Monday, September 12, 2011

Aug 31, 2011


 
vegtables-- will be the odd topic today
 
more specifically  - Appleton farms--supposed to be the oldest working farm in the US -- across the street from Groton House- which is the Winthrop place-- as in (governor winthrop who invented Massachusetts )  both - are not measured in acres- i know the  winthrop place is 1.25 miles long on two sides.  appleton is directily across from NE BIOLABS to which we needed to go to yestereday
 
trustees of the reservations has taken over appleton-- and they have some deal where you "join"  and then get a bag of  fresh organic produce weekly.  actually i do not know the exact details-  but we(anne  and i) picked up a flyer which told of picking up the 40 pounds of winter vegtables - organic cranberries and goat cheese.
it must be a good deal - because there is a 5 year waiting list to "join".
 
BUT ---- it also told of their family farm day September 18th  10-3 with 2000 visitors-- these are not ye old generic visitors  but those people who can spend  $80 on 40 pounds of turnips--
and the highlight of their farm day is our own  MARY-- they have borrowed her for years- 
mary is worth her weight in gold-- but is she worth her weight in turnips ?
--  plus just how much fundraising would they allow us to do--.
 
and i know most of the "they"
why shouldn't our volunteers get the benefit of 750 pounds of winter root veggies   in exchange for MARY--- i bet we have fed her nearly that in carrots every Sunday.
 
that is where i am going with this. 
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all that because we had to deliver the grant request  to n.e.biolabs.
keith----
as we walked into ne biolabs a guy came and talked to us about a friend in a wheelchair who had a  service dog like pistol--  of course- keith -- that was hudson--
so now   please---get hold of him and have him put a word in for us to get a grant.
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and the real mission  was to go for a train ride with pistol and see how she responded----
we usually go a couple stops then get off and on the next train back. simple trip
except we had not printed a schedule.
 
as we parked there was a train coming---
we got on  the first train in the station - only to find at that time of day the quickest turn around was in boston..
so we did that.  pistol was good-- hinging on great-  you don't want a dog so numb that they have no reaction..
on the way back she entertained everyone by sitting on the seat with anne-  many pictures were taken--
 
we also discovered that by saying --- with great authority---" we are never charged because we are training service dogs" 
we got away with it--- good thing too -- or we would still be in boston because neither of us had enough money for tickets.
and it is relativly true-  i have never paid once i discovered i could pull that.
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the trick with train riding  is when you get off-- don't let them look down- because those steps are the see thru kind.  getting on is no problem-- they can't see them.
 
there is a horse jumping expression " throw your heart over the fence and the horse will follow"
there is a lot of that in service dog training. 
 just walk on.
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also   an FYI about wet vac performance
 
the wet vac does pick up puppy pee really well-- and dumps 98% in it's lovely stainless steel tub.
the other 2% is aerated and blown  all over in a manner no fabreeze will attempt to cover
 
so we are back to turkish towels pre-rinsed over the nearest fence.
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got to get the nut house done--- it has to be living room comfortable   with minimal spiders and other creepy things.
 i want to do the walls in white  polymax
 
 
which will be expensive ($700)   but those 2 words "indestructable and washable" are a luxury i think we can afford
 
especially since i have the floor so tipped if it freezes we maY HAVE TO SAND IT
 
IF I HAD MY WAY I  WOULD HAVE STIPULATED THIS HOUSE BE BUILT  TIPPED TOWARD A DRAIN---
 
TODAY SCHEDULE?
PRAY MEGAN  GETS ON THAT FLIGHT- EVEN IF IT DOES LAND IN PROVIDENCE