FEB 7 2019

RUMORS JUST PLAIN HAPPEN- AND THEY CAN BE DEVASTATING... SOMEWHERE ALONG TEH WAY SOMEONE SAW THE WHITE OF HOODSIE'S  COLOR AND SAID WHITE DOGS CAN BE BLIND AND DEAF-- WHICH IS CERTAINLY TRUE-- ARIOT IS DEAF AND DOESNT SEE 100%-- I HAD NO IDEA THAT IN THE BACKGROUND, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WERE PASSING AROUND THAT HOODSIE  HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS EYES BECAUSE HE WAS WHITE. I KNEW AND HEARD NOTHING  ABOUT IT UNTIL I HEARD HE WAS GOING TO BE GIVEN AWAY--- WHOA !!-- HE IS ONE LOVELY FRIENDLY PUP AND SHOULD BE A NICE SERVICE DOG FOR SOMEONE.   I WATCHED HIM- AND  NEVER SAW A REASON TO QUESTION HIS SIGHT OR HEARING--  BUT MAYBE....... SO I BOOKED HIM WITH A CANINE  OPTHOMOLOGIST-- UP AT BULGER... 20 MINUTES AWAY--  SHE DID PRESSURES AND TEAR PRODUCTION AND  FUNNY FLASHLIGHT THINGS- AND DECIDED HE  WAS A BEAUTIFUL PUP AND SHOULD MAKE A WONDERFUL SERVICE DOG.  SO LETS GET OFF THAT RUMOR AND GET ON WITH HIS  CAREER.

$190 LATER ..   I WAS WORRIED THAT  THIS DR... THAT I DID NOT KNOW---- WOULD TRY AND TAKE HIM FROM ME AND  DECIDE TO MUZZLE HOODSIE TO EXAMINE HIS EYES-- IF THAT HAD BEEN THE CASE I WOULD HAVE LEFT... HE IS A BIG GUY.....BUT PERFECTLY BEHAVED, I WAS PROUD OF HIM.    

BULGER HOSPITAL IS  OUR NEXT CLOSEST- AND IS A 24 HOUR EMERGENCY HOSPITAL..  I NEVER KNEW-- TEHY HAVE 2 DISTINCT SECTIONS -- A REGULAR VISIT  AND TEH SIDE DOOR EMERGENCY-- SEEING AS I ONLY HAVE BEEN TO THE EMERGENCY 24 HOUR BIT- I NEVER REALIZED HOW BIG IT IS-- AND THEY ARE MOVING TO A BIGGER PLACE 2 MILES AWAY ON 114 .

THE WAITING ROOM OF AN ANIMAL EMERGENCY CLINIC HAS TO BE  ONE OF THE WORST PLACES-- WITH TERRIFIED PEOPLE SEPARATED FROM THIER CRITICALLY SICK PETS.   WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO  STAY WITH OUR DOGS AT DAH...

**

I Have been a loyal supporter of SDP since 2012. I started watching when I would get home from work and 

it is a great stress reliever. Being a dog mom myself I enjoy watching all of the puppies and big dogs every day.

Mail call for sometime was without sound and the antics everyday would bring a smile to my face and usually laughing 

out loud watching and imagining what the words were that went along with the picture but that all changed when SDP

was hooked up for sound. Carlene and staff share a lot of knowledge everyday with the Camera People during mail Call and the Doggie Daily.

One of the things I learned about through Mail Call was bloat in large dogs. Having a large breed dog myself I had never heard of this.

Carlene explained what to look for and how important it was to have immediate medical attention. One evening about two years ago

my mastiff Elvis eight years old at the time came over to me trying to vomit and his belly and sides were very swollen and I knew at that moment he was bloating. A phone call to emergency vets and a very tense drive to the emergency hospital it was determined that he did 

in fact have bloat. I was told a lot of dogs do not survive bloat because people just don't know about it. I told the vet I had learned about it

on a web-cam for Service Dog Project on Explore.org. Because of our getting him to the vets within a short time of the onset of bloat Elvis

survived and came through surgery with flying colors. I am sure the only reason he survived was the talk Carlene was having at 

Mail Call on bloating in large dogs. I would have waited until morning to see if he felt better but he wouldn't have survived the night.

So thank you Carlene for all your knowledge you share every day. I don't think you realize how important you are Carlene in so many peoples lives. 

