jan 12 2019

AN FYI---- THAT KOREAN TEA DID GET THE STEEL WOOL OUT OF MY THROAT...

I DON'T THINK I SWALLOWED STEEL WOOL, BUT I STARTED TO HAVE THAT FEELING... AND DUG OUT THE KOREAN KURE FOR COLDS AND FLU.   I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING MARMALADE-- SURE LOOKED LIKE THAT... BUT WHEN I GOT HOME AND READ TEH LABEL IT SAID   "BALANCE GROW HONEY CITRON GINGER TEA" I AM   NOT A TEA DRINKER- BUT ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS HERE SAW IT AND TOLD ME  "ON THE KOREAN PENNISULA IT IS THE CURE ALL FOR COLDS..."

? DID I TELL YOU ALL THIS BEFORE????

REPITITION IS THE FIRST SIGN OF ALOT OF THINGS.... LETS SAY  "FOR ANY NEW COMERS..." 

 THIE CRITICAL PART....  AT COSTCO IT WAS $6.- SINCE IT WAS GOOD. AND PEOPLE BEGAN  TO PUT IT UNDER THE KERIG HOT WATER THING... I THOUGHT I 'D ORDER MORE FROM AMAZON--  $22 FOR THE SAME JAR- SO I KEEP WANTING TO GET MORE AT COSTCO BEFRE THEY STOP CARRYING IT.

SO I HAD A 2 AM  CUPPA-- ?DID IT WORK?  WELL  I AM NOT WORSE... WHICH STATISTICALLY IS BETTER.

NOW HERE IS A USEFUL FYI.... MAYBE....

AT COSTCO.... IF THE  CARD WITH T HE PRICE ON IT HAS A STAR IN THE UPPER RIGHT, IT MEANS THEY WILL NOT BE REORDERING THAT PRODUCT.. ( I THINK)  SEEMS TO BE TRUE......

******

TO CONTINUE TO PLUG OLD ISSUES-- A CAMERA PERSON ( CP) SENT ME A QUOTE BY ADADM -- OF THE MYTHBUSTERS- 

IF YOU WANT  KIDS TEST SCORES UP, BRING BACK BAND AND SHOP

 AND  GET KIDS ACTUALLY LEARNING STUFF INSTEAD OF

 TEACHING THEM  HOW TO TAKE TESTS...

HOW CLOSELY ALLIGNED  THAT IS WITH KEN ROBERTSON  OF THE TED LECTURES ( HIGHLY RECOMENNDED AND AMUSING)  AND IT SEEMS MIKE ROWE  of dirty jobs....HAS TEHE SAME  CONCEPT--

WELL YOU CAN CERTAINLY ADD ME TO THAT LIST.-  I AM KICKIING AND FIGHTING ALL THE WAY WITH THESE KIDS WHO VOLUNTEER HERE- INCLUDING TEH  COMMUNITY SERVICE ONES....  THERE ARE  A FEW WHO ARRIVE , WITH THEIR MINDS STUCK IN NEUTRAL.... AND A FEW DAYS OF FARM ACTIVITY, A WHOLE NEW WORLD IS OPENED TO THEM--THERE IS A RESON TO LEARN SOME THINGS. SOME TAKE IT ANE RUN-- OTHERS SIT ON THE COUCH AND TEXT .

another thing i see around here BIG TIME ---and i swear it is more male children than female children...- you can watch it on the cameras...

  if there are 2 young males on teh property, you rarely will see one on a golf cart alone... they will be in pairs.  where the female children are much more inclined to ride to and from by themselves...

NOT ALL HUSBANDS-- BUT CERTAINLY  few i have been married to ...- (2) 

  "would you please change the lightbulb in th hall?"

" certainly - where are the new ones?" 

"right on the counter in front of you"

" come hold teh ladder for me and i will do it right away." 

it has to be a  group activity 

is this why men go in for  team sports-- football, basketball- and women are more likely to do  tennis and swimming???

i don't read many books but i did like  "tribe"  - i forget who wrote it- but it did question  that the veterans are so finely tuned to be a  group and tehn come home where singular living is a shock.  it is a good book  NY TIMES type book.

