AUG 31 2018

thank heavens we have cut and paste this mornign... i have just had a very disagreable phone call from a neighbor "i want to sleep and your dogs are keeping me awake"   I EXPLAINED I WAS UP WORKING AT THIS HOUR...

i wish he could read how our dog helps eve who has had to deAL WITH  75 broken bones  due to brittle bone disease-- OR FIONA STRUGGLES WITH WORDS LIKE PARALYSIS, MORE SURGERY  ETC...

*****

 TODAYS FYI..   FREEZE DRIED STUFF STICKS TO YORU TEETH BIG TIME... WHETHER IT IS FRUIT OF FREEZE DRIED ICECREAM... IT GETS GUMMY AND STICKS.

THUS ENDITH THE LESSON OF THE DAY.

*******

Man we sure know how to pack all the ..... hmmmm I’m not sure what to call what happened today.... all in one day?!?! A little mix of everything I guess! Well read on and you can decide. It’s definitely good for a smile and probably a giggle too! 🤭 

So I’ll start by saying I woke up with a headache and really felt like crawling back in bed BUT it was Lemonade Stand day - not happening! So I pulled up my big girl panties and on we went. 

First I ran to the gas station to pick up the local paper because they covered the story about the cheerleaders doing the Miracle Minute for SDP! They were on the front page!!! - so maybe I can do this after all today! (Yes I have a copy to send Carlene!) 

Next Eve and I prepped for the lemonade stand and loaded the suburban! Great off we go.... NOPE! I left the key turned and the battery was dead and the other car was blocked in the garage and they were facing opposite directions! Luckily my awesome Dad came to the rescue, but we couldn’t get it to jump so again luckily my Dad drives a pick up and too the rescue again we reloaded everything into his truck! In all the chaos I forgot to pick up the ice on the way! Guess who bailed us out??? Yup ... my dad. Then Erin (Eve’s big sister) was stuck in the driveway due to the dead battery —- I tried to move it enough but .... soooooo..... you know what comes next.... my dad bailed her out!! 

Thank you Thank you Thank you Dad!!! Love you!!! (Even though you aren’t on FB!) We made it and did just fine at the Farmers Market. The weather was beautiful but the not a lot of people today. 

None the less the 2 cutest & sweetest little girls gave Eve a ziplock bag of money that they themselves earned in their front yard lemonade stand!!!! No matter what already happened or was about to happened just that made it all worth it!! 

Sooooo we pack up the suburban- hubby got the battery to charge- and guess what I did!?!?!? Putting one of the coolers in I managed to dump at least a gallon of lemonade in the back! 😤 that’s going to be a pain to clean. . . . . .

Oh yeah and I tried to get a selfie with Finn - I think he missed that part of his Service Dog

*******

YESTERDAY TURNED OUT TO BE QUITE A SPECIAL DAY FOR ELVIS AND I...

SINCE SURGERY I HAVE HAD A REALLY HARD TIME WITH MY MEMORY, I CAN NOT REMEMBER MUCH BECAUSE OF THE MEDICATION I WAS PUT ON, YET THE DIFFICULTY IS WHEN I STOP TAKING THE MEDICATION I AM BATTLING WITH ALL SORTS OF MUSCLE SPASMS TO THE POINT I CAN BARLEY GET MY LEGS MOVE. I DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE MEDICATION DUE TO THE SIDE EFFECTS BUT THIS HAS RESULTED IN ME STRUGGLING TO JUST TRANSFER FROM MY WHEELCHAIR TO MY BED AND EVERY DAY I CAN FEEL MY LEGS BECOMING WEAKER LIKE THEY DID BEFORE.

MUSCLE SPASMS HAVE BEEN A LARGE PART OF MY LIFE THE PAST FEW YEARS SINCE I FIRST EXPERIENCED PARALYSIS IN MY LEGS AND WHILE I HAVE BEEN PUSHING THROUGH AS BEST I CAN, SINCE GOING BACK INTO A WHEELCHAIR THINGS SEEM TO HAVE DECLINED. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE QUIET RECENTLY, AS WE ARE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST STEPS FORWARD FROM HERE.

LAST WEEKEND A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE SAID I SHOULD TRY COME UP TO STAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SO ELVIS AND I HEADED UP ON TUESDAY NIGHT FOR AN EXCITING WEDNESDAY! ON WEDNESDAY WE WENT TO A BOOK SIGNING FOR 'LOCKED IN' WRITTEN BY VICTORIA ARLEN. SPEAKING TO SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON AND HEARING PARTS OF HER STORY REMINDED ME THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS JOURNEY. IT WAS DEFINITELY A DAY FULL OF EMOTIONS AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST DAYS I COULD HAVE SINCE SURGERY. RECENTLY I HAVE DEFINITELY FELT THE FIGHT IN ME WAVERING BUT YESTERDAY I REMEMBERED HOW MUCH FIGHT I STILL HAVE LEFT IN ME AND I FOUND MYSELF SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED MY GOALS RATHER THEN TELLING ME IT WAS UNACHIEVABLE. ELVIS BEHAVED LIKE THE ANGEL HE IS, LYING BY MY SIDE FOR 6 HOURS AND AFTER TAKING HIS VEST OFF HE GOT A LOT OF PATS FROM EVERYONE. I COULD TRY AND WRITE MORE BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD EXPLAIN IN WORDS HOW MUCH YESTERDAY MEANT TO ME AND REMINDED ME THAT THE ONLY LIMITS IN LIFE ARE THE ONES YOU PUT ON YOURSELF!

I AM ALSO SO VERY HAPPY AND GRATEFUL I GOT TO SPEND A COUPLE DAYS WITH SUCH CLOSE FRIENDS OF MINE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS WELL AS AN ADVENTURE IN BOSTON LAST WEEKEND. ELVIS ADORES HIS NEW FRIENDS! WE WERE BOTH VERY UPSET TO LEAVE THEM BUT CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE THEM AGAIN SOON AND GET UP TO SOME MORE ADVENTURES! 

THIS MORNING WE WERE BACK IN THE HOSPITAL FOR AN APPOINTMENT AND TOMORROW WE WILL BE BACK IN THE HOSPITAL TO MEET WITH MY SURGEON, GET A NEW CAST AS WELL AS ANOTHER BRACE FITTED! THE PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND IS TO JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYTHING PREPARED FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER NEXT WEEK, IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY BUSY SEMESTER TRYING TO BALANCE HEALTH, CLASSES AND WORKING OUT HOW TO BEAT PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS! I WILL KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED ON WHAT WE GET UP TOO AS TIME GETS CLOSER!

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING IN WITH US!
LOVE FIONA AND ELVIS ❤️

AUG 30 2018

WHAT ARE OUR STATS??????  OUR DOGS ARE TERRIFFIC-- NO PROBLEM THERE....   .... OK  HOW DO WE COMPARE WITH TEH "BIGGIES"?   

CANINE COMPANIOON FOR INDEPENDENCE (CCI)  PUTS OUT 366 DOGS A YEAR -- WITH AN INCOME OF 22 MILLION $$ AND A STAFF OF 255---  SO THE INCOME PER DOG IS $60,500  WITH 1.4 DOGS PER STAFF....

WE PUT OUT 22 DOGS PER YEAR  WITH AN INCOME OF $600,000 AND STAFF OF 14 OR $27,000 PER DOG  AND  1.5 DOGS PER STAFF.

 THE BIGGIE IN NEW ENGLAND AND TEH OLD TIMER IS NEADS--  THEY PUT OUT 37 DOGS PER YEAR  WITH INCOME OF 2.3 MILLION --    STAFF OF 41 --  $62.600 PER DOG  AND .9 DOGS PER STAFF.. SO WE ARE NOT DOING BADLY....  

THEIR CEO'S MAKE $350,000  AND I FEEL GUILTY WHEN SDP PAYS  FOR VOLUNTEERS S DINNER AND  I EAT SOME MYSELF.

*****

BEING AFFILIAted with ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL IS CRITICAL--  especially FOR OUR VETERANS    WHO'S DOGS HAVE VET INSURANCE COVERAGE AS LONG AS WE ARE ACCREDITED BY ADI.

NOW THE BAD PART....  WE ARE DUE TO BE RE- ACCREDITED IN 2020 ( EVERY  5 YEARS)- AND  THERE IS AN ADI INSPE3CTOR  GUY FROM AUSTRALIA WHO WANTS TO INSPECT US EARLIER.... MAYBE TO FIND OUT HOW WE OPERATE SO EFFICIENTLY WITH SUCH TERRIFFIC DOGS....

I AM DELIGHTED TO SHARE  OUR INFORMATION AND METHODS..... HOWEVER.....

THEY HAVE GIVEN US A LIST OF CRAPOLA-- STUFF TO DO...AND SEND TO HIM BEFORE HE COMES-- LAST TIME WE DID THIS... BY ACTUAL COUNT... WE WENT THRU 5 CASES/REAMS  OF PAPER TO PUT TOGETHER 6  LOOSELEAF NOTEBOOKS OF LEGALISTIC CRAP... AND TO BE HOnEST... THEY NEVER REALLY  "INSPECTED" OUR  ACTUAL ANIMALS IN TEH FLESH.

I SHOULD BE USED TO THIS... TEH DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS EXACTLY LIKE THAT....   LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE SOME WOMAN WAS  NOT GOING TO APPROVE OF US BECAUSE MY ANIMALS DID NOT HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL NUMBER-- I SAID THEY HAD NAMES....  SHE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT... SO I USED SOME OF MY LANGUAGE "THAT WOULD MAKE A SAILOR BLUSH" AND  TOLD HER TO LEAVE...