The joy these dogs bring to so many from recipients and CP's clearly shows every where you look.

I did have the pleasure a few years ago to visit the farm on a Sunday. I got to meet a lot of staff and volunteers and a personal tour 

with Annie. The love in her voice for this magical place was so very clear in everything she showed us and the love she showed for all animals from chickens, donkeys  and dogs was amazing,

I will continue to support SDP anyway I can and will watch as I have for the last seven years every day and look forward to watching many more matches of the puppies I watched being born until they are matched with their forever partners.

Thank you for sharing your lives and knowledge to everyone.

With much gratitude and love,Donna Kenny

feb 6 2019

POTHOLES AND SPEED BUMPS  WERE YESTERDAYS TEST FOR JEAGER--- I EXPECTED A QUIET BUT QUICK RIDE ON A BUS FROM BEVERLY TO  GLOUCESTER-- USUALLY A 20 MINUTE HIGHWAY RIDE--ON   THE SCHEDIULE FOR 6 MINUTES-- BUS CAME ROUND TEH CORNER SO WE JUMPED OUT OFOUR ILLEGALLY PARKED CAR AND HOPPED ON-- JAEGAR WAS PERFECT-- HE NEVER QUESTIONED  CLIMBING INTO THE BUS.. NO PROBLEM..    

THE PROBLEM WAS------ THAT BUS DID NOT GO DOWN TEH SMOOTH  HIGHWAY  TO GLOUCESTER   BUT AROUND BEVERLEY TO EVRY ASSISTED LIVING, SUPERMARKET, MEDICAL FACILLITY ALL OF WHICH HAVE SPEED BUMPS--- SO IN ADDITION TO THE POTHOLES OF BEVERLEY  POOR JAEGAR WAS HAPPY TO LIE DOWN... JUDY AND I WERE VERY HAPPY WHEN THE  ONE HOUR LOOP WAS COMPLETE AND OUR CAR HAD NOT BEEN TICKETED OR TOWED...  JAEGAR JUMPED IN THE CAR  WITH ENTHUSIASM TOO.

AFTER THAT I DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A TRAIN RIDE-- GONNA DO THAT ONE TO ROCKPORT WHERE THE TRACKS STOP RIGHT AT A DUNKIN DONUTS AT WHICH WE CAN KILL TIME AND GET BACK TO BEVERLY.

MAYBE THAT ONE FOR THURSDAY OR FRIDAY -

***

OUR MISSION OF DECORATING THE POO PICKERS AT THE SENIOR PLACES HAS TAKEN ON  A WORLD OF IT'S OWN... WE NOW HAVE 2 DOZEN  CRAYONS-- PERFECT SIZE-- 8 IN A NICE BOX---  WE HAVE A FEW INK PADS AND STAMPS( COULD MAYBE USE ONE OR TWO MOR OF THOSE--)---   AND I AM TOLD FUGAN HAS A BUNCH OF GEL PENS COMING. 

*****

UPDATE FROM ISHANTI, WHO IS AN AIR FORCE VETERAN, AND SERVICE DOG KAYDET:

 **

IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY! 

 TWO YEARS AGO TODAY, I WAS MATCHED WITH THIS SWEET PUP AND MY LIFE HAS BEEN SOMETHING WORTH LIVING TO ME. I WAS IN A VERY DARK PLACE AT THAT TIME IN MY LIFE, DEALING WITH MY PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS FROM MS AND ALL OF THE EMOTIONAL SIDE EFFECTS FROM RETIRING AFTER SERVING 17 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE. MAKING THE DECISION AND BEING AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING KAYDET INTO MY LIFE WAS EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH A PURPOSE. SHE HELPS TO KEEP ME WALKING, BRINGING ME THE CONFIDENCE TO WALK STEADILY WITH NO FEAR OF FALLING. COUNTERBALANCING MY EVERY STEP, SHE ALLOWS ME TO DO MORE THAN A CANE OR WALKER COULD.

 

FINALLY, A BONUS WITH MY TEAMMATE IS THAT SHE'LL WATCH MY BACK IN A CROWD, BLOCK FOR ME, AND CALM MY RESPONSES TO PTSD TRIGGERS. THIS CREATURE HAS SAVED ME BY GIVING NEW PURPOSE TO MY LIFE. BEING FORCED TO TAKE CARE OF ANOTHER LIFE FORCES ME TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. I CARE FOR HER AND SHE CARES FOR ME. I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THIS BLESSING. 

