i grow hair very well in case some of you have not noticed--- it is one of the things i do best..
usually one of my neighbors who watches the cameras, notices my hair looking too random and appears with scissors to cut my hair in the driveway.
it is time she appeared again-- i did wash it and i am ready..JILLLLLLLLLLLL !!
the reason i mention all this is... combs are cheap as is soap.. and i don't care how depressed you are if you can not get a comb thru your cleaned hair at least once a day, then i don't think you have the qualifications for one of our dogs. you don't have to look like earlene with the perfect hairdoo at all times.. and i realize i skate pretty close to the uncombed wire... but clean is imperative.
there is a practical aspect being an animal person , i see some of these teenagers ( and adults) where my first look leaves me wondering how many critters are living in that mess of hair.
plus the other aspect---when i had that 24" braid i worried constantly about getting it caught in a table saw or such..
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bottom line-- our dogs do a whale of a job--- but in our effort to choose them a partner who will care for them in the manner to which they have become accustomed,..... we have to make uncomfortable judgements. i find myself asking... if this person is so depressed that they rarely leave the house and can not wash and comb their hair , will the dog help them... or will they drag the dog down with them ,
if that makes me a snob-- then so be it. i am looking out for the welfare of the dog.
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i was thrilled to have the rest of the dd written for me...
the first cut and paste is about wendy and her partner hunter.. i don't remember how old hunter is... he is down there with our other 57 pound recipient..
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Dear Carlene,
Today I went on a field trip with the 2nd grade classes to the Maine Wildlife
Park and I brought Wendy on the trip with dad also. We saw a Bald eagle, a
golden eagle, pergrine falcon, deer, moose, fisher cat, porcupine, skunk, all
animals In The wild of Maine. Wendy did great and wasn't bothered by any of the
animals.....except the smallest one if all.....the chipmunk! She is not a fan!
She helped climb a trail that said restricted from wheelchairs and stroller, and
it would have been hard to do it with my walker but I had Wendy...my four wheel drive and didn't need to worry about!
The parents were asking where my walker was and I told them I had Wendy now! Over roots and rocks, soft areas, up and down hills was easy peasy! The kids in my class did
great and there were other schools there that did ask to pet her, but I said she was working and she could not not be petted. One kid asked why I was petting her and I said she's mine and helps me.
Some of the parents said they had to stay away because they wanted to
pet her so bad, but they knew the rules because their kids told them.
Wendy rode on the bus with me, right next to me. She liked to have her paws on me!
Still need to work on getting on and especially off, the bus because the last step is so big....it is just hard for me. She passed this test and I did ok too!
We have been doing more at school and soon the summer will be here to be together all the time to get ready for fulltime at school in the fall. Thanks for letting me have her to help and make things easier! We will be down for a visit soon!
Love, Hunter & Wendy
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and then our visitor's report
*******
Hi, Carlene,
this is Clare, and I'm back in Oregon and missing everyone a lot!
I wanted to mention that, although we all know that you don't run a tanning
salon, one might say that you do have a weight loss program going on - I lost 4
pounds last week, and it wasn't because I didn't eat pizza, pasta, coffee cake,
birthday cake, cookies, candy, etc...must have been all the poop scooping, pee
pad changing and holding of puppies' paws that did it!
I want to thank you again for letting me come. While my husband was ill and
dying of ALS, we found great joy and respite in watching SDP's dogs playing,
eating and sleeping. That experience triggered my desire to visit and be part
of, if for only a few days, the amazing things that go on at Crazy Acres, and to
begin to pay SDP back for the therapy we received - you have no idea how much
SDP helped us keep going through those difficult days. I have been watching for
18 months or so, and I faithfully read the DD every morning, but being there is
so different and so much 'realer' than watching. When I arrived in time for
Sunday Stew on June 1, I received such a warm welcome that I was overwhelmed.
Everyone was kind and funny and welcoming, and CP Susan took me under her wing,
introducing me to all the dogs as well as filling me in on what the workload was
going to look like. I'm so grateful to have met her...we laughed a lot, and she
taught me what to look for and how to do whatever needed doing. We've become
friends and are talking about both of us coming back at some time next year so
we can "play" together again. I'm also glad I met Grace. She is a
wonder...being there, trying to help as she changes all the bedding while 11
Crumbs try to assist is comical and no less than amazing...and she has the work
ethic of at least 16 of the ablest people I've ever known, combined. EVERYONE
at SDP works HARD, but I was around Grace a lot, and trying to keep up with her
with the pups, in the laundry, with the FB sisters, etc., etc., is a tough job.
AND, she's a really nice person, too!
Little did I know that I'd end up being a day-shift carer for the Crumbs every
day...it was tough duty, but someone had to do it. Those pups and their Cookie
Mom are permanently imprinted on my heart. I'd never been part of a puppy pile
before, which was heaven, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent with
those babies (well, maybe "enjoyed"is the wrong adjective to use for some of
those episodes of P, P, and V). One of the CP's commented that I seemed so calm
and peaceful...how can you NOT be calm and peaceful when you're surrounded by
warm, sleepy, or not, cuddly, feisty puppies for extended periods of time? I
particularly got to bond with Bruce and Luke when they were in isolation. When
they're sick, and all you can do is keep them clean, fed and cuddled, it changes
you. I particularly enjoyed spoon-feeding baby food to Bruce and Luke...they
liked it so much that it went everywhere, but we're all washable, aren't we. I
look forward to watching these little Crumbs grow up (it seemed like they were
growing right before my eyes). Next time I come, I'll be anxious to see what
they're like, how their personalities have developed. Victoria and Emily, the
instigators a lot of the time, vocal Bruce, Luke and Jonah, who seem to be
bulking up nicely, and all the rest, including little Sarge, are such
substantial dogs, broad-chested, curious, snuggly...hopefully they'll all grow
into being fine mobility or therapy dogs. If they're fabulous failures, though,
they'll always be FABULOUS, no matter what!
So, I'm grateful to you and to everyone at SDP, and to the CP's who supported me
with their kind and funny comments...last week was one I'll never forget...I
learned A LOT, my spirit was fed, and I will continue to spread the word about
the miracles that are happening at SDP.
With love and hugs to all of you,
Clare Hawkins