AND THEN THERE  WAS TEH SPCA-- BACK WHEN I WAS DOING ANIMAL "DEMOS" AT CORPORATE  TRADE SHOWS ETC-- AND I HAD PURCHASED 100 BABY CHICKENS FOR A DEMO-- WE DID TEH DEMO--- AND GOT BAck home to find the spca waiting for us--  they had been told we were terrible and killed  chicks...-- i did not give tehm teh crate of chicks to count,  i said the chicks were in there long enough  so i spilled them onto the  floor of a stall...and watched as 2 people tried to count  the very active yellow fluffy things.  they kept getting 102. 

 why were they so insistant on checking on our 100 chicks when teh hattchery just tossed teh male chicks into a garbage can....  could it be  the publicity we could have provided??? 

being chicken watcher at one of the jobs was the least favorite position-  reason being  overly protective parents  who felt  their kid had every right to pick up a chick and squeeze it.

*****

short doggie... had a terrible night with the pups....  gaBBY DOES NOT LIKE VANESSA... SO I HAD TO GET UP AND STRAIGHTEN OUT PUPPIES 4 TIMES OVERNIGHT...   PLUS WE LOST ELECTRICITY SEVERAL TIMES... I DID NOT REALIZE THAT  THE LOSS OF ELECT. SHUTS OFF THE A/C IN TEH DEAGLE  AND NUTT HOUSES---   THEY NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY RESTARTED-- OUR INSTANT START GENERATOR IS NOT QUITE INSTANT...  AC/ QUIT ALONG WITH COMPUTERS...

ROUGH DAY COMING

AUG 29 2018

TRACTOR SUPPLY "GUY" CALLED AND HE WILL GET SOME FENCE DELIVERED TO IPSWICH--  WHEN THIS 100 DEGREDE HEAT BREAKS, WE CAN GET AT IT AGAIN...   IN THE MEANTIME I CAN RIDE AROUN D IN THE A/C TRACTOR AND TRY AND PLAN WHERE TO POUND POSTS... I.E.  WHERE SOMEONE ELSE CAN POUND POSTS...

WE GET ALOT OF  TEENS NEEDING COMMUNITY SERVICE-- THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES...

APPARENTLY NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY REQUIRES   SOME....  SOME SCHOOLS REQUIRE 20  HOURS FOR GRADUATION... AND THEN THERE IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE  WITH KIDS WHO HAVE DONE MINOR THINGS... LIKE BEING IN A CAR IN THE PRESENCE OF  ALCOHOL -- NOT THE PERSON DRIVING...-- I FEEL IT IS MY DUTY NOT TO GIVE THEM  PATTING PUPPIES FOR PUNISHMENT... BUT THERE ARE THESE FENCE POSTS THEY CAN SWEAT OVER... AND SAVE TEH PUPPY PATTING FOR HONOR SOCIETY KIDS..

*****

DOG FEST ENTERTAINMENT---  WE HAVE SOME  THINGS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED "NORMAL"-  BUT I AM WONDERING IF  WE ASKED THE  "TREE GUY" TO COME AND TRIM TREES ON SATURDAY.  I CONSIDER WATCHING HIM A SPECTATOR SPORT-- IF HE DID THE TREES ON PUPPY HILL, IT WOUDL BE VISABLE FROM ALL OVER...  

JUST TO WATCH HIM THROW A ROPE OVER A LIMB 80 FEET UP SOME TREE  IS --- TO ME--- FASCINATING...

DEad limbs-- and total dead trees-  interest me in general... tell me  why...... the number of dead limbs hanging perilously over the electric wires is not of interest to anyone further  out on the line.... THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOOSING ONE'S ELECTRICITY  BECAUSE OF   FAILURE OF TH POWER GRID--  OR A DEAD LIMB AT THE END OF YOUR DRIVEWAY---  ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A BIG STORM WHICH TRIMS TREES ALL OVER TOWN SO YOUR DRIVEWAY IS 5 DAYS DOWN TEH LIST OF REPAIRINGS.

BOXFORD--- NEXT TOWN-- SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST "IQ" IN THE STATE - HAS MAYBE THE DUMBEST  TREE TRIMMING PROJECT-- ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS JUST SPENT $20K  ON A  BIG GENERATOR -BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ELECTRICITY FOR 5 DAYS  IN JAN  DUE TO ONE TREE LIMB-- WHICH HAD BEEN AN OBVIOUS THREAT FOR YEARS.

LIKE THE GUY WHO JUMPS OFF A 70 STORY BUILDING  "I'M OK SO FAR" 

LESSON OF THE DAY ... "LOOK UP AND THINK LIKE A BIG  WIND STORM"

BACK TO MIKE ROWE......WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE TAKING COURSES IN ROPE THROWING AND TREE CLIMBING... CONSEQUENTLY WE LOOSE POWER..

I WAS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT NEW YORK CITY HAS A BEE WRANGLER-- WHEN THOUSANDS OF BEES SWARMED  IN CENTRAL PARK, HE CAME ALONG WITH HIS TYVEK SUIT AND BEE VACUUM.... THEY SAID HE TOOK THEM ALL OUT  TO LONG ISLAND... HMMM

****

I AM HARD PRESSED FOR CUT AND PASTE-- SO HERE IS PAUL'S  THAT I ASKED FOR IN PREP FOR THE 2019 CALENDAR..... -

Good afternoon Carlene,

I am a 24-year veteran of the Air Force as a Medical Laboratory Manager. I was diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma (cancer) in 2013. I have been very successful with some treatments, but there was one of the issues I was not able to get around. I started having substantial balance problems I could only think that I was going to be in a confined to a wheelchair or housebound. Every time that I wanted to go out and run an errand, go for a walk, whatever, my family was very concerned that they were going to get a call that I fell down and broke something or was somehow injured, although I did fall down more than a couple times. Two of my docs suggested that a service dog might be helpful with my problem. It seemed that it would need to be something fairly large and sturdy to keep me upright and a great dane seemed like a great fit.

When I got an email invitation to come out to Service Dog Project and that they may have a match for me I was absolutely thrilled. I love great danes, who doesn't, but I was thinking about going to the mall, going for a walk, taking the kids to the zoo, so many possibilities but I knew nothing about how the match works. On the scheduled day that I arrived at SDP I was introduced to Charlotte. Trainer Steve was very patient with me to learn how to work with her walking, turning and working with her. Charlotte had spent over a year training as a service dog so she knew the ropes, I needed the training. By the time we left as a match I knew it was going to improve my quality of life as well as that of my family. Charlotte has helped me find a second wind. She has helped me find such a desire to help others. We volunteer frequently at my kids' schools and I have been asked to speak at a couple of local events. If I can do something, anything, that could help someone else find the happiness I have then I'm 150% in for it. 

Lt Col Paul R Eden, USAF (ret.)

*********

this is from whence cometh the biogroom waterless shampoo ( GOOD STUFF)  they were very nice to give me a refund when one of thebottles leaked  to empty.. Pet Mountain contact@petmountain.com

aug 27 2018

YESTERDAYS DD PROMPTED COMMENTS ABOUT  WHAT COMMEDIANS DO I FIND AMUSING??? JOHNNY CARSON--  BOB NEWHART-- AND THE SMOTHER BROTHERS WERE RIGHT UP THERE...  THERE IS... ON LINE... THE "LAST" SMOTHER BROTHERS SHOW-- WHICH GOT THEM CANCELED BY CBS...-- INTERESTING TO WATCH NOW....  IT IS OUT THERE....

THE BOB NEWHART EPISODE ON THE PHONE WITH THE KING OF ENGLAND  ABOTU  " WOULD YOU BELIEVE.....  THESE  PEOPLE OVER HERE  TAKE A WEED AND ROLL IT UP, PUT ONE END IN THEIR MOUTHS...  then they LIGHT FIRE TO THE  OTHER END!"  HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY  FAVORITE..

***********

THAT MESSAGE I THOUGHT I GOT FROM A PERSON AT THE STATE HOUSE IN BOSTON, HAD A SLIGHT ERROR-- IT WAS VERMONT STATE HOUSE... MAYBE WANTING A "FACILITY DOG" -- AND I WONDERED EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED...  GOLDIE AT WORK AGAIN.... I GOT THIS FROM CAROLINE/CLARK

Hi Carlene,

Clark and I have had a busy summer.  I took a few classes, and we had lots of kids come for our speech therapy program.  This is old hat for Clark by now. The kids are always great about not distracting Clark, and just his presence helps them relax a little and feel more comfortable about going to speech.

In June, we had the opportunity to be part of a project with a team from the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. They wanted to get photographs of people with disabilities in the community, so I volunteered to have them join us on our morning walk one Saturday. The pictures are beautiful (I am attaching some here). Along the way, the photographer asked me if my relationship with Clark is like a parent-child relationship. I answered that it sometimes is, but is more like a spouse or partner relationship most of the time. I’m responsible for feeding Clark, cleaning up after him, and making sure he behaves in public...so yes, that is like being a parent. But Clark is responsible for keeping me safe, too.  He tells me when I’m trying to push myself too hard, when it’s time for both of us to rest, when to get back up. It’s a two way street.

A few weeks ago, once the semester was over, we took a trip to visit Cindy and Ava (Clark’s sister) for a few days. The dogs were SO excited to see each other again, and it was wonderful to spend time with Cindy and her husband, Jim. We were able to meet up with Erica and Asher for lunch one day, and with Donna and Wicked another. When I first got Clark, I did not expect to also gain such good friends in other recipients and dogs. The SDP community is so special!

Tomorrow, we start our third year in my PhD program. I couldn’t ask for a better companion than Clark...unless, of course, he could help with homework!

Thank you, as always,

Caroline 

**

IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF CAROLINE PUT THE TEAM FROM UNIV OF CINN IN TOUCH WITH  VERMONT PERSON WHO'S NAME I WILL GET TO YOU (I  LOST IT AGAIN) -

SOME DOGS ARE GOOD AT THIS STUFF... OTHERS NOT.  we might be abloe to  come up with one.

****

WE FINALLY GOT A  VIDEO/AUDIO OF THE STRANGE SOUND  LATE AT NIGHT-- HEARD ON THE DONKEY CAMERA-- IT CERTAINLY UPSETS TEH DOGS TO BARKING--- - IT IS NOT A DOG/DONKEY/ ANIMAL/ NORMAL BARN SOUND-- WHICH STRANGELY STOPS WHEN SOMNEONE GOES DOWN TO QUIET THE DOGS..   how  ODD... 