 ******

CARLENE,

 I HAVE QUITE A FEW TESTIMONIALS BUT SOME ARE VERY SHORT...BARELY A PARAGRAPH.   I WANT TO ENCOURAGE SOME LONGER ONES SO I AM ATTACHING  A RE-WRITTEN  REQUEST TO INCLUDE SOME GUIDELINES.  IT'S A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE OTHER ONE SO IF YOU HAVE A SHORT DD, MAYBE YOU COULD ADD IT AT THE END.  I'M ALSO SENDING IT TO TINA SO SHE CAN PIN IT TO THE VARIOUS FACEBOOK AND EXPLORE PAGES.

KATHY OLIVER

*****

COME ON ALL YOU PEOPLE WITH OUR  DOGS    KATHY AND TINA ARE PULLING TOGETHER GOOD STORIES ABOUT OUR DANES..   EVEN SOME OF THE ONES DOING THERAPY WORK WITHTHEM...  SEND STUFF TO TINA

IF ANY OF YOU HAVE FUNNY STORIES--   ALONG WITH LIFE ALTERING STORIES THOSE ARE UNUSIALLY GOOD TOO

FEB 5 2019

LAST TIME I TRIED TO GET DOG TRAINING ORGANIZED FOR TRAINS I WAS ELECTRUCUTED BY THAT KONE ELEVATOR AT TEH MBTA SUBWAY STATION --  - PLAN THAT DAY WAS FOR ME  TEST THE WATERS WITH BENTLEY  ---TO RIDE TEH SUBWAY ACROSS BOSTON ANS  SWAP PUPS WITH  THE TRAINER WE CALLED #47 -  I PUSHED THE BUTTON AND BENTLEY AND I SPENT THE NExT 3 YEARS GETTTING OUR FEET BACK ON THE GROUND. ..... WHICH IS WHERE I AM TODAay--- going to try and watch more trains and then ride a bus to gloucester and back with yeager (and judy)- 

 since yeager is going to be with a city person, he haas to ride trains, busses and subways--  training for that is time consuming... so i have listed the connections wher i can get on at beverly and go one stop to salem  and get back on the next train the other direction  in less than 10 minutessz.    goal?--- achieving boredom... remember??? 

teh bus schedule says the bus will go from gloucester back to beverly in 6 minutes-- since i estimate teh drive to be 15 minutes, it could be one heck of a  bus ride.

******

I’ll never forget November 27, 2016 it was a Sunday. I drove up to the farm and boy was I excited it was my first drive alone all by myself too I have never been alone before because my family was always so scared to let me be by myself but I was so determined. I also remember that I even had broken ribs because I had a fall a couple weeks prior to, but I wasn’t losing my opportunity Having my life change with all the ways that I read and watched on the Service Dog Project site so I pushed myself like I always did and I am so glad I did because I would not of been matched with Pixie.

I’ll never forget the day Pixie and I where matched it was like an instant bond made from heaven and from that day on we have been inseparable.

Pixie has changed my life in so many ways. She has made so many things possible for me. I’m able to walk on the grass with her play with my kids go to the amusement parks, beaches take long walks, go to the mall shopping and do all the fun activities that I lost out on doing because I would fall down and I’ll get hurt. I thought that I had lost all these things forever until she changed it with her devotion to me to keep me safe and showing me a whole new way to life.

Before I received Pixie I would scoot around my house because I was so frustrated I took a walker and I flung it out my front door because I refused to use it. So I got around my house on my butt and up the stairs crawling. My left leg didn’t work right At all I have no feeling in the lower part of my left leg. Pixie is giving me the ability to be able to learn how to walk on my own too. How is this possible. I always say because she taught me how to walk in sequence, making my leg stronger, she has taught me how to feel the ground in weird way. I also have so much confidence knowing that my girl is right by side ready to catch me I lose my balance at any given time. She has proven this many times.

My angel doesn’t only help me with my balance she also helps me with my confidence and my emotions just every day life. With having multiple sclerosis it’s not an easy thing to go through every day. You have many doctors appointments up and down days hospital stays. She has never left my side. When I’m in the hospital she’s on the bed with me cuddling me give me kisses nursing me back. She keeps me going, she keeps me going and pushes me to do more.

