APRIL  6 2016

ALONG WITH ALL THE DISASTERS OF THE WORLD I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE OUR VARIOUS PAID CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS WORRYING ABOUT THE BATHROOM HABITS OF ANYONE...  FROM MY VAST EXPERIENCE, I KNOW THAT A WOMAN WITH A VERY FULL BLADDER WILL CRASH THRU THE LINE INTO ANY MEN'S ROOM AND IS VERY CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING ANY  RUDE COMMENTS  REGUARDING HER  PRESENCE.   MY ONLY  PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT BEING IN A MENS ROOM WAS THE EPISODE OF  JANINE AND I CLIPPING BLACK FUZZ OFF THE TESTICLES OF AN UPSIDE DOWN SHEEP FOR A PHOTO SHOOT- AND A MAN CAME IN  USED THE FACILITIES AND NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED OUR PRESENCE AT ALL... SO   MY ASSUMPTION IS.....THERE IS A CERTAIN  "BLINDERS ON" ATTITUDE.

 BUT NOT ALWAYS.

TRAVELING AROUND AS THE LEADER OF A 4H GROUP OF GIRLS-- I HAD A CHANCE TO STUDY VARIOUS ASPECTS LIKE SPEED....ALSO.... PARTICIPATING IN "THE GREAT RACE"  I HAD A CHANCE TO STUDY THE VARIOUS LINES  IN FRONT OF THE  UNISEX PORTAPOTTIES-- AND MADE THE CONCLUSION THAT   3 MEN AND 2 WOMEN WAS A FASTER LINE THAN 3 WOMEN 1 MAN... ALL OF THIS CAUSED ME TO  INVENT A PORTABLE DEVICE TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.. AND I ALMOST  GOT A PATTENT ON IT- BUT THE SHEEWEE COMPANY BEAT ME BY 2 WEEKS.  IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGN AND DEVELOPEMENT,  IT WAS - BASICALLY A LONGITUDINALY SLICED  PLASTIC BOTTLE- A FRIEND AND I  TRIED OUR DEVICE IN A BUSY ITALIAN RESTAURANT  "LADIES ROOM".. AND AS WE WERE USING THESE VERY EFFICIENT DEVICES,  I HEARD  THE NEXT WOMAN IN WAITING IN LINE SAY "THEIR FEET ARE POINTING THE WRONG WAY !!!"

SO PEOPLE DO NOTICE

WITH ALL THIS LAW MAKING, I HONESTLY  DON'T SEE ANY PRACTICAL WAY TO  ENFORCE  THE LAW  ESPECIALLY WITH THESE SHEEWEE'S   NOW--- HOW ANYONE CAN ENFORCE ANYTHING WITHOUT HAVING A PECKER CHECKER AT THE DOOR-- I SUPPOSE THE PEOPLE WHO SCAN  AT THE AIRPORTS COULD BE ADAPTED.  AND COULD THERE BE EXCEPTIONS  LIKE ANYONE WITH A VERY FULL BLADDER COULD BE EXCUSED FROM JAIL TIME.

REALLY!!

*****************

Hi all,

Quick update on life in Cincinnati:  Clark and I are doing very well.  Last week, my physical therapist told me that my gait is near perfect when I walk with Clark.  This comment alone is a big deal because he can be pretty egotistical and often thinks that HIS ideas are the only ones that are worth it...so congrats to everyone that worked with Clark!  Also, my PT said that we won't need to work on gait training in my sessions anymore, since I'm getting that training by walking with Clark.  This is great news too because I really hated gait training but I love walking with Clark.  Improvements all around!

Clark continues to impress people everywhere we go.  In Costco this weekend, we managed to unknowingly lure a couple kids away from their parents, hoping to meet him.  To be honest though, kids aren't the ones who are a "problem"--they always ask before they just come up to us, or their parents explain why they can't pet a service dog.  Adults are the ones that try to just come up and pet him, or say "I'm not petting him, I'm just putting my hand close to him."  Oh boy.

I think I will start fining people who say he's a Dalmatian and donate the proceeds to SDP.

Lastly, this morning we were walking into work with one of the researchers I work for.  He commented that I'm able to walk much faster/better with Clark...so other people are noticing too!  He also mentioned that he was in Baltimore over the weekend.  He went for a walk by his hotel and saw another Great Dane service dog, "all black with a little white".  He said he almost talked to the handler, but didn't, and thought that Clark and this service dog were probably from the same place.  Not sure who this could be, but he's probably right!

