Guiding Eyes Day 18 Wed. 12th
New York, New York....
Coming to the Big Apple is a symphony of sound, a cocaphony of smells,movement not to mention a sh*tload of people. Who always seem to be walking the opposite direction so you feel like a salmon swimming upstream.
We took the commuter rail into the city and arrived at Grand Central Station. Whoa...that's quite a building- massive, canvernous, bustling, overwhelming for the sighted, let alone the sightless.
[my faithful companion, Miss Pippi who comes with me nightly to the computer, has requested rather emphatically a belly rub. More like HEY! I'm here on the floor with all four legs in the air waiting. Move those fingers over here.
Back to Grand Central. My instructor took me to the whispering hallway where you can stand in opposite corners, face the corner and whisper to your friend diagonally across in the other corner and hear each other as if you're standing side-by-side. It occurs because of the conductivity of sound using convex arches and/or ceiling. Listen, science isn't my strong suit...just Google it to get the why and wherefore of it.
Took a subway a few stops. Gotta say I'll never complain about the cleanliness or aroma of Atlanta's MARTA after NY subways. Aack!
We walked and walked and walked. Park Ave, 5th Ave, Madison Ave, 42nd Street to the 60s. Saw 30 Rock (Rock Centre), the location of the skating rink, the humungous Christmas tree-surrounded by scaffolding as the lights are added, and boocoodles of skyscapers. Grabbed a bus, rode to 90th Street (I think), walked over 4 blocks and up to 94th to The Barking Dog restaurant. Typical NY eatery- crowded, close tables, dimly lit even in the daytime. Well maybe the overcast sky didn't help.
Watch words for the day (actually always): Be In The Moment. Sounds simple enough but every teacher fiber in me says Plan Ahead. Focusinging on Pippi and being in the moment to move with her as she weaves in and out around people, poles, construction,roadwork requires slowing down and smaller steps so I don't overstep her lead. Being in the moment means being aware of her movements and discerning the distractions that take her focus off working. I'm a beat behind on corrections which should be immediate and redirect her attention. All the while, I need to be aware of my body language which Pippi constantly reads. If I want to go straight ahead, my shoulders better be facing that way or she will head towards the way they are facing. And knowing where we are and where we are going is imperative. Can you say 'multi-tasking?' It's a handful even in White Plains, NY or Dunwoody, GA. In Manhattan there's only one way to explain it:stimulous overload. Pip and I gave it our best shot. She rates a 96 and I'm behind with about an 80-85. This team is still a work in progress and every day, when we go home, will involve more work. But when we are in the zone, it's friggin' amazing.
New York pictures tomorrow........
Graduation link:
Go to www.guidingeyes.org web page
Left side panel, find Prospective Students section. Locate Guide Dog Services-click.
Find Graduation in the left side menu- click
On Saturday there should be a live stream link to watch the ceremony. Check it about 1:15pm. If by some chance you can't find it or miss it, the ceremony will be available a couple days later on YouTube accessible via the same location on www.guidingeyes.org
Thursday and Friday: Trip to PetSmart and a grocery store, how to enter/exit cars,Vet supplies mail order, doggie massage.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Guiding Eyes Day 17 Tuesday 11th
Today I put my fingers in places I never would have chosen before! I learned how to clean dog ears, "pill" a dog when chewing isn't allowed, and brushed dog teeth. All in 15 minutes.
Imagine someone holding your mouth with one hand along the edge of yyour upper molars, and with the other hand, prying open your teeth, jamming a pill pinched between your thumb and middle finger all the way back in your throat, just before the esophogus turns downward, then clamps your teeth together (gently but firmly, and strokes your throat to encourage you to swallow. Don't know about you, but I'd be gagging the second that pill and those fingers hit my tongue. Pippi had to put up with me jamming pills (just Brewer's Yeast) down her gullet three times. I'm praying her future holds only chewable meds or ones that mix with food.