****

moving on....

*********

 Attention Recipients, Staff, Volunteers and CPs:

SDP would like to produce a booklet and/or book of stories/testimonials from recipients describing how their Service Dog has impacted their lives especially how their SD has helped in unexpected ways. This book(let) would be used as an attachment to grant applications in order to anecdotally support the factual information in the application. Many recipients have already written to Carlene describing the help you have received and she has included them at the end of the Daily Doggie.

We also invite CPs (Camera People) to submit any recipient story that they found to be particularly inspirational or, perhaps, a story about how having the Service Dog Project available to watch 24/7/365 has impacted their own lives for the better.

Once a decision is made re: the selections to be used, a release will be sent prior to publication.

Email your selections to:

Tina Shonk at her email    clsmovynut@aol.com

Thank you,

   Kathy Oliver

*****

Attention Recipients, Staff, Volunteers and CPs:

SDP would like to produce a booklet and/or book of stories/testimonials from recipients describing how their Service Dog has impacted their lives especially how their SD has helped in unexpected ways. This book(let) would be used as an attachment to grant applications in order to anecdotally support the factual information in the application. Many recipients have already written to Carlene describing the help you have received and she has included them at the end of the Daily Doggie.

We also invite CPs (Camera People) to submit any recipient story that they found to be particularly inspirational or, perhaps, a story about how having the Service Dog Project available to watch 24/7/365 has impacted their own lives for the better.

Once a decision is made re: the selections to be used, a release will be sent prior to publication.

Email your selections to:

Tina Shonk at: clsmovynut  @aol .com 

Thank you,

   Kathy Oliver

*****

Dear Carlene, 

Pixie is just is simply the most amazing girl, I’m so blessed. I was walking to the couch this morning and almost took a good fall and she flew off the couch to catch me. She was not allowing me to take fall on watch. I’m so blessed to have my angel who never has her eyes off me and watches over me each every day to keep me safe. 

Thank you SDP for giving me most special gift ever to keep me safe and sweet angel who protects me the way she does. I’m so grateful. ❤️

Stacy & Pixie 

jan 11 2019

202 DECORATED POO PICKERS!   ( ENABILING 101 PILES OF POO TO BE  cheerfully PICKED) WHAT A TERRIFFIC IDEA... 

APPARENTLY  NANCY OAKLAND AND FAMILY  hAVE SOME TRADITION About a christmas craft where they all sit around and do something... this year it was to decorate poo pickers for sdp/  hands busy while enjoying the family and conversations.--

good old goldie-- at it again...wouldn they land here on the day we are trying to figure out what all these seniors can do that woudl be entertaining and  not cost a fortune.. with a box of crayons we can set judy loose and see what happens.

the  cutting of  the poo pickers---  ( a 3"x6" piece of cereal cardboard)  started as a way to involve people who could not afford the $10 chicken brick a month-- that size and shape  works wih teh healtiest of great danes- while fitting in one's back pocket-  it evolved to  writing clever sayings on them-- then having a grocery bag folded between teh 2 ... or 4... pieces of cereal cardboard...  held with a n elastic...  teh really fancy ones include a packaged handywipe -- and now  decorated to boot !!  there is no end to possibilities...  

we are on it.  a  back pocket industry

*****

saving children-- today's news of a bus driver stopping to scoop up a young barefooted child running toward an intersection- judy and i had our own version yesterday ...  while  sittin at a stoplight a van crossed in fron t of us with a kid in a car seat behind the driver- and the door was wide open--aftter a split second of shock we pulled rioght out  against the lighte and fell in behind her blowing the horn...  she saw it immediately, shut the door and drove off..

raising children is a hair raising proposition... things happen..   to say "how can she be so stupid as to not shut th e door..." is something that would be said by someone who has not raised kids...--  try as you may... stuff happens.

maybe she was someone who was worried about paying th e morgage when her husband was not going to be paid today.