*******

AN OLD FRIEND-- LYNN CASHMAN--- WELL INTO THE QUArterhorse world--- had an expression  abotu a really beautiful horse we saw one day-- a stallion...georgeous-- but not quite behaving... 

 she said  " would make a nice gelding" ---  how true that is/was --   take  the clydesdale horses.. the budweiser hitch-- beautiful  extremely reliable performers- and every one a gelding ( neutered) -- or our service dogs-- all dogs we train and donate are spayed and neutered....  because regardless of how reliable,  there is teh possibility of a surge of hormones making them unsuitable for quiet work among humans.

hmmmmmmmmmmm.

AUG 26 2018

DID I SEE SOMEONE ON THE NEWS SAY WE NEED HATS "MAKE AMERICA KIND AGAIN"?  WHAT AN ODD IDEA....MAYBE.. JUST MAYBE......

YOU PEOPLE WHO READ THIS KNOW FULL WELL... THERE ARE DAYS WHEN MY HEAD IS 7 DEGREES OFF CENTER

THIS IS ONE OF THEM. 

STARTING WITH  MACDONALDS HAPPY MEALS,  RELIGION IN GENERAL, AND SPOON FEEDING...... "GET 'EM YOUNG... TRAIN 'EM EARLY "  SEEMS TO BE A FACT... THE BIBLE HAD A FEW WORDS.. LIKE BENDING A CHILD IN THE WAY  THEY WILL GO... OR SOM\THING  LIKE THAT....

BUT THE GOOD OLE AMERICAN WAY IS NOW  "MORE FOR ME AND THE DEVIL TAKE THE ONES IN HINDSIGHT."   COMPETITION REIGNS SUPREME --  WE PUT OUR KIDS IN COMPETITIVE SITUATIONS CONSTANTLY..... WHAT COULD BE MORE RIDICULOUS THAN FOR KIDS TO BE IN A SPELLING BEE COMPETITION...... I WATCH OUR HIGHSCHOOL-- SENDING KIDS OUT JOGGING AROUND TOWN... NOT TO BECOME FIT, BUT TO COMPETE-- FOOTBALL-- TRACK--- WHATEVER...WE CAN TURN ANYTHING  INTO A COMPETITION... I SAW IT BIG TIME ION HORSES ---  WHICH IS PARALELL TO  BIKE RIDING....  SO VERY FEW RIDE HORSES/OR BIKES  THRU THE WOODS FOR ENJOYMENT-- BEFORE THE CONCEPT BECOMES A RACE --  FROM LITTLE LEAGUE TO SPECTATOR FOOTBALL  - TELL ME YOU  HAVE NEVER SEEN A FIGHT BETWEEN NOT ONLY ATHLETES, BUT  SPECTATORS !!!  WE HAVE THE COMPTITIVE EDGE ALL AROUND.  MY CAR IS FASTER THAN YOURS.   MY BIKE TIRES HAVE MORE KNOBBIES THAN YOURS... THE STRUGGLE TO COMPARE TO COME OUT ON TOP...

HOW LOW CAN IT GO??? I CAN DRINK MORE BEER THAN YOU CAN.

 SORORITY/ FRATURNITY  MY GROUP IS THE BETTER THAN YOURS --  THIS CONCEPT HAS GOT SO FAR OUT OF CONTROL--  FROM PHYSICAL CAR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS LIKE RAGE.....  TO  MINDLESS  CONDEMNATION OF  ALTERNATIVE POSITIONS..

ALL THE WAY TO ... OWNING A DOG.... MINE IS A  VALUABLE CHAMPION- YOURS IS  A JUNK DOG..

PEOPLE ARE SOOOOO   IMPOSSIBLE .   THE DOGS ARE BETTER...   THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE 

EXCEPT MAYBE WHEN THEY RACE UP AND DOWN A FENCE LINE... 

I GIVE UP. 

AUG 25 2018

EDUCATION-- IN AN EFFORT TO  IMPROVE THE MINDS  OF READERS OF THIS DAILY DOGGIE.......I LEARNED SOMETH ING I MUST PASS ALONG... I LEARNED THAT  EVERY ADULT PRODUCES ENOUGH URINE IN 20 MINUTES  TO HAVE THE SAMPLE TESTED.

NOW BEING OF AN ADVANCED  AGE... I SEE NOTHING TO QUESTION THAT.

I LEARNED THIS FROM A JUDGE WHO NEEDED  TO DO A  DRUG TEST FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER AND TEH PERSON SAID THEY COULDN'T PRODUCE--- THE PERSON WAS TOLD TO HAVE A SEAT IN THE COURTROOM, "WE CAN WAIT" --- LOVE IT !!! 

I ALSO LEARNED SHE HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE BENEFIT OF A PUPPY IN THE COURTROOM TO HAVE EVERYONE RELAX AND ALLOW HER TO DO A BETTER JOB OF  DECIDING SOME COMPLICATED ISSUES...

***

I AM NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.... BUT I HAD A CALL FROM  RXXXXX YESTERDAY LOOKING BASICALLY FOR A COURTROOM DOG TO HAVE IN BOSTON...  GOT TO THINK ABOUT IT...

ALSO I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT WOULD WORK... IF THEY NEEDED A DOG TO SLEEP ON  A BENCH IN THE COURTROOM-- WE COULD DO THAT IN A HEARTBEAT... TO RUN AROUND AND PUT THEIR HEAD IN ANYONE'S LAP--- WOULD HAVE TO BE A GOLDEN RETIRIEVER. TO BOSS EVERYONE AROUND... A JACK RUSSELL LIKE WANDA -- FOR SURE!

****

 NOW THE  " I WONDER"    PART...

ON DR POL ( NAT;L GEO...) HE HAD A MARE LOOSE A FOAL BECAUSE OF BEING BRED TO THE SAME STUD TWO OR THREE TIMES   , AND SOME SORT OF BLOOD/ ANTIBODY PROBLEM DEVELOPED...  THERE WAS A SECOND-- AN AMISH BELGAIN HORSE-- SAME PROBLEM  -- SAME REASON GIVEN..

 WHERE WE HAD THE 3 STILLBORNS IN THIS LAST LITTER, I WONDER IF THERE IS SOME BLOOD STUDY WE SHOULD FIGURE OUT..

*

THERE IS SOME HOMEWORK  FOR SOME ONE TO DO...? EXACT PARENTS  RELATION TO STILL BIRTHS?  

ALL I  THINK I KNOW AT THE MOMENT IS... YOU CAN TRANSFUSE ANY DOG WITH ANY DOG'S BLOOD.. ONCE....  BUT NOT THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT DOING TYPING...

****

WE HAVE 5 PUPS IN EACH LITTER.... ONE HARL--- OR AT LEAST "COLORFUL"  - NOT BLACK.

JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE DETAILS -- WE WERE MINUS 3 "AFTERBIRTHS"-- BUT SHE PASSED 2 THIS MORNING SO FAR.... WE HAVE NOT GIVEN HER ANOTEHR "PIT" SHOT-- 

? ANY COMMENT GEORGE??? 

***

WE DID HAVE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS ABOUT "WHY DON'T YOU GET HER UP AND MAKE HER WALK AROUND BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN LABOR THEY MADE ME DO THAT....".

 UNLESS I AM MISTAKEN YOU DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE 2 OR 3  OFFSPRING ALREADY  IN THE LOCATION IN WHICH  YOU WERE LAABORING .

GET USED TO IT GUYS-- AROUND HERE-- MOMMY NATURE DECIDES THESE THINGS-- AND THINKING YOU Can MAKE A SITUATION BETTER OFTEN RESULTS IN YOU MAKING MATTERS WORSE...  THERE IS ONE CP WHO OFTEN DOES FOCUS ON ONE SITUATION - WHICH SEEMS SO SIMPLE TO  SOLVE-   AND THEN BLAMES ME FOR TEH RESULTS---

'"MAYBE IF YOU HAD JUST MADE  HER WALK AROUND SHE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ANY STILL BORNS"- HAS A DIG TO IT WE DON'T NEED--   ONE OF THE STILLBORNS HAD AN OBVIOUS DEVELOPEMENTAL PROBLEM-- WALKING WASN'T GOING TO HELP THAT.... AND NATURE DIDN'T ASK MOM TO WALK..

I DO HAVE A THEORY THAT IF SPERM LASTS 48 HOURS, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBEL THE STILLBORNS WERE ACTUALLY  2 DAYS "YOUNGER"- 

ALSO  WERE THE 3 RETAINED AFTERBIRTHS CONNECTED TO THAT PROBLEM?

WHO KNOWS?  MAYBE WALKING WOULD HELP-- BUT THAT IS FOR MOMMY NATURE TO DECIDE... NOT ME.

