loverofanimals

Phew gone a long time!

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:28:21 GMT

Trying once again. I have Jaws 11 and it seems to be much faster on this computer. Perhaps I can keep up and post a little more, I hope!

Trying a Twitter account. I think I have a Facebook account too but I cannot figure out that site. Actually don't know why I want to try these sites, curiosity perhaps? I live a rather boring life, although things are going to change some soon when we winter in Florida. I have a laptop too. That will encourage me to post I think.

Phone is ringing so must get off. Missed my friends, and as I have many replies to go through from friends need to go through them. Oops, now they'll have to call back!

Writer's Block: Your Favorite Series: One Last Go Round

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:48:42 GMT

Shows my age, but I would like to see one more season of MASH. I liked the characters and it was really funny!

If you could pick any TV show that has been off the air to come back for one more season, which show would you pick and why?

Submitted By idle_kid_city

View 508 Answers

Writer's Block: Your Username

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:24:33 GMT

Why did you choose your user name? Is there any special meaning or story behind it?

Submitted By lilbananapie

View 502 Answers

OK, I will bite on this! Truth is I did not want another user name that was anything to do with my pupper, current or otherwise. LOL. I saw something on Animal Planet about bears, but anything to do with bears did not fit my thoughts very well either. Then I remembered my dad always saying he loved all animals! Voila!!! loverofanimals, exactly what we were taught as kids, to love every creature, including your fellow human animals and to be kind to each and every one of them!

special day?

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:38:57 GMT

I am making this short since I really need to get to the laundry, UG! However, I woke up this morning and realized today I have been a medical transcriptionist for 33 years. Yeah, I know, they used to plug blind people into that profession, but I actually have enjoyed working in transcription. As my hearing is not what it had been when younger, I have more difficulty with non-English speakers, but I still enjoy keeping my hand in and do so successfully from home. Rather proud of this milestone!

Fay is on the way! Talked to my family. They are getting the house ready to handle the storm. Will be definitely thinking of them as it approaches. Perhaps since they are in central Florida they will not have a bad time. Sure hope so for a whole lot of reasons. Hope everyone else in the state stays safe too.

I am off to accomplish my chore (laundry)! One of the necessary evils if one wants clean clothes. Hotest day of this week today, about 90 degrees, so rather glad I am stuck with this to do. Hope to come back later, but I may just get into one of the 3 books I have started reading. Going to have to try not to start so many as I get interested in all of them and can't finish any of them very quickly! Thought I had gotten over doing this! Guess not!

computer frustration and other things

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:05:13 GMT

Where to start! I hate, hate, hate web-based email! This morning Aldo decided to put all 3 of my email addresses in outlook instead of my needing to go online to try and figure out how to read/delete/reply/etc. We weree able to delete hotmail fairly easily and it went into Outlook fairly easily! Then we tried with gmail! GRRR. I ended up with 3600 emails, most of which I had never read. I just decided to dump them all hoping that I could start fresh! Out they went. Great. Now I had a clear account! However, when I went into gmail, they were still there. Aldo finally realized that a copy had been held on the server. He told it not to hold a copy of the email and I again downloaded 3600 emails, quite a few of which I had never seen. Out they went again! By that time I was gritting my teeth, and believe me, I do not need to grind/grit my teeth with no dental insurance! I was feeling just horrible because I was asked to be moderator and members secretary for my alumni chapter with GDB, and I did not even know what had been discussed or even how to use the gmail! Well, just decided now that I have everything on Outlook that at least I can be more a part of the chapter. However, it just proved to me how little I really know about any part of the computer!

After lunch Aldo and I went to help Donna, a friend, learn to use email. We left Brooks and Trident with our neighbor. I don't like leaving him, but our friends have a pit bull so we just don't want to take chances, even though she is really a nice dog. Anyway, I guess I found out working with Donna just how much I do know, though I am still in the toddler stage with computers. We had to start at the very beginning. Unfortunately she needs to use Live Mail which is really not set up with Jaws, but hoping that Aldo has at least made it usable. Sent an email so guess I will see if she writes back. Will feel very good if she understood what we taught her.

Beginning to try and write my story for livejournal/GDHAW. I put the blog on my friends page so I think I can now go and check to see if I can post. Not tonight, though. Took my mile walk and I am exhausted.

Oh, and that is another thing! Ever since I fell and bounced my head off the sidewalk, I feel so unsure and unstable on my feet. I know it is in my head, but I found myself wondering today just when I would lose the feeling. Right now I just feel so old and battered. I am not that old, but it seems I have just taken so many spills over the past few years, and I do not know why. One minute I am standing and the next I am down. Cannot wait until next summer when I can finally get Medicare so I can run my lack of balance and reflexes by my doctor. The other part of this mess is that I have really slowed Brooks down. I am so afraid that he will quit working for me because he wants to walk faster than I am capable of walking, and even though he is slowing down I wonder if it is fair to him to keep him at the slower pace. He is 26 inches tall and his stride is long. Guess I just want to be back to normal, whatever that is! LOL!

We found a farmer's market that Karen stopped at for us. We got Michigan corn, melon, cucumbers, and tomatoes that are local and are about the best tasting things you can get. The stuff we get over the winter from other places cannot compare in any way with Michigan grown! I heard a program on NPR a few months back talking about the global food market. The premise of the program was that the best and most healthy thing for everyone to be doing is eating "locally." I believe it! The fresher the fruit and vegetables and the fewer the chemicals put on them is the better for the consumer!
Going to start a series written by Karen Kingsbury. I validated a couple of her book on Bookshare so I really want to see what her other books are like. Guess I won't have Brooks to listen with me. I think he just went to bed!

I reappear!

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:47:16 GMT

Shall I try this again? Well, going to try. It says that I was gone for 49 weeks. Wow, cannot believe it was that long!

Much has happened in the almost year I was gone. I know most of you know, but in case some do not I have a yellow labrador from GDB I received in March, the 28th to be exact. His name is Brooks. We have had a rocky start, but we are really beginning to know each other now. We have been through a lot together including 3 falls in class, fortunately nothing serious, and 2 serious falls at home, again glad to say not serious! However, we have worked through a dog and kid fear, and now he knows he really needs to be very careful with me. Friday I tripped on the smallest crack in the sidewalk ever and fell flat on my face. I scraped up my face and look like I was oin a fight, but as today's walk let me know, it taught him he needs to be just a little more careful with this old lady! (smiles)

Besides my new dog, I bought a Stream, a portable MP3 player for the blind but so much more. It is very small and compact and with a 4 gigabyte SD card, I can download books from NLS to my heart's content. In fact I have read 4 or 5 books recently that were great. One of them was about the dog mauling that happened in San Francisco a few years ago. I think the owners of the dogs got off easy! They knew what their dogs were capable of.