another magazine delivery story from long ago  ( 1975?) --- i was delivering WantAds in cambridge - at a  mini market that did sell wine. and the guy ahead of me returned a bottle of wine-- for $1.79. i asked the cashier/owner "what was that about? " and he said " he's a  nice guy....he got home and realized he didn't have enough money for teh subway   to get to work in the  morning" ..  true story... 

if there is anything worse than a miserable job with an impossible boss... clearly... it is no job.  i must admit, when i hear about teh fact that  someone  in govt decides which jobs are critical and necessary...can we revisit a whole bunch of jobs that are  deemed not necessary.??

it is a game i  play--- watching television, i constantly ask... who is paying thier paychecK?  -  from digging up the  bits of broken pottery  in egypt- to studying the dna of ants in spain to  all those people in washington who are not elected officials  but seem to just be "around"  to pass an opinion on the width of a roll of toilet paper. 

if i am not mistaken-- with the exception of the constitution,  99.5% of all our rules and regulations   are a reaction to an event.-- ? wrong?  try the PUBLICATION  of teh irs rulings.

as you all know, i consider  our trash picking up person far more critical to our sanity than  the ones we send to  washington.

losing one's sanity-- or sanitation- is a  serious matter.

***********

Update on John and Jess

It has been three and a half years since Jess joined John. Jess has been a great help from the beginning, but even more so since as John gets older and his Muscular Dystrophy progresses the need for Jess has increased too. She has been up to the task. She anticipates Johns needs in many ways. She helps him up from sitting, provides support while walking, adds the extra effort needed to go up an incline, and she also guides him around potential slippery areas when walking on snowy or icy surfaces and generally watches over him in all aspects of his movements. Everywhere they go people constantly comment on how well behaved she is, from busy restaurants to church to stores - Jess is always by his side. They have become known in many places in the local area.. 

Jess loves to help John unwrap his presents on birthdays and Christmas. She is always aware of who is going with the two of them in the car, and makes sure no one is left behind. We love to see how happy she is when she is working and are reminded how important it is for John and her to keep sharp, which they do. John does a fantastic job of taking care of her in every way. They are a great team.

We appreciate all the effort and sacrifice so many have made and continue to make so people like John can have a much richer life. Thank you so much for providing all the help needed to insure the success of John and Jess.

Happy New Year to everyone at SDP - workers, volunteers, and CP’s!

John, Jess, & family

********

Dear Carlene,

You have no idea how important your visits to nursing facilities are.  Due to crippling arthritis, I recently became a resident of a long-term care facility.  The high point of my stay here is a weekly visit from a volunteer, a 77-year-old lady, and her wonderful look-a-like Wanda pup.  He makes my day when he jumps up on my bed so I can give him scratches and hugs.  The weekly visit from this woman and her dog is the best medicine in the world, and is what saves me from depression and despair!!!

Too, I have often thought Explore cameras installed in nursing facilities would be a godsend.  In fact, I long ago sent Explore a message suggesting that very thing.  Wonder why they don't do this.

Keep visiting folks in care facilities. It's the most important thing you are doing!!!

Laurel 

*****

well certainly one of them...

jan 10 2019

THOREAU I THINK SAID....“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” 

this old age bit  is not for the meek...  judy and i- in the process of trying to get our dogs in training to entertain some of these places they keep old people--- is enlightening... and i can't say i am pleased... take yesterday--- and i will not mention the town- but it is right here--  WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PLACE AND DECIDED TO DROP IN.. WHICH WE DID--- .60 people-- in "day care"  aLL SITTING IN 4 ROWS-- IT IS A BIG AIRY ROOM-- CLEAN WARM  THINGS LIKE THAT...  THE MAN WHO "RUNS" THE PLACE  EXPLAINED--  A BUS/VAN PICKS THEM UP IN THE MORNING- THEY GET BREAKFAST THERE--   THEN LUNCH-- AND A SNACK AND A BUS TAKES THEM HOME..    THEY ARE SAFE.    BUT... ENTERTAINMENT?? A BIG BEAUTIFUL TV- THAT DOES GET THE INTERNET- THAT IS STUCK ON  A VERY PRETTY SCREEN SAVER. BEEN THAT WAY  FOREVER... SO THEY ALL SIT STARING FORWARD- TIL WE CAME IN.