Then there was the teeth brushing. No brushes yet, just a gauze pad aroung our pointer finger. I had to slip it under Pip's jowl on one side, aim the the back molars on the outside (front side) of her teeth, a quick whish-whish-whish and out of there so she doesn't accidentally chomp on my finger. I gotta say, any finger poked into my mouth without asking permission, will most certainly be biten. Hard. And on purpose. I'm just telling you the truth. If your digits are still intact, now try the other side of the mouth. Thank goodness I don't have to wrangle her to brush the backs of the teeth. Did I mention that toothpaste comes in liver and chicken flavors? My girl is using the minty fresh kind. I'm putting up with those lick-the-mouth kisses but the liver/chicken breath would be too much.
Okay, now for the ears. While we were told as kids that nothing smaller than your elbow should be placed in our delicate ear canals, it's totally different with dogs. Not only do they have long throats that cause you to practically stick your finger up to your wrist to jam in pills, there ears also have longer canals and you need to stick your finger, again with a gauze pad, all the way in til you reach the base of your finger. So now you're holding up one of those sweet floppy ears, and "dusting" all the little nooks and crannies in the canal. Really? Dusting the cartilage? Blech! That was disgusting. And I have the privilege of doing that once a week. Slight blackish stuff on the gauze is normal; a bunch of it means call the vet.
Teeth brushing? Every day so you won't need to take doggie in to a doggie dentist, be sedated, and have teeth cleaned with the same power tool and high pitched sound- that would irritate a conscious dog- many of our dentists use.
There's a few more openings on my fog, but I draw the line removing boogers from a dog's nose and I won't be trying any rectal thermonmeters either. A girl's got to have standards, you know.
Today I put my fingers in places I never would have chosen before! I learned how to clean dog ears, "pill" a dog when chewing isn't allowed, and brushed dog teeth. All in 15 minutes.
Imagine someone holding your mouth with one hand along the edge of yyour upper molars, and with the other hand, prying open your teeth, jamming a pill pinched between your thumb and middle finger all the way back in your throat, just before the esophogus turns downward, then clamps your teeth together (gently but firmly, and strokes your throat to encourage you to swallow. Don't know about you, but I'd be gagging the second that pill and those fingers hit my tongue. Pippi had to put up with me jamming pills (just Brewer's Yeast) down her gullet three times. I'm praying her future holds only chewable meds or ones that mix with food.
Then there was the teeth brushing. No brushes yet, just a gauze pad aroung our pointer finger. I had to slip it under Pip's jowl on one side, aim the the back molars on the outside (front side) of her teeth, a quick whish-whish-whish and out of there so she doesn't accidentally chomp on my finger. I gotta say, any finger poked into my mouth without asking permission, will most certainly be biten. Hard. And on purpose. I'm just telling you the truth. If your digits are still intact, now try the other side of the mouth. Thank goodness I don't have to wrangle her to brush the backs of the teeth. Did I mention that toothpaste comes in liver and chicken flavors? My girl is using the minty fresh kind. I'm putting up with those lick-the-mouth kisses but the liver/chicken breath would be too much.
Okay, now for the ears. While we were told as kids that nothing smaller than your elbow should be placed in our delicate ear canals, it's totally different with dogs. Not only do they have long throats that cause you to practically stick your finger up to your wrist to jam in pills, there ears also have longer canals and you need to stick your finger, again with a gauze pad, all the way in til you reach the base of your finger. So now you're holding up one of those sweet floppy ears, and "dusting" all the little nooks and crannies in the canal. Really? Dusting the cartilage? Blech! That was disgusting. And I have the privilege of doing that once a week. Slight blackish stuff on the gauze is normal; a bunch of it means call the vet.
Teeth brushing? Every day so you won't need to take doggie in to a doggie dentist, be sedated, and have teeth cleaned with the same power tool and high pitched sound- that would irritate a conscious dog- many of our dentists use.