Hope all is going well at the farm!

Caroline

******

LET ME BORE YOU WITH THE "INTERN"  FINANCIAL REPORT...

WE WILL BE HAVING THE SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM--..... SCHEDUL E IS SET UP  FOR ARPIL/MAY- WITH THE 4  OLD TIMERS  DEV 1 --LAURA-- BELLA2( NOT GEORGE BELLA) OLIVIA- AND LEXI- AND WE WILL EXTEND IT AFTER THAT...AS POSSI BLE  I FIGURE THAT INTERN PAY CAN COME FROM THE FUN FUND----  IT FITS THE DESCRIPTION ---- THINGS NICE BUT NOT NECESSARY

SO IF ANY OF YOU  WANT TO HELP PAY INTERNS YOU CAN SEND CHECKS SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.. THEY WILL BE PAID $100 FOR THE USUAL SHIFTS OF 7 TO 7   UNLESS WE RUN OUT OF MONEY-- WE SHOULD BE OK FOR THIS APRIL MAY SET UP

WE HAVE  ABOUT $8000 IN THE FUN FUND AT THE MOMENT--AND IT WILL BE ABOUT $3000 PER MONTH FOR THIS APRIL / MAY SCHEDULE....

 april 5 2016- belated
somebody asked me about this and i sent it to them  and forgot to put it on th edd... whoops  !!

******************

donkey=burro=ass

jackass = male donkey ( and to call a person that is an insult to a very nice ass)

jenny=female donkey

 a mule--i the cross between  a female horse and a male donkey  (and the generic name for both mule and hinney)

a hinney -is the cross between a female donkey and male horse( tho people who insist on using the term hinney just hve too much time on their hands)

according to the American Donkey and Mule society "The genetic inheritance of the hinny is exactly the same as the mule.

 mules can be both male and female 

  if you breed mule to mule- you get nothing.-- alot of action-- no baby.

people will argue about legnth of ears on hinney vs mule and other subtle differences---

  but then again....people will argue  about how to cook bacon...

now... if you bred a mini donkey to a pony, you would get a mini mule

or if you bred a maude size to a draft horse, you would get a  big  mule noted for being very strong.

or any variation in between...

 donkeys and  mules are noted for having some sense  that horses don't have.  if they don't agree with what you are asking them to do, you may have a large problem, but well handled and trained they are super workers.

i am told.....30 years ago one of our main exports to afghanastan area were baby mules- flown out of kentudky on 747's

as americans have spent alot of  educational exercise on agriculture... and mules  have been critical in our country..

they tend to be slower and much more steady than a horse.and they are not as foolish---horses have a panic and run button..donkeys have a panic and stand still reaction... mules are more like that.

i used to drive a hitch of  8 donkeys like the budweiser horses-- i drove them many times into hotel ballrooms  with fake antlers as santa's reindeers-- i could never have tried that with  ponys or horses...  they would stand shock still while kids screamed  at santa and climbed all around them. perfect !!

at one point in my life i was better known for my donkeys than these great danes.... and if people would get rid of  some false inforation

if you have a person with ms or pk that wants to climb hill and walk in the woods.. a service donkey would be just  the thing-

i have no faith in  mini horses--  they just aren't as steady and strong.... and lovely

**********

Hi all,

Just a quick check in. DiDi is doing great and always the gracious lady to whomever we meet, no matter the circumstances. Today while out doing errands, a cashier at Aldis asked if I share DiDi with the other lady for support. I couldn't help but giggle and think of the other SDP Dane (Dolly) and her partner that are here in town and the Dolly looks just like DiDi, (female, black and white) although just a bit shorter perhaps. I have not yet run into them while out and about, but get mistaken for them a lot. People will start talking to me as if We are them them but I realize it is the other SDP team they have mistaken us for.

We are preparing for another cross country trip to watch 2 of our little granddaughters for a few weeks in Colorado, then visit family in Idaho before heading home. DiDi is such a great traveller, is a great and thoughtful house guest wherever we go. She makes the trip possible for me in helping over rough walking areas, curbs (a huge blessing) and is ever watchful in keeping me from falling as my balance ever diminishes.