This is not much for the first post back, but I hear that ACB radio is doing a program on the PacMate, and I can sure use the help with that. Glad to be back!

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:26:35 GMT

One week. Just cannot get here often enough! Grrrr! Thought when I left the hospital job I would have plenty of time, hahahahahahahaha!

Not much is going on here. Lonnie is feeling a lot better. Don't know if it is the dog food or the feet feeling better, but this morning he was really pulling. I am just so happy about that!!

Going to try and join a book club from Bookshare for mysteries, yeah, I need another thing to do! Oh well, I will try it. I like mysteries in general, and they have
chosen a good title for the first one or at least I hope it is good. Some of the others I have read were great. The name of the book is ICE, a MCBAIN mystery. Should be kind of fun if I can make certain I have the time to read the book.

Not a whisper from anyone that they want our house, and then heard this morning that Michigan was the worst state for falling house prices. How depressing! Oh well, at least I can afford the mortgage. Heard of someone yesterday who had an adjustable loan and can't affort their house any longer. They cannot even make it a 30-year fixed because they owe more than the house is worth in today's market in Michigan, and mortgage companies don't want to lend that much. As I said in a comment to Pawpower, this country has been screwed up so bad we never will recover! Now there is talk about going into Iran! Is there anything his kingship knows how to do except start another war?

Well, I am off. Still have a bunch to do. Besides I think I am hungry!

quick post

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:09:50 GMT

I will make this a quick post since I have about 872 messages to run through on email. (Where did they come from!

Lonnie had his vet appointment on Friday. X-rays and blood work was done. Nothing showed up, which I am very happy about, but we still do not know why he is dropping weight. Changing, at the request of the vet, to Joint Diet by Science Diet. Not happy about this because the first ingredient is corn, but I am going to play their game until he goes back on September 28 and his weight is taken to see if he has stabilized. If he has, Iam going to tell them I cannot afford the food. It is about double what I pay for Chicken Soup, and ingredients, not even close. I have him on the senior, but I am going to go back to the adult formula of Chicken Soup. Just need to see if he will hold his weight. We are working on 3 of his feet. Apparently he has licked them raw or they were burned on the sidewalk. Big blister on the back right one. Anyway, I need to soak his feet in Epsom Salts. Wow, what fun! No time to teach him how little by little. He hates water on his feet! Hoping he will get used to me putting those feet in the warm water, and just when he no longer tries to run for the hills when he sees the pan, it will be the end of the 10 days was supposed to do it anyway! Never a dull moment with these guys!

Raining, raining, raining! We complained all summer that there was none. Now we have had 2 days of very hard rain! Flooding roads, etc. We need it, but hmmm, not really this much! It is cooler also. That is a real plus. However, really all I want to do is lay down with a good book and listen to the rain. Maybe I will!

Off to try and clear some email.

catching up

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:23:59 GMT

Hey there everyone! I am still alive! I know it has been a couple of weeks since I posted. The biggest reason I haven't posted is that August has just kicked my allergies in the butt. Today I feel pretty good, but with all the humidity and heat I was getting headaches upon headaches! I literally did not feel like doing anything. I was lucky if I got all my email done. Ah well, I should be used to August by now. My problem is that the drugs needed to help get rid of the headaches causes the side effect of no sleep! Got myself into an exhausted state. Anyone know a good holistic measure for stopping sinus headaches and allergies?

Then there is work! I have been at my job for 1-1/2 years, and now they are trying to drive everyone away. I was chosen to be in a "special project group" testing out a new computer program. Did they make it accessible and easy? Oh no! At least they did put some links in it. Then I was accused of not clocking in on the site, which was not the case. I called my supervisor, who was livid because I supposedly did not clock into the "special project" site and went into the previous site. I blew up at her, which I suppose I shouldn't have, but I told her I was doing exactly what she had asked and it was not me. Someone probably has my password and is trying to grab my lines for more money. Then I told her that since they now want us to do all the accounts the company holds, and not just the ones assigned, that I need to be payed something for the extra work. (Every hospital as its own profile, and it takes about 30 minutes to read the "new" profile with Jaws and then because it is new it is easy to forget while typing the report.) The problem is that the hospitals want "indian" pay scales. The hospital wants to pay the company "nothing" and then the percentage that we get goes down. They just tell us that we are lucky we can work because they could send the work to India and would only have to pay 2 or 3 cents a line and not what I make. GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! They have already made the lines longer so it takes more strokes to get a line. Just walk all over the American worker!

Getting off that subject since smoke is now coming out my ears! Oh yeah, another thing that has me going crazy is that there is no place for Lonnie and I to walk. The City decided they would replace sidewalks, well parts of sidewalks, (more money to pay to the City, grrr). Anyway, they came into our area and chopped up the sidewalks, literally, and then they just left. No cement laid down...nothing since last Thursday. Nobody can get into our driveway, and if I wanted to walk, and this is the prime walking time of the year, I would have to walk in the street or on the grass all the way down to who knows where! I haven't tried going out and I am beginning to feel "cabin fever." I think I will try walking today, but that just may end up in frustration on both our parts. If we had been working sidewalkless all along, I guess it would be fine, walking in the street, but I am hoping they are going to fill in soon so calling GDB for help doesn't make sense. The other half of this equation is that with the way things are so torn up, nobody is going to even think of buying our home.

Something good. I finally have a computer set up for me to do my journal and email. I was working on a computer that my company gave me, but I was nervous because companies spy on ther computers to see what the employee is doing with it. This way, I can work on the work computer for work (novel idea (smiles) and this computer I can use for me!

People keep telling me that Lonnie is losing weight. He got heavy an I took weight off of him and switched him to a senior food. I am thinking I need to get him to a vet, but with everything torn up it becomes rather difficult, although I could get a cab. He seems just fine and more waggly than ever, but guess I am a worried mom, don't like the thought that he is still losing weight. His harness is not showing signs of that, though, so maybe he has just not been seen by a couple of folks for a while so it shows up to them a little more. Well, it is just about time for a trip to the vet anyway so we shall see.

Need to catch up on email so I am off. Now that I know it was not Live Journal that caused the crash of my other computer, I hope I will post a little more.

