BIGGIES FROM YESTERDAY
IHEART ARRIVED GIVING US YET ANOTHER REASON TO HAVE A PARTY-- AS IF WE NEEDED ONE.... BUT WITH THE HULA SKIRTS, IT WAS FESTIVE-- AND SHE DOES NOT SEEM EXHAUSTED... YET... SHE SLEPT WITH THE PUPS-- OR MORE CORRECTLY SHE LAY AROUND COVERED WITH A PUP OR TWO...
AND EARLENE ARRIVED-- UNANNOUNCED-- I YELLED FOR CHAOS WHO NEARLY CAME OUT OF HER SKIN WITH DELIGHT !!
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ONE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS THAT YOU CAN NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PAST AND PRESENT...
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT EXPLORE IS NOW DELIVERING THAT SITATION ONLINE...
APPARENTLY... ( WHAT DO I KNOW???) THE NEW RED LINE UNDER THE HOUSE CAMERA IS A TIME LINE AND IF YOU WANT TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENDED AN HOUR AGO, YOU MOVE THE LITTLE RED BUTTON--- NOW... YOU HAVE TO POKE THE RED "LIVE" BUTTON TO GET BACK TO THE CURRENT/PRESENT --- IF YOU FORGET, YOU HAVE YOUR LITTLE INSANITY MOMENT WHERE YOU CAN'T TEL IF THE ACTION IS HISTORY OR CURRENT,
IT DID GIVE ME A CHANCE TO RE WATCH THE EARLENE ARRIVAL
AND HERE ARE THE CUT AND PASTES
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GOOD MORNING CARLENE!
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON MY GIRL LYDIA..
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON MY GIRL LYDIA..
SHE CONTINUES TO DO WONDERFULLY! WE TAKE DAILY WALKS IN THE MORNING AND THANKFULLY THE SQUIRRELS ARE GETTING MORE SCARCE, OR HAVE MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION, GRATEFUL FOR THAT!!
FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE ARE JUST AMAZED BY HER, AND ALWAYS COMMENT ON HOW BEAUTIFUL AND WELL BEHAVED SHE IS. PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING TO YELL AND TELL ME HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS!
I HAVE RAN INTO A COUPLE PEOPLE (MEN) WHO WILL LITERALLY WALK IN THE STREET TO WALK FAR AWAY FROM HER AS WE'RE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK..APPARENTLY THINKING EITHER THERE IS NO WAY I COULD CONTROL HER, OR PERHAPS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE CONVENIENCE STORE THE MORNING I WALKED IN, THERE WAS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER, AND A DETECTIVE IN THERE (WHOM I KNOW ) SO I WALKED IN WITH LYDIA AND STATED "THIS IS A DRUG SNIFFING DOG, I HOPE EVERYONE IS CLEAN"..THE POLICE BOTH LAUGHED, AS DID A FEW COSTUMERS .. MAYBE THESE MEN WERE IN THERE, WHO KNOWS, BUT IT MAKES ME SMILE WHEN THEY AVOID WALKING BY US :~)
FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE ARE JUST AMAZED BY HER, AND ALWAYS COMMENT ON HOW BEAUTIFUL AND WELL BEHAVED SHE IS. PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING TO YELL AND TELL ME HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS!
I HAVE RAN INTO A COUPLE PEOPLE (MEN) WHO WILL LITERALLY WALK IN THE STREET TO WALK FAR AWAY FROM HER AS WE'RE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK..APPARENTLY THINKING EITHER THERE IS NO WAY I COULD CONTROL HER, OR PERHAPS THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE CONVENIENCE STORE THE MORNING I WALKED IN, THERE WAS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER, AND A DETECTIVE IN THERE (WHOM I KNOW ) SO I WALKED IN WITH LYDIA AND STATED "THIS IS A DRUG SNIFFING DOG, I HOPE EVERYONE IS CLEAN"..THE POLICE BOTH LAUGHED, AS DID A FEW COSTUMERS .. MAYBE THESE MEN WERE IN THERE, WHO KNOWS, BUT IT MAKES ME SMILE WHEN THEY AVOID WALKING BY US :~)
"WE" HAVE PHYSICAL THERAPY EVERY WEEK AND SHE CONTINUES TO BE AN ANGEL IN THERE. SHE DID FABULOUS AT MY APPT. I HAD AT DARTMOUTH HITCHCOCK MEDICAL CENTER AND WAS A BIG HIT! SHE WAS SO WELL BEHAVED! MY NEURO ASKED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HER, AS SHE SAID SHE WAS SO DISTRACTED BY HER..SHE JUST WANTED TO MUSH HER FACE, BUT REFRAINED.. :)
I DID HAVE TO HAVE SOME NERVE TESTING AS WELL AS AN EMG WHILE THERE, THEY HAD ME LAY ON MY SIDE FACING THE WALL, SO I HAD PUT LYDIA IN A DOWN STAY, AND I OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T SEE HER..MY NEURO HAD ACCOMPANIED ME FOR THIS TEST AND WAS SITTING IN A CHAIR WHILE I WAS HAVING THE TEST DONE. AT ONE POINT DURING THE TEST I HEARD THE WOMAN DOING THE TEST SAY, "ARE YOU MAKING SURE I DON'T HURT MAMA"? I SAID, WHAT IS SHE DOING? SHE SAID "SHE HAS HER CHIN ON MY SHOULDER"!! BUT SAID SHE DIDN'T MIND..I TOLD LYDIA TO LAY DOWN AND STAY, SO SHE WENT TO MY NEURO, LAID NEXT TO HER WITH HER CHIN ON HER KNEE, WHICH SHE DIDN'T MIND EITHER..