Thank you all,

Hi Carlene & all at SDP,

Well the adventures of Princess Ruckus & Carolyn in Orlando are unfortunately coming to an end. Hope you are enjoying the snow as Ruckus & I are poolside with Mr. Sunshine & Mr. 80 Degrees. Carlene, as you know my mind was on overdrive with anxiety! Could we handle the airport, security, fitting a Great Dane on a plane, staying at a hotel, manage Ruckus's personal needs (a place to poo lol), a conference with over 600 people in attendance, many scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, speeches etc. etc.? I never doubted Ruckus's ability, it was my fear of handling the unknown while traveling alone with a disability were one's mobile ability is impaired. YEAH BABY, TEAM RUCKUS & CAROLYN DID IT!! 

This adventure would never have been made possible without Princess Ruckus by my side. I thank SDP for making this possible. A shout out to Megan & Katie for their expert training. The staff & volunteers who cared for Ruckus before our pairing. We were so grateful on this adventure to meet many CP's who support SDP & they were able to see first hand how important this support is to the mission of SDP to help others. Thank you too all!

On this adventure we made many new friends. We are very grateful to our Orlando hosts for opening their home to us. Yes, they needed a Dane Fix & got it. Team Donna & Denim were a great addition to this trip. The sisters knew when to play & to get back to work. Denim & Ruckus were stellar as ambassadors for SDP & all Service Dogs even when confronted with "bad behavior" by another service dog. In a word, Donna & I are proud mamas!

Again, thank you to all & to our "Great" new friends!!

Carolyn & Princess Ruckus

Sent from my iPad

aprile 5 2016 i forgot to post it... try later

april 4,2016

last night's insomnia project  was the colorado river that was  being studied..and the "bath tub rings"  along the shore indicating lower water level...  water--- either too much . or worse, too little,  could become  a bigger problem than oil-  the concept of that huge river never getting ot the ocean before it goes thru someone's  tummy is overwhelming.

i see all those  desert type men  in the news running around with guns over their heads - and i don't see them carrying bottled water....

i wonder if  water is actually  the  basic  reason  for so much arguing  in the middle east- 

just when you thought putting venice's canals in the desert at las vegas was a really foolish idea-- somebody builds land that is totally dependant on artificial support so you can ski in that desert   and calls it dubai.  who got that idea... and why???

switzerland is not all that far away-- with regular snowy mountains.

shatupon sunday-- sold out-- thank heavens- for those who made the extra effort !!  we would be lost without  all those $10 bricks...

well we wouldn't be lost, we would be no more...... but when you all get together and sell out those bricks it gives us courage to think ahead and plan on future pups.. like noel and walter...  there were two people here yesterday who had teh impression that we were supported by huge foundations getting thousands of $$ from people in the news... they were shocked to hear that we are totally dependent on the $10 donation-- and if you can't afford that, then pass the word around to someone who can...

word passing is critical too. there is no "SOMEBODY ELSE" in this outfit-- i always had the  "united fund  and red cross" mentality  the numbers involved were just too huge for me to comprehend-- somebody else could worry about capital expendatures and balance sheets with lots of zeros  ...-- they didn't need my $10-- 

  well this outfit is different--- every $10 is critical here  - because there are so many of you--and because we have no fancy overhead- a building in boston-- hired fundraisers etc.... we have volunteer poo pickers and --- we do pay slightly above the minimum wage-- but not by much.

i draw no salary and charge no rent....----i get a clean house out of  it-- and  eatable  cooked food seems to appear- especially if i go buy it..   this year  i am going  to take a donation for use of this house/farm off my taxes... seeing as i have only  one room and a bath left without dogs in it.  i can not wait for the irs to come audit--- they won't believe it.  come ahead !!

actualy that has been said before by the irs and  about this place when i was doing animals in advertising-- the accountant  too a percentage of expenses off my taxes as business--...because at one point  i had 150 animals here-  granted many were birds-- but  ? 3 emu's???  what a mess they were...--

 so now  a bunch of dogs  maintained by the volunteers and staff of crazy acres  is  wonderful.---

slightly related---- i am also very pleased to recieve many letters/emails  thanking me( us) for doing whatever-- i am ashamed to say , i don't think i ever wrote a thank you like that  til i exited the  rat race  and basically retired to be service dogs... we got a thank you from a kid who spent some time here as intern- and i was amazed... mostly because at her age i never s would have thought of it.

i guess that is the answer to   "where did you grow up?"