***

7:54 REPORT... THE LAST PLACENTA HAS BEEN PASSED-- WITHOUT THE PIT SHOT !!!

aug 24 2018

a harlequin pup.... at last... not black !!!  she just had the first... lynne and grace are attending....  lanie and chaos are supervising... on we go... briefly.....  FROM THE  ADI  CONFERENCE megan and steve have reported  someone ( an adi big gun)  wants to come to do our accreditation earlier-- to see just how we get the results we get..... i would  love that....  there are some facets of service dog training  about which i do not approve---   i would like to see other trainers re-think some of the things we do--  i would not have had the courage without  geroge getting #1---so they can not argue with success. *** however--- the neighbors are fussing again...   very interesting that we had no complaints til i started to use t my other driveway-- i think we are  all victums of some agitator passing hate around-  i was up most of the night... waiting for pups  and thinking of all the hours of sleep i have missed due to the neighbors. ***  interesting CBD Helps Dogs With Arthritis, Says New Study by Cornell University - Cannanine  cornell is  a respectable opinion--- when i have time ... i shlould look into it...???? **** short doggie.... more pups coming?????-- on the nursery camera...

aug 23 2018

PURINA  --  pro plan--- THAT WONDERFUL STUFF WE FEED OUR DOGS-- AND THEY DONATE 9 PALLETS EVERY 2 MONTHS --- WHICH KEEPS OUR DOGS IN PERFECT HEALTH-- AND IS A RELEIF TO OUR  OUR POCKETBOOK  DEPARTMENT.  no way do i want to upset that-- it is working beautifully for a couple years. there is one very strange gap to fill---- this spoon feeding/ education  of young pups... starting  at 3 weeks we start spoon feeding canned food-- to get their attention and start their training.-- at 3 weeks- well maybe 4...   there is a picture of me spooning 10 pups at 7 weeks old-- all sitting perfectly waiting for their spoonfull-  it just so happens that the one pup i am feeding is george-- who became  Bella's partner and  service dog of the year.   i would love to know if anyone in the  country can have 10 pups sit and wait for food like that.....it is the basis for their education---  wait and think... most pups that age will jump around with a gimme gimme gimme concept.  our danes are more spohisticated than that... on with the mechanics of it.... purina gives us a pallet of wet food - we love it.....in those great plastic tubs that end up getting used for staff left overs and liunch ( plus screws /bolts and washers )--  that wet food is a shreaded variety- wonderful mixed with the dry food..... but..... does not fit well on a spoon---it is inclined to slide around and one shread might get spilled  on the floor, which  breaks teh pups concentration  and starts  a "FIND THE SHREAD"  scramble- not conducive to orderly dog training... i find purina's canned puppy food- which is minced- and stays on the spoon, perfect for the training  of puppies. when we have pups, i buy cases of it at the store. and then......  I GOT AN EMAIL FOR A purina  automatic delivery system-- much as i hate automatic delivery systems, i bit the bullet and signed up for 5 cases a month- to be used for "desert" after their main meal- as a training  exercise. i know full well that i will forget to turn it off and we will get 5 cases a month even when we don't have pups of that age... however... getting  an extra 5 cases of dog food for months is the one time we can cope as opposed to the automatic delivery of tooth brushes , #10 business envelopes, or hack saw blades.   i wish purina( and the whole amazon type world) had another field " automatic delivery for xxx months?"  particularly since this is puppy food.. or more efficiently   "after 6 months change to adult food" all except in our case-- where  #1 probably we will have more pups every few months  #2  our dogs love to eat any food purina sends us so we are safe. ******* i once did cook---- things like dinner-- and preserves- pickles, jam  -- and bread-   granted my kids were told "go eat peas in the garden, then come in for a bbq chicken leg and a hunk of home made bread"    don't knock it.... they grew- i did tire of cooking- so .. i don't- luckily we have several volunteers who love it...  i am fascinated with clever things-- and this  video has some--- most noteably  separating egg yolks or  putting a bunch of tinhy grape tomatoes between 2 plates and cutting them all in half at once.   before anyone gets excited about  the easy way to peal eggs... i have studied that at great legnth...  the eggs that do not peal well are generally fresh eggs... if the eggs  are more than 2 or 3 weeks old, they peal nicely.   i wrote to the nat'l egg board and they told me that... and i find it is usually true. this  video had some new ideas... in case you cook.. or just play with food.... .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbiXc5cUVus **** meeting this am with   matt ( memsiac)-- i have had a few ideas  to talk with him about.  both matt and sdp are doing very well wiith the chicken bricks-- maybe he can deal with end of month-- new board all by himself-- usually takes me about an hour.    **** am i allowed to be shocked at  the fact that -----we gave a perfect pet/fabulous failure to someone-- and  when i met the parents of that person those parents had never heard of chicken bricks or donating to service dog project?????  come on guys... we do not sell dogs, but  unless those who can donate- do donate, we can not exist. most of our PP's are  well bred danes....spayed/neutered-- somewhat trained--  if you are struggling and can not afford  $10  donation,-- believe me i understand that  !!!    i will be the last to object to that...  but somewhere in here  there is a paying it forward episode-- if you can... ****  somewhere here megan and steve return... today??? tomorrow?????  i look forward to  what they saw/learned????

aug 22 2018

HURRACANE HEADING FOR HAWAII.... SO THEY SHOWED PEOPLE GETTING READY AND THE SHOPPING CART THEY SHOWED WAS LADEN WITH BOTTLED WATER AND DUCT TAPE--.. GOOD CHOICE.  WATER IS A LARGE CONCERN OF MINE-- AND ONE REASON I BOUGHT THIS PLACE WAS TEH LAKE ACROSS THE STREET-- AND MY  DEED GAVE ME ACCESS TO IT "SO I COULD WATER MY STOCK"

**

WHEN I MOVED IN  I DID HAVE--BY ACTUAL COUNT 150 ANIMALS-- SO 60 DANES IS NOTHING..

I FORGET WHO-- BUT THE EFFORT AT RAISING HOMING PIGEONS  ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 30.

THERE WAS EDWIN -- THE LLAMA,  MAYBE 25 OR SO DONKEYS ( 8 WERE MY DRIVING ONES) HORSES , 2 EMUS, ONE PIG, A BUNCH OF CHICKENS AND  A FEW PEACOCKS--- I KEPT THE FEMALE PEACOCK IN A SMALLER VERSION OF TEH WHITE  "G-TENT"  AND LET THE MALES fly LOOSE---   they lived in very high spots-- like the guest house roof.  and they screamed  "hellllllp" so loud- heard for miles.... that i had to notify the police that i had them.

THEY USUALLY STAYED HOME, BUT WHEN THEY FLEW, THEY WERE LIKE DRUNKEN 747'S-- AND JUST SO YOU KNOW..... IF YOU GO TO CATCH ONE AND YOU GRAB AT THE TOP OF THAT BEAQUTIFUL   LONG TAIL,   THE WHOLE THING  EASILY COMES OFF AND A LITTLE CHICKEN  LIKE BIRD WALKS OFF.... MAKING YOU  LOOK AND FEEL VERY FOOLISH....  THEY LOOSE THAT TAIL FEATHER BY FEATHER IN  AUGUST-- I WAS ALWAYS FISHING THEM OUT OF THE MUD-- THEY WERE EASILY CLEANED UP IN THE SHOWER-- WITH SHAMPOO--  AND DRYED  STEM UP-- BEFOE INVERTING THEM IN A WINE BOTTLE OR SUCH.. THERE ARE 2 KINDS ALTERNATING ON  THE BIRD....  THE MORE FAmous  EYE ONES ALTERNATED WITH A NON EYE ONE...

***

i am lacking  very many  details.... but.. somehow janine has some pictures of an actor named ?bacon?   relaxing/ jogging around groton house  with one of her  "running donkeys"  during the filming of some movie/tv  being filmed there....  teh donkeys aren't in the film  ? that i know of???  but lincoln - her black horse is... my biggest news is that whoever  bacon is, he was  seen with one of our donkey feed bags over his shoulder !!  boy a photo of that would do wonders for our feed bag sales... but it is one of those permissiony type things on the set...  i think she has a LEGAL  photo of him with   LINCOLN  on her(janine jacques)  facebook-- ...   whatever that movie is... it is a big deal--

how big a deal???? there were 6 portaPOTTIES LINED UP ON THE HILSIDE--   THAT 'S HOW BIG. 

ALONG WITH TRAILERS RV'S ++++ AND  2 STAINLESS TRACTOR TRAILERS FULL KITCHEN  SETUPS WITH CALIFORNIA PLATES..  TENTS SET UP ALL OVER-- AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE-- JANINE SAID TEHY WERE THRILLED WITH LINCOLN'S NAUGHTY BEHAVIOR LEANING OUT OF THE STALL AS HE DID HERE-- GRABBING THINGS IN  HIS MOUTH-- LIKE THE ACTRESSES' HAT--

THEY HAVE ONE MORE DAY-- OR RATHER, SHE DOES...  SHE DOES HAVE TO WORK YOU KNOW....THANKFULLY....

****

THINK I WILL ORDER ANOTHER BATCH OF 500  FEED BAGS--JANINE HAS A DONKEY DEAL THIS FALL, WE HAVE DOGFEST AND THEY WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR CHRISTMAS  PRESENTS  WE HAVE GONE THRU 380 ALREADY-- WITHOUT MUCH PUSH...TINA ALERT !!!I CAN YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH  OUR FRIEND MR MOON???

AUG 21 2018

 THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO SCHOOL HAVE GONE ---WHICH CHANGES OUR WHOLE STAFF SITUATION.... WE NEED OVERNIGHTERS....PEOPLE WHO CAN MANAGE TO STAY (NEARLY)  AWAKE ALL NIGHT TO PUPPY SIT THE  2 LITTERS..----NURSES ARE GOOD AT THAT STUFF.... AND WE HAVE  SOME... BUT NEED MORE.  LIKE 7 A WEEK...... LAINEIS ARE NEARLY OLD ENOOUGH SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO SLEEP/NAP NEARBY...   BUT WE HAVE TH E NEW GABBY LITTER COMING ALONG-- SO UNTIL THEY GET TO ABOUT 10 DAYS OLD WE NEED SITTERS.. 

PAIRS OF SITTERS ARE  GOOD....  

ALOT OF EFFORT GOES INTO  PRODUCING A  "LIFE SAVER" DOG.   THE WORKING DOGS ARE SOOOOO  HELPFUL TO THEIR RECIPIENTS....

LET US THINK..... THEY MUST WEIGH ABOUT 140 POUNDS....  I WONDER HOW MUCH VOLUNTEER EFFORT  GOES INTO THAT PRODUCTION.. HOW  MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND HOW MUCH POO GOT PICKED TO ARRIVE AT AN 18 MONTH OLD WONDER DOG. ?