Thinking Sunday and other things

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 19:34:00 GMT

I just cannot seem to get it straight. I keep thinking this is Sunday for some reeeason. Maybe it is wishful thinking because I worked 3 hours this morning and still will work 5 hours tonight. Then I will be working tomorrow too!

In some respects I don't like working out of my house. I got my cursor in the wrong place on a report and ended up cutting off a billing code. Then after typing the report, I forgot to contact the editors and sent it through to the hospital. Grrrr! I was panic stricken. Nobody in the company I can contact except by email. Well, I am hoping there is something she can do. I sent it high importance and receipt requested, which is something I never do. Had to do something! I still wish there was a way to ask the dictation to come bck on the screen after sending, at least with a number or something.

In Detroit today, there is a cruise going on today called the Telegraph cruise. The one that is so popular with car enthusiasts and people who never care about a car until that cruise is the Woodward Cruise, and that is in August. I have a friend who has an old Mustang from 1968. It was originally a drag racer but he has made it "street usable" again. He and his wife brought the car to the Telegraph cruise today and stopped by to haved our neighbor time the engine. I think there are now 4 mufflers on that car, and it is still really loud! Every time the car started up Lonnie would back up and stare at it! His ears were down and he just started. Of course being an old car it was pretty smelly too. The car used to reside in our garage so it was good to see it again. It was good to see my friends too. Didn't get a ride. Hoped they would, but I think Karen was very, very tired and wanted to go home. Cruising was a really popular thing to do in Detroit in the 50s and 60s. On some of the long streets at that time they would often have drag races with cars too. When these 2 events happen, it is just so interesting to watch all the old cars, everything from early 1900s up to now classic cars of the 70s! The cops kind of look the other way during these events and people get to re-live wshat was part of their younger years, at least for the baby-boomers anyway! The Woodward Cruise has people bringing "classic cars" from all over the world. It was started by a local radio station and grew into a multi-million-dollar event.

I am thinking of everyone who is graduating with new dogs today at least is OR. Now will start the work! Always a fun time meeting puppy raisers. It can be a really tiring day, though.

Dinner is quickly being grilled by our neighbor so off to eat!

it is Friday again!

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:50:11 GMT

Well, it is Friday again! Wondering where the time goes! (guess question of the ages)

The weather has been so nuts. Whenever the weather people say there will be rain, there isn't any. Last night we were not supposed to get rain, and we did! I think global warming has really gotten this planet into a bad way. There are people flooding out of their homes in Texas and Kansas, fires in Colorado and Utah, and places like Michigan that really, really need rain and can't get it! then there was the useless piece of machinery in the space station that was just jetisoned from the space station and is now making its way around the earth on its own. who knows when that piece of space junk will return to earth and possibly crush someone!

Working with Lonnie very diligently on "come" with food. He is really beginning to "get it" now! I don't know whether he has been really feeling well over the last few days, but he has really been working extremely well. He sure likes working for the food. No surprise there. Yesterday, the way he worked I am thinking maybe we will be able to work another couple of years. Sure hoping so.

Almost done with the first Harry Potter book, Yay! I have really been caught up. In fact, that is part of the reason I have not posted. Just kept reading and reading. Guess I am not really that fast a braille reader, but if my Pac Mate worked just a little better (the whiz wheels are not working correctly), I probably could read a little faster. Oh well, it gives me time to chew on what I am reading. I am now really looking forward to the other books!

Work has been interesting. I was chosen, along with about 600 other transcriptionists, to try out a new program. I was able to get on the site and figure out where I needed to go to get the site to do what I need it to do. I think I am beginning to understand computer jargon enough that things are not as confusing as before. The only thing that confused me a bit is that they put a clickable notation on some of the places and links on others. The 2 things did not have the same name. that meant I had to figure out which name wound give me the right command. When the site goes live, I think things will be a little more obvious, and best of all, fj Java part of the site worked with my Jaws! Yay! Still wonder why when computer stuff works why things just need to be changed! (Ah another question of the age.)

Then there is the stock market. Those people are crazy! Oh how the economists and such have been telling us that the economy is fine, yeah right, and then the stock market goes up to 14 thousand! Then when the housing market shows that the economy is truthfully in the toilet, then the old ladies on Wall Street sell off! Duh! Do they really think the economy is good? Get real! Then there is Bush protecting people who have no business being protected. Man can it get depressing! This country is just so screwed up.

My husband was telling me that last night he heard these children crossing the street ahead of him. He said there were cars just continuing to go, even with the children there. He says he barely crosses streets any longer unless he hears absolutely no cars. Then I was telling him that at my school they teach us if a car is over the cross-walk to stand until the car clears the cross-walk. When I attended the Accelerated Mobility Program at Leader Dogs, I asked what I should do when using my cane in that instance. I was told to go around the front of the car and get out of the street. I told my instructor what my school was teaching, and that really surprised him. He said that Leader Dogs teaches that unless the handler will be going out into traffic to go around the front of the car and GET OUT OF THE ROAD! I do not trust drivers around here! I do exactly that and to heck with what I was trained. Anyway, we ended up having a very interesting discussion.

Off to email and other things. Oh, back to HP too!

Harry Potter

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:20:49 GMT

On my way to download the first Harry Potter book from Bookshare. Decided I just need to know what is great about these books. I read about 10 pages one time (it was a braille teaser so you would buy the book from Braille Press) and I was intrigued, just not intrigued enough to get the book. OK. I am going to go into a gendre I have never been into before in reading matter. Better late than never. Just curious because of all the hype and hubbub! Well, that is how I became a trekky. I couldn't stand the show when it was first on. However, later in my life I grew to love it. It is a shame, though, that someone is going to die in the newest HP book, because I will now be thinking of that through the whole series!

OK, enough talk about it. Off to grab the first one! So I'm a little behind? Hmmm wonder if the book will open on my Pac Mate! Guess I will find out.

This is today!

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:32:40 GMT

Not much happening here today so will be short, at least shorter than my normal. LOL!

Last night a wonderful cool front went through. So glad to have the humidity gone, although after walking it was hot. It is just such a beautiful day, though.

Work was a little better last night. Tried my hearing aids again and another keyboard. I think it is going to work. Do not know if it will let me hear the foreign docs better, but since I had a few clinics that were not mine and they were still Americasns, I can't judge just how well this will help.