      " no where yet"

APRIL 3 2016

OUR NUMBER ONE DOG...  THE  GEORGE REPORT

HOWDY!

GEORGE WAS WONDERFUL ON STAGE FOR THE SHOW. THEY HAD ME SITTING ON THE COUCH ALREADY WITH THE DOCTORS AND THEN HAD BELLA AND GEORGE WALK OUT ALONE. THEY DID AWESOME. WALKED OUT NO PROBLEM DESPITE ALL THE CLAPPING AND CHEERING FROM THE AUDIENCE. THEY WALKED OUT HE LAID DOWN RIGHT WHERE THE WANTED AND WE WENT ON WITH THE SHOW. PERFECT DOG. WE DIDNT MENTION THE POCKET BUT THEU LOVED THE LINE DROP A CANE GET A DANE. I CANT WAIT FOR YOU TO SEE THE SHOW. 

THANK YOU RACHEL. 

THEY RETURN ... I THINK ON MONDAY-- LIKE TOMORROW...

AND THEN OUR #1.1 DOG  GRONK....JUST LEFT WITH PATRICK

HI CARLENE,

GRONK IS CURRENTLY NAPPING AFTER A BUSY FIRST 24 HOURS IN HIS NEW HOME. HE WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ON THE RIDE HOME, BUT WITHIN MINUTES OF ARRIVING AT THE HOUSE HE WAS RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND ME IN THE BACKYARD.

WE WENT OUT TO THE SUPERMARKET THIS AFTERNOON AND I THINK GRONK IS ATTAINING LOCAL CELEBRITY STATUS BASED ON ALL THE ATTENTION HE RECEIVED. 

GRONK IS VERY HAPPY HERE AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM AS WELL. I ALREADY FEEL LIKE A NEW MAN WITH HIM IN MY LIFE.

TALK TO YOU SOON,

PATRICK AND LISA (AND GRONK)

******

PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK "DON'T YOU MISS THEM WHEN THEY LEAVE ?" .. ACTUALLY   NOT REALLY--WE ARE SO GLAD TO SEE THEM  GOING  OFF  WITH ENOUGH DOGGIE SKILLS TO ENJOY LIFE WITH SOMEONE WHO WILL GIVE TEHM FIRST CLASS CARE AND ATTENTION...

IT WAS FUN TO WATCH THEM LOAD UP THE  C  AR TO GO...  GRONK WAS NOT SURE IF HE WAS TO BE INCLUDED-- AND DIDN'T KNOW IF HE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING PATRICK AROUND THE HOUSE OR GET IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR AND STAY THERE.  HE RAN BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES  TOTALLY IGNORING MEGAN WHO WAS STUFFING A NEW BED IN THE TRUNK...

NOW PATRICK IS GOING TO GO THRU THE

 "YES HE IS A GREAT  DANE"  

"NO I DON'T HAVE A SADDLE FOR HIM"

" NO,  HE DOEDNT EAT MUCH"

"HE WEIGHS 140 POUNDS"

"YES HE FITS IN MY CAR" 

"HE IS A MERLE- COLOR-- RELATED TO HARLEQUINS"

AND OCCASIONALLY "YES I CARRY CARDBOARD AND BAG IN MY BACK POCKET AT ALL TIMES"

I HOPE SOMEONE TOLD HIM TO DO THAT-- 

AND I DID NOT YET GIVE HIM THE  WARM WEATHER LECTURE ABOUT OPENING THE 2 DOORS  AT ONCE.... SO THERE IS NEVER A TIME WHEN THE DOG  IS BEHIND CLOSED CAR DOORS AND YOUR REAR END IS NOT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT...  100 YEARS AGO-- WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS- AND IT TURNED OUT OK... BUT MADE ME THINK THE PROCESS OVER..  A RECIPIENT LOADED HER DOG IN THE CAR, SHUT THE BACK DOOR- AND WENT TO OPEN HER DRIVERS DOOR AND FELL--  AS PEOPLE WHO HAV EONE OF OUR DOGS IS INCLINED TO DO ANYWAY.........FORTUNATELY  SOMEON PICKED HER UP AND GOT HER  IN THE CAR... BUT  IF SHE HAD BANGED HER HEAD AND GONE OFF BY AMBULANCE IT MIGHT HAVE KILLED THE DOG.  CARS HEAT UP SOOOOOO FAST

IT CAN BE OVER 150 DEGREES  IN MINUTES.. I HAVE DONE THAT WITH THERMOMETER-- BLACK INTERIER.  AN OPEN WINDOW DOES NOT HELP MUCH...