There's a few more openings on my fog, but I draw the line removing boogers from a dog's nose and I won't be trying any rectal thermonmeters either. A girl's got to have standards, you know.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Guiding Eyes Day 16 Monday 10th
Today was Ride-the-Bus route. We trained with Pippi on Saturday to target the bus stop pole. Now we would see if she remembered. Bless her little heart, she did. Caught the next bus and found a seat in front. The rule is 'keep dogs sitting up if the ride is short. Tuck the tail under and block the backside with your foot. Be sure you know where your dog's head is located. Bus floors have tempting tidbits or there may be a child with candy sitting next to you. The woman to my right had a bag of groceries and Pippi turned her way, sniffing for aromatic destinations. I needed to cup her chin so I had control over that quick little snout. I joked with the woman that if she had any groceries she wanted to get rid of, Pip would gladly help out! We just rode two stops then walked back. I think our routes are a mile to 1.5 miles each X two routes per day= approximately 10 miles on the streets + stairs up and down (2 sets) daily to dining room for meals + the 18 steps (stairs) I do each night to reach the computer lab = a boatload of walking!
Afternoon walk took me to CVS to pick up items for myself and a fellow student. Going through stores now will be like attempting to cross a mine field. Little sniffer-girl is eye level with many products that look tempting, like candy and gum at the counter or someone's hand basket with stuff (and stuff is edible, right?), or even floor sniffing and slurping up morsels of things I don't want to think about. Each time head went down to sniff meant a leash correction. There must have been 10 and I think we were only in the store 10 minutes!
Lecture tonight dealt with training on a train platform tomorrow to keep both Pippi and me safe. It will be practice for Wednesday when we take a train into the Big Apple. No time for sightseeing, no time for shopping, just a 50 block walk Grand Central Station to out lunch spot. Those who train-ride in, take the van back. Those who van-ride in, take the train back.
One sad note... one of our classmates opted to leave his dog and return home. This would have been his 7th guide dog. He was finding the changes in the training program too stressful. He had soime health issues, difficulty dealing with change, and a robust dog. We were told at lunch that he had left but he sent his thanks to all of us. He was a combination of an old curmudgin and Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man. He was articulate and funny (mostly without intent but definitely with metaphors and similes!) and we all miss him.
Today was Ride-the-Bus route. We trained with Pippi on Saturday to target the bus stop pole. Now we would see if she remembered. Bless her little heart, she did. Caught the next bus and found a seat in front. The rule is 'keep dogs sitting up if the ride is short. Tuck the tail under and block the backside with your foot. Be sure you know where your dog's head is located. Bus floors have tempting tidbits or there may be a child with candy sitting next to you. The woman to my right had a bag of groceries and Pippi turned her way, sniffing for aromatic destinations. I needed to cup her chin so I had control over that quick little snout. I joked with the woman that if she had any groceries she wanted to get rid of, Pip would gladly help out! We just rode two stops then walked back. I think our routes are a mile to 1.5 miles each X two routes per day= approximately 10 miles on the streets + stairs up and down (2 sets) daily to dining room for meals + the 18 steps (stairs) I do each night to reach the computer lab = a boatload of walking!
Afternoon walk took me to CVS to pick up items for myself and a fellow student. Going through stores now will be like attempting to cross a mine field. Little sniffer-girl is eye level with many products that look tempting, like candy and gum at the counter or someone's hand basket with stuff (and stuff is edible, right?), or even floor sniffing and slurping up morsels of things I don't want to think about. Each time head went down to sniff meant a leash correction. There must have been 10 and I think we were only in the store 10 minutes!
Lecture tonight dealt with training on a train platform tomorrow to keep both Pippi and me safe. It will be practice for Wednesday when we take a train into the Big Apple. No time for sightseeing, no time for shopping, just a 50 block walk Grand Central Station to out lunch spot. Those who train-ride in, take the van back. Those who van-ride in, take the train back.
One sad note... one of our classmates opted to leave his dog and return home. This would have been his 7th guide dog. He was finding the changes in the training program too stressful. He had soime health issues, difficulty dealing with change, and a robust dog. We were told at lunch that he had left but he sent his thanks to all of us. He was a combination of an old curmudgin and Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man. He was articulate and funny (mostly without intent but definitely with metaphors and similes!) and we all miss him.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Guiding Eyes Day 15 Sunday 9th
Sundays have been wonderful 'down days.' Still feed-water-park on schedul, still have meals on schedule, but the rest of the day is ours. This is the time I catch up on blogging, grab a nap, and find time to play with my dog. Actually, I play with Pip every day as well as groom her.
