Saturday, November 22, 2014

Random pictures


(This is one of my favorite affirmations. I look at it almost every day. I usually fight myself and try to push and keep pushing, even when I should rest, so it's a great reminder!)








Eli's

Beef/lamb schwarma, the gluten and gluten free option

Falafel plate (I ate one before I remembered to take a picture).

It was around ten bucks a person, but my falafel plate was cheaper than theirs. Worth every penny.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

A quiet weekend

Blurred into a quiet Monday.

Charlie and I went to the library in town and handled job hunting and the like. 

I really don't like our local library. There's hardly any book turn over, and I couldn't stop myself yesterday from taking a sign they had posted to them. It said: "when going threw our DVDs, we notced these were scratch. They are a dollar. We will not refund you."

O_O

So I wrote on a little note page: "We know these DVDs have been scratched. They're a great deal for only a dollar! No refunds will be issued on them."

They did not understand why my corrections to their grammar were being suggested. The librarian looked at the sign, at my note, back at the sign and said: "I'm assuming I'm showing ignorance here, but the sign doesn't look like it has anything wrong. I'll give your note to the head librarian."

I didn't have any reason to burn gas going 37 miles one way just to go to my favorite library and handle business, so I guess that's what I can expect.

When we got to our computer, a woman jumped up, grabbed her bag and half ran to the circulation desk. I heard her say "please just log me off! I can't stay near that!", which I assume "that" meant Charlie. I don't know why some people are so scared of him when they are strangers to us. I think his face always looks gentle and kind.


So that was our most eventful highlight. For today we plan on doing laundry and snuggling. <3

Friday, November 14, 2014

Friday

Mayhem. Doesn't she look like she's popped out of a Charles Wysocki painting?!

Home made energy balls and silk brand "holiday nog". Mmm!
Recipe for energy balls found here: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Thursday

Sleepy baby chilling at our local game store while we played with friends this week.

Sleepy girl cuddled up on momma's lap this morning.

Enjoying a pig's ear after knit group.

Beauty at Starbucks.

My husband and our friend Ben (aka "uncle Ben" to the aminals)


A little wine for thy stomach's sake, and pumpkin spice homemade angel food cake. Why yes, I did improvise the recipe, and it was awesome. 

I am so much more myself when I'm not exhausted. :)





Thursday, November 13, 2014

November 4th, because I didn't post that day

I had to work on the 4th, so Charlie and I went to vote before that. They were so professional and accommodating at my polling place! It was really busy (which was awesome) so I had trouble navigating. I walk with a cane in one hand, and holding on to Charlie's rigid handle, so I never have a free hand. As soon as we opened the heavy metal door, a poll worker said "hello! Would you be needing help today?" (A quick "thank you, God!" prayer shot up in relief)

"Yes ma'am, I'm a little overwhelmed. Where do I go first?", I asked her quietly. I'd voted before, but not in that location, and it's still a little weird to my mind, counting Charlie as my body space. I spent 27 years with just me, and now my body space is double, so navigating crowds and having to worry about drive by petting (which I equate to someone grabbing at my butt) is a little intimidating.

"Oh, okay! First you'll go to this table and show them your id.", she gestured like Vanna White and disappeared like a fairy godmother.

At ever single step, she gently showed up, discreetly offered information, and disappeared again. When it was time to take the blank ballot and marker, she saw my hands were working and offered to take it to a booth for me. She said if I needed to, she could read me the ballot, but I would need to fill it in myself. I have trouble writing, but I thanked her and said I was settled.

Charlie stayed in my close "down, stay" under the table while I got my vote on. When I told him "up, brace!" My fairy godmother appeared again and offered to carry my ballot for me. When we got to the machine, my hands were shaking, but she handed my ballot back to me and waited while I tried to put it in the machine. (When my hands are in a lot of pain, usually after writing or scrubbing something clean, they shake.) While I was trying to put it in, my fairy godmother created a discreet physical barrier between us and the crowd on Charlie's side. I couldn't help thinking she must have someone in her life who's disabled, because she was so easy and effortless in helping and sensing how to discretely do so. The teenager who was handing out stickers kept trying to hand a sticker to me while I was fighting the machine, so I paused and popped it onto Charlie's forehead. After I got the ballot in finally, it struck me as funny that he had melted down to the ground with huge, sad eyes. The teenager thought it was hilarious too and she quipped, "haha, your dog has an 'off' switch!"

I gave him the "up" command, took the sticker off and kissed his head. She asked me if I would like a sticker for Charlie too, but I said "Aw, that's sweet! Thanks, but I think he doesn't like stickers apparently!"