OPEN 2 DOORS-- LOAD THE DOG- THEN GET IN YOURSELF---

THAT IS THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD MAKE ME BLOW UP  BIG TIME.

FORTUNATELY IT IS SNOWING TODAY  SO I HAVE ANOTHER FEW DAYS BEFORE TEH 2 DOOR PROCESS BECOMES MANDATORY.

PAM ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS TO COME HER TODAY--GENERALIZED MEETING-- WE HAD THOUGHT BRING RAKES...

WELL.. COULD BE WE WILL GET A CALENDAR SHOT OUT OF IT IF WE CAN LIKE UP 30 PEOPLE WTH RAKES IN A BLINDING SNOWSTORM...

APRIL 2 2016,

WE HAVE ONE OF EVERYTHING-- IF ONLY WE CAN FIND IT...

FROM THAT EPISODE INTHE ER THE OTHER NIGHT ,  MY BLOOD WORK SHOWED HIGH GLUCOSE...

 WHICH I AM NOT SURPROSED WITH THE CANDY JUG/TABLE NEXT TO MY BEDROOM

I REMBERED...YEARS AGO I WAS GIVEN A GLUCOSE TESTING DEVICE

 (?SOMEBODY PASSED AWAY AND IT WAS GIVEN TO ME BECAUSE I LIKE TOYS)

I GOT BORED WITH IT BECAUSE I ALWAYS TESTED 100 ISH...

SHURE ENOUGH IT WAS STILL IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM-- ALL THE LITTLE STRIPS ARE OUTDATED  BUT

FIRST JOB TODAY IS TO GO GET SOME MORE STRIPS AND HAVE AT IT.

******

NEXT PROJECT IS TO  GET READY FOR THE CHICKS....

GRACE AND I ORDERED CHICKS FROM STROMBERGCHICKS.COM

PER USUAL --WE WENT OVER THE MINIMUM 25 CHICKS..

I THINK I TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT THE TINY FEATHERS 

THAT APPEAR WHEN THE CHICKS  ARE 4 DAYS OLD... AND WHY IF YOU ARE DOING ANY PHOTO WORK

WITH BABY CHICKS YOU HAVE TO DO IT WED OR THURS BECAUSE THESE BIG HATCHERIES

ALL HATCH ON MONDAY AND PACK UP TUESDAY FOR OVERNIGHT ING.

 THAT BEING THE CASE---WE WILL PROBABLY GET OUR BABY CHICKS

WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE NOT USED THE US POST OFFICE

BECAUSE THE IPSWICH P.O. IS 8 MILES AWAY . SO I OPTED FOR

UPS.. LETS SEEE HOW THEY MANAGE...

I AM HOPING......(.WE HAVE A NEW VOLUNTEER WHO IS A CABINET MAKER TYPE CARPENTER)

TO REALLY UPGRADE OUR CHICKEN EPISODE BY HAVING SMALLER COOPS WHICH CAN 

BE LIFTED BY 4 PEOPLE AND CHANGED LOCATION.  THEREBY EATING AND FERTALIZING THE GRASS

 IN A MORE UNIFORM WAY.

NEXT PROBLEM IS TO DESIGN A "LIFTABLE" COOP-- AND THE TRACTOR DOES HAVE  FORK LIFT THINGS

BUT THERE WILL BE CHICKENS IN THE COOP DURING LIFT--- SO HOW DO WE DO THAT?  WIRE NET FLOOR?

WHAT STARTED THIS WAS A VERY CUTE SMALL COOP LABELED  "EGGPLANT"   

CHICKENS ARE MESSY AND WILL EAT EVERY BLADE OF GRASS THEY CAN REACH

THE ONES WE HAVE NOW ARE "FREE ROAMING" IN ABOUT 40 X 100' 

 WHICH DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING GREEN LEFT

SO IF I COULD CARRY A BUNCH AROUND AND MOVE THEM THEY COUD EAT MORE GRASS 

EVEN LIKE PUPPY HILL-- BECAUSE TH PUPS COULD LEARN NOT TO BOTHER THEM

YOU KNOW.... ACHIEVE BOREDOM...