Pixie has even given my family the sense of relief of safety. Showing my family that she will not let anything happen to me. That she will always keep me safe her eyes are always on me.

I am so forever grateful for what the Service Dog Project has done for me. The generosity of the gift of pixie can never be returned in anyway. All the hard work and dedication of all the trainers volunteers in the big heart of Carlene for what she does for people like me. I thank you all so very much for what you do because you changed my life so much give me back what I thought I had lost forever the love and devotion that our dogs give to us is so amazing and beyond words that I can describe fill my eyes with tears each and every day and I am so truly blessed. 

My name is John C Michael and i have Ella and she is the best dog that i have ever had. We are out at Shaw's and Walmart and we have been at the firehouse, pilice station also the court house she does excellent when going through the check point to the court house. The only thing is i watch animal Planet all the time and Ella will lay on the sofa and watch television all day long if you let her i have to tell her i am going to shut off the television if you don't come. She is so smart loves the ducks in the river she willwatch them all day but she is smart and i don't know how to thank you for giving me such a beautiful and great dog god bless you for raising her.

***

P.S.  contraRY TO POPULAR BELIEF, GETTING ELECTRUCUTED  IS NOT PROFITABLE.. YOU LOSE-- TIME IS THE TRUE CURRENCY...  .  IN THE CASE OF SDP--- WE LOST SPERM...BENTLEY  HAS HAD NO PUPS SINCE. TEH ELEVATOR'S LEGAL SYSTEM IS JUST NOT SUITED TO TEH MAGNITUDE OF SPERM LOSS.  "GO BUY ANOTHER DOG" --- RIGHT  !

 HOW? 

FEB 4 2019

 NOW ABOUT the 5 gallon coin collection-- guess the total wrapped by our coin wrapping committeeand be teh proud winner of 8 monkey fists ( 2 each size)- well let me clarify---it will be not only the wrapped but teh collection of coins  in too small a quantity to be wrapped.. i will be including 49 pennies if that is what is left after i wrap all those #$%^&* of  50 cent rolls.

to be sure you all get the  details--- we have sorted 9 inches of the straight sided 5 gal jug-- we still have 5.5 inches to sort.  those 9 inches produced   $510 in quarters  $440 in dines $72 in nichols-- $25 +$45 in  pennies in addition to about 1/2 cup of left overs which were dumped back into the jug.. there is also a "something else collection of susan anthony  dollars, a few 50 cent pieces  along with many car wash tokens, ,  a "best in show" taG - 3 PENNIES RUN OVER BY SOME TRAIN. SOME  FOREIGN COINS AND--- a rabies tag.. SO FAR.

SOME OTHER COIN  DETAILS FROM MY HALF FAST EXPERIENCE AS A  WANT AD MAGAZINE  DISTRIBUTER..... A   GENERIC COFFEE CUP  OF MISC COINS--- FROM WHICH THE QUARTERS HAVE NOT BEEN LIFTED--- CONTAINS $20.00.  A 5 GAL JUG OF PENNIES-- BY ACTUAL COUNT ---  $291 ( I FILLED ONE UP  BY UNWRAPPING BANK PENNIES AS PART OF SOME  GUESSING GAME FOR DR. GEORGE MYERS STAFF) 

NOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.... SEND ME YOUR GUESS ON PAPER... SNAIL MAIL...  THIS WOULD BE FAR MOR RELIABLE THAN SENDING ME EMAILS.. I DO HAVE AN INDEX CARD GOING WITH A FEW GUESSES... BUT NAMES ONLY--   SNAIL MAIL  IS BETTER...... PAPER GUESSES, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS--- STREET AND EMAIL SO WE CAN SEND THESE MONKEY FISTS TO THE LUCKY WINNER--

IF TRUTH BE KNOWN ON THE MONKEY FISTS, I KEEP MAKING THEM, AND  I HAVE  RUN OUT OF FRIENDS TO GIVE THEM TO. 