WHATA place for explore !!!  so judy and i started in while everyone watched  bently and sizzle-- how bad was it???? they were thrilled to watch bently lie down and sleep- that's how bad.. turns out the place is run by the hospital- just down the street... who has an internet services department that  has not responded to  the request for help with the tv "for months"  so they go day to day all sitting in a row very safe.... with their 3pm cookie snack...  granted there were some altzeimer's patients there  --- but there were many who were not !

 that is on judy and my list today.. call that hospital and be nice--

judy has also "booked" me to speak at a rotary club luncheon-- i think my theme will be that of the ted lecture on creativity ken robertson... in every place we have been there is someone who is "activities director" -  but just because someone is assigned to that does not mean they are directing any activities..

and then we ran into A BETTER ONE..........one of these "keepers of old people"... and they had a  "clutter reduction support group"   now there is a creative director...  15 sessions ... a textbook...  HOMEWORK.. DISCUSSIONS... topics  NON ACQUIRING-- SORTING---DISCARDING- BURIED TREASURES-- 

THAT IS A COURSE THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

IN THE FINE PRINT---  THE SAFE HOME INITIATIVE HAS A GRANT FROM THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL AND SPONSORS THIS PROGRAM.. 

HOW ON EARTH DID  A  PERSON WHO CLEANS CLOSETS MANAGE TO  GET  INVOLVED WITH A  GRANT FROM THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL.  BRILLIANT PERSON !! THERE IS CREATIVITY !!  

DEFINE A PROBLEM AND SOLVE IT.

JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH WE DO NOT KNOW.

START WITH  A GRANT FROM A HOSPITAL????? 

*****

TEH NEW TRAINING REPORT POO PICKERS-- FIRST DAY  GOOD SO FAR..  EVERY DOG GOT OUT- INCLUDING MY 3- WHIHC WAS A STRUGGLE BUT WITH LAURA'S HELP WE MADE IT.

WE HAD A REQUEST FOR A FACILITY DOG FROM TEH VA IN BEDFORD- AND I NEED TO GO TALK TO THEM AND SEE IF WE COUDL MANAGE THAT TOO.

A BIG PART OF THIS SERVICE DOG BUSINESS IS PICKING A PERSON/PLACE  WHO WOULD BENEFIT -- AND BE ABLE TO PAY IT FORWARD TO SOME DEGREE... 

******

 BACK TO THOREAU.....

 another  Thoreau aphorism: “You must work very long to write short sentences.” 

RIGHT !

