My Birthday and New Orleans

It's been awhile. Guess this is my common sentence in this period. I celebrated my birthday on May 15, Perry and I went to New Orleans and we had a wonderful time! We went to a jazz bar and there was a band playing beautiful music. It was just disappointing that the food wasn't that great or well.. there was not food for us! We couldn't eat anything local because everything was seafood based.. :( So at the end we ate a vegan burger at the HardRock cafè.. guess better than nothing! :)

It was a really nice weekend. The city is very beautiful and alive, the people friendly, just fantastic! The signs of Katrina are still there though and it was really sad to see part of the city completely empty and a dead forest on our way back home..



Soon I'm going to a research 'expedition' to the Dry Tortugas and I hope it's gonna be great! I'm going to study coral reef/fish! One week on a boat for some great ecological research!

Please Save Shambo

Taken from the web site Skandavale.org http://www.skandavale.org/shambo.htm:

The National Assembly for Wales
has issued a notice of intended slaughter. This means they intend to kill “Shambo” one of our Temple Bulls.

27th April 2007

· Shambo one of our Temple bulls has tested positive to a routine Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) skin test. This means that he is suspected, not proven to carry Bovine TB.

· The current policy of DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is to kill any animal suspected of carrying Bovine TB.

· Shambo is in a very healthy condition. If TB does develop in him, he can be expected to make a full recovery given appropriate care.

· As a responsible organisation we have sought professional veterinary advice to ensure that the measures we are taking are robust and appropriate to minimise any risk of possible spread of disease either to other animals in our care, other farm animals, wildlife, the members of the Community involved in direct animal husbandry or members of the public visiting the Community for worship.

· We understand and appreciate DEFRA’s position with regards to public health and containing the spread of TB with the view to eliminate it from the national herd. We have been advised by our solicitors that there is provision both within the Animal Health Act 1981 and the more recent TB order Wales 2006 for permission to treat and vaccinate any animal identified as having TB with the prior consent of the minister for the national Assembly of Wales.

· If we were to permit DEFRA to kill Shambo it would be an appalling desecration of life, the sanctity of our Temples and Hinduism as a whole.

· We could no more allow the slaughter of Shambo than we could the killing of a human being. Ultimately we would be willing to defend his life with our own.

· We sincerely hope and pray that the officials at DEFRA will respect, not desecrate, the Hindu religion, the sanctity of Shambo’s life and Skanda Vale’s holy Temples.

· If DEFRA decide to desecrate the Hindu religion and try to kill Shambo, we exhort all those who support the Temple and Sanathana Dharma to come to our assistance.

3rd May 2007

We have today received a "Notice of Intended Slaughter" from the National Assembly for Wales.
We are taking steps to challenge this decision through the courts.

4th May 2007
· Shambo has been isolated from other bovines and from contact with the public in a specially constructed shrine within our main Temple.

Preparing Shambo's new home in the back of the
Murugan Temple

Shambo's new home is ready

Shambo represents Nandi (Lord Shiva's bull)

6th May

We have started an online petition

7th May

Shambo has settled into his new home and is coping well with the pressures of bovine superstardom.
Nearly 600 supporters from all over the world have signed up to our petition in the first 24 hours.
Please tell all your friends to get on their computer and sign the petition.

Happy Birthday Susie!!!!!!!!

I know I've disappeared in the last months.. This summer I'm actually gonna have a lot more to tell because I'll be involved in a lot of activities...! But today I really had to post that it's the birthday of my truest sweetness! No doubt! Today Susie turns 10!! Happy birthday my sweet Susie! I've sent her two fluffy balls to play and my parents showed her to me through Skype (free callings!!) and she was so happy and playing! I love her soo much!!!!! Can't wait to hold her again! A couple of months my sweet Susina!!

Another news is that my brother will have a son soon, they'll name him Enea, Aeneas in English, I'm not crazy about the name but I'm already loving him! :)

University is going alright, the first semester is already ended and I'm looking forward a busy busy summer!

Lots of love,

Valentina