*****

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT HTE  IQ OF THOSE ANIMALS  WHO ARE TRADITIONALLY  THOUGHT TO BE  "DUMB" - WORST CASE I KNOW OF IS DUMBASS DONKEY-- THE DONKEYS ARE REALLY QUITE INTELLIGENT--ABOUT LIKE A DOG...  HOWEVER.. MY CURRENT QUERRY IS CHICKENS-  

YESTERDAY WAS SHATTING DAY-- AND FOR TEH  ?THIRD/ TIME I COULD NOT GET THE THIRD CHICKEN OUT OF THE CAGE BEFORE TEH OTHER 2 HAD CHOSEN THEIR WINNERS.  FOR A MOMENT , CONSIDER TTEHY ARE NOT DUMB CLUCKS, WHAT ON EARTH  ARE THEY TALKING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT--- " I DUNNO WHY BUT WHEN THEY LET YOU OUT OF THIS CAGE, THEY WILL PUT YOU BACK IN AS SOON AS YOU MOVE YOUR BOWELS." 

I DON'T WANT TO TEMPT FATE... BUT THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER AT THE SHATTING.  MAYBE THEY KNOW??????

AS FOR THAT CHICKEN THAT PLAYED  TEH BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC ON "AMERICA'S GOT TALLENT"   SHOW...  I THINK WE COUDL DO THAT AROUND HERE WITH A LASER BEAM... I THINK CHICKENS WOU D PECK AT THAT-- SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO BRING A LASER AND A TOY PIANO TO DOG FEST NEXT YEAR-  IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO TRY.  I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WOULD EVEN FIND A TOY PIANO NOW - 

***

BACK TO WORK-- HERE'S A GOOD ONE

****

I have had Asher for over a year and a half now. In that time, he has become my best friend, my confidant, and he has helped me physically and mentally in ways I never anticipated. He has helped me avoid injuries, helped me up from the occasional spill, and has gotten us halfway through our law school journey when human friends are hard to come by.

When I changed career paths in college from pastry arts to law, I went from being confident in myself while working in front of familiar kitchen staff to becoming insecure about every move I made in front of professionals I didn’t know—every awkward step, stumble, and fall left me feeling embarrassed and like I could never appear confident like good lawyers are because of my physical challenges. After being matched, it only took a couple months before my insecurity turned to confidence with my handsome sidekick next to me. Asher helps me physically every day, but he's also given me such a unique way to meet people, start conversations, and he shifts the focus from my movement to him (and usually his huge size!).

Back in February 2018, Asher and I went to our first Barrister’s Ball (AKA “Law School Prom”) and were crowned onto the Barrister’s Court. The Student Bar Association president called both of our names as the 1L winners and we took the long walk from our table to the stage together while the whole room watched, definitely a walk that I would have struggled to get through alone just a short several months before. The room was so loud with people cheering and we weaved around some tight spaces, but it didn't faze Asher one bit. I'm convinced he knew he was walking up to claim his prize because his popularity comes as no surprise to him.

I was so honored to be embraced as a member of my Class of 2020 last year, and I have continued to easily navigate through this new chapter in my life with my best friend matching me step for step. With Asher, I'm not the girl with the weird gait that people feel bad for. I'm Erica with the huge dog wearing the necktie as we go about our day like anybody else. People have gotten to know me for me, and Asher has been responsible for initiating most of those casual conversations, looks of surprise instead of uncomfortable stares, and friendships I have today. He's given me so much confidence - it doesn't matter who we're walking in front of when he's next to me.

I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity I've had to live a different life over these past 18 months; one where people can see through my physical differences and get to know me, and Asher too! ... ERICA

FEB 3 2019

when donna fell-- i thought we behaved perfectly-- laura chased her dogs away while linda called 911  -- megan got fluffies and dealt with her on the ground... - i went down the drive to  open the gate  and make sure teh ambu didn't miss us... not one of us ever thought of getting the first aid kit with it's funny little triangle of cloth...maybe my bottle of brandy would have been more to the point...  

*****

details--- like today pam has carefully listed deven and shanna as  barn closers-- who do a walk thru and list what dog is in what kennel-- to be kind tothem  pam listed it as a partnership-- split job- sounds logicqal--- except that introduces an element of error "oh i thought you  did that kennel" 

 i want one person t do the walk thru--- eyeball each dog -- and their water buckets--write who's where on the overnight paper for the house- and sign your name.    why??? we had a situation where somenone went to water off the donkeys and noticed a kennel with a dogs name on it... and no dog-  we went thru a horrible  "did the dog get out... or be left out.   before we realized teh white board at the house did have the dog listed as gone for the night...  that is not supposed to happen... one person does the walk thru and signs their name.  that paper needs to be absolutely correct  once a year.... and unless youcan tell me whichday that will be, it has to be correct 365 times. 

there are 1000 of these- and if anyone knows of any more.. please do let me know. !!

