I realize it's been more than a month since our last post, but time seems to fly whether you're having fun or not. It's been a busy summer and along with that it's been particularly humid as well. I have the hardest time with the humidity as it makes the air so heavy and my muscles are not strong enough to expand my rib cage sufficiently.
Despite being busy and dealing with health issues, we have managed to have a pretty good summer. The picture above was taken on August 11th, at Indian Ranch in Webster, MA. Indian Ranch is an outdoor venue with an emphasis on Country music, as well as having a camping area. In the summer months NEADS holds a fundraiser for Canines for Disabled Vets each Saturday and/or Sunday. Puppy Raisers and their pups, and clients with their canine partners are present to answer questions, allow the dogs to demonstrate some of their skills, and to allow the public some good old fashioned "dog time"....complete with wet kisses and belly rubs! It's a wonderful opportunity to show the possibilities for a future life for our wounded soldiers, and the chance for people to donate to an extremely worthy organization. Raffle tickets are sold and in between the opening and featured band the winner is drawn with a prize of $500 cash. So many people say they have heard of NEADS and are happy to have the opportunity to help. On the 11th, Emily went with me to see Little Feat. I always say that Tippy takes his job very seriously, and this particular day was no exception. All day long, people asked to have him demonstrate a few skills. NOT ONCE did he bawk! He usually loves to show off....and also loves his carrots as if they were steak! I answered questions, offered to have him "practice"....... including bowing and he just kept delivering!!!! Of course being told how handsome he is was so hard to hear!!! NEADS client Erin and her Service Dog, Freedom(a very pretty female black lab) did the same, and puppy in training Simian stepped up to the plate too. All 3 dogs were great, though I think Simian got pretty pooped. I think he's 9 months, and I've got a feeling he's going to be a big boy like Tippy as his paws are BIG!!! Emily decide to buy 1 ticket, just one. Janice called out the $500 ticket, and their was a lot of cheering and clapping. Then she called the 2nd place number....Indian Ranch had donated two seats up front. Emily began jumping up and down yelling, "I won, it's me! I won!!!" I told her to stop it because someone would think she really did....but, SHE REALLY DID WIN!! We were given seats in front, just off to the side, as you can see from the pic. Erin offered to watch Tippy while we were close to the stage. She thought that the volume would not be good for his hearing. I know that Tip has gone to concerts at Mohegan Sun with me, where we sit on the floor fairly close, and has done just fine. But, I didn't realize that the speakers would be on the ground right in front of us. It was definitely too loud. The box in front of the young man with the red shirt is actually a bank of speakers. I moved my seat toward the back side of the stage, but eventually felt that it was still too loud for Tippy. I took him swimming, and we walked up on the hillside to listen and watch. All in all a great day!
My friend, Cindy, and I went out to our home on Prudence Island from the 14th-21st of August.. I mentioned above that my friend Jane passed away on the 12th. There were calling hours on the 14th, and a service on the 15th. I have to say, and please don't think badly of me, that I am thankful that I had already planned to be away. I don't handle it well when anyone passes, and I find it difficult to attend hours and services even for family members. I think the way I have felt health wise, it would have been extremely tough. I think it was appropriate to be away, at the beach, in solitude. Also, Jane would have been thrilled to know that Tippy would provide Cindy and I with 8 days of sheer escape! We went to the beach every day except 2...or maybe 3??? Tip swam every time, retrieving nearly an hour each time in. Even when I would tire from standing and would head in, he continued to swim around looking at the float wanting still more tosses. I posted a video on FB, and I think I will try to post the same one below. Aside from my constant words of encouragement, I think it's a great film. Tippy also got the hand of me holding his tail and "towing" me into shore. I can't be in the water much above my waist for more than a minute or so due to the pressure. I can't breathe and, obviously, that's a problem. I don't think I've had that much fun on the beach since the children were small. Tippy was good about staying nearby but if he began to wander a "closer" was all that was needed. After the first 2 beach days I had to put a 30' leash on periodically, when I wanted to sit, since he decided that it was okay to eat the crab SHELLS that were left as the tide went out. Who eats the shells!?! A couple little bites would cause the worse "flatulence" problem for an entire evening and through the night. Oh, well, he is a Lab! Another highlight of the week was the Fireman's Fair. Every year we make sure to be on PI for the fair. I go primarily for the chowder, clam fritters(which they call cakes), and books. I like knowing that it helps out the Volunteer Firemen. They didn't have any chowder when we got there. Too bad since it was raining just about all day! The fritters were delicious and I got a bunch of books. I also met the wife of a gentleman I had met a couple days earlier. Here comes "Fate" again....... I met Gil when I was "pottying" Tippy across the road from our house. He was driving by and stopped to ask me about Tippy. He explained that he and his wife had 2 Labs, and had decided that they wanted to raise a puppy for a Service Dog. He said that one organization that he spoke to said that the dogs while in training were required to be on a lead at all times, even when in the yard. He didn't like the idea at all.....I certainly agreed! We discussed it further, and I explained quite a bit about NEADS, and exchanged information. He seems like a very nice gentleman, retired, and upon meeting his wife, found her equally personable. I'm obviously not "in the know", but they really seemed like they'd be great puppy raisers. I hope it works out. He said several times, what a coincidence that we met when they're so interested in doing this. Then, it turns out that some very good friends of his used to go to our church, and I think I had their son in one of my church school classes....yup, quite a "coincidence"...... Well, it has taken me since Tuesday night to write this. I kept saying I didn't know what to say....it seems that cleared right up!!!
But first, we're heading out now to take Tip to that "swimming hole"....which happens to be in the same area as the dog park....LOVE to watch how happy he gets when he knows he's going swimming!!!
Peace,
Wendy & Tippy
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