Lonnie seems to be excited to go for a walk when asked, but when I get the harness out and ask him to "heel" he runs away. I have to wait until he is good and ready to come to me. Unless I just get a growly voice and tell him "no heel" he just eventually comes to put his harness on. Wondering if this is boredom or his getting old. Trying kibble to see how that will work to encourage him. Otherwise whwen he's working he seems OK, although he is slow I think because of our horrible sidewalks. Trying kibble to get him to pick up his pace too.

That is about all. I think I am going to sit and read for a while. Maybe take a nap. Need to be bright-eyed to work my shift tonight.

just had to post this!

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:27:06 GMT

Just had to post this here. It is a great article about blind folks getting their vision back and whether it would be the best or perhaps not!

Tuesday July 17, 2007
The Guardian

Earlier this year, doctors at Moorfields Eye
Hospital, London, began the world's first gene
therapy trials to treat 12 patients who have Leber's congenital
amaurosis, a condition that causes progressive
sight loss. Following successful animal trials
(said to have restored the vision of blind dogs so they could
navigate a maze without difficulty), it is hoped
that the technique, which involves injecting
working copies of faulty genes directly into the retina,
will prove equally effective when carried out on
humans. The results will not be made public for a
year but, if the technique works, scientists hope it
could eventually be used to treat a wide range of
inherited sight disorders affecting up to 30,000
visually impaired people in the UK and potentially millions
more worldwide.
The first viable treatment for blindness is
twinkling on the horizon and as one reader said
on a national newspaper message board discussing the trials,
"The possibility of being able to give improved
sight to people with visual impairments is a
great development for the human race." But what of the people
we seek to repair? Those who have been born blind
and those, like me, who are losing or have lost
their vision. Is this what we have been waiting for?
Is it "a great development for the human race",
or a step forward in the eugenic quest for an
uber-race, free of imperfection and rid of the unease about
disability that nestles quietly in society's pocket?

For the past 13 years I have been losing my
sight, due to a genetic and incurable condition
called retinitis pigmentosa (RP). RP causes the photoreceptive
cells on the retina to die off, causing, in my
case, tunnel vision. I liken it to looking at the
world down the middle of two toilet rolls. My central
vision remains intact, but where once was
peripheral vision now float only my thoughts. In
time these loo rolls will shrink to knotholes and then pinholes
and then possibly nothing.

In the early years after my diagnosis, blindness
remained a repulsive and terrifying concept.
Every year I would visit the doctor and he would say the same
thing - that I must live and plan my life with
the certainty that blindness was inevitable. And
so, slowly over time, that is what I learned to do. But
now the advent of gene therapy has pushed open a
chink in the door. Disabled people have long
asked themselves the hypothetical "would you be cured if
you could?" question. Now, for the first time,
there is a chance, albeit very small, that maybe
one day I might actually get my sight back.

Hurrah, you cry. I must be thrilled. Actually, I
am a bit confused. It is easy to assume that all
visually impaired people will be hammering down the doors
should gene therapy prove successful. But to say
this is to assume that a blind life is lesser and
that all blind people really want to be sighted. They
don't. The first blind man I ever met, who also
happened to be my boss at the time, is one of
them. I recently asked him if he would have gene therapy
if he could. No, came his reply. Because, he
tells me, regaining sight is more than just seeing again.

There are issues of identity and culture at stake
too. "As the blind-from-birth son of blind
parents, I am, in part of my soul, defined by my blindness,"
he explains. "It directly equates to ethnic or
racial origin. If you give a black person the
choice to be white there may well be significant advantages
in such a deal: more access to better jobs;
freedom from the shackles of ignorant prejudice;
in short, a step closer to equality. But I'd bet most would
turn the offer down flat."

But what if, unlike my old boss, you haven't
always been blind? What if, like me, you grew up
with full vision and have seen all the cliche-ridden things
that those born totally blind are pitied for
never having seen - the sunset, your own
reflection, the look in your lover's eyes. What if your soul is sighted,
and then you go blind?

You will cry and wonder why. You will hope and
pray. You will wish it would all go away. But the
longer your sight has been on the slide, the more it seeps
into every crack of your psyche - until one day
you are no longer the "sighted person" who can't
see any more. Somehow, strangely, in the dead of night,
your identity has rolled over in bed and you wake
up and get out the other side a "visually
impaired person" - and it feels like part of you.

It doesn't happen overnight, and perhaps it
doesn't happen to all who sail the strange seas
of sight loss with me. But for me there came a point when impending
blindness was no longer my alien but my friend. I
had had my time as a sighted person. I had seen
the world through my eyes. Now it was time to touch it
and smell it and hear it.

When you lose your vision you have to re-learn
the sorts of things that will allow you to
survive on the planet, such as crossing the road without being
flattened. Next you must tackle the real problem
and learn to deal with the attitudes of others as
they morph around you. Misconceptions start to spout
from even your oldest friends' mouths because
negative attitudes about blindness permeate us all.

You are about to cross over into the dark side
and see what wriggles and writhes on the
underbelly of society. Folk will see you as the sufferer, the pitiful,
the afflicted, the subhuman - that's you, yes,
you. If you use a cane or a dog, people will
stare as you walk down the street. People will assume you are
more lacking in intelligence than your sighted
counterpart. People you have never met before
will ask if you want children, and if you do, they will ask
if the kids will have the same condition that you
have, and whether that is right or wrong.
Welcome. Your reproductive autonomy is in the docks of the
moral courts of the nation's minds.

So if this underbelly is so wretched, surely if
the time comes when the doctors are looming forth
with a needle containing the working version of my faulty
gene and heralding the promise of a new day, one
with a bright sunset and me at the wheel of a
fast car, I'll take it, right? Anything to escape? No. Saying
yes to seeing again, even for someone who wasn't
born blind, isn't easy. The repercussions would
ripple beyond my eyes into my friendships, my work, my
relationship.

Would I retain the unity I have with my disabled
brethren if I could see? Or would I have
different friends, the type who fall by the wayside now because
they are not aware or empathetic, or are too
aesthetically obsessed? Would I lose the friends
with whom I have nothing in common but who remain in my phone
book because they get the blindness thing? And
would it be right to dump them just because I can
see and don't need their empathy any more? If I stepped
into the pool of "normal people" again, where would my identity go?

The kernel of who I am has been sucked into a new
body; now it would have to be sucked back into
the old one. And what of my relationship? Would we stay
together or would I run off to do all the things
I never got to do before? There is a high rate of
separation among couples where one person gets a guide
dog for the first time. Why? Because suddenly
they can do things on their own again. This
new-found independence shifts the balance and cracks appear.
If this can happen with a dog, think what could
happen with a pair of fully working eyes and a car.