***

Good evening Carlene and crew,

There is always so much going on at Crazy Acres but I wanted to drop a small line to you and thank you again for the training the service dogs receive. Today my middle child was having her birthday party and part of it was at a trampoline park which is basically a monster playground with tons of foam pits and trampolines. The party was on a Saturday so as you can imagine the place was absolutely packed with kids and their parents running and screaming and such. While the kids played my wife and I got a spot on a bench to keep an eye out. Our girls and their friend were having a blast. Charlotte was, as always, a perfect angel. It's absolutely a possibility that she could freak out or lose it but she didn't, not once. She lied down next to me keeping her eye on me in case I make a brave show of standing up suddenly. Without her I wouldn't have been able to be there, I'd probably be waiting in the car or at home. As a partner she has so much improved my quality of life. In fact, I've been invited to try out for the Air Force's adaptive sports team to compete against the other military services this summer. The events I'll be competing in are wheelchair basketball, shooting sports, sitting discus/shot put and short distance swimming. You better believe I'll have Charlotte by my side through it all. I don't know if I will make the team but this is yet another experience I probably wouldn't have been able to look forward to before we were matched. Thank you, thank you to you and all your staff (and the CPs!).

Paul and Charlotte

*****

It’s a heat wave!! Woot woot! 

Eve and I did school at the Coffee House. It was so nice to get out after the deep freeze and the crazy weather we’ve had! While Eve’s mobility has still had its ups and downs lately we left the chair behind when we were out today!! We found great close parking to both the coffee house and a kids store next door so she was able to do that walking with Finn! We call it the OI dance sometimes it’s 2 steps forward 1 step back and other times it’s 1 step forward and 2 back. I lost count this time but hoping we can’t rewrite the steps and take like 5 forward this time around!

FEB 2 2019

I WAS ALL SET TO DISCUSS MORNING EXERCISES OF PUTTING ON ONE'S SOX, AND PULLING DOWN TEH LONG UNDERWEAR TO MEET THEM-  I WAS GOING TO DISCUSS TEH MAIL CALL WHERE STEVE AND I GOT INTO THE FACT THAT I CAN TOUCH MY NOSE WITH MY LEFT FOOT.....BUT THEN TEH HUDSON RIVER  GOT IN THE WAY...

I THOUGHT I'D CHECK MY EMAILS BEFORE I WROTE THIS TO SEE IF TEHRE WAS ANYTHING COLORFUL TO COPY AND PASTE....I GOT AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE involved with parkenson work IN THE HUDSON RIVER AREA..

Dear Carlene, 

Thanks for your response.

Ahh, so you were once a Hudson River Valley person yourself!

It is clear that your dogs do amazing work and change lives and of course they must be placed where they can maximize their potential for goodness.

I brought up the Parkinson’s connection because I work on a Helpline for the Parkinson’s Foundation and I spend my days trying to come up with ways to help people affected by or living with this disease. My father had Parkinson’s (did you mention in one of your video’s that your father did too?).  As I said, I am really happy to know that you have been able to provide your fantastic dogs to quite a few people with PD.  Your commitment, if I understand it correctly, to making the dogs available to needy people with disabling conditions, without a cost to them is, nothing short of amazing.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

JM

STARTING WITH  NOT EVERY DOG BECOMES A SERVICE DOG- IT THEN BECOMES A VERY SERIOUS JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE DOGS WE  "CREATE" FIND A PURPOSFUYL EXISTANCE OF USING THEIR UNUSUAL TALENTS TO  HELP SOMEONE DO SOMETHING.

JUST AS WILLIE'S UNBOUNDED JOY- MADE HIM IMPOSSIBLE  IN THE STABILITY DEPARTMENT, HE IS PERFECT AS A PEASE GREETER  TO MEET SOLDIERS COMING ADN GOING AT PEASE AIRFORCE BASE--WHILE PLANES ARE REFUELLED....  HAVING COMPLETED HIS EDUCATION AT THE  UNIVERSITY OF HOME DEPOT -- GETTING AN ADVANCED DEGREE IN "WHOPPPPPPIIIEEEEEE  MEN!"   - JOYCE WILL NOW ENABLE HIM TO FURTHER HIS CAREER .  