jan 9 2019

i keep getting distracted by this "grommet" catalog ad right beside my aol email.  they do have some wierd stuff--- and i do enjoy  them -- most reciently a gizmo for winding up long extension cords with a built in plug in.. i caN'T GET TO EXCITED ABOUT A THNG THAT MAKES X MARKS ON HOT DOGS, BUT SOME OF TEH STUFF IS  INTERESTING. NEXT TOPIC-- THAT #$%^&*&&^ PONY/MINI HORSE THAT IS IN WITH MY DONKEYS..  WHAT  A SON OF A FEMALE DOG  HE IS- ONE OF THE DONKEYS GOT HER HEAD STUCK  IN A GATE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND HE BACKED UP TO HER AND KICKED HER GOOD !  I AM TOLD HE/SHE ( I HAVENT LOOKED)  IS A WONDERFUL "THERAPY ANINMAL" -- WELL MAYBE, BUT IT IS A BAD ACTOR IN THE BARN. THERAPY VISITS...THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR CREATIVITY IN THE  SENIOR / ASSISTED LIVING  BUSINESS... A WELL RUN PLACE HAS AN ENTERTAINMENT CZAR  WHO STRUGGLES TO KEEP THE PLACE ALIVE... THE NOT SO WELL RUN PLACE WHEELS PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF A COMMON ROOM WHERE THEY NAP NEXT TO A WINDOW FOR EXCITEMENT-- SOMETIMES THE WINDOW HAS A BIRD FEEDER FOR EXCITEMENT. IT IS A STRUGGLE-- SO WHEN I ARRIVE WITH BENTLEY AND SIZZLE IT GENERALLY TURNS ANY PLACE TOTALLY UPSIDE DOWN  WITH EXCITEMENT--  JUST TO HAVE BENTLEY FALL ASLEEP ON HIS SIDE HAS BEEN THE MOST EXCITING THING SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN IN MONTHS.  TEH STAFF ARE JUST AS BORED AS TEH RESIDENTS. THERE IS A HUGE TENDENCY TO JUST GO ALONG THE EASY WAY.. BUT WHEN WE ARRIVE WITH OUR DOGS  EVERY ENTERTAINMENT PERSON TRYS TO GET US SIGNED UP FOR ROUTINE  VISITS AT 10:30  THURSDAY-   NOW JUDY AND I  ARE  BETTER AT  TEH CREATIVE  THAN THE ROUTINE- AND WE KEEP SEEING POSIBILITIES--  OF LATE.....IF WE COULD JUST CONVINCE BILL CUMMINGS TO BUY THAT SMALL FORD PANEL VAN  WE COULD  WALTZ THRU A BUNCH OF THESE PLACES WITH SOME OF THE "DIFFERENT" THINGS  WHICH ARE NORMAL IN OUR LIVES... LIKE THAT #$%^&*()   PONY.. OR A DONKEY ( MY PREFERENCE)  ALONG WITH OUR BETTER TRAINED DOGS. REMEMBER JUDY AND I DID A "PORTABLE  CHICKEN SHATTING"  WHICH WAS 199% SUCCESSFUL AND ENTERTAINING.  SO OUR PLAN IS TO  DOCUMENT THESE THINGS BETTER  AND SHOW BILL CUMMINGS TEH CHAOS WE CAN CREATE FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO REALLY COULD STAND SOME CHAOS. TO THAT END WE HAVE PULLED OUT THE BAby buggy-- maybe too late-- this litter may have got too big already for the "pram"   but we need to put a package together and present it to him/his foundation group. a puppy in a pram will keep people smiling for dAYS.-- *** i have begun  "hitting" teh  senior living  offices in each town hall..... and getting the listing of places we could go to... lets face it-- these places are heated and airconditioned too.  ! i even have a place  programmed to give me a cuppa coffee when i take bentley there./ this has possibilities. lunch is next !!  --- while being a great place to train  service  dogs

JAN 8 2019

i am told... by them as knows.. we is gonna have a plowable snowstorm this week-- i can hardly wait...--

 a loooooonnnnnnggggg time ago-- back in the days when i had a caboose wherre the t tent now is....  i had a mule- joshua-------- i had  "used him" to line up the 2 incredibly heavy rails on which to sit the caboose...

fyi---- if you put a couple chains around a caboose and have a huge crane just lift TEH BODY PART ....  the wheel things just fall off-  there is one  pin on teh body which goes into the wheel things-- there is not even a cotter pin to keep it there...  it was before my days of tractor-- but there was joshua...  with great difficulty i got the #$%^&*&^$% rails LINED UP  THE REQUIRED  4' 8.5 INCHES APART USING ONLY JOSHUA-- WHO ONCE HAD BEEN USED TO  "JERK TREES" IN THE LUMBERING BUSINESS, AND KNEW MORE ABOUT YANKING HEAVY THINGS AROUND THAN I DID-- VERY SIMILAR TO MO , CURRENTLY. SOMEWHERE IN THERE I SAW AN AMISH  SNOWPLOW WITH 2 "PLANKS"  IN A V SHAPE PULLED BY A TEAM  OF DRAFT HORSES...-NOT TO BE OUTDONE, I STARTED IN TRYING TO PLOW SNOW WITH JOSHUA- WHICH WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL FOR 4" SNOWSTORMS WHICH I REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO PLOW ANYWAY...

