HAPPY 19TH ( there that takes care of all birthdays anniversaries etc for the month)
it has occurred to me that donating 2 dogs a month- which we did last year--- eventually will mean retiring or sending 2 a month to the rainbow bridge.-- and yesterday was that day...
ANNIE WAS MY FIRST DONATED SERVICE DOG-- #401... THE FIRST DOG IN 2004-- SHE HAD A WONDERFUL WORKING LIFE FOR 10+ YEARS WITH MELISSA WHO- AMONG OTHER THINGS IS 100% DEAF. THERE ARE STILL WIRES STRUNG AROUND THIS HOUSE WHERE I TAUGHT ANNIE TO RESPOND TO A REPETITIVE NOISE. -- WHICH DURING HER CAREER WAS 3 CRYING BABIES... AMONG OTHER THINGS... WONDERFUL DOG... ONE OF THE 3 "MERLE GIRLS" SHE WAS JUST WEARING OUT AND WAS READY TO SLEEP-- HER XRAY SHOWED THINGS THAT JUST SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE.. ....SHE IS NOW RESTING NEXT TO LUNA AND MARY.
OF THE 3 MERLE GIRLS , NOW MAUDE IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT... SHE SUMMERS AROUND DEER ISLE MAINE WITH SUSAN WHO REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT MAUDE STILL HELPS HER BUT NOT FOR BRACING ANYMORE... " SHE HAS BEEN AN ALL ROUND GOOD FRIEND"
IT IS TOUGH- BEYOND COMPREHENSION FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON A SERVICE DOG.. MELISSA SAID SHE WAS NOT OUT OF SIGHT FROM ANNIE FOR 10 YEARS. THE VOID IS MONUMENTAL.
WE DO KNOW FROM JIM AND ANN-- WHO LOST HOMER TO CANCER AND SWORE THAT THEY WOULD NOT GO THRU THAT GRIEF AGAIN---
2 WEEKS LATER AND I GOT AN EMAIL "LIFE WITHOUT A GREAT DANE IS JUST NOT AN OPTION." AND THEY GOT KARMA.
THE OTHER RETIREMENT OF THE DAY WAS TESS... ANNE AND HER HUSBAND WENT AND PICKED HER UP FROM ALAN IN ADAMS MASS??-
SHE LOOKS GREAT EXCEPT HER FEET GET TANGLED UP-- MUCH LIKE BAILEY DID-- SHE CERTAINLY NEEDED TO BE RETIRED FROM A WORKING DOG ... BUT --WE WILL SEE HOW THE NEXT FEW DAYS GO...
I AM NO VETERNARIAN WE ALL KNOW THAT.... BUT SO FAR I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM AS "HER REAR" AS SO MANY PEOPLE ARE INCLINED TO SAY ABOUT A DANE... HER PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ONE SIDE--- HER RIGHT SIDE FRONT AND REAR... FOOT TOP DOWN-- SHE HAS NO TOENAILS LEFT IN THE REAR... THE FRONT IS NOT THAT BAD... BUT SHE OFTEN STANDS ON THE TOP OF HER RIGHT FOOT... NEUROLOGICAL FOR SURE.. ?? STROKE??? IN A HUMAN I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN INDICATION...
HOWEVER... SHE IS HAPPY, NOT IN PAIN, JUST ANOTHER WIERD LOOKING DOG TO HAVE RETIRED AROUND HERE.
****
THE TRAILER HAS GONE-- WITH JANINE TO OHIO ---IN PURSUIT OF ANOTHR DONKEY-- THE 3 WE NOW HAVE WILL GO BACK TO "SAVE YOUR ASS FARM" IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TODAY -- THIS IS IS WHERE THE MRS. ASHTON ( THE WHITE MULE) CAME FROM.
WE HAVE HOPES FOR THE ONE FROM OHIO BECAUSE THE DESCRIPTION "HE IS DRIVING ME NUTS, HE IS BEHIND ME EVERY STEP ALL DAY LONG" SOUNDS LIKE MARY. "HE RIDES AND DRIVES AND IS A GENERAL PAIN IN THE NECK..."-- WORTH ANOTHER TRY...
*********
AND I AM GOING TO SCRUB THE MEAT SHACK FLOOR IN PREP FOR EPOXY
DAMNIT
