flight hours. Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude in June, 1965, he was offered a prestigious position with Mission Control’s Platinum Team. Hans’ dream was becoming a reality. It was “all systems go” for the bright young man with a promising future.
Although Hans struggled some with his eyesight, he was not aware that it would eventually become a hindrance to realizing his dream. Hans had no way of knowing in advance that he would fail the mandatory eye test for admission into the astronaut training program. He was crushed when he got the news. The doctor told him that his eyesight was not “bad” – he was not going blind – it just was not good enough to be an astronaut. When he was told they still had a job for him with Mission Control’s Platinum Team, he determined he would be the very best engineer he could be.
Chapter 2 – Jett Meets Jasmine
After reflecting on his good fortune of being offered a position, Hans hit the ground running; NASA was implementing the Apollo Space Program and, even more importantly, planning to send a man to the moon by 1970. How thrilling it was to have a hand in such an important part of history! Hans felt he was doubly blessed when he found out that the rest of the team felt the same way. They began the process of giving everything they had to the mission.
Their efforts paid off; in 1967 they were ready to send Apollo 1 into orbit. The team was preparing for a launch pad test and the excitement in the control room was building. Hans went down the checklist to make sure everything was “all systems go“ for the test. Crew members Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee were in place and ready to go. What Hans didn’t know was that Apollo 1 had hidden her faults well. When a flash fire started in the cabin the module was consumed, along with her crew; this was to be the first space program disaster claiming human lives. Hans and the Mission Control team were devastated.
NASA rallied around the astronauts’ families and the Mission Control team. Losing Gus, Ed and Roger was hard on everyone and the grief unbearable. In the wake of the disaster, each dealt with the loss in their own way. Hans poured his heart and soul even deeper into his work, as if preventing future disasters was totally within his control. After the investigations and federal committee meetings it was determined that NASA should be allowed to continue with the program as planned. The prevailing attitude at NASA was the mission must go on. However the name Apollo 1, chosen by the crew, was officially retired by NASA in memory of the three, lost astronauts.
Still troubled with the emotions from the recent tragedy, Hans met someone soon after the accident that changed his life completely. Her name was Shar. She was pretty and young and if that wasn’t enough, her vivacious and caring spirit was exactly what Hans needed during a very difficult time. Her thoughtful and kind gestures helped Hans not only to cope with both the loss of his friends, but also with the stress coming from the public, the news media and NASA over what had happened and why. In Shar, he felt he had found a lifeline, and he gratefully reached out to grab hold.
After Hans and Shar had dated for a few months, Shar began to wonder if Hans could benefit from the help of a “furry” friend. She knew that animals were used very successfully for comfort and therapy with many people struggling with trauma. After considering Shar’s suggestion, and with a promise from her that she would help care for the new addition, Hans agreed to the idea. So for additional therapy, Hans got himself a Norwegian Elkhound puppy he named Jett.
Both Shar and Jett did their part in helping Hans through this difficult time. Jett had slipped into their lives like sunshine after many rainy days. His presence seemed to kick their courtship into high gear, now that so much of the darkness of the accident was being overshadowed by Hans’ new relationships. The couple found that after enduring and working through such a devastating experience, they could handle just about anything. When Hans got up the courage and Shar said, ‘yes,’ they were married in D
ecember 1967 in a small chapel not far from the Space Center. A quick weekend getaway to Galveston on the Gulf Coast was the only honeymoon they had time for due to his work schedule. Shar laughed and teased Hans because Jett went with them, but she really did not have a problem with it because she loved Jett, too.