WELL HERE'S A FEWW...-------- STARTING WITH 2 NIGHTS OF CONTRACTIONS AND LABOR FOR BIRTHING...  10 DAYS INTESNIVE OBSERVATION TIL THEY ARE BIG ENOUGH TO SCREAM IF MOMMY LIES DOWN IN THE WRONG PLACE...-- A MONTH OF SOMEONE SEMI-SLEEPING-  18 MONHTHS= 540 DAYS-- WHICH IS 540 VITAMIN PILLS IN 1080 BOWLS OF FOOD  AND MINIMUM  1180 PILES OF POO TO BE PICKED-- THE EXTRA  100 BECAUSE THEY ARE BOUND TO HAVE  DIARRHEA AT LEAST ONCE- REQUIRING  2360 PIECES OF 3X6 CAREFULLY CUT POO PICKERS PROVIDED BY OUR WORLD WIDE COMMUNITY  OF  CP'S

SO ALL YOU  CP'S-- WHO ARE ALSO  PPP's  ( POO PICKER PRODUCERS) AND HOPEFULLY  SUPPORTING MEMBERS OF THE SHATUPON SOCIETY OF IPSWICH WITH THIER $10  DONATIONS-- CAN TAAKE GREAT PRIDE  IN WHAT WE DO WITH THAT $10,

OR  "WHAT CAN I POSSIBLY DO  TO HELP SOMEONE WALK AGAIN?"  CUT UP YOUR CEREAL BOXES-- AND IF YOU CAN, SEND US $10 A MONTH AS A SHATUPON SUPPORTER-- PLUS IF YOU SEND A SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE  I WILL SEND BACK  A MONKEY FIST ZIPPER PULLER-- WHICH HAS  A MARBLE IN IT.. SO WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE LOST YOUR MARBLES, YOU WILL HAVE ONE LEFT.

*******

i FELT SO MUCH BETTER TODAY AFTER READING THE DD.  NED AND I ALSO MISSED TAKING CAKE  YESTERDAY AND I FELT TERRIBLE SO YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE.   WE TOOK ONE TODAY. AND THEY WERE VERY GRACIOUS EVEN WITH DAY-LATE-CAKE.   

NED AND I HAD OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH.  I CAN'T BELIEVE JUST OVER A YEAR AGO I HATED TO STEP OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.  YOU TOLD ME ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A SERVICE DOG IS NO ONE WOULD EVER WATCH ME AGAIN, ALL EYES WOULD BE ON HIM & YOU WERE SO RIGHT.  WITH HIM BY MY SIDE I DON'T WORRY ABOUT STAGGERING AND FALLING.  HE IS SO SOLID AND STEADYING I DON'T HAVE TO WATCH MY FEET AND CAN LOOK UP WHEN I WALK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!   MY NEUROLOGIST WAS SO PLEASED WITH HOW IMPROVED MY WALKING WAS  & ASKED WHAT I ATTRIBUTED IT TO.  OF COURSE, IT'S NED. (THEY LET ME TAKE MY WALKING TEST WITH HIM).  THE CLINICAL ASSISTANT AGREED AND SAID THEY SEE MANY SERVICE DOGS  BUT NED WAS THE BEST SHE'S SEEN.

  i KNOW YOU HEAR THIS OFTEN BUT I CAN'T EXPRESS HOW THANKFUL  I AM TO YOU,  THE SDP STAFF AND THE INCREDIBLE CP'S WHO ENABLE THE GIFT OF WALKING AND INDEPENDENCE.  THERE'S NO WAY I COULD HAVE CONTINUED TO LIVE BY MYSELF, OR TO MOVE WITHOUT NED..  THERE ARE SO FEW THINGS YOU FEEL YOU CAN CONTROL WHEN YOUR MS PROGRESSES.  MOVING TO FLORIDA WAS MY LIFELONG PLAN AND DOING IT ALLOWED ME TO FEEL IN SOME CONTROL OF MY LIFE.  SDP MADE IT HAPPEN.    THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU!

 MEALS ON WHEELS WAS NOT A VIABLE OPTION HERE.   I  AVOID GETTING NED OUT IN THE  MID-DAY HEAT AND DON'T KNOW MY WAY AROUND  VERY WELL.   WE ARE NOW OFFICIAL USO VOLUNTEERS.  WE COMPLETED OUR TRAINING , JOB SHADOWING AND HAVE OUR BASE  PASS.   THE USO FACILITY IS WONDERFUL  THEY OFFER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND LOTS OF SPECIAL EVENTS. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR US  BUT DIDN'T GUESS HOW SPECIAL    I HADN'T CONSIDERED THAT WHEN IN THE SERVICE YOU CAN'T REALLY HAVE PETS AND DON'T OFTEN ENCOUNTER ANY.    YESTERDAY WE WORKED THE FRONT DESK GREETING AND HELPING CHECK OUT MOVIES, GAMES, ETC.  I SAT AT THE DESK WITH NED BEHIND ME.   IF YOU COULD HAVE SEEN THE REACTIONS  WHEN THEY WALKED PAST AND SPOTTED NED IT WOULD MAKE YOU CRY.  I HAD  HIS VEST OFF (HE'S SO GOOD-IN VEST OR OUT).  SOME TALKED ABOUT THE PETS THEY HAD TO LEAVE HOME AND OTHERS JUST REVELED IN HAVING A CHANCE TO  INTERACT WITH NED.  HE WAS SUCH A PROFESSIONAL, EVEN WHEN ENGAGED WITH A SERVICE PERSON HE STAYED TUNED IN TO ME IN CASE  I TRIED TO STAND UP.   HE REALLY IS A SUPERSTAR!  I WISH WE COULD TAKE PICTURES BUT NONE ARE ALLOWED ON BASE.  WE'LL GET SOME TO POST WHEN WE HAVE AN OFF-BASE EVENT.   

MY NEUROLOGIST WAS SO PLEASED

   SDP   LOVES TO KEEP THOSE NEUROLOGISTS PLEASED !!!!

AUG 20 2018

 VENTING day....  i am ashamed of myself-- it was teh 19th.... and i was comfortable to sit around and eat cake-- but did not make tehe effort to get a cake to my  local fire depaartment  -  thank heavens we had reports of people who did their paying forward duty.. my lack of effort was what i have allways deemed to be "sloppy living" ---i was   so busy eating  my own cake that i just could not make teh effort to "do for" others as i am so willing to accept that they do for me...

i must  get there-- a day late, --- the excuse of being old with a short term  memory problem is about the best thing about being old... it works --- everybody forgives that as norm.... that's a  buncha crap. it is sloppy living.... if i push this button around my neck... they would hop in theri firetrucks and come running, i would be very happy to accept theri help-- there is something wrong there... even if my taxes pay their  paycheck --- it hqs to be more than that to do some of the things they have to do... same for police people -- or lord knows  school teachers !!

my assignment of yesterday was to write a couple paragraphs for the inside of the calendar.  kitty thought "paying it forward"   is a good topic- as sooooo  many of ouur recipients do that in so many ways... to try and be correcr.... i asked Pam for a definition -- before consulting wikepedia myself--like buying a cuppa coffee for the guy behind you  at starbuckis.... pam put it better int he 34 minute video now on our web--  our dogs do for people what we can not do for them ourselves. 

---dogs are so much better at giving--- hands up for whoever would like to accompany erica for her daily classes at law school-- or lie quietly on a bqth mat while bella learns that 6 times  9 =  54

in my opinion.....  9 times out of 10, to be called a dog is a step UP for most  of us.  

our dogs are very happy to have a job they understand- and are sooooo good at it...  work is a good thing.  how many people haVe that aTTITUDE??? SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO THINK THAT LYING  ON A BEACH IN TEH BROILING SUN WITH A BOOK OVER THEIR FACE GETTING SKIN CANCER  IS A GOAL IN LIFE.-- SLOPPY LIVING TO ME. HOW MUCH HAPPIER IS TEH BUS DRIVER WHO WELCOMES 

EACH PASSENGER WITH A SMILE AND  "GOOD MORNING"--  SDP IS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE-- MANY RETIRED-- WHO CHOOSE TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE RATHER THAN LIE IN TH ESUN...

SDP NEEDS THEIR EXPERTISE.... THERE IS NO END-  YOU WILL LOVE THIS ONE....

FILLING THE REGFRIGERATOR WITH BOTTLES OF SODA OR WATER IS SOMETHING I NEVER SPENT MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT.  WE USE ALOT...  MUNDANE CHORE SO OFTEN I WARTCH THE OPEN DOOR AND THINGK OF ELECTRIC BILLS AS PEOPLE LOAD IT UP 2 BOTTLES AT A TIME...

UNTIL YESTERDAY----A - CP-   KENYON COLLEGE FRIEND OF DAUGHTER GWEN -- ANALYZED TEH SITUATION   ---TOTALLY UNWRAPPED 96 BOTTLES OF 8 OZ WATER BOTTLES-- LINED THEM UP  24 AT A TIME IN THE 4 CARDBOARDS- OPENED TEH FRIDGE AND PLACED  THEM ON SHELVES SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY PREPARED-- 

DDUUUUUUHHHHHH.   THINKING......

*****

SO ON TO DOG TRAINING.....

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO JUST OWN DOGS... AND  TRAINERS.

" you must LEARN TO  wait for your food, jUST  becaUSE YOU MUST LEARN NOT TO DIVE INTO IT WITHOUT THINKING.... 

 BUT I WILL NOT MAKE YOU WAIT JUST TO PROVE I CAN DOMINATE YOU.

. I DO NOT LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE "COMMAND" THIER DOGS TO "SIT"  FOR NO APPARENT REASON---  THEN WALK AWAY- ALL PLEASED WITH THEMSELVES THAT THEY MADE THE DOG DO SOMEHTING...AND TOTALLY FORGET TO RELEASE THEM.

ASIDE FROM BEING RUDE TO THE DOG, THEY HAVE JUST TAUGHT THE DOG TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHEN THEY WERE FREE TO MOVE AROUND.