This coming week is a humdinger. Monday bus work. Tuesday train platform work. Wednesday, day trip into New York City! Crowded streets, smelly subways, and a train, subway, bus, and van ride. Plus lunch in the Big Apple. Not sure about Thursday/ Friday, but Saturday is graduation! It is streamed live so if anyone wants to watch, I'll post the links to find it on Thursday or Friday.
Sundays have been wonderful 'down days.' Still feed-water-park on schedul, still have meals on schedule, but the rest of the day is ours. This is the time I catch up on blogging, grab a nap, and find time to play with my dog. Actually, I play with Pip every day as well as groom her.
This coming week is a humdinger. Monday bus work. Tuesday train platform work. Wednesday, day trip into New York City! Crowded streets, smelly subways, and a train, subway, bus, and van ride. Plus lunch in the Big Apple. Not sure about Thursday/ Friday, but Saturday is graduation! It is streamed live so if anyone wants to watch, I'll post the links to find it on Thursday or Friday.
Guiding Eyes Day 14 Sat 8th
Guiding Eyes Day 14 Sat. 8th
Two weeks done, one to go. I am amazed how much I have learned in 2 weeks. I thought I'd leave here feeling like a pro, but I realize that's off the mark. I equate this to my first teaching job. Fresh out of graduate school; B.A. and M.A. under my belt, all the theory and a bit of practicum and yet I felt like I knew nothing as I met students on the first day. I didn't start out a pro, I had to to get some experience under my belt. It was truly year three to have enough confidence to tell the parents I knew what I was doing. (And even then, I had to fake it sometimes.)
So, expecting to have it all together when I go back to Atlanta is ludicrous. But, I believe I will have the tools I need to continue learning, and get some experience under my belt. And if I need help, this awesome school offers so much support.
Okay, back to Saturday.
In the previous week, we had simulated traffic checks where your dog slows down or stops and backs up due to an on-coming car. (Yes, you heard me correctly, the dog goes backwards. Not a typical movement for dogs.)
On Saturday, we went to White Plains and one of our instructors drove a real car at us. She appeared out of nowhere, well actually nowhere is my missing peripheral vision. And you know what? Little Pipsqueak hit her breaks and did a backward shuffle. I was supposed to shuffle back just as much as she did. I took a couple of giant steps backward instead of the baby steps needed (and for the oldies in the readership, I forgot to say 'mother may I !')
Big feet here frequently takes giant steps at a quick pace and creates 'situations' for Pippi and me. One of those learning opportunities for home turf.
We were given directions to walk in twos part of our usual route and to cross over a street and turn right instead of a left turn before crossing. We were 'handed off' from one instructor to another and ended up at a lovely pub/restaurant for lunch. Following lunch, we all had different things to work on with instructors, to fit training to our environmental needs back home.
I worked on targetting bus stops. With food and clicker reinforcement, we taught Pippi to hone in on a specific pole. In a 10 minute period she hit the mark every time. Love me some Pip! Monday we will see if she remembers and we will ride the bus a couple stops. Back in Atlanta, I will use the same method to help Pippi target 4 different bus stops; one to head to our mass transit trains, two to take the bus in the opposite direction (grocery store, Jewish Community Center, and vet on that route), and the last one to take bus to hair salon, and partially to the library. Yup, got my work cut out for me. The best news is this dog is driven to work, and will do just about anything for food.
Who would have ever thought that a woman afraid of dogs until her 50s, could work on training a dog to specific places to maintain her independence with, or without, sight?
Certainly not me.