Though the honeymoon was short, it definitely was sweet. All too soon they needed to return home. When Hans was at work one day, Shar got a call from her friend Trish on the Dachshund Rescue Team. They were delivered the most gorgeous Wild Boar Dachshund as an owner-surrender, but unfortunately all of their foster homes were full. Trish was wondering if she would be interested in the dog. A Wild Boar Dachshund? Shar had never even heard of one but sure, she was certainly open to considering it. She asked Trish to mail her the foster paperwork plus a photo of the dog. And on further reflection Shar asked also for an adoption application, just in case…
Shar could not believe her eyes when she saw the photos of the dog, she was gorgeous. The Dachshund was a one-year-old female named Jasmine; she was a deep, chocolate brown color with shimmering gold highlights. She mostly was a short hair, but the hair was longer around her head and ears. After a brief discussion with Hans about the dog, Shar filled out the application and scanned it for emailing to Trish. Trish smiled when she got the return e-mail…her hunch had been right...she was glad she had followed her instincts by calling Shar.
Trish delivered Jasmine to Shar’s place a couple of hours later. She snapped a photo of Shar holding Jasmine for the rescue’s adoption photo library. With the check for the adoption fee in hand Trish was soon out the door, leaving Jasmine to bond with her new family. She and Shar could visit later.
Jett took right to Jasmine. Even though he was a puppy, he was bigger than her. All Jett knew was another dog was there to play with and he was excited about it. “Surely they had done this for me?” Or so he imagined. At first Jasmine was a little nervous of Jett because his size and his puppy exuberance were intimidating. However, Jasmine herself was not too far past the puppy stage and the two of them were joyfully playing within a few minutes.
When Hans came home late that evening Jett met him with his usual exuberance. In the corner of the foyer a new face stood quietly, waiting to be recognized. “Well, who is this stranger?” Hans asked. It really wasn’t a surprise, though, for he had gotten a call from Shar earlier with the details about adopting Jasmine and he was supportive of the idea. With a small twitch of her tail, and a hopeful eye on Hans, Jasmine moved forward and sniffed his outstretched hand. Hans gently rubbed her head and told her he was glad she had come to keep Shar and Jett company and be a part of his family.
Chapter 3 – Struggles
Hans’ work was keeping him busier than normal – NASA’s next project was sending a man to the moon. The enormity of the project required long, hard hours at Mission Control, as well as an intense focus on what they were doing. As Hans was kept away from home more and more, Shar focused more on her home interior decorating hobby and caring for the two dogs. With Shar doing most of the training, Hans found that when he would give certain commands, sometimes the dogs would just cock their little heads as if to say, “What did you say?” When Hans complained to Shar about their dogs being disobedient, Shar just laughed and said she thought they were having a little trouble understanding his accent.
Hans loved Shar and was so happy that she had two great little companions at home when he couldn’t be there. They had been trying for six months to get pregnant, but with no luck. He knew her struggles with infertility were hard on her and she needed a little distraction to help her through the difficult times.
Shar loved taking care of the new family members. Having two dogs to train kept her very busy. Since Jett was still a puppy, he needed to go out often. After Jasmine arrived her paperwork didn’t say if she was housebroken or not, but it didn’t matter since the two dogs would go out together. The first time Jasmine went out, she wasted no time to squat and pee. Jett sniffed the grass, and then he proceeded to hike his leg up on a nearby juniper tree. Shar smiled; this whole Dachshund adoption thing may turn out very well, with Jett learning from Jasmine. She gave Jett and Jasmine big hugs. Jett thanked her with a tail wag and Jasmine showed her appreciation her with a kiss.
Shar and Hans made the decision to keep their dogs in a kennel at night. Jett had previously fought them and would whine, but he was much better now that Jasmine was also in the kennel. He decided since Jasmine was okay with it, then it must be all right.
It was not very long before they had to get a much larger kennel. Jasmine did not have much more growing to do, but that was not true of Jett, however. He was growing leaps and bounds. Hans kidded about putting a brick on his head, but Shar knew he was joking and it would not work. The Norwegian Elkhound was bred to aid in hunts for elk, bear and other large wild animals. He was going to be a big dog.
Shar went through a rough time emotionally as she dealt with infertility. She loved Jasmine and Jett; she was grateful she had the distraction of the two dogs, but they did not fill the void. Hans wanted children, too, and his heart ached for his wife. He would simply hold her and let her cry. He knew nothing he said would console her and he certainly did not want to take a chance on making things worse by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Hans did his best to do kind and thoughtful things to lift her spirits, following the example she had set for him when they first met. He did manage to get some smiles and, yes, even some laughs out of her.