Going blind isn't a smooth ride, though. It comes
down and squishes you under an insurmountable
weight of grief and disbelief. It is limiting, frustrating
and changes the way you do many of the things you
used to enjoy - now you must dance with the light
on and drive from the back seat. But like the affirmation
of near death, it affects more than just your
physicality. It gives you a unique perspective.
It is a grand experiment that most don't get to try; to observe
as your brain rewires and watch as the human body
adapts in infinite ways. When my vision began to
get worse, I bumped into everything in my path because
I was still careering down the pavement at the
speed of someone who could see. As my mind caught
up with my eyes, I changed the way I walked - with more
caution and less speed - and the perpetual bumping and tripping stopped.

Losing your sight is not like just shutting your
eyes. The loss is so gradual that as one sense
dies others grow. Suddenly you can smell the world and sense
when someone is standing out of your line of
vision. Your brain grows on the inside and things
on the outside start to matter less. I get to live my life
twice over in two different bodies (the sighted
one I used to have and the partially sighted one
I now have), and with that comes the privilege of spying
on the world and its intricacies from multiple vantage points.

It's a cliche to say that disabled people are
nicer. It is incorrect, in fact. But for me,
vision loss has made me more empathetic and more open- minded.
I have to take so often that I give more freely.
When you rely on friends to take you down Oxford
Street or a stranger to get you across the road, you
think more consciously about what you give back
and battle with the feeling that you need them
more than they need you. But, strangely, I am happier like
this than if I had carried on down the middle
lane to mediocre city never having seen or felt
real loss and known how to appreciate the good things around
me.

I have met people I would never have met had I
been sighted, and we have been joined together by
the common bond of disability (and there is no glue that
sets as hard as that squeezed from the pores of a
minority). When part of your body starts to die
you feel what it is to be human. You wake up from the
slumber of being just another idiot with an iPod
because you are forced to work out the bigger
questions. Or at least ask them. Why am I here? Why is this
happening? You are alert to the immediacy and
fragility of your life. You know that the choices
of the modern age do not and can not extend into every
realm of your life. You can't choose to see (at
least not yet). This is it. The upshot? You live
in the moment. You settle for your lot and love it.

The concept of sight loss as a positive thing is
an elusive one. It is hard to grasp when you have
experienced it; and even harder to grasp when you haven't.
It is not something I would have chosen, but it
is not something I wish hadn't happened. Would I
like to stop it getting worse? Yes, because I'm only human
and sometimes I lie awake worrying how I'll cope
when it's all gone. But would I like to have gene
therapy and see perfectly again? Five years ago I'd
have said yes. Now I'm not sure, because if this
experiment of going blind has taught me anything,
it is that what you lose in one place you gain elsewhere,
and while a blind life is different to a sighted
life, it is not lesser. And ultimately it is better than having no life at
all.

a long time gone

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:51:00 GMT

I am posting again. I meant to post while in Florida, but my Pac Mate just did not cooperate. I could only get a few emails and every once in a while get on the internet. However, I could nothing out. Turns out the Pac Mate had to be configured with my brother's router. Wish now I had taken a laptop, much simpler. Good old 5,000 dollar piece of shit! LOL! Oh well, stuck with it now, and I do get to read ebooks in braille at least.

When in Florida I found a really nice manufactured home park. A new home would cost 95,000, but included in that is full setup, poured driveway car port (chuckle here), all landscaping, screened in porch, all new appliances except washer and dryer, andair conditioner. (couldn't get along without that.) No sidewalks but the streets are wide. Would have to learn how to do sidewalkless again, LOL, but maybe Jessica2244 could give me some hints?; (smiles) The house itself is 1425 square feet. Two bedrooms asnd a den, 2 bathrooms, and a kitchen and breakfast nook that are beautiful! Wish I could have been rich! I would have bought it on the spot! I asked the owner of the park if anyone would have a problem withthe dogs. He said there wasno problem. It is a pet-friendly park. However, he said he never has a problem with dogs, just some of the ;owners! Guess he would like to shoot a few of them, the owners that is! LOL. If we sprayed off the cement, we could use our car port for the dogs. that would keep us from ruining our lawn. Besides, we pick up, and the other just rinses off. There is also a road right behind the houses that ws an access road but not used any longer. It is paved and about 1/2 mile long. Good for walking, and I think we could take pups back there too, don't know.

I am going to post more about
Florida later. Lonnie got very sick while I was gone, but I think we have gotten through the worst of it now. I still have not had my vet see him, but wse are going to take the dogs in for just a checkup so will mention this while episode to him when we go in.

Tomorrow we are going to visit with Dawn, her husband, and her little girl. She will be going to GDB in August. She called and asked if we would be willing to show her little one a "real" guide dog so that the little one would know what they do and how to act around them. I am certain we will have a great time, although I think Trident will be probably bigger than the little one. Sure hope she is not afraid. Now that I think of it, Lonnie might be bigger than her! LOL. I am excited ab out this meeting because I have never met anyone from the GDB list I am on. I know people's writing but not their voice, and of course here in Michigan everyone, well practically everyone, who has a guide has a Leader Dog! Dawn and I talked about starting an alumni chapter in Michigan, but we shall see about that. We are all so ospread out over the state. still, we could always do conference calls, though if I can't even figure this journal out very well, I don't know if I could figure out how to do conference calling, LOL. My luck, though, I would help get something started and learn asbout where to conference and all and then we would sell the house (smiles). Oh well, might try to set something up anyway once Dawn comes home with the new pup! Michigan needs an alumni group.

Talking about selling the house, that has me very depressed. Michigan is doing very badly. Houses are everywhere, and nobody is looking or they want the house for nothing, LOL. The last grocery store within walking distance just closed. We have no transportation system to speak of, and cabs are a joke! I feel terribly trapped! There is absolutely nothing here, and I have to wait for my friend to come clear across town to shop. In fact, yesterday we went to Meijer's for groceries. We started out at 1:00 and I couldn't believe it. It wass 7:00 gby the time I got back and logged onto the computer. Then I had to work for 5 hours. I was just exhausted! I had no idea that we were out that long. The worst of it was that Lonnie got so tired that he went into his crate and didn't come out until this morning except to relieve. God I see him slowing down! Almost too scary to think about.