****

PEOPLE PROBLEM......SLOPPY THINKING...

aug 19 2018

megan says the conference is going well and is interesting..sounds like they might be taking "those dane people" seriously.i  remember going to the first few and being odd man out-- "you great dane people are nuts"'------  when i had  perfectly educated bailey ( white dane) and eveeryone else had some kind of  retriever... tan/yellow/ brown  ....   they had some very straqnge tests for " being a good service dog..- one was to have a kid in a wheelchair call the dog and have it come running and put it's fromt feet in the kids lab and be friendly-- like lick him in the face..

bailey walked right over to the kid and stood there saying "you called?"---  so she failed that.. then there was the retrieving a rolling wheelchair which had a short rope on the back-- teh lecturer was about to send her ( brown) dog to get it when bailey went and took hold of that rope and pulled it  without any instruction ..... and so helo me she was never taught to do anything like that.--

 then i tried to get them to stop using the hard leather harness on anythibng but a seeing eye dog-- which needs teh firm connection. i showed them teh horse halter we used at that time ( we did not have the felt ones yet... ) it was far more comfortable for the dog than those heavy glitzy leather ones.-  i do have one of those--- someone gave it to me... back in teh beginning when  i was trying to resemble a seeing eye person so they would let me thru the airport-- it is teh only time i used it-- and for that purpose.  it certainly was uncomfortable for the dog to wear all day.

 they are marketed "specially made for your dog"  -- at about $650.00-- they are a thing of beauty... "saddlery" .

that was my "early harness"  phase---  when looking the part was sooooo important- and we all were skating  along on the reputation of teh seeing eye organization-- and their work to get dogs accepted.-- then along came ADI-- and-- lacking confidence,  i went thru a "service dog in training"  episode- on their vests and the back of my shirt... until LU of   ecad (east coast assistance dogs in conn)  told me not to do that...

mind you ... my dogs were educated....  i never had any doubt about how my dogs behaved... they didn't  do tricks like open doors--- i tried that  with one dog--- "brownie"   a huge merle -after spending hours teaching him to open the car door, he did just that , and thanks to an automatic supermarket door, he came to try and find me- causing the loud speaker to request all shoppers come immediately to the front  of the store- i was mortified when he clearly identified me as his owner,.

i decided it took too long to have them do "tricks" of light switches and door opening...  better to have them do teh critical walking and stairs-- our recipients coudl bend over and pickup thier own credit card- and save about 6 months of training.

just because of teh way life is...  rarely are  our recipients more than 100 feet from another human... so yell for help with teh doors and dropped  credit cards....

*****

I THINK I HAve determined that both benedryl and that otc melatonin have residual effects dulling ones senses-- last week i took  a minor dose of one or the other- and i went from struggling to complete the hard suduko puzzles to  being incapable of  completing the easy ones-- and for those interested in these things...i didn't get stuck on the easy ones-- i made a careless error and that caused me to be stuck... there are  darn few -- if any--- puzzles in my magazines which have  a big x thru them becaues of careless mistakes-- until  the week  of the benedryl...

i speak truth...  it may be subtle-- but ther e is a difference.

****

i started to read in the ny times  about   " the rising cost of motherhood"   but my eye caught  the words....

"As I learned about companies that track “behavioral biometric” data, I developed a jarring mental image of computers silently recording my clicks, pauses, mouse swoops and typos.

can you immagine  trying to make sense of tracking my typso?????

AUG 18 2018

WE HAVE A CAMERA SHOOT TODAY-- FOR THE CALENDAR-- IT INVOLVES A ROWBOAT IN HOOD POND ACROSS THE STRREET-- AND OUR LATEST VOLUNTEER WAS A COAST GUARD PERSON... HE SAYS TEH ROWBOAT WILL NOT FLOAT WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED... SO I BETTER GET AT IT.... AND BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHES

****

Im at a loss for words, in a great way. Today marks 1 full year with the most amazing #greatdane ,Sydney. I dont know what words can explain all the ways Syd has improved not just my life, but improved me, as a man, a father, a husband, a friend, a leader, and just a better human. 

I had no idea what life with a #servicedog would look like when I first met The Service Dog Project, but my wife Jessica Renaud Mandile believed it would help me. Just like with everything else, my wife was RIGHT, again. I know I am one of the most difficult, biggest pains in the ass to walk the earth. I am fortunate #blessed to have Jessica and Syd as my team of #caregivers 

Syd, I love ya with every gram of my being.

Syd was a missing piece to me being the person I am today.  stephen and ayd

THIS TRIP WAS THE KIND OF VACATION THAT REQUIRES A VACATION AFTER IT - WE STAYED SO BUSY! ASHER AND I WERE HAPPY TO TAKE THE NEXT DAY OFF AND DO NOTHING ALL DAY, I'M SURE WE WERE BOTH EXHAUSTED. I WAS SO HAPPY THAT I COULD KEEP UP WITH ALL OF OUR WANDERINGS FOR THOSE FOUR DAYS WE ALL HAD TOGETHER, AND I KNOW ASHER WAS A BIG REASON WHY! THE TERRAIN WASN'T THE EASIEST TO NAVIGATE EITHER, WHETHER WE WERE WALKING THROUGH DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO OR THROUGH A VINEYARD, AND HAVING SUCH A STEADY STEED NEXT TO ME MADE IT SO I COULD ENJOY THE TOURS JUST AS MUCH AS EVERYONE ELSE. EVEN WHEN I KNOW HE WASN'T FEELING 100%, ASHER DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB KEEPING ME SAFE, AS HE ALWAYS DOES.

ASHER WILL HAVE SOME DOWNTIME THESE NEXT FEW DAYS AS I GET SOME WORK WRAPPED UP AND DO MY FIRST ASSIGNMENTS FOR CLASS THIS WEEK, AND I KNOW HE'LL APPRECIATE THAT. BEFORE WE KNOW IT IT'LL BE TIME TO HEAD TO CLASS, BUT I THINK WE'LL BOTH BE EXCITED TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FRIENDS FROM LAST YEAR!

AUG 17 2018

tractor supply  project goes on..   they sent me a survey to fill out which i did..and got results... i.e  phone calls-- the result of this is  the manager in millis said he would get me 7 more 100' rolls within days....  t/s seems to think this is the  solution to th e problem --  in this age of competition for customers- i think  tractor supply might re think a few things--all the way from ....

 why do we have to drive to millis  again when they have a store 3 miles from me...?

  to .... why - online - do they list all the stores that do not carry a product  instead of all the ones that do carry it.--- to....  why can't i call  in an order and have them load it  in my car??  because they are not allowed to carry my charge card into the store to "ring it up" - ? THEY DON'T TRUST THIER MANAGERS??? 

now if i was the boss of the CEO   of tractor supply.... God help tractor supply--

tell me why in the PROCESS OF f LIVING IN MASSACHUSETTS  buying  a product in thier catalogue i would ever be heard to say "does anyone know of any zip code in Connecticut  -- JUST ANY ZIP CODE... "

 TRY THIS ONE..... THEIR REFERENCE CATALOG AT THE CHECK OUT THAT CONTAINS ALL THIER  SKU'S AND GENERIC INFORMATION.. IS  8 1/2 X 11 ON  NORMALLY CHEAP NEWSPRINT  ( COMPARE THAT TO ULINE WHO SENDS OUT A 1/2 INCH CATAlog on expnensive smooth paper with every order over $2.98) -- i have no objection to the cheap newsprint.- only that being cheap, it could be replaced on a regular basis.  in  that  reference catalog, the   list of stores did not even contain the store in millis that we were standing in....  teh manager tired to explain  it was a new store.. i know building inspectors etc... that store was more than 2 years old..

  so what???? --- well....     i ran into the same cataolog in  scarboro maine-- tracing down the  8' "T" posts needed for teh fence that millis didn't have....-- they had over 300 in the yard..  in checking out  there was some problem with  that catalog and the  sku for the posts...

2 queries 2 errors-- that is 100% in my world.

somewhere along the line someone expalined to me that  home depot has thier own computer department  but tractor supply hires one-- that  could be teh basic problem-- we all know how computer errors can frustrate personnel.....  and cause inaccuracies....

*****

  FYI

we were on a CONCRETE SLAB-- AND I WASS  CAREFUL TO BEND OVER AND FEEL HOW HOT  THE SURFACE  WAS FOR SIZZLE TO STAND THERE WHILE THEY LOADED THE POSTS... I SHOULD ALSO HAVE CHECKED HER BACK-- BEING A BLACK DOG, HER BACK WAS  DARN HOT  IN THE 5 MINUTES WE STOOD THERE COUNTING POSTS...

THAT IS THE LESSON OF THE DAY

**** 

THE QUESTION OF THE DAY--  JUST AN ODD NUMBER BEING WAVED AROUND  CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY IT IS EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A PARADE-- OR A WAR GAME  -- IF WE ALREADY OWN ALL THE EQIPMENT AND THE UNIFORMS FOR THE PEOPLE---  OK --IN A WAR GAME  WE HAVE TO FEED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MILES FROM HOME....   BUT IN A PARADE?  -- SOME WATeR AND A hot dog?  which they probably would have to have anyway...

would it be cheaper to hire all those french guys who already know how to march around corners... just change their uniforms...   

AUG 16 2018

i will try and write a DD on the tractor suppy "episode" with hopes that someone sends it to the ceo  of t/s- they have both personell and computer problems... 

 from being told by "my " local store that 10 rolls of fencing would not be delivered for 2 months ----to a store manager in millis  telling me how wonderful thier compurter is while handing me a  big t/s  print out - and the list of  t/s stores did not contain the store we were  standing in. however teh computer said they had 5 rolls of fence , and a person had counted 14- so we drove there  ---in fact they had 7--- it was a "who's  on first episode"    (and it was a 2 hour drive)

so far we have  those 7 rolls-- and are going to go to scarborough maine today to get 140 posts--- the t/s computer says they have 300 posts  but no fence-- i will call again before i leave teh driveway...