COMPLICATING FACTORS-- WE HAVE A HUGE PILE OF PALLETS-- PAM WANTS TO MAKE FURNATURE FROM THEM

AND WOULD LOVE A "PLANER" WHICH I OWN  SOMEWHERE...IT WOULD BE ECOLOGICALLY CORRET TO USE THOSE FOR THE COOPS-- IF WE CAN GET TEH NAILS OUT OF THEM--

SO THAT IS A PROCESS YOU SHOULD SEE DEVELOPING.

THE BAD NEWS IS GRACEE AND I FORGOT THAT MAYBE THE GUINNEA HENS WE NOW HAVE WILL PRODUCE THEIR OWN

AND THE 15 "KEETS"  WE ORDERED COULD MAKE QUITE A  HERD...

AH WELL....

april 1 2016

bentley made it  in the elevator to the lawyer's office   way up there-- overlooking boston hartbor--i am a farm person..that environment was interesting-- polished glass-- absolutely  spotless--- made me kind of stare at my shoes. casually checking to be sure there was nothing stuck to the bottom of them... talk about a country bumpkin...however...i did bring in my file of details and he did confirm that i have a solid case  if i should choose to pursue it.

i keep thinking it would be wonderful to have someone else pay for this infirmary building  ....  however.......we are doing fine... the bricks are almost sold out.

the reason i was worried about bentley in the elevator was  in that confined space , if he chose to get confused and upset  snap, i could not get away for 20 odd floors.. he was good-- i just talked to him on the up -- then on the way down  bud  braved the storm and rode with us- i was very glad-- because it is not a simple matter to  get back to the garage- and if we had become separated-- there could have been a comical scene of elevator madness.

he did behave perfectly- and  i watch him constantly-- the kind of situation where he might get confused  is when the bell rings for the elevator...he seems to notice that....he is an extremely reasonable dog-- and looks to me asking if something is ok

**********

i have got used to donna cooking a bit of steak for my  breakfast/lunch-- she is a super steak cooker-- i don't know what meal it is-- i have been up since 3-- and with a big meal now..., i just might make it to dinner..

*************

he certainly does get attention---i know i could sit  in the train  station and give away dozens of poker chips-

especially to those  waiting  and not running for the train.

******

bella and george  made it to disney yesterday- there are some great pictures of them -- with the various characters... the mary poppins one is super.

what a crazy job that is--- get all dressed up with a lovely parasol and wander around smiling for pictures..

*****

 the doctors show called and needed a signature so they could show our logo-- i did that... but i wondered why i would have made a logo if i didn't want more people to see it?????  there are times....

the doctor who treated me in the er the other night said he had a friend on the dr show... so i told him to call immediately and give  us an extra push !!

***

great cp's

 i actually do love it when someone catches this kind of thing..it shows they were interested enough to be thinking.

Carlene,

In today's DD, the percentage is incorrect on the Merl x Harle Service Dog line. 25 out of 48 dogs is 52%, not 25%. 

This made my morning as I suffer all math and yet was somehow able to recognize and correct. At 53, there might yet be a glimmer of hope for me and numbers! 

Respectfully,

Alison E. Groth

which stregnthns my arguement that another breeding of merle x harl  is exactly  the right thing to do.

can't win 'em all

******************

Carlene, 

I hope spring is starting to show in New England! I wanted to give you an update with Ethel. 

On any given day, I leave a crime scene of evidence proving I'm generally terrible at paraplegic-ing. I transfer clumsily, stand awkwardly and fling arms around recklessly. You've given me this incredible gift of stability for this klutz in a wheelchair.

A few days ago, I once again found myself on the floor trying to transfer in the bathroom. Ethel was by my side immediately, leaving her lookout position on our bed. Tail wagging, she was more than happy to help me back into my chair and even happier for the carrot treat that followed. 

I couldn't attach the video, but here's the link!

Ethel the Service Dane Braces for Return: http://youtu.be/-RSXOA9tsv0

Tremendous thanks, 

Julia and Ethel

worth looking at----  and then bella

http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/3435/6235/original.jpg