IF TEH SNOW WAS MUCH DEEPER, MY PLOW DID NOT STAY ON THE GROUND-- TEH AMISH KNEW SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW...( UNDERSTATEMENT OF TEH YEAR)  AND I HAD A FEW NASTY EPISODES TRYING TO RIDE/SIT ON THE THING AS DEAD WEIGHT.  

THANK HEAVENS FOR WELL TRAINED ANIMALS- BECAUSE I ONCE GOT TANGLED IN PLANKS REINS, CHAINS AND JOSHUA-- AND SCREAMED WHOA-  JOSHUA STOPPED AND DID NOT MOVE--- KEEPING ALL 4 FEET IN ONE PLACE.-- I  WAS REMINDED OF THAT  VALUABLE LESSON  LATER WHEN I WAS DRAGGING A HUGE TREE UP THE HILL TO THE GUEST HOUSE WITH DUKE  AND LOST MY FOOTING -- SCREAMING WHOA-- STOPPED DUKE IN HIS TRACKS WITHOUT MOVING.. DUKE AND DICK WERE A PAIR  OF BEAUTIFUL BLACK PERCHERONS WHICH WERE ONCE LEAD TEAM OF TEH WALT DISNEY HITCH-- AGAIN BEAUTIFULLY TRAINED- YOU COUDL TELL THEM WHOA AND GO GET A CUPPA COFFEE - COMING OUT 1/2 HOUR LATER AND THEY WOULD STILL BE STANDING RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT THEM.  WONDERFUL ANIMALS...  WE BOUGHT THEM WHEN THEY WERE RETIRED- FROM AN OLD  DAIRY FARMER IN NEW YORK.. WHO'S SPECIALITY WAS DRIVING 6 MATCHEd BLACK HORSES AT THE FAIRS.

THE FARMER HAD BOUGHT A YOUNG TEAm which he was traINING.  THERE ARE A COUPLE FACTS OUT OF THAT EXPERIENCE--FYI

1.  "I USE THE TEAM TO SPREAD TEH COW MANURE ON THE FIELDS-- IF THE TEAm behaves we spread across the  hill. if they misbehave we spread up and down the hill."( i have used that philosophy with teh community service kids that come here)

2.  "IF NOT IN HARNESS,  "HEY STAND IN STRAIGHT STALLS ALL DAY- AND ARE LET  OUT TO GO GET ALL TEH WATER THEY WANT   FROM THE  TUB TWICE A DAY'  ( NOT LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL BUCKETS WE TRY AND HAVE)

3.  THE WINDOWS OF THE BARN WERE COVERED WITH BROWN PAPER-- REALLY STRANGE???  THAT WAS BECAUSE SUNLIGHT WOULD FADE TEH BLACK INTO A FUNNY BROWNISH COLOR--( WE SEE THAT IN OUR DANES. BLACK HAIR BLEACHES)  HE WANTED  6 REALLY BLACK MATCHING HORSES...

SO BAck to my snowplowing ---traqactors came and went  with buckets to which i tried to attach a plow i found somewhere...  AND A   blade  that was behind the tractor was of little use... .. with this kabota with the heated cab AND FRONT LOADER, , i was really living it up-- forward-- stuck-- lift--dump-- back up  and repeat...about every 20 feet got the driveway cleared but was very tough on my aging body parts. so i am looking forward to my toyota as a snow plow... it attaCHES  (?EASILY?) WITH A NORMAL  HORSE TRAILER  2" SQUARE TYPE HITCH ON THE FRONT.

TO BE CONTINUED...

I JUST GOT THE PHONE CALL SAYING WHERE IS THE DD..

HERE IT IS..

jan 7 2019

new idea-- i am sick and tired of sitting around here-- mostly tired... i am not sick--- i enjoy having a cuppa or two of coffee and writing this dd - gets a few things out  of my semi crowded head....  but then..... i watch everyone else go off and play with the dogs- and here i sit surrounded by paperwork which i screw up anyway.

so in the  interest of efficiency-and my sanity  i am outa here-  9 to 12 -  by 1 i may be back NAPPING ... BUT At least i have been aired out.

 usta be---- going anywhere was such a struggle because of teh effort it took to get my  various cars running, i have not got over the effect of  rolling starts, jumper cables, lack of heat or a/c  i may have had this car for 4 years, but i am still shocked to turn the key and have it purrrrrr away.