I am going to post later, I hope. I need to help my hubby. He is cleaning up my house, LOL! Of course I feel guilty, b ut when I try to clean, he comes behind me and I hate that. Idon't do as good a job as he does and I haved given up. Still, I need to do something, LOL!

Sunday Morning

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 13:53:19 GMT

Missed posting yesterday. I worked all day! Well, not all day but first worked 3 hours in the morning and then worked about 5 hours in the evening. Thought I was going to get some work in this morning (we need the money) but all the work for my hospitals in California is done! Grrrr! What that means is I waste some time and then go in and see if there is any work later. Maybe nobody needs the Emergency Room?

Lonnie is confusing me. We went to the store yesterday. We walked around our big block, about 1/4 mile, and then went onto the grocery store. When we got into the store, he had done beautifully before entering the store, I asked him to find the counter. This he has done many, many times before. Well, I know it is not at the front of the store, and I know there are many things in the way and the aisles are not straight, but he acted as though he had just given up on "find the counter." He never ran me into anything, but though I was helping him by motioning with my hand signals, and encouraging him all the way, we were just wandering around. I finally asked someone to help me to get to the counter so I could get help. I do not know what to think of this. Then I read a post from someone on one of my lists whose dog has the same eye condition Lonnie has. She said the vet said it was like looking through dirty glasses. He might have been tired or he might have just been being a "brat", but I am again concerned there might be a change in his eyes. I know I can get help from my school to be able to see the ophthalmologist again, but I do not know how they know what the dog really sees. Think I will do the store again today and take the direct route and see what he does.

While on the subject of the store, I found out they will be going out of business within 60 days if no buyer is found to run it. We are not having any luck selling the house, but it is getting really critical that we sell and move. The economy of the country, and especially Michigan, sucks!! One more place taken away to go to! No wonder they have no choices of different brands left. It is the only grocery store that we can walk to. Now there will be no grocery store in this area for those who don't have cars!!, Grrrr!

Think I will now go back and see if I have any work. If not, I am going to give it up until tonight. I just do not have the energy to keep checking!

another boring day

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:02:44 GMT

It is another boring day. I worked last night, and though I have been having difficulty sleeping for some time now, I actually slept pretty good last night.

I sent some ecards to some friends today. April 26 was National Guide Dog Day so I decided to share an ecard and that information with some people, some of whom might have needed a pickup in spirit. It had pictures of guide dogs on it.

My hubby and I have worked out a system. Because I have days when I am more allergic to the dogs than others, he has taken to grooming them. I do the teeth brushing. However, hubby's dog just does not want my help in this pursuit! He acts as if I am killing him, and if I let go of his collar he runs back to his dad. Now, I like the fact he's a "daddy's boy", but it sure makes things rather difficult when I am trying to brush his teeth. All the while, my dog is getting as close as he can to lick as much of the toothpaste as he can. I keep pushing him gently out of the way, but he's like the energizer bunny, he just keeps coming back, coming back, and coming back! Oh the joys of taking care of guide dogs!!

I would like to be able to take a walk today. It rained and rained yesterday, and every time I tried to step outside the house I got soaked. Today it is dreary! Supposed to be better later today, but I sure will be happy when it stays warmer and sunnier!

Will be working tonight, so I better go take a look at the comments are quality assurance folks added to my work. I find them incorrect sometimes, but I guess they have the final word, even though I certainly could point out the mistake to them if they cared to know it. Overall, I think they do a pretty good job, though.

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:46:42 GMT

Posting early today. Will be working tonight.

Today my friend Karen retires. I called to congratulate her. I hope she can get a little more rest. She is always on the go! Don't know, though. She may be helping someone move to Nappa Vallley, California soon. We were supposed to go to Florida in late June, but I guess if shej goes to California she won't be going to Florida.

I took Lonnie out this morning. Mother Nature must have realized I was out there (smiles). Almost the very minute I returned to the house it just poured! Big sigh of relief. After the downpour it has just been gloomy. Still thinking I will take a walk soon.

Interested today to see if the Senate passes the spending bill on the war. I know it will be vetoed, but I would sure like to believe it would be then overridden. We have so many things that we need to be concentrating on in this country and with out citizens that it drives me crazy sending and spending all the money we have on another country. They could have paid for their own reconstruction with just the oil revenues! I still pay some taxes, and it just infuriates me that we do so much for others to the detriment of folks at home.

Well, I think I will head out for a walk. We haven't worked in a couple of days, and I think Lonnie is needing some work just to give him a bit of difference in scenery.

trying again!

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:19:17 GMT

It did it to me again! Last night I tried to do an entry. When I got to my mood and the list I was thrown out and could not find what I had written after logging back in. Maybe someone can tell me how to get my post back, I hope.

I was saying last night that I was awed by immafarmgirl's post on her friends page. The imagery and heart-felt love was just so beautiful and evident. She has 128 friends, and I am wondering how they found her or she found them. That is just so great. I wonder if anyone will be interested in my boring life. I am wondering if she has ever thought of writing as a career. Maybe I will find the post and ask.

It was rainy and dreary here today. I wanted to get out and work Lonnie, but neither of us like to get ourselves wet very much. The rain spooks me a bit since I have the hearing aids, and I cannot afford to get them really wet. Might get better this weekend, though.

I am currently reading a book on miracles of many different kinds. One of these was Betty Davis' daughter who accompanied Betty Davis on her "trip" after death. She said it was the most peaceful thing she had ever experienced with a field of flowers and birds that they sailed over, trees, and all the while heading toward a bright light. Her mom then said she had to go "back." She did not want to, but she was drawn back into her body. As I was reading this, I kept thinking that I really wished my mom's death was as peaceful as that was. It truly was not peaceful for me at all. I hope it was for her.

At the clinic where I worked until January, I guess today was pretty eventful. I have always been very lucky that I am not in the way when something happens. Today, one of the employees had just come back from lunch and was aproached with a gun as she began to get out of her car. My friend who wrote to me with the news said she was able to turn on her alarm, and I guess Security was out in a few seconds. Then at a day-care center down the block from there someone held hostages and there was a police stand-off. Wondering what in the world is happening with people. They get desperate and may want to take their own life. However, they have to take other folks with them! Why!!!

Headed now to post and hopefully this time I will not run into problems. Lonnie needs to go out, and then I think I will go and read! Night!

It lost my irst post

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 01:39:20 GMT

I am so annoyed! I went to edit my entry, that was a large entry, and it was lost! Grrr!