** 

 i hope enough volunteers show up to string all this fence on posts they have pounded...  it is a huge project, byt will improve the dailty life of our dogs... and eliminate the need to shuffle dogs around the propgerty-- while matbe freeing up the pond and "A" loop for golf cart access( before all teh weeds hide the path)

*

when i put up all teh rest of teh fence here, i'd  get a few  posts in 30 feet apart..., take a handfull of hay string, and get the  fence at least standinhg up.... with my quick relaease knot i tie the fence to the posts- then go back a d wiggle the fence tighter and retie the hay string as adjustments are made... then go back and poound in a few more posts in the line now determined by the fence.... alot easier than trying to get 10 posts in a straight line to begin with.... it makes it a one person job--- one person with a pocket full of hay string.---- and that hay string will last for years.  the current is blue-- you will see it all over.  the 20 year old string is red... it is still around.

****

what some of these people have to deal with is an education for those of us who complain loudly about a broken fingernail.

***

BELLA SAW DR KARLIN LAST WEEK AND HE IS VERY HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS HER BACK HAS MADE SINCE SURGERY IN JANUARY. HE DIDN’T LIKE THAT SHE WAS DOING FLIPS INTO THE POOL AND LAKE BUT OTHERWISE HE’S HAPPY! WE WILL SEE HIM AGAIN IN DECEMBER. HE ALSO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BELLA’S ONGOING HIP PAIN AND DISCOMFORT SO HE WANTS HER TO SEE A HIP SPECIALIST. SO THE END OF SEPTEMBER WE WILL GO SEE A HIP SPECIALIST ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDRENS WHERE DR KARLIN IS SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME NON SURGICAL ANSWERS. OTHERWISE WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A GREAT SUMMER AND ENJOYING TIME TOGETHER! 

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN AND STILL SHOWING THE LOVE! LOVE YOU BELLA AND GEORGE 

**

Big day today Kringle and I went back to yoga. We haven't done it since May 7, 2018, prior to the hip surgery. Soooo exciting. We are trying to get back in shape for our September 16th walk that we are raising money for Service Dog Project. Thus far we have raised 180 dollars. We will walk a 5K on the new hip! Please help us raise money for this great organization.

**

hunter/wendy

SO I'M 1 WEEK OUT FROM MY INJECTIONS. I'M IN THE "LOOSY GOOSY" STAGE AND IN ABOUT A WEEK, I'LL BE IN THE "UGLY" STAGE. THE PHENOL IS WORKING NOW AND THE BOTOX WILL KICK WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. THE CONTROL OF MY SPEED IS NOT GOOD, NOT THAT IT'S EVER GREAT 藍藍. MY ENDURANCE IS NOT GOOD EITHER, PLUS THE HUMIDITY DOESN'T HELP. WENDY AND I WENT IN TO SCHOOL TODAY TO PRACTICE, SAID HI TO SOME OF THE STAFF, BUT NONE OF MY TEACHERS WERE THERE. WE HAVE A STAYCATION COMING UP, SO WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN HANDLE 

**

fiona /elvis

IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH COUPLE WEEKS SINCE SURGERY. I WAS RE-ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL LAST WEEK FOR A SECOND ADMISSION AND THIS TIME IT WAS DECIDED THAT DUE TO THE NATURE OF MY ADMISSION IT WOULD BE BEST FOR ELVIS TO NOT BE WITH ME. IT WAS A VERY SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED DECISION BUT THE BEST DECISION IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT SDP FOR TAKING SUCH GREAT CARE OF HIM THOSE FEW DAYS! ESPECIALLY MEGAN FOR FIGURING EVERYTHING OUT SO QUICKLY AS WELL AS DEVIN AND HALEY FOR SENDING ME UPDATES ON MY SPECIAL BOY ❤️

AUG 15 2018

WHOA....   I GET ALOT OF THESE.....

Good afternoon.  I have been a silent CP for about 3 years and have wanted to come visit for a long time from Maine.  Can you tell me if we can come down on Sundays (not sure of date yet)?  Do we have to make appointment or let you know ahead of time? Would we be able to see all the dogs and visit? 

Thank you for your time.  Congratulations on the newest litter !!

**

 OF COURSE YOU CAN COME VISIT---  CAmera people are welcome anytime.. for 2 reasons...

#1.  you are supporting this place with your $10 chicken bricks....

#2.  you all know your way around from watching the cameras- so expect us to keep working and  you can make your own coffee and hAVE A LOOK AROUND.  you are welcome to wander all over...  anyone in  PURPLE SHIRT SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS...

COMING TO VISIT  OVERNIGHT AND VOLUNTEER MEANS  ARRAINGE IT WITH PAM- AND EXPECT TO BE UP AT 7AM FOR COFFEE AND WORK... ( UNLESS YOU FLEW IN ON A REDEYE... WE AIN'T A SPA)

WE EVEN HAQVE "FLYING IN"   ORGANIZED... WITH PAM'S HELP--  MAKE PLANS WITH HER.. AND WHEN YOU ARRIVE, GET ON THE BUS TO PEABODY-- ONCE ON THE BUS, CALL THE OFFICE NUMBER, AND SOMEONE WILL MEET THE BUS YOU DON'T NEED TO RENT A CAR...

***

NOW ABOTU THE TERRIBLE LACK OF  PREPARING KIDS TO FIX ANYTHING.....

Hi Carlene,

Re:. Mechanics

My friend's husband owns Family Car Care in Gloucester.  Due to family health problems they have been short two mechanics for over a year.  He has been diligently seeking experienced mechanics during that time while becoming more and more exhausted trying to keep up and keep his customers happy.  He can't find even one to apply!  You are correct and they feel the same pain and frustration.

Sally Thompson

p.s.I was told today that he posted a sign at his car repair business that he cannot take any more work for the time being...

**

COLLEEN ( WHO OWNS A SIGNIFICANT GROOMING BUSINESS..) WAS KIDDING.... I WAS NOT.... WHEN SHE TOLD OF  HER DOG DRYING EQUIPMENT THT HAD BROKEN- AND NO ONE  WOULD EVEN TRY TO FIX IT... I TOLD HER TO  BRING IT HERE AND LEAVE IT ON THE TABLE IN THE G TENT---   BUD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAND LOOKING AT A BROKEN ELECTRICAL DEVICE, AND IT MIGHT GET FIXED.... MIGHT NOT TOO... BUT IT WAS NO GOOD THE WAY IT WAAS....  

I**

IF I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL TODAY, I WOULD FORGET COLLEGE, BUT INSTEASD GET A PLUMBERS LICENSE, A ELECTRITIANS L.ICENSE AND ANY OTHER TECH SKILL-- AND  THEY MY WEALTH WOULD BE ASSURED..  I KNEW A GUY WHO DID THAT-- GEORGE MURPHY- BRIGHT GUY.. LICENSED TO DO EVERYTHING-- AND WAS , IN TEH "NORMAL"  WORLD ,A ROCKET SCIENTIST...

****

PARTIAL VENTING...  I GET ALOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE  EMPTY HAY FEEDERS AND POOR STARVING DONKEYS--- 

FIRST PROBLEM.... IF THEY WERE HUNGRY THEY WOUDL CLEAN UP EVERY STRAND OF HAY ON THE GROUND AROUND THE HAY FEEDER...AND THEN EAT EVERY LEAF... AND THEN THE BARK OFF TREES- AND EVEN THE WOOD FENCING....    BUT THEY DON'T....  GRANTED MO AND P0OCKETS- AND THAT ONE OTHER DARK NEW ONE.. MIGHT NEED A LITTLE GRAIN---  WHICH THEY WILL EAT IN 189  SECONDS-- AND THEN GO BACK TO HAY...

**

FROM ANNE FIrESTONE-  donkey rescueR  NEW HAMPSHIRE

 I recommend a dry lot for all donkeys for at least part of a 24 hour period. They do need to graze for their behavioral needs to be properly met, but their grazing time needs to be supervised. Please be aware that allowing a donkey to become obese is shortening their overall life span and can, and often does lead to a myriad of other health related issues.

****

FINN AND FRIENDS  DO IT AGAIN  $470.... 

From “Lemonade for Paws” Eve & Finn and friends - Ashlynn, Liam and Addison all worked together at a 7 HOUR event and all smiles the whole time! 

******

 PLEASE NOTE

WE NOW HAVE JUDY 3 =HOWARD'S WIFE  ( HOWARD OF RINGLING BROS FAME, CARPENTER TYPE...)

\AND

JUDY  4 WITHE EMAIL= HAROLDS ?DAUGHTER??? WHO IS "DOING" THESE PL;ACES  WITH MARA AND ME.

****

TODAY SCHEDULE..

9:00 ISH....BUD DRIVING WITH  ME TO MILLIS TO PICK UP 14 ROLLS OF FENCING...

TOMORROW  \

MARK DRIVING  WIHT ME TO SCARBOROUGH  MAINE TO GET 140...  8' POSTS

 THIS WEEKEND WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR POST POUNDERS.... COUPLE POSTS PER EPRSON PER DAY 

THE GATEAS ALOREADY ARRIVED =]FROM AMISH LAND...

AND WE WILL HAVE NEW RUNS BEFORE SEPTEMBER... ( I HOPE) 

AUG 14 2018

CALENDARS---   WE HAVE A FEW OLD CALENDARS -- AND WILLIAMS  PICTURES ARE SO GOOOOOD..  I DID CUT OUT SOME AND PUT THEM IN MATTS TO SELL  - THAT PROJECT HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL--  ACTUALLY I DON'T THINK WE SOLD ANY- SO I STARTED TO THINK OF OTHER USES... LIKE HOW TO USE LAST YEARS????

THERE ARE 365 DAYS-- DIVIDE THAT BY 7-- NOT SURPRIZINGLY YOU GET 52 PLUS 1-- IT IS THAT PLUS ONE......FOR THE MOMENT FORGET LEAP YEAR...