WE MAY HAVE... IN THE PAST CALLED TEHM PERFECT PETS... OR FABULOUS FAILURES, BUT WE TRY TO HAVE  99.4% OF ALL OUR PUPS  DO SOMETHING...  I FIND THAT THE REAL WORLD OF SERVICE DOGS IS NOW CALLING THEM " FACILITY  DOGS"  WHERE THEY BASICALLY BELONG TO ONE PERSON- WHO THEN "USES" THEM ON A DAILY BASIS FOR SOME WAAY TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD  FOR OTHERS.    OFETN JUST A SMILE IS A HUGE IMPROVVEMENT.  THE ROAD TRIP --- FRY PAN-- BRIGADE IS DOING WONDERS.

WHICH SLIDES ME INTO TEH PURPLE FRY PAN STORY......

JUDY AND I FOUND THAT  WHEN WE GO TO A SENIOR  CENTER OF ANY TYPE-- THEY ARE NEARLY DESPARATE FOR AMUSEMENT.  TEHSE HUGE DOGS DON'T HAVE TODO MUCH TO BE Amusing anyway.. so in an effort to  amuse people whith what our danes do best  we devised a cookie distribution method- requiring zilch training...here's how it goes..  me- sitting  at one end of the r4oom with bentley and sizzle-- judy wantes  away with "anyone want to pat the dog?"  someone always says yes-- so she hands them a small 7 "  fry pan, then drops 1/2  a cookie into it  from about 14 inches  to make  a recogniziaable clank...  all i have to do is say either bentlye or sizzle-- and ONE dashS across the floor and eat the cookie -- to the great delight of all teh on-lookers.  i call tehm back to me and judy move to the next.... 

we have proven that it is impossible to fill up a great dane in an hour  at 1/2a cookie evry 4.3 minutes.  dog dashes to the lap of the seated person 100 % focused on teh cookie and chewing  while photo's are taken and people pat the dog..

i know it is not nice ro tempt fate--- or goldie-- but it seems to be trouble free-- people are seated -- lessening the posibility of getting knocked over by a happy dog... dogs are focused on teh fry pan and don't have interest informing an opinion about the people,

well i have at least one dog  who i need to get out for this SPECIALIZED   "training" ---- lovely dog- would be a super cookie eater.

 I MUST INSTRUCT  MEGAN OF THIS NEW FORM OF DOG TRAINING  BECAUSSE  JUDY IS GOING TO BE AWAY FOR A WEEK OR TWO... AND  WE NEED TO DECIDED  WHICH OF OUR DOGS WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR THIS SPECIAL TRAINING.   THERE ARE ONE OR TWO.  THEY NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE TO WORK.

**\

 RETIURNING TO  THE PURPLE FRY PAN- I HAVE ALWAYS HAD FRY PANS TO FEED DONKEYS AND HORSES- NOT ONLY GUARDING LITTLE FINGERS  BUT TRAINING THE DONKEYS TO CONCENTRATE ON FRY PANS - NOT FINGERS OFTEN FLAVORED BY PEPERMINT CANDY CANES.- 

I GOT THE IDEA OF USING IT WITH THE DOGS  ONE DAY AT MAIL CALL I SAID "WE NEED TO TRY  DOGS WITH PANS-- AND SOMEONE ELSE SAID   "THEY SHOULD BE PURPLE"  AND SO HELP ME THE NEXT BOX I OPENED HAD 2 PURPLE FRY PANS IN IT.

THERE IS A FRIGHTENING NUMBER OF THOSE GOLDIE STORIES..

IS THIS PK  BIT  ONE OF THEM??

FEB 1 2019

chicken bricks??? wow  i am impressed--- over 150 people jumped in with their $10 " subscriptions  relieving my panic..

we are close to the 2100  brick threshold  which is the "payroll number.".  after that it is the flying purple egg section which is teh gravy/funfund donations.

i have a drawer full of  notes from  people who sent checks for "quickpiks"  which donna will come and  enter TODAY (one handed)  she is left handed- and the arm shoulder she broke is on teh right.  so we may make it yet.. 

you all have not missed the payroll in ??5 years?? -keep up the good work....

 without those chicken bricks we would not "BE" .  WELL WE PROBABLY WOULD "BE" EXCEPT WE WOULD NOT BE AABLE TO DONATE THE DOGS FREE OF CHARGE- AND WE WOULD HAVE ALOT LESS FUN.