Chapter 4 – Balancing Work and Family
Hans never tired of his job at the Space Center. Each day was different and as exciting as the previous day. Since he worked in Mission Control, he was an integral part of the core team that oversaw the missions. Hans was humble about it, though. He loved his job and wanted to be the best engineer he could possibly be. And even though he had unfulfilled dreams of being an astronaut because of his poor eyesight, he knew it was a tradeoff for being home with Shar more. He was grateful for that.
Shar chose to stay at home and had her husband’s support. They had a modest home and he certainly made enough money that it was not necessary for her to work. She had Jett and Jasmine to care for, her Jazzercize exercise twice per week, her ladies’ Bible study once a week, her in-laws living close by and her home interior decorating hobby. Taking care of her husband, her home and her dogs were her priority. Everything else was secondary. Her life was full and meaningful and her heart overflowed with gratitude. She was one blessed woman.
Neither Hans nor Shar could believe it when Jett turned one year old and Jasmine was almost two years old. The year had gone much too quickly for both of them. They could not get over the size of the dogs either. Jett was almost full grown. Although he still had some puppy tendencies, many of them had gone by the wayside. Jasmine was full grown now and her markings were even more pronounced. Perhaps it was the Texas sun or maybe Wild Boar Dachshunds were that way, but Shar had noticed that Jasmine now had more gold around her head and ears, down her back and on her tail. They could not get over it. How fortunate they had been to be there when the Dachshund Rescue Team was looking for a foster home for her. This gorgeous dog was theirs. She was family.
Jasmine followed Jett everywhere. Her “brother” meant the world to her and she was determined to be where he was. Hans and Shar were surprised that Jasmine had no problem bonding with Jett, unaware that Dachshunds tend to bond easily with other dogs. Jett was as gentle as he could be with her, while also being protective of her. And he was turning out to be one gorgeous dog, too.
NASA would soon be sending a man to the moon, which meant that Hans would be spending more time away from home and more hours at work. Neither dog was happy when Hans was gone and you could see the disappointment all over their faces when he left in the mornings. Shar got in the habit of putting them outside so they could explore and play instead of moping about. It wouldn’t take long before Hans was forgotten and life was good, especially when Shar would give them each a tre
at after their morning romp. Jett would stand as stiff as a statue with his tail curled up over his back, while Jasmine would sit up and beg. These dogs were just too funny!
Chapter 5 – Grand Canyon or Bust
In spite of her twice a week Jazzercize, Shar found herself gaining weight. She guessed she had unwittingly been turning to comfort food because Hans was gone so much of the time. She also had to admit her age was catching up to her, too. She made a conscious decision to pare back on food portions and eat healthier foods. She also decided to take Jett and Jasmine for daily walks, as long as the weather held out.
Hans had always been the one to take the dogs for walks, but he had not done it in quite awhile. Shar was grateful they were leash-trained. She needed self-discipline to get the walks done. She also put it on her calendar so other things did not crowd it out of its priority slot. The dogs loved their walks. They had been missing them and were content with Shar being on the other end of the leash.
Power naps had also become a part of Shar’s daily schedule. She and the dogs would lay down for an hour or so each afternoon. The rest time gave her an energy boost to see her through the remainder of the day. Once she started the daily nap routine, Shar realized she was not quite as taxed during the evening.
Since they had not had a vacation in awhile, Shar talked Hans into taking some leave time. It would give her and Hans some precious moments together, and with the dogs. She also talked him into purchasing an RV and avoid the hassle of finding hotels that allowed pets. The RV was purchased, the tank was filled and the cabin was stocked. Before the ink was even dry on Hans’ leave request slip, they were off on their vacation adventure with two dogs in tow. Jett and Jasmine were excited. This was something new and Dad got to join them, too.