4 years-- and  when we had to use the flashers in boston,  the button i chose  opened the back window- which then lead to the search for the "off" button TO GET  teh back window wiper TURNED OFF....

this is the car that played the ave maria for months every time i tried to have that siri lady tell me how to get out of some cow pasture she had got me  into.

my car's siri lady has a nasty sense of humor- so i just don't trust her.------ now... joyce has a better relationshoip- with her siri person.  joyce got us to the hospital to visit annie- then found  the store on hannover street in the north end- where we needed the flashers - we were very fortunate to find a place to double   park- i don't know what they do with those cars next to the curb that are blocked in with the double  parked..   maybe they auction them off every spring.

my siri person has betrayed me enough times so i have learned i am better off to rely on dead reckoning -  if i can just remember where teh atlantic ocean is, i can ususally get around pretty well- thanks to my old  magazine delivery occupation.

***

which reminds me... maybe the daily doggie  population has not heard  some of teh stories about that  phase of my life.... my favorite story is--- one day-- in a blizzard-- one of the usual delivery people could not get out to deliver teh  WantAds---so there i was in lowell---standing in line with my pink slip waiting for  the owner of the small variety store to be done waiting on all the kids who had school canceled and had gone to his store for candy... he was very patient with them and i  said when i got to the register... "gee you are awfully nice to those kids" 

 and he said " why shouldn't i be- maybe 1/2 of them are mine" 

***

there is a funny boston parking story that is difficult to tell without a diaqgram... but i will try... in east boston- there is a situation here 2 streets meet at a  "V"  and people park along the legs of that "V"   but when those places are full they continue along teh same line well out  into the intersection-- or " square"---   where lacking the curb for  directions- they just  stop and leave their car -  th part that gets very strange is, by general agreement with the police, it is allowed- and many times some people come and take cars away leaving the others all alone , un attended, in the middle of this "square"  - there are times when  a half dozen cars will be  creating a slalom course- this is normal boston. i have used that parking araingement many times and never been ticketed.

****

along with a cleaned off desk, i have a few new ideas  i want to tlak to staff about this week.   

most alarming-- new volunteers are not to be assigned to the cellar for laundry folding- and every volunteer should take a box of cookiies and go around and give every dog on the property  at least one-- but not more than 3 "cookies" -- the dogs need the public exposure- and teh volunteers might think it more fun than picking poo.

***

 moving on.....

JAN 6 2019

I HAVE PURCHASED EVERY DESK ORGANIZER KNOWN TO MANKIND - AND I AM VERY SORRY TO REPORT THE ENTIRE CONCEPT IS A FAILURE... OR AT LEAST  IT ELUDES ME... OVER USE OF THE WORD "LATER"  IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST HURDLES.  NOT BEING 100% SURE OF THE ALPHABET AND IN WHAT ORDER THINGS SHOULD GO  IN THAT METAL MONSTER-- THE FILE CABINET IS ANOTHER PROBLEM.... BEFORE LINDA-- I HAD IT ORGANIZED BY NUMBER--  AUTO WAS 10--  INSURANCE 18-- TELEPHONE STUFF 42-- VET EXP 67-- AND VOID AND UNKNOWN 99- I STILL USE A SPREAD SHEET FOR MY CHECKING ACCOUNT AND USE THOSE NUMBRS. LARGE EQUIPMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN 36 AND IT IS SOOOOO MUCH EASIER.... LINDA DOESN'T SEE IT THAT WAY.  IT IS BECAUSE SHE HAS A MIND THAT REMEMBERS THINGS.