****

FUN..   LIKE THE  LAST night's midnight load OF RESCUED EQUINES FROM TEH PENNA KILL PENS.

I WAS TOLD WE WERE GETTTING A DONKEY WITH SOME WHITE WHO WAS VERY PREGNANT- AND I THINK SHE WAS TO BE OURS WITH  TEH BABY...I THINK/... MAYBE

 ( NOW THRE IS A GOOD NAME FOR HER..." MAYBE.")

SO I JUST CHECKED TEH CAMERA AND IT LOOKS LIKE 4 DONKEYS AND A SPOTTED TINY PONY...

TEHN I REALIZED THAT LARGE BLOND ANIMAL WAS NOT OUR MO MULE...BUT  A HORSE -- I DID NOT NOTICE  RIGHT AWAY THE SPOTTED  FULL SIZE HORSE  HIDDEN BEHIND HER...

SO WHAT STAERTED  TO BE ONE PREGO IS AT LEAST 7 THAT I  CAN SEE-- AND DON'T FOR GET WE ALREADY HAD  8 PLUS THE 2 SHE WAS MOVING OUT TODAY.

WITH THAT KIND OF  INCREASE IN EXPCTATIONS, I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT  THE ONE COWBOY WHO WAS TIO BE STAying here- probably in the guest house unless his truck had a sleeper in whinc case he is "around" somewhere.  just another episode in the sagga  of crazy acres.

***

cold-- yep -  one of my greatest fears is getting all soapy in the shower and having the water go cold.  it didn't happen today-- but it must have in my career because i do worry about that. 

well--- to deal withthe cold......what bettter time  than to have the SDP  coin sort  right in front of teh blazing fire... the 5 gal jug was filled to  about 2 inches from the neck of the jug...  we... judy -- cindy and i sorted tray after tray into bowls we could no longer pick up

 we got 55% sorted.. of that 55% i wrapped $100 in quarters without making a noticable dent.

if you all send a guess---  on paper--- as to the ammount, closest without going over will win 8 monkley fists. it is going to take quite a few cold "fireplACE"  days for us to get all that wrapped.  I JUST COULD NOT FORFIET THE 5% TO HAVE THE BANK DO IT..  THIS WAY IT WILL COST US A LOT OF FIREWOOD AND A STAMP WITH OUR NAME AND ACCOUNT NUMBER ON IT--  ON WHICH THEY INSIST.

THANKS TO AQ THINKING CP... WE DO HAVE FUNNY LITTLE TUBES WHICH  DETERMINE THE AMT TO BE WRAPPED.

AND THANKS TO ANOTHER VOLUNTEER ---WE HAVE A BIG CONTAINER OF HOME MADE TOMATOE SOUP TO KEEP US GOING...

****

IT TAKES A  COMMUNITY.  

****

IN THE NERVOUS WRECK DEPARTMENT... WE HAD 2 UNRELATED DOGS BLEED-- CLARK HAD A  MINOR NOSE BLEED AND ELVIS VOMITED SOME BLOOD...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MINOR NOSE BLEED-- SO I SUGGESTED BOT CAROLINE AND FIONA TAKE THEM TO A VET QUICKLY FOR  BLOOD STUDIES.. WE HAVE HAD 2 DOGS  DIE OF ERLICHIA- A TICK BORNE DISEASE WHICH DESTROYS  BLOOD CLOTTING-- SO I GET NERVOUS.. 

Nothing much new here either. Elvis seems to be okay with the food Angell put him on for the time being it gives him awful smelling gas though!). He's happy to be out working again, he was getting bored before! 

I'm waiting for the vet to call me about his last platelet count. 

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AND

On 31 Jan 2019, at 18:18, Caroline wrote:

Nothing new today. Clark is his usual happy and goofy self. We go tomorrow for a check up and bloodwork.

Caroline 

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I RAN TO THE MASTER LIST OF BLOODLINES    TEHRE ARE ABOUT 200 DOGS RELATED TO THEM SOMEHOW,  IT IS ALWAYS A WORRY, BU T I SEE NO REASON TO PANIC... AT LEAST YET.