Two weeks done, one to go. I am amazed how much I have learned in 2 weeks. I thought I'd leave here feeling like a pro, but I realize that's off the mark. I equate this to my first teaching job. Fresh out of graduate school; B.A. and M.A. under my belt, all the theory and a bit of practicum and yet I felt like I knew nothing as I met students on the first day. I didn't start out a pro, I had to to get some experience under my belt. It was truly year three to have enough confidence to tell the parents I knew what I was doing. (And even then, I had to fake it sometimes.)
So, expecting to have it all together when I go back to Atlanta is ludicrous. But, I believe I will have the tools I need to continue learning, and get some experience under my belt. And if I need help, this awesome school offers so much support.
Okay, back to Saturday.
In the previous week, we had simulated traffic checks where your dog slows down or stops and backs up due to an on-coming car. (Yes, you heard me correctly, the dog goes backwards. Not a typical movement for dogs.)
On Saturday, we went to White Plains and one of our instructors drove a real car at us. She appeared out of nowhere, well actually nowhere is my missing peripheral vision. And you know what? Little Pipsqueak hit her breaks and did a backward shuffle. I was supposed to shuffle back just as much as she did. I took a couple of giant steps backward instead of the baby steps needed (and for the oldies in the readership, I forgot to say 'mother may I !')
Big feet here frequently takes giant steps at a quick pace and creates 'situations' for Pippi and me. One of those learning opportunities for home turf.
We were given directions to walk in twos part of our usual route and to cross over a street and turn right instead of a left turn before crossing. We were 'handed off' from one instructor to another and ended up at a lovely pub/restaurant for lunch. Following lunch, we all had different things to work on with instructors, to fit training to our environmental needs back home.
I worked on targetting bus stops. With food and clicker reinforcement, we taught Pippi to hone in on a specific pole. In a 10 minute period she hit the mark every time. Love me some Pip! Monday we will see if she remembers and we will ride the bus a couple stops. Back in Atlanta, I will use the same method to help Pippi target 4 different bus stops; one to head to our mass transit trains, two to take the bus in the opposite direction (grocery store, Jewish Community Center, and vet on that route), and the last one to take bus to hair salon, and partially to the library. Yup, got my work cut out for me. The best news is this dog is driven to work, and will do just about anything for food.
Who would have ever thought that a woman afraid of dogs until her 50s, could work on training a dog to specific places to maintain her independence with, or without, sight?
Certainly not me.
Guiding Eyes Day 13.5 Friday review
An exhausting day, a roller coaster of emotions, and an adventure. We were taken for a 'dry run' to Catona, NY, a small, picturesque town with classy boutique stores, and no, this wasn't a shopping trip. AlthoughI'm told Martha Stewart lives nearby. For those of us with a modicum of sight left, this check out the lay-of-the-land is meant to ease fears fo a walk in the darkness. I imagine for those with no sight, not even light perception, it's just another route to walk. [Kind of makes all you fully sighted folks out there feel grateful and blessed, huh!]
The next part of the day is smushed together: lunch, change into graduation clothes, groom dog, take group picture, take individual pictures (with your dog), and any special shots people wanted- just their dog or the instructors. I wanted the three instructors and our intern- just them. But one of them said,"Oh no, if we have to do this, so do you!" So there you go, another round of squeaky toys-to get Pippi's ears perked up, or maybe she wasn't in that picture. Told ya it was smushed.
Quick change of clothes and over to vet for an exam and weight check and birth date. Miss Pippi weighs 55 lbs, the smallest dog in our group. A fellow black lab in our group named Albert-but we nicknamed him Einstein, weighs 81-82 lbs. Yup, a two year old in a big guy body.
Vet told me Pip's target weight is 52 lbs and showed me how she had a little extra padding around the ribs. You know me, I had to say that I could relate to a little extra padding in the middle! Being a dog newbie, I asked how I needed to slim her down. (I was picturing mommy-doggie crunches and lunges!) Nothing so fancy. Cut back on the food and limit the cookies. Hmmm... good advice for me too! Also, instead of just cookies, mix part treats with part of morning kibble ration, I mean portion. I think I will let Pip have a few days to settle in between doggie boot camp starts!