FOR EXAMPLE--- IF I BUY A NEW PRINTER--- A TRACTOR, ---30 TONS OF STONE DUST, ---AND A HUGE VACUUM SYSTEM, .  THOSE ARE ALL  IN MY   #36--LARGE EQUIPMENT

WHEN I NEED TO KNOW  THE NAME OF THE TRACTOR DEALER, I USED TO JUST LOOK IN #36.  NOT SO ANYMORE......    NOW THAT LINDA HAS EVERYTHING FILEED WHAT SHE CALLS "CORRECTLY" --   TODAY,  I NEED TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE TRACTOR DEALER--- AND MINUS THE NAME,  I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHERE THAT PAPERWORK IS .

I KNOW THEY WERE IN AYER MASS... SO- NOT FINDING LINDA, I ENDED UP CALLING THE POLICE IN AYER- AND THEY TOLD ME THE NAME, AND THUS WHERE TO FIND THE PAPERWORK IN MY FILE.

AND PEOPLE CALL MY SYSTEM BIZZARRE. ALL I HAVE TO KNOW IS-- DID WHATEVER I AM LOOKING FOR COST OVER $100- BECAUSE THAT DEFINES #36-- CHEAPER THINGS ARE #29... SUPPLIES.. IT IS ALL VERY REASONABLE TO ME.  TEHRE IS A NATURAL ORDER IN WHICH NUMBRS FALL-- SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO THRU THE  --L--M--N--O--P SEQUENCE TO  TRY AND FIND WHERE O FALLS IN LINDAS FILE.

THERE IS ANOTHER NUMBERING SYSTEM AROJUND HERE--- ALL TEH DOORS HAVE 2' SQUARE  BRIGHTLY PAINTED PLYWOOD WITH NUMBERS ON THEM. THAT STARTED WITH ONE SQUARE I HAD WHICH HAD A #29 ON IT- THAT ENDED UP ON THE CHICKEN COOP- YEARS LATER AFTER TEH DONATION OF A PALLET OF PAINT FROM HOME DEPOT- WE HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE HERE ONE DAY-- I MATCHED THEM WITH SQUARES OF PLY, PAINT BRUSHES- AND ASKED TEHM TO NUMBER THE DOORS.. WHICH THEY DID. HOWEVER--- THEY DID NOT CONSULT EACH OTHER IN WHAT NUMBER THEY PAINTED WHERE-- SO EACH PAINTED THEIR 2 DIGIT NUMBER AND  RANDOMLY NAILED  IT TO A  DOOR-- THERE IS ONE "Q" AND ONE "A" WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF 2 FREE THINKERS-- ALPHABETIC TYPES....

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ANNIE REPORT

JOYCE'S HUSBAND LANCE  DROVE US TO THE HOSPITA;L-- WILLIE,JOYCE AND ME--- ANNIE WAS GLAD TO SEE US-AND GAVE US SEVERAL THUMBS UP SIGNS...SHE HAS AN ALPHABETIC POSTER WHERE SHE CAN POINT AND SPELL THINGS- BUT SEEING AS SPELLING  WAS NOT MY FORTE- WE DIDN'T TRY THAT.  I DI D A MINOR MAIL CALL.. WHERE I READ ALL HER CARDS TO HER AND JOYCE HUNG THEM UP.   WILLIE BEHAVED VERY NICELY -- AND DREW ALOT OF ATTENTION TO ANNIE AS ALL THE NURSES HAD TO COME SEE HIM   - SO I HOPE THAT HELPED.

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ON TO DONNA

SHE  HURTS.. SO SHE STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL - AS WITH THE DOGS THE VET IF YOU GET HURT ON A FRIDAY, AND DOUBLE PAY FOR OVERTIME BEING WHAT IT IS,  THE HOSPITAL  WILL BOOK YOUR SURGERY OR FURTHER CARE FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK... MY GUESS IS SHE IS STUCK- WITH ONLY VAGUE REFERENCES TO  FRAGMENTS AND ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS. A SIMPLE FRACTURE WITH GRAVITY  AND A SLING SOUNDED SO SIMPLE  UNTIL THE DOCTOR TOSSED IN THE WORDS  "IF THERE ARE  FRAGMENTS."

POOR DONNA

POOR US WITHOUT DONNA

SHE IS THE GREATEST BREAKFAST STEAK COOKER I HAVE EVER HAD AROUND HERE.