I DO HAVE TO GO BACK NEXT MONTH AND WILL HAVE TO BRING SOMEONE WITH ME TO STAY WITH LYDIA AS I HAVE TO HAVE MRI ON BOTH LEGS, WHICH WILL TAKE QUITE A WHILE AND SHE CANNOT GO IN FOR THAT.
I HAD A DENTIST APPT. YESTERDAY AND SHE DID FABULOUS THERE!! THE HYGIENIST ASKED HOW OLD SHE WAS AND WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT HOW WELL BEHAVED SHE IS, SO OF COURSE I TOLD HER ABOUT THE AMAZING ORGANIZATION SHE CAME FROM!! SHE STAYED ON HER BLANKET WHILE GETTING MY TEETH CLEANED AS WELL AS WHEN THE DENTIST CAME IN TO TAKE A LOOK. GOOD AS GOLD!
MY YOUNGEST SON AND I HAVE BEEN BRINGING HER TO A VET'S "DOGGIE DAYCARE" WHILE IT'S CLOSED ONCE A WEEK SO SHE CAN RUN AND PLAY WITH HER HUMAN "BROTHER" IN A SAFE AREA..SHE LOVES IT! SHE IS HYSTERICAL, AND WHEN SHE'S DONE, SHE JUST WALKS UP TO MY SIDE AND LOOKS AT ME AS IF TO SAY, OKAY, I'M DONE MOM..
SHE IS A BIT BETTER WITH THE FEAR OF BAGS ISSUE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. THE ONLY ISSUES I HAVE HAD ARE WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST CAN'T SEEM TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF OF HER. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HER BODY LANGUAGE..I MEAN WHEN YOU ARE REACHING FOR A DOG, A LARGE DOG, AND THEY ARE BACKING AWAY, SHAKING SCARED, AND YOU CONTINUE TO REACH TO TOUCH HER, I JUST DON'T GET THAT!! SO THAT IS WHEN I HAVE TO GET UGLY I GUESS.
I DID SPEAK TO SOMEONE ON THE LOCAL RESCUE SQUAD ASKING HOW I COULD GO ABOUT EDUCATING THEM AS WELL AS THE PD AND FIRE DEPT. REGARDING THE ADA LAWS ETC. HE TOLD ME THEY ARE A VERY "DOG FRIENDLY" SQUAD AND IF I COULD BRING IN A PICTURE OF MYSELF WITH LYDIA WITH INFORMATION WITH HER NAME ETC. SO "IF" ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED THEY WOULD HAVE IT. HE SAID HE WILL HAND IT OUT IN THEIR MEETING. SO THAT, I STILL HAVE TO DO. HE HAPPENS TO LIVE NEXT DOOR AND LYDIA LIKES HIM SO THAT'S A PLUS :D
I DID BRING HER FOR A WALK ONE DAY AROUND OUR HOSPITAL TO WORK WITH HER BACKING UP IN TIGHT SPACES THING. SHE DID PERFECTLY WITH THAT. WE WALKED DOWN A COUPLE HALLWAYS AND ALSO TOOK THE ELEVATOR. WE DID SCARE THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE EMPLOYEE WHO HAPPEN TO BE IN THE ELEVATOR WHEN THE DOOR OPENED. THE WAY THE DOOR OPENED, SHE COULD ONLY SEE LYDIA FIRST. SHE JUMPED ABOUT A FOOT OFF THE FLOOR, AND I APOLOGIZED AND WE JOINED HER ON THE ELEVATOR. SO OF COURSE SHE HAD SOME QUESTIONS, AND WAS FASCINATED WITH THE FACT A GREAT DANE WAS BEING USED AS A SERVICE DOG.