Following exam, we had a vet lecture. Again, the dog newbie had strange questions to ask, like "Is there anything I can do to help 'tone-down' the stinky farts? And maybe the poop too?" Yeah, that's making some of you laugh but you should see the scrunched up noses when Miss Pip farts! Not uncommon to hear 'ewww' or 'phew, that made my eyes water,' or even 'that could make paint peel.' Come on, do you want someone saying that about your dog? The vet recommended Science Diet Sensitive Stomach [** this is not an endorsement and I will not be held responsible if your pooch tries it and has vomitting or diarrhea!]
Next dinner, bundled up (night temp was around 38-40 and a slight wind) and drove back to Catona. Each student walked with an instructor- 3 instructors meant only 3 at a time- and with 8 or 9 of us, you knew you had about a 40 minute wait time in the van. [And no potty breaks for people or dogs]
My turn... left the company of friends, can't say I minded getting out of the van, and took a step into the darkness, Only a few street lights so this was truly being led by my dog. Within a few minutes, the nervousness disappated. Without all the distractions of the day in town- like people, construction, kids- we honed in on the task. Pippi inherently knew how much I depended on her in this situation and she was in the zone. The girl was focused. Except for one turn. Normally, it was a straight left turn. However, during the morning, there was repair work going on with a van and we had to swing wide and get back to our straight line. At night, Pip decided to try the straight left. My instructor said STOP and grabbed my arm. I stopped Pippi. I was asked if Pip was level with me and she was much lower. She planned to go around in the street, without me knowing there was a curb. I think I had to give her a correction before we moved on. My instructor said," She just gave you the stink eye!' I replied that I'd seen it before but I was impervious to stink eye stares. I had to be. In my 30 year teaching career, I must have been given stink eyes at least 400 times...and survived!
(Too bad there's no way to create stink eye repellant for everyone besides teachers. I would be a millionnaire. No, make that a bazillionnaire.
Didn't feel tired until we returned to school. It was only 8:30 ish but the fatigue hit like a load of bricks. Took a shower, parked my dog, and sat down to watch TV. Saw a few minutes of Hawaii 5-0 then planned to watch Blue Bloods. I only remember fragments of it including the last 5 minutes. Planned to listen to the local weather and the next thing I knew, David Letterman was in the middle of his monologue. I'd fallen asleep sitting up! I was sitting on the end of the bed near the TV. How the heck did I not slide off??? Guess I have a new talent to add to my resume of skills. Not that there's much call for it.
An exhausting day, a roller coaster of emotions, and an adventure. We were taken for a 'dry run' to Catona, NY, a small, picturesque town with classy boutique stores, and no, this wasn't a shopping trip. AlthoughI'm told Martha Stewart lives nearby. For those of us with a modicum of sight left, this check out the lay-of-the-land is meant to ease fears fo a walk in the darkness. I imagine for those with no sight, not even light perception, it's just another route to walk. [Kind of makes all you fully sighted folks out there feel grateful and blessed, huh!]
The next part of the day is smushed together: lunch, change into graduation clothes, groom dog, take group picture, take individual pictures (with your dog), and any special shots people wanted- just their dog or the instructors. I wanted the three instructors and our intern- just them. But one of them said,"Oh no, if we have to do this, so do you!" So there you go, another round of squeaky toys-to get Pippi's ears perked up, or maybe she wasn't in that picture. Told ya it was smushed.
Quick change of clothes and over to vet for an exam and weight check and birth date. Miss Pippi weighs 55 lbs, the smallest dog in our group. A fellow black lab in our group named Albert-but we nicknamed him Einstein, weighs 81-82 lbs. Yup, a two year old in a big guy body.
Vet told me Pip's target weight is 52 lbs and showed me how she had a little extra padding around the ribs. You know me, I had to say that I could relate to a little extra padding in the middle! Being a dog newbie, I asked how I needed to slim her down. (I was picturing mommy-doggie crunches and lunges!) Nothing so fancy. Cut back on the food and limit the cookies. Hmmm... good advice for me too! Also, instead of just cookies, mix part treats with part of morning kibble ration, I mean portion. I think I will let Pip have a few days to settle in between doggie boot camp starts!
