IF I LIVED IN A ONE ROOM CABIN IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW YORK CITY, AND I HUNG THE ORIGIONAL MONA LISA BY THE DOOR, WHEN PEOPLE STOPPED BY FOR A CUPPA TEA, THEY WOULD ALL NOTICE MONA HANGING THERE. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING I HEAR ABOUT ALL THE TIME W/R/T SERVICE DOGS... IF YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT MOBILITY PROBLEM , YOU'S IS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH THE MOBILITY PROBLEM SUFFERED BY THE TOWN'S TIPSY DRUNK.... HAVING A SERVICE DOG BECOMES THE "MONA" THAT PEOPLE WILL NOTICE....AND IDENTIFY YOU AS A REGULAR PERSON (PROBABLY ) NOT DRUNK-- I SHOULD SAY HOPEFULLY NOT DRUNK... SO ALONG WITH SOLVING MOBILITY PROBLEMS OUR SERVICE DOG PROVIDES YOU WITH A DIVERSION- SO THAT PEOPLE WILL INTERACT WITH YOU ON A MORE "NORMAL" BASIS. " WHAT A GREAT LOOKING DOG" AS OPPOSED TO AVOIDING EYE CONTACTT ETC...
I DON'T KONW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SAT IN A WHEELCHAIR-- ON OCASSION , I HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.. WHEN YOU SIT, YOU BECOME A NON ENTITY-- PEOPLE TALK OVER YOUR HEAD-- MY KIDS PUSHED ME ALL OVER LAS VEGAS ONE MORNING AS THEY JOGGED...AND I REMEMBER AT ONE POINT I SAID "HEY , I CAN TALK TOO" AS I OBJECTED TO PEOPLE TOTALLY IGNORING MY EXISTANCE..
LONG AGO- WE HAD AN APPOINT MENT TO TALK WITH A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ABOUT KIDS WITH MOBILITY PROBLEMS- AND THERE WAS ONE ASSISTANT FOR A KID IN A CHAIR WHO CAME TO THE MEETING AND LEFT THE KID IN THE HALL... SHOCKED ME-- AND I WOULD HAVE CANNED HER QUICKLY.. BECAUSE IT ILLUSTRATED TOO OFTEN PEOPLE IN CHAIRS ARE AN AFTER THOUGHT. NOT ALWAYS... BUT ... WATCH FOR IT !!
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WE HAVE EGGS-- WE HAVE SO MANY EGGS THAT I HOPE GRACE HEEPS THEM ROTATED SO THEY DON'T BECOME S OLD AS THE ONES YOU GET IN THE SUPERMARKET... FROM THE NAT'L EGG BOARD-- EGGS OVER 2 WEEKS OLD PEAL BETTER... I HAVE SINCE HEARD ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO PEAL A FRESH EGG.. BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO VERIFY THE OTHER PROCESS... FOR ME TO BELIEVE IT I NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE TAKE AN EGG OUT OF THE HEN HOUSE AND COOK IT HOWEVER, THEN PEAL IT IN FRONT OF ME. OTHERWISE THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES.
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ANNE--( A VALUABLE EXTERNAL MEMORY DEVICE) SAID SHE WOULD BE ALONG TODAY-- WE HAVE THINGS TO DO...
INTERN LAURA SEEMS TO HAVE THAT SAME TYPE HEAD THAT REMEMBERS THINGS...
I WONDER WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE "TOTAL RECALL OF PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY" THAT MUST BE DREADFUL
LUCKILY I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
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ASHER AND I ARE SO EXCITED TO BE HOME IN BRISTOL, RI AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET SETTLED IN. IT'S A LITTLE INTIMIDATING TO BE AWAY FROM CRAZY ACRES AND OUR WONDERFUL TRAINERS AND FRIENDS, BUT ASHER CONTINUES TO BE ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOR AT HOME FOR ME AND TAKES ON NEW CHALLENGES LIKE THE SUPERSTAR HE IS. OUR FIRST DAY OUT AND ABOUT WAS YESTERDAY, JULY 15. IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT ASHER GET USED TO THE RHODE ISLAND BUS SYSTEM AS THAT'S MY MAIN MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, AND HE HAD NO PROBLEMS. HE GOT MANY COMPLIMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM FELLOW PASSENGERS, BUT NO PETTING WHILE HE WAS WORKING! OUR DESTINATION WAS PROVIDENCE, WHERE I WORK AND WHERE WE'LL BE GOING A FEW DAYS A WEEK UNTIL SCHOOL STARTS. HE SEEMED TO ENJOY WALKING AROUND THE CITY, TAKING A LOOK AT THE HAPPENINGS BUT ALWAYS STAYING FOCUSED ON ME.
WE STOPPED AT KNEAD DOUGHNUTS FOR SOME BREAKFAST, A SHOP I WOULD INDULGE IN REGULARLY BEFORE BEING PAIRED WITH ASHER. WE WERE WELCOMED THERE AND ASHER WAS A CELEBRITY, POSING FOR PICTURES AND BEING A GREAT AMBASSADOR FOR SERVICE DOG PROJECT. OUR FRIENDS AT KNEAD WERE EVEN KIND ENOUGH TO SEND US OFF WITH SOME SURPRISE DOG-FRIENDLY DOUGHNUTS FOR ASHER, WHICH HE LOVED WHEN WE RETURNED HOME THAT AFTERNOON.
ASHER AND I ROAMED AROUND BRISTOL IN THE COMFORTABLE 69-DEGREE WEATHER, RELAXED AT HOME, AND WENT TO WALMART YESTERDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOME TREATS (ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS HE PREFERS HIS FRESH-BAKED DOUGHNUTS OVER THE STORE-BOUGHT MILK BONE VARIETY... WE HAVE SIMILAR TASTES IN THAT REGARD, I SUPPOSE) AND A NEW TOY. HE GOT LOTS OF STARES AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WANTED TO PET HIM, BUT I POLITELY EXPLAINED THAT WHEN HIS VEST IS ON, HE NEEDS TO FOCUS ON WORKING.
THIS MORNING WE HAD A GREAT TIME IN A LOCAL PARK WHERE WE HAD A GREAT PHOTO SHOOT FROM A FRIEND, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE HER BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY OF ASHER AND I! IT'S A HOT ONE TODAY, SO ASHER AND I ARE CONTENT TO RELAX THE REST OF THE DAY IN OUR COOL APARTMENT. I CAN'T WAIT TO START THIS NEXT WEEK WITH ASHER RIGHT NEXT TO ME!
NEW FACEBOOK PAGE:
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I AM VERY PROTECTIVE OF OUR "POPULATION" AND WOULD NOT GIVE OUT EMAILS- SO I PASS ON THIS,, HERE.
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL REQUESTS FROM THIS PERSON WHO I LOOKING FOR STATISTICS.... BOTH FROM PET-- AND SERVICE DOG OWNERS.
I TOOK IT-- IT IS PAINLESS
This email has been directed to you on behalf of A/Prof Pauleen Bennett and the La Trobe University Anthrozoology Research Group. As part of her PhD, Ms Jennifer Gravrok is conducting a survey to better understand how service dogs, and pet dogs, impact their owner or handler’s ability to thrive.
As part of her PhD, Ms Jennifer Gravrok is conducting a survey to better understand how dogs impact their owner/handler’s ability to thrive. .
The survey is completely anonymous and is expected to take approximately 30 minutes. To participate in this study please follow this link [https://latrobe.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ePOAwdZZw6zYwoR].