WHEN WE CAME BACK TO THE LOBBY WE VISITED WITH THE "GREY LADIES" (GREY LADIES, WHO CAME UP WITH THAT NAME?) SITTING AT THE INFORMATION DESK, WHEN A VERY TINY ELDERLY LADY CAME IN THE DOOR WEARING A TRENCH COAT, HAT AND BLACK GLOVES ON. SHE WALKED RIGHT UP TO LYDIA, ALMOST EYE TO EYE WITH HER, SHE PUT HER HAND UNDER HER CHIN AND SAID WELL AREN'T YOU A BEAUTIFUL BOY..AGAIN, LYDIA TOOK THIS IN STRIDE, SHE PET HER NECK AND WALKED AWAY.
WE ALSO HAD FAMILY PICTURES DONE, I WILL SHARE A COUPLE OF THOSE WITH YOU AS WELL AS SOME FROM HER PLAYING.
ALL IN ALL, SHE IS WONDERFUL AND A BLESSING IN MY LIFE EVERYDAY, AND FOR THAT I THANK YOU, AND ALL WHO WORK AND VOLUNTEER AT SERVICE DOG PROJECT! THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!
STAY SAFE AND BE WELL,
ANNETTE & LYDIA
I DID HAVE TO HAVE SOME NERVE TESTING AS WELL AS AN EMG WHILE THERE, THEY HAD ME LAY ON MY SIDE FACING THE WALL, SO I HAD PUT LYDIA IN A DOWN STAY, AND I OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T SEE HER..MY NEURO HAD ACCOMPANIED ME FOR THIS TEST AND WAS SITTING IN A CHAIR WHILE I WAS HAVING THE TEST DONE. AT ONE POINT DURING THE TEST I HEARD THE WOMAN DOING THE TEST SAY, "ARE YOU MAKING SURE I DON'T HURT MAMA"? I SAID, WHAT IS SHE DOING? SHE SAID "SHE HAS HER CHIN ON MY SHOULDER"!! BUT SAID SHE DIDN'T MIND..I TOLD LYDIA TO LAY DOWN AND STAY, SO SHE WENT TO MY NEURO, LAID NEXT TO HER WITH HER CHIN ON HER KNEE, WHICH SHE DIDN'T MIND EITHER..
I DO HAVE TO GO BACK NEXT MONTH AND WILL HAVE TO BRING SOMEONE WITH ME TO STAY WITH LYDIA AS I HAVE TO HAVE MRI ON BOTH LEGS, WHICH WILL TAKE QUITE A WHILE AND SHE CANNOT GO IN FOR THAT.
I HAD A DENTIST APPT. YESTERDAY AND SHE DID FABULOUS THERE!! THE HYGIENIST ASKED HOW OLD SHE WAS AND WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT HOW WELL BEHAVED SHE IS, SO OF COURSE I TOLD HER ABOUT THE AMAZING ORGANIZATION SHE CAME FROM!! SHE STAYED ON HER BLANKET WHILE GETTING MY TEETH CLEANED AS WELL AS WHEN THE DENTIST CAME IN TO TAKE A LOOK. GOOD AS GOLD!
MY YOUNGEST SON AND I HAVE BEEN BRINGING HER TO A VET'S "DOGGIE DAYCARE" WHILE IT'S CLOSED ONCE A WEEK SO SHE CAN RUN AND PLAY WITH HER HUMAN "BROTHER" IN A SAFE AREA..SHE LOVES IT! SHE IS HYSTERICAL, AND WHEN SHE'S DONE, SHE JUST WALKS UP TO MY SIDE AND LOOKS AT ME AS IF TO SAY, OKAY, I'M DONE MOM..
SHE IS A BIT BETTER WITH THE FEAR OF BAGS ISSUE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. THE ONLY ISSUES I HAVE HAD ARE WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST CAN'T SEEM TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF OF HER. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HER BODY LANGUAGE..I MEAN WHEN YOU ARE REACHING FOR A DOG, A LARGE DOG, AND THEY ARE BACKING AWAY, SHAKING SCARED, AND YOU CONTINUE TO REACH TO TOUCH HER, I JUST DON'T GET THAT!! SO THAT IS WHEN I HAVE TO GET UGLY I GUESS.