Following exam, we had a vet lecture. Again, the dog newbie had strange questions to ask, like "Is there anything I can do to help 'tone-down' the stinky farts? And maybe the poop too?" Yeah, that's making some of you laugh but you should see the scrunched up noses when Miss Pip farts! Not uncommon to hear 'ewww' or 'phew, that made my eyes water,' or even 'that could make paint peel.' Come on, do you want someone saying that about your dog? The vet recommended Science Diet Sensitive Stomach [** this is not an endorsement and I will not be held responsible if your pooch tries it and has vomitting or diarrhea!]
Next dinner, bundled up (night temp was around 38-40 and a slight wind) and drove back to Catona. Each student walked with an instructor- 3 instructors meant only 3 at a time- and with 8 or 9 of us, you knew you had about a 40 minute wait time in the van. [And no potty breaks for people or dogs]
My turn... left the company of friends, can't say I minded getting out of the van, and took a step into the darkness, Only a few street lights so this was truly being led by my dog. Within a few minutes, the nervousness disappated. Without all the distractions of the day in town- like people, construction, kids- we honed in on the task. Pippi inherently knew how much I depended on her in this situation and she was in the zone. The girl was focused. Except for one turn. Normally, it was a straight left turn. However, during the morning, there was repair work going on with a van and we had to swing wide and get back to our straight line. At night, Pip decided to try the straight left. My instructor said STOP and grabbed my arm. I stopped Pippi. I was asked if Pip was level with me and she was much lower. She planned to go around in the street, without me knowing there was a curb. I think I had to give her a correction before we moved on. My instructor said," She just gave you the stink eye!' I replied that I'd seen it before but I was impervious to stink eye stares. I had to be. In my 30 year teaching career, I must have been given stink eyes at least 400 times...and survived!
(Too bad there's no way to create stink eye repellant for everyone besides teachers. I would be a millionnaire. No, make that a bazillionnaire.
Didn't feel tired until we returned to school. It was only 8:30 ish but the fatigue hit like a load of bricks. Took a shower, parked my dog, and sat down to watch TV. Saw a few minutes of Hawaii 5-0 then planned to watch Blue Bloods. I only remember fragments of it including the last 5 minutes. Planned to listen to the local weather and the next thing I knew, David Letterman was in the middle of his monologue. I'd fallen asleep sitting up! I was sitting on the end of the bed near the TV. How the heck did I not slide off??? Guess I have a new talent to add to my resume of skills. Not that there's much call for it.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Guiding Eyes Day 13 Friday 7th
I want to clarify something about the last post. The discussion I had with instructors was necessary. I wasn't upset because they spoke to me, it was because I was disappointed in myself. I felt that I let myself down as well as them. That said, the Pity Party is over and it's onward.
Both Pip and I are exhausted from the busy, run around day, topped off by the night walk. I'll write more about it tomorrow but I have to say my little Pipsqueak nailed it! Came in smooth as could be to every curb! Pip pip Hooray!
Just have to add one more thought. I was told Pippi's birth date. She's a Halloween baby! So I could have celebrated her 2nd birthday with her last week.
Time to go back to my room, put up the feet and have a beer. I've earned it. (Or maybe I'll eat the brownie I saved from lunch.)
I want to clarify something about the last post. The discussion I had with instructors was necessary. I wasn't upset because they spoke to me, it was because I was disappointed in myself. I felt that I let myself down as well as them. That said, the Pity Party is over and it's onward.
Both Pip and I are exhausted from the busy, run around day, topped off by the night walk. I'll write more about it tomorrow but I have to say my little Pipsqueak nailed it! Came in smooth as could be to every curb! Pip pip Hooray!
Just have to add one more thought. I was told Pippi's birth date. She's a Halloween baby! So I could have celebrated her 2nd birthday with her last week.
Time to go back to my room, put up the feet and have a beer. I've earned it. (Or maybe I'll eat the brownie I saved from lunch.)
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