I will try again. This morning breakfast was french toast and sausage. I had overslept some, and it just seemed I was rather fuzzy headed. I took some Tylenol, and the fuzzy headed feeling seemed to lave. Thank goodness, we were going to Royal Oak to cross railroad tracks and do some more street work.

We ate with the staff again at lunch. We had salad with all the trimmings and rice Krispie treats.

In the afternoon, we went to Detroit. We rode the People Mover which is a train that goes to a few locations in Detroit. This was very overwhelming to me with all the noise. Some of the streets I just could not hear traffic. I was told when to cross, but if I had been alone I would have had to ask for help.

This is an abbreviated post. If some time I find the other much more detailed post I will post it too. There were some good things on that one to remember! Just cannot find the draft of it. Going to my room to sulk!

Warm, Wonderful, wacky day!

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:10:59 GMT

Today was a beautiful! Bright sun, warm, and getting warmer, yay! Finally! By Sunday it is supposed to be 70 degrees. Maybe Spring is here?

I was able to get on the computer tonight but still had to get the house mom to re-boot, grrr. It seems there are some students that have no idea what they are doing with the computer. It just kept saying, "Please wait." I could not re-boot, turn off the computer, or even do the three-finger salute to unlock it to re-boot! I will remember this house "mom" because I will probably need her tomorrow night too!

This morning we had scrambled eggs, hash brown caserole, juice, coffee, and toast. Not a bad breakfast.

At 9:00 Kim, the other AMP student, and I loaded up in the van to head for Rochester. First we crossed a couple of residential streets. Then we went around the block and headed for a 6-lane crossing. There was a right turn lane and a left turn lane. Barry was our only instructor today so he stood and explained to both of us that on crossings, if we are not familiar with it, we should stand and just listen to traffic. He said we needed to figure out when the longest period of time was that we could cross and be safe in doing so. In this particular case it was when the parallel traffic surged. He said to allow the first car pass our shoulder and then we knew that was the correct time to cross. We crossed the street in front of us, turned right and crossed the street to our right, turned right again and crossed the first street we crossed from the other side, and then crossed the first side street once again, just a square with the 4 corners. It was great as a confidence builder for me. I was really pinpointing traffic today and where it was starting from and which way it was turning or whether it was just going straight through. Barry then took us to Starbucks, yum! Just had a decaf, but I love their coffee.

Everyone hadd their pet dogs with them today, so as I am going through some real dog withdrawal, I had plenty of dogs to pet. One of the trainers even stopped and let us pet his labby girl he was training. Not Lonnie, though!

We ate lunch with the staff again. This time it was fish and chips, a fruit cup, and a sweet roll! There were other things to choose, but that was more than enough for me.

We were supposed to go and do country work this afternoon, but Barry decided we would go to a mall (pardon me) The Summerset Collection! Yes, that is right, it is a snobby mall for the rich, and oh my don't call it a mall! In that mall are 3 moving sidewalks that go over the parking lot, ove a huge street, and then a third that takes you t the other side of the Summerset Collection. We rode those 3 moving sidewalks over to the other side and then back. I did not get my feet close enough to the edge of one of the sidewalks when I was getting on and it took me quite by surprise. I started to fall backward, but I was able to catch myself. That earned me an extra ride just because I scared Barry so badly! (smiles) People just stared at the 2 of us. Some people wanted to walk by us on the moving sidewalk, but when Barry motioned for them to go they just wouldn't. It was like if they came past us or brushed us in any way that they would go blind instantly! When we came off the last sidewalk and Barry asked me to ride the first one again, some gentleman walked past us at that moment and looked at Barry and said: "That is just so wonderful what you are doing for them! I can see and I hate these things!" Guess he thought we were being taken out on our special outing or something. Oh, this is great! Barry calls sighted people retina dependent!

We then worked escalators, same as moving sidewalks basically. We then did some steps and came home.

I have changed rooms with the other AMP student, Kim. She was having problems sleeping because of the people from Spain standing around and talking until
late at night. I told her I would change since when I take my hearing aids out I cannot hear as much as she can. Now I am in room 19!

There will be more adventures tomorrow I am certain. I am going to get in touch with another student who wants to see my Pac Mate, and then I think I will stretch out and rest. Not as exhausted as last night, but I slept a little better last night. Hope this computer will let me in tomorrow!

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:29:43 GMT

Two crazy days! Yesterday, I was packing and getting everything ready to be ready I thought at 6:00. My ride showed up at 4:30. Well, I was alost ready! We got to Leader Dogs at around 5:45, and they had held a plate for me. We had sauerkraut, sausage and a really good pecan bar.

I then received the tour of the building and my room. It is really nice here. The rooms are one-person rooms. As I enter my room on the right side is a desk with a refrigerator underneath it; a television on top, with cable; a chair; and an NLS tape plaer and telephone. Across from this, approximately 6 feet (bad at estimating width) was the bed with a bookcase headboard; a nightstand; and a chair, all one unit. If you continue along the wall to the corner there is the tie-down for the dog. This is really pretty far from the bed. As you are facing the back of the room there is a door, just like our doors to the runs, but all the students do is walk out to relieve their dogs. If you come in the door and turn left or right, depending on the side of the building you are on, the bathroom is right there. I am in room 30. Way, way, way down the long hall on the east wing.

There are always staff in the building and always a "house mom". They have a room with coffee always available and that room has booths to use to train your dog in a restaurant setting.

Well, it just kicked me out again. I am sure glad it keeps a draft!!!

This morning I got up at 6:00, but I didn't have to be at breakfast until 7:30. Forgot I didn't have Lonnie to do all the things with. Anyway, I was dressed and out by 6:45, and that was being slow! We had cream of wheat, yuck, a great sweet roll, coffee, juice, and a piece of sausage. The people who make the food are really nice. They will even make a snack for you to take later, although I didn't ask for anything (proud of myself).

There are 2 AMP students. AMP is Accelerated Mobility Program. Kim is the other student. She has a dog from Southeastern and is doing the same thing I am. However, she has never had a cane in her hand! We each had a trainer. My trainer was Erika. We first did sighted guide work, although it was just a refresher for me. She then asked me to get my cane. Simply because I just knew I was going to walk up to a curb and say "forward", I had named my cane Tom. We worked inside the building first and did stair work with the cane. Erika said I looked like I was going to fall over walking down steps. She asked me to consciously walk more on my heels so I would not fall forward. It seemed to help. Don't know if I do this when Lonnie is with me. Hmmmm wondering if I do. Will have to check that out. We then went outside to a block square practice course. Oh, forgot, I asked her if I could try a cane with a rolling ti. She didn't have one but gave me one with a big fat round tip. I worked with it a while and then asked if I could buy it. It seemed much better than Tom. She said she was giving it to me. It is a little shorter and has the big tip so it doesn't stick in cracks so much. After Erika told me she was giving me the cane, she asked what I was going to name it. I said I didn't know and she suggested Jerry. Now I have Tom and Jerry!