I DID SPEAK TO SOMEONE ON THE LOCAL RESCUE SQUAD ASKING HOW I COULD GO ABOUT EDUCATING THEM AS WELL AS THE PD AND FIRE DEPT. REGARDING THE ADA LAWS ETC. HE TOLD ME THEY ARE A VERY "DOG FRIENDLY" SQUAD AND IF I COULD BRING IN A PICTURE OF MYSELF WITH LYDIA WITH INFORMATION WITH HER NAME ETC. SO "IF" ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED THEY WOULD HAVE IT. HE SAID HE WILL HAND IT OUT IN THEIR MEETING. SO THAT, I STILL HAVE TO DO. HE HAPPENS TO LIVE NEXT DOOR AND LYDIA LIKES HIM SO THAT'S A PLUS :D
I DID BRING HER FOR A WALK ONE DAY AROUND OUR HOSPITAL TO WORK WITH HER BACKING UP IN TIGHT SPACES THING. SHE DID PERFECTLY WITH THAT. WE WALKED DOWN A COUPLE HALLWAYS AND ALSO TOOK THE ELEVATOR. WE DID SCARE THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE EMPLOYEE WHO HAPPEN TO BE IN THE ELEVATOR WHEN THE DOOR OPENED. THE WAY THE DOOR OPENED, SHE COULD ONLY SEE LYDIA FIRST. SHE JUMPED ABOUT A FOOT OFF THE FLOOR, AND I APOLOGIZED AND WE JOINED HER ON THE ELEVATOR. SO OF COURSE SHE HAD SOME QUESTIONS, AND WAS FASCINATED WITH THE FACT A GREAT DANE WAS BEING USED AS A SERVICE DOG.
WHEN WE CAME BACK TO THE LOBBY WE VISITED WITH THE "GREY LADIES" (GREY LADIES, WHO CAME UP WITH THAT NAME?) SITTING AT THE INFORMATION DESK, WHEN A VERY TINY ELDERLY LADY CAME IN THE DOOR WEARING A TRENCH COAT, HAT AND BLACK GLOVES ON. SHE WALKED RIGHT UP TO LYDIA, ALMOST EYE TO EYE WITH HER, SHE PUT HER HAND UNDER HER CHIN AND SAID WELL AREN'T YOU A BEAUTIFUL BOY..AGAIN, LYDIA TOOK THIS IN STRIDE, SHE PET HER NECK AND WALKED AWAY.
WE ALSO HAD FAMILY PICTURES DONE, I WILL SHARE A COUPLE OF THOSE WITH YOU AS WELL AS SOME FROM HER PLAYING.
ALL IN ALL, SHE IS WONDERFUL AND A BLESSING IN MY LIFE EVERYDAY, AND FOR THAT I THANK YOU, AND ALL WHO WORK AND VOLUNTEER AT SERVICE DOG PROJECT! THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!
STAY SAFE AND BE WELL,
ANNETTE & LYDIA
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We have been so very busy with our move to Oklahoma that we have had little time to update you about Casper. I apologize for that.
When we first got here there was so much freedom for Casper with his first fenced yard that we had some trouble with recall at home. It was very frustrating and we were unsure how to solve it because he was not a treat driven dog. Well, we found treats he likes and now he is amazing at his recall! Even if the neighbor dog is outside barking he will come for a cookie.
Out and about he is perfect, as usual. The big change is how accepting people are of him here. In Connecticut at least one person everywhere we went either gave us the stink eye or tried to pet without asking. Here everyone is super welcoming and fascinated. We have had much fewer people reach out for him too. There was a BIG exception at a craft fair when a woman reached UNDER and AROUND Dan's arm to pet him. She is lucky we were in too much shock to really tell her off.
The most important part of this email, though, is how much Casper misses you! I will be sending this story to Explore.org to share themselves because it is really so sweet.
We were watching your speech today and Casper heard your voice. He immediately came to watch what what was happening, but it was on Dan's phone so he really could not see it. He laid down at Dan's feet and cocked his head to one side, then the other. It went on and on like this for minutes. It was the cutest look on his face! He got up a few times to try and look again then went back to the head cock. Finally he stood up and started talking. I swear he was trying to tell Miss Carlene hello and let you know he is being a good boy, and so is daddy!
It just goes to show you how your love for these guys goes so much farther than their amazing training. You are in their hearts just as much as they are in yours.
Hope everyone at SDP is well.
Best Wishes,
Dan and Lauri