IN THE 2014 CALENDAR JAN 1ST WAS  A  WEDNESDAY.. IN THE 2015 CALENDAR  JAN 1ST WAS A THURSDAY-- THERE IS THAT PLUS ONE DEAL..... SO TO MAKE THE 2014 CALENDAR  A 2015 CALENDAR, YOU NEED TO MAKE  2014 JAN 1ST LAND ON A  THURSDAY----

WHICH YOU CAN DO BY CHANGING THE  "DAYS"    STARTING WITH MONDAY--TUES--WED....-- INSTEAD OF SUNDAY--MON --TUES

OF COURSE A 2014 CALENDAY COUD BE MADE TO A 2016 CALENDAR  BY MOVING 2 SPACES OR IN OTHER WORDS MAKING THE 2014 WEEK START WITH TUESDAY--WED--THURS... WHICH WOULD PUT FRIDAY ON  JAN 1ST.

IT MIGHT TAKE YOU TIL APRIL TO GET USED TO LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY.

2016 BEING A LEAP YEAR  IS ONLY A SIMPLE 2 INSTEAD OF 1 TO BE THOUGHT OF VERY CAREFULLY AND TEH NEXT "2" IS 2020

***

HOW IS THAT FOR SCREWING UP NORMAL THINKING FOR THE DAY????

***

MARA AND I  "DID" ANOTEHR RETIREMENT COMMINUTY YESTERDAY--- BASICALLY RUNNING THE 30 MIN VIDEO AND THEN TALKING AND PROMPTING QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT 1/2 HOUR...-- IT WAS VERY WELL RECIEVED.... I KNOW BECAUSE THEY L;AUGHED IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES...

TO DEMONSTRATE THE  WORLDINESS OF OUR COMMUNITY, I TOLD THE CHINESE MENU STORY WHICH IS .... ONE NIGHT  AT MAIL CALL WE DECIDED TO ORDER CHINESE FOOD AND WHEN I REACHED FOR TEH MENU, IT WASN'T WHERE IT USUALLY IS-- WITHIN 5 MINUTES SOMEONE CALLED  .. FROM NEW YORK?   AND TOLD ME IT WAS IN MY CENTRE DRAWER... AND IT WAS.

WE DID TAKE PAULA WITH US-- AND SHE WAS PRETTY GOOD- ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE HAS RARELY BEEN ON A LEASH--  WE "USED"  THE FRYING PAN METHOD OF MOVING THE DOGS AROUND--  WITH THE DOGS BY ME, MARA GAVE A PERSON THE FRY PAN AND DROPPED A TREAT IN THE PAN... I WOULD THEN TELL EITHER BENTELY OR SIZZLE TO GO GET IT..-- AND THEY DID- AND RETURNED TO ME....  WE EVEN STARTED PAULA ON THAT  IDEA... SHE WAS A BIT RANDOM AT COING BACK TO ME. BUT ALL TOLD IT WAS A SUCCESS---

ANOTEHR ONE TODAY  JUDY HAS ORGANIIZED... I THINK  IN BEVERLY.

WORKS WONDERFULLY... ALL I DO IS WIPE THE DOGS OFF WITH  WATERLESS SHAMPOO AND GET IN THE CAR--- THEY DO ALL THE WORRYING ABOTU VIDEOS,THUMBDRIVES AND DISCS---POKERCHIPS,CALENDARS  AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

***

A QUICK NOTE ON OUR DONKEY "OVER THE SHOULDER" BAGS-- WE ARE COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH WIH ONLY ABOUT 130 LEFT-- OUT OF 500-- I AM THINKING ??? A RE-ORDER??? ONLY CHANGE .. MAYBE  A VERY SLIGHTLY BIGGER TO ACCOMODATE LAPTOPS- WHICH COULD EASILY BE CARRIED ON AIRPLANES THAT WAY.-

JANINE HAS A BIG DONKEY THING COMING IN SEPT...  WE HAVE DOG FEST- 

SOMEONE SAID "QUICK BEFORE WE HAVE TO PAY IMPORT TAX"   HEAVY DUTY THINKING  NEEDED...

****

ASSUMING........ THE BABY PRAM IS ARRIVING ABOUT THE 19TH, WE WILL NEED A SMALL SUPPLY OF LACE TABLECLOTHS - TEH SIZE OF CARD TABLES--  IF I REMEMBER CORERRECTLY,, THEY DRESSED UP THE BABY CARRIAGES TO A PROPER LEVEL... AND OFTEN GOT DISTROYED IN THE PROCESS..  SO IF YOU CAN FIND ANY FOR ABOTU $2.  GO FOR A COUPLE....--WE ONLY WANT TO  MAKE THE SUGGESTION OF  ANTIQUE LACE SPILLING OVER THE EDGES OF THE CARRIAGE.

****

HAPPY TUESDAY

AUG 13 2018

WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY-- AFTER TRYING TO  EDUCATE ME ABOUT  TEH DEVELOPEMENT OF ZIP CODES IN GENERAL  ---  I DID GET THIS #$%^&*&^% COMPUTER TO GIVE ME  A FEW OF THE ZIP CODES OF  TOWNS BETWEEN HERE AND CHICAGO-- HONESTLY... WITH COMPUTERS BEIONG SOOOOOO EFFICIENT AT SOME TINGS-- THEI EFFICIENCY GETS SIDETRACKED BY PROGRAMS WHO DON'T REALIZE  IT IS A HIUMAN AT THE OTHER END...

TAKING IT FROM THE TOP....  YOU KNOW.....WE NEED 10 ROLLS OF 72" TWISTED WIRE ( NOT WELDED ) FENCING.

AGWAY-  NOT ORDERING ANYMORE...

ESSEX COOP- JUST NOT AVAILABLE--

TRACTOR SUPPLY-- "AVAILABLE " IN THEIIR ONLINE CATALOG...- FREE PICK UP AT YOUR LOCAL STORE... ZIP 01938 -- GREAT !!!! 

EXCEPT.......  THE LOCAL STORE JUST GOT THIER "DISTRIBUTION TRUCKLOAD"  FRON  THE WAREHOUSE- AND DON'T EXPECT ANOTEHR FOR A MONTH (?REALLY?!)  AND IF TEH DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSWE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IT COUDL BE 2 MONTHS  ETC---- ?AFTER DOGFEST????    NEITHER THE LOCAL STORE MANAGER-- OR TRACTOR SUPPLY SALES IN ? TENNA? MADE ANY EFFORT TO GET ME ANY.

WHAT I GOT WAS......

 PLEASE HANG UP AND GO AWAY BECAUSE  I DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS IN THE CATALOG AND YOU CAN NOT GET IT SOONER THAN 2 MONTHS.

 IT IS PROBABLY ONE LINE OF  "COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CODE" -- WHEN YOU ASK ONLINE WHERE  THIS STUFF MIGHT BE AVAILABLE  YOU GET A LIST OF STORES TO WHICH THAT  01938  TRUCK DISTRIBUTES ----ALL OF WHICH SAAID  "NOT AVAILABLE...."  NOW IF THE PROGRAM WERE WRITTEN TO  LIST ALL STORES IN AN EXPANDING CIRCLE UNTIL YOU HIT  A STORE THAT  HAD  "AVAILABLE IN STORE" - THEY MIGHT HAVE MORE SALES... 

 I HAD TO DO MY OWN EXPANDING CIRCLE  WHICH IS WHY I ENDED UP LOOKING FOR A BUNCH OF ZIP CODES    --BEING A PESSIMIST AT TIMES... I STARTED WITH  TEH FURTHEST... TELLING  THE  TRACTOR SUPPLY  PROGRAM I LIVED  IN CHICAGO ZIP XXXXX

THEYT HAD SOME IN THAT AREA... WELL  HOW ABOUT PITTSBURG ZIP XXXXX-- AND TEHY HAD SOME-- SO ?ALBANY? -- THEN SPRINGFIELD?  THEN  WORCESTER?  WHICH IS ONLY AN HOUR AWAY.....THEIR PROGRAM TOLD ME IF I LIVED IN WORCESTER, THERE WERE 2 TRACTOR SUPPLY PLACES  BOTH OF WHICH  HAD 10 ROLLS...

I ALMOST CUT OUT TRACTOR SPPLY AND BOUGHT IT FROM THE FACTORY AT $30 CHEAPER--- UNTIL I RAN INTO $2500 SHIPPING.

SO.... WITH BUD AS DRIVER- I HOPE THEY  DO IN FACT HAVE 10 ROLLS AND  T POSTS SO WE MIGHT BE IN BUSINESS LATER THIS WEEK..

I FINALLY OWN THE CORRECRT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO GO GET IT.. NAMELY MY HEAVY DUTY   CAR AND  THAT DUMP TRAILER-- ACTUALL;Y REG, INSURED, ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND OPERATIONAL-- ALL THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR 50 YEARS.

WE MIGHT STILL BE POUNDING POSTS DURING DOG FEST....  MAYBE WE SHOULD  HAVE A POST POUNDING COMPETITION AT DOG FEST   AS PART OF  OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM....!!

*****

ALL THE THINGS I HAVE MISSED FOR 50 YEARS......NOW THAT NEEDS THOUGHT-- MAYBE THAT IS WHY I SHOW SOME SLIGHT ABILITY TO JERRY RIG/FIX  STUFF.

I CAN REMEMBER..... TIME WAS A TEENAGE BOY   OWNED AN OLD JUNKIE CAR THAT HE CONSTANTLY HAD TO FIX- AS LONG AS THE BRAKES WORKED, HE WAS ON HIS OWN TO GET IT TO MOVE WITH ANY RELIABLILTY-- AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF THAT , HE WAS A GOOD MECHANIC.  WE DON'T HAVE THOSE NOW.

  HOW BAD IS IT???  I HAVE SEEN A CASE WHERE I TRIED TO GIVE OUR  OLD AMBULANC TO A KID  WHO NEVER HAD ENOUGH UUUMMMPPPHHHH   TO  TAKE OFF THE PERFECTLY GOOD TIRES BEFORE CALLING KARS FOR KIDS. 

EXCEPT MAYBE IN CUBA....

EVERY TIME I SEE ANY FILM FROM THERE I NOTICE ANCIENT CARS-- MY ASSUMPTION IS THEY MUST HAVE SOME DARN GOOD MECHANICS THERE TO KEEP THEM RUNNING...

SOMETHIGN I DON;T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH OF HERE.