After I walked with Jerry around the practice course, Erika said we were going to walk along Rochester Road where there was a lot of traffic. She wanted to see if I could tell with the hearing aids which way the cars were going and possibly the sounds of cars and buses and trucks. We walked about 4 blocks and ended up at a 5-lane light-run street that Erika said we would cross on Saturday. It has a turn lane and I think an island. Not think of that right now! No, one thing at a time.

We had soup, tuna sandwich, Fritos, and other choices that I didn't take for lunch.

In the afternoon we went down in one of the school vans to Rochester. Now we really started working. We went on 3 separate routes. The first was quiet residential work with 4-way stops. When we got back to the lounge, we had a small break. We then went to heavier traveled T intersections and stop sign run crossings. At first I was veering away from the traffic so needed to find my way back to the sidewal when I got to the curb. However, I started thinking too much and overcompensated for this veering and egan to veer left. In this case it took me out into traffic. I think I scared our other trainer a bit because I heard him calling very softly but insistently "Come this way, this way, this way." Well, I went for the voice, but Erika told him she wanted to see if I would correct my line. Her thought didn't work! He had to save me from myself! (smile) Oh after that was I ever stressed. I was getting tired too so I literally had to sit down and take some deep breaths. I knew I was going to cross light-run streets next, and I needed to gather myself for that. Well, we went out, and I guess I did get myself calmed down. I really heard the traffic patterns really well, and I crossed beautifully.

Now one of the students wants to see my Pac Mate. She has a poodle, and shhhh, I touched him. He is just gorgeous! I didn't know poodles were so big! He is almost as big as my boy. Will be posting on here tomorrow some time. This was really long, but I could not figure out why the computer would not go on the internet. Well, obviously I finally figured it out! It actually doesn't go on the net until you put in an address. However, I don't feel too bad about not knowing that. The house mom couldn't figure it out either! I am off to my room, first to show Nicholas' mom my Pac Mate (can't remember the peerson's name but rememer the dog, go figure). There are 23 dog users and the 2 of us right now! Will write more tomorrow.

one more day before I leave!

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:06:10 GMT

It is the last day before I leave for Leader Dogs to use that inanimate object. I am in the process of trying to do laundry, pack, and try to find clothes that will fit, ug! I am working on losing weight, but it is going very slowly. I wish I could just take it all off and not have to work at it so hard. I don't think I am obese, but let's just say that if I look at food it just seems to go on as fat whether I eat or not!

Did get my hair done, however, so that is out of the way. Now all I need to do is put everything in the luggage. I was a student in 1980 at Leader Dogs to get a dog but have never stayed in their new dorm. The rooms are one person rooms. However, I will not be staying where the dogs are. I am also certain this will not prompt me to get another dog from Leader Dogs. I am too sure that GDB is the best at what they do. Still I could wish that their rooms were one person. More time to bond with the dog and not have to worry about bothering someone else!

Talked to Chuck this morning about Lonnie. He was very happy things were going well, and he was interested in the course at Leader Dogs. He is an o&m specialist so he was very supportive about this move and said it certainly would make me even a better dog handler. Wondering if there will be any hesitancy on the part of Leader Dogs concerning me since I do not have one of their dogs. I would hope not. It used to be that they weree very protective of their space. Hoping that is different now. School pride is OK, but the schools all do basically the same thing! Will be on the lookout for this type of problem, though, although everyone there seems completely different from before. OK, off to do the rest of my laundry. My musing is getting a little long.

Three days to class

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 15:47:47 GMT

One problem is solved! I thought I had a friend who was going to drive me to Rochester on Tuesday. I have to be there some time after 2:00. Yesterday, I found out she could not drive because of work. I wanted to avoid asking my friend Karen, but I finally had to. The last time I asked her for something her hubby, who is also blind, seemed to be upset because he thought I was asking her to drive at rush hour. I was not even asking her for help at that time, just sending an email she wanted I had, but he was not happy. I had to think hard about whether to ask because she will be bringing me home from Leader Dogs. However, I just do not have that many friends who can drive or who want to drive. Besides I am on the other side of Detroit from Leader Dogs. Anyway, she agreed, although I will arrive much later than my co-participant. By the way, Karen said not to worry. She will drive if she wants to. However, I just hate trying to find transportation!

The other person who is taking the class is also a guide dog user. I do not know which school she received her dog from. However, I thought it was great she was going through with me. Now we can have anxiety about our dogs together! (This is really something, I am more concerned about leaving Lonnie than Aldo it seems! Well, not really, it is just we have been through separations for guides and such before.) (smiles) It was funny too, the lady who was talking to me about the class said that she was an older person. hmmm! Wonder what she meant by older. Does that mean she thinks I am very young?

Anyway, another hurtle jumped! Worked a couple of hours this morning and some last night. Now I think I will take the Lonnie boy for a walk and try to tire him out. The boys were playing this morning and there was a lot of yipping. Gosh they play rough, and there is no way to know who is hurting who! I think both of them take their lumps! The only way to stop them is to say "stop" in a very growly voice. They were really full of themselves this morning. Off for that walk!

learning, friends, and other things

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:31:21 GMT

Have added Jessica and jen and Bronze. Now I have 2 friends! I am beginning to understand how this works. Maybe by the time I leave for Leader Dog I will understand how this works! Very proud of myself figuring all this out and without my husband who is a computer guru. Maybe there is hope for me yet! Glad to have both of you as my friends! Work from 6:00 to 11:00 tonight, and feeling rather ambivalent about it today. Maybe because I am tired. Think I will read a bit now and fall asleep (oh I hope) or I won't even be able to keep my head up at 11:00 tonight. Even took Lonnie for a long walk trying to tire both of us out. Want to play with him, but think Trident stole his Kong and took it into the backyard (oh that bad boy). Ok, off for now. Well, tried to post this and somehow got back to the post page. However, found there is a drafts so figured out how to finish this. Now I can post this. Even prouder of myself getting around this site. You younger people are lucky. You grew up knowing computers!