10 September 2023 | prestonhollowpeople.com
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PRESTON HOLLOW MAN PENS TRIBUTE TO HIS BELOVED BRONCO
M
ost of us have had a pet that was a little more special than the others, one that seemed to speak to us and understand exactly what we were saying. Thomas Wikman had Bronco, a 167-pound Leonberger who, by all accounts, was an extraordiK E R ST E N R ET T I G nary dog with a remarkable owner. A native of Sweden who has lived in Preston Hollow for the last 23 years, Thomas holds a master’s degree in engineering physics from Uppsala University and studied electrical engineering and applied physics and worked on his doctorate in robotics at Case Western. He took early retirement from Siemens, where he, among other things, worked with artificial intelligence to enhance software performance. Thomas is also a family man who enjoys spending time with friends and neighbors, his in-laws, who also live in Preston Hollow, his wife, Claudia, and their three children. He takes French lessons for fun and is a bit of a beer nerd, a prolific reader, and an avid book reviewer. He is even an author. In 2022, Wikman wrote one of the most sweet, charming, and poignant books I’ve read. It’s filled with anecdotes about life with Bronco and practical information about large dog ownership, particularly Leonbergers. A Leonberger, a scarce breed of dog with a tight-knit group of owners, enthusiasts, and historians, came into Wikman’s life in 2007. The 9-week-old ball of fur arrived
CHECK IT OUT Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle
$19.95 leonbergerlife.com
Photographs chronicle Bronco’s life with Thomas Wikman from 3 months, to one year, to 12 years, while an illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt shows the large Leonberger with gerbils in his jowls. COURTESY THOMAS WIKMAN
weighing in at 20 pounds and captured the hearts of the Wikmans and their two other dogs, Baylor and Baby, a German Shepherd who firmly believed Bronco was her baby, even when he was twice her size. By his first birthday, the gentle giant, intimidating to strangers but loveable and playful, weighed 120 pounds. He also played well with others.
One of the many adventures of Bronco included hamsters and CPR. “Back when Bronco was young, the kids had hamsters, Moldova and Montenegro,” Wikman writes. The hamsters escaped from their cages, but Bronco, on command, would sniff them out and recover them. Another time, the hamsters went on
the lam for two days. Their hiding place remains unknown to this day, but they were found in Bronco’s cheeks, expelled on command, and unconscious until Claudia performed CPR on the little guys. The life expectancy of Leonbergers is around nine years. The Wikmans cherish every day of Bronco’s 13 years. As he became older and had more health problems, Thomas would spend nearly 24 hours a day at Bronco’s side. This part of Wikman’s book is beautiful and difficult, especially if you have lost a beloved pet, but it’s also healing and insightful. With only 2,000 Leonbergers in the United States and no more than 30,000 worldwide, Bronco was a rare breed in Dallas. He adjusted well to the climate and loved to swim in the family pool. Dog lovers, pet lovers, and anyone with a heart will love the simple and sweet Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. I’m thankful that my friend, Thomas Wikman, shared it with me.
‘1, 2, 3 with Mrs. C’ Embraces Moments
Retired Dallas ISD teacher Kathleen Covens encourages healthy adult-child bonds By Maria Lawson
maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com
Kathleen Covens has coined the term “momenteur” — someone who creates an awareness of moments. This term appears frequently in her recently released book, 1, 2, 3 with Mrs. C, a guide to help adults bond with young children. “It’s a call to action to make strong connections with youth by making time, making eye contact, being involved, (and) seeing the uniqueness of each child,” Covens said. “If we help them enhance (their interests), they’re going to feel even better about themselves.” Through stories and anecdotes, Covens encourages adults to lead by example by greeting people in public, making eye contact, being thoughtful, staying off technology, and showing children how to structure their time. “I just want my audience to be aware that we don’t have to do things the same way we’ve always done,” Covens said. “We can be more proactive, and we can actually make a difference. … It gives parents of very young children a chance to get to know their child one-on-one instead of looking elsewhere for answers.” Covens’ fascination with moments came 13 months after her daughter, Shelly, was born. Shelly became disabled after an illness,
so Covens embraced each moment with her nonverbal child. “It was like five years of an intense one-onone relationship that was magical, and I took that experience with me when I went back to teaching,” Covens said. “After I made the permanent placement for her, I quit teaching first grade, went to Europe, came back, did other things, but when I returned to teaching, I took all of those skills with me.” Chapter topics include the importance of failure, tech disconnect, nutrition for life, how to put magic in a day, and goals. There’s also a post-pandemic chapter that challenges readers to consider innovation in a world after COVID-19. The end of each chapter also provides prompts with lines for readers to self-evaluate. At the end of the “Power of One” chapter, readers are challenged to explain a time when someone positively impacted them and consider how they can use their strengths to impact a child positively. A challenge for Covens in writing was laying her ideas out for the reader to understand. “I’m talking to adults, but I was used to being with kids,” Covens said. “I think adults are pretty far removed from childhood, so being able to be succinct with the way I express myself, but still make it fun and engaging, (was important).”
CHECK IT OUT 1, 2, 3 with Mrs. C Released July 18
Amazon.com $24.95
Kathleen Covens grew up in Dallas, taught in Dallas ISD, and resides in Preston Hollow. She says “empowerment” is an important theme throughout her book. COURTESY KATHLEEN COVENS AND DEAN MARKAM