Our good fairy offered to help with the door, and I wish I had hugged her outside the polling place (because I'm a very huggy person). She was a God-send! I would have had to take a half day at work from spending so much energy navigating that all by myself. Stress eats up B vitamins, and my body is always super deficient, so if I had been on our own it would have really depleted me.


 decided in the car to give my sticker back to Charlie by putting it on his American Flag bandana. It really is a privilege and honor to be an American, and it makes me weepy thinking about the Capitol Crawlers in '90, who willingly and physically put themselves through pain and mockery. They were arrested and belittled so I could have such a perfect and equal access to having my views counted with every able bodied voter's ballot. Without their sacrifice I don't think I could have voted like everyone else. I really and truly don't!  If I didn't have Charlie I couldn't have done it, there's no way I could have navigated the throng with one of my walkers. Without the godmother's help I would have spent so much more energy and been too exhausted to work. It's because of the Capitol Crawlers I had such a perfect morning. They knew they were helping the generations to come, but the oblivious 4 year old I was had no idea she would ever even need help or be disabled. I just feel a huge heart swell of love for them, and they are what I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving season!



Wednesday

Charlie at the dog park. (Yes, all three balls were in his mouth at the same time!)




Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Charlie Majors and the valley of the (repaired) dolls...

Off and on all day I attacked Charlie's broken toys. He's actually not that hard on toys, but some are apparently constructed in a hurry, so I sometimes find a seam busts. When that happens, I take it from him and toss it into a small plastic trashcan in his supplies closet. Today I had nothing planned to do, but I took the advice of my best friend and woke up at 8am (technically sleeping in from my previous schedule), took my sweet time getting my activities of daily care done, and the only thing I really did all day was rest, play with Charlie and the kitties, and repair toys. As mentioned in my earlier post today, I didn't even cook.

I've alluded to the truth that I have a hard time with my hands - my fine motor skills in my hands are becoming very crude, so making them "pay attention" and "behave" was a bit tiresome. Still, MUCH lighter work than last Tuesday!!!!

Charlie told me it was worth the effort. ;)

Charlie and all the repaired toys

I guess even dogs don't like getting out of bed just to reach something a few feet away! Lol

Happy puppy!

 Oh, while I was repairing seams, I added in new squeakers. My mom found these great replacement squeaks that last Charlie over a month before he kills them! The regular oval or round shaped squeakers "die" within 15 minutes usually, but these crazy things have really held up! Here's a picture of the label in case you want to shop for them on amazon like we did:




Lease renewed!

The new management at our apartment complex is really nice. I mistook him for a missionary, because he was walking door to door with flyers. Haha 

The manager asked if Charlie was a service dog, and also made a comment "I'll bet he's good protection at night!" I said, "Yes, if you wear a motorcycle helmet and walk up to the door with it on like my husband does, otherwise I'd advise you to watch out for slobbery kisses. The one you REALLY have to watch out for is sniffing your shoe...she draws blood without warning. She's a highly trained ninja assassin." ;)

Charlie and I were just returning from Jacks with dinner for the humans when the manager walked up. I was really glad to finally have someone to ask about getting the curb fixed so our neighbor could visit us. We've visited him and his emotional support dog, Dylan, but in the years we've lived here, he has never had access to visit us! It would be so nice to be able to invite them over! We've always talked about having a cookout.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Get it done!

Today is my first working day fully unemployed. No side job, no temp work, no nothin'.

It was great!

Charlie and I had to meet a representative from MetLife to talk about my options, and I had to file unemployment, so we made a day of it! He did so well at MetLife! The secretary was really kind and a little bit curious, but not in any way nosy! We had to wait a good 20 minutes, because the client before our appointment was a little long winded. Charlie wanted to sniff the people who kept coming and going, but with quiet commands, he did flawlessly. There was a woman around my age that was scared of him, so I repositioned him to hide behind my chair and face away, and she went by with a little "eep!" noise. He easily slid back into place under my legs, and then when we met the agent, he remained in down stay even though I forgot to tell him.

We spent a little over an hour with Charlie under the conference table.
(Helping and making momma proud!)

I figured out an easy way to stay connected when my hands are busy - my legs are like lead weights, so looping the handle of his leash over the toe of my boot was really handy, and although he was staying anyway, it was a visual cue to the agent that I was still in control even though it looked like I was ignoring him. The agent was curious, but very respectful. He asked "what breed is he", and "has he been a help to you since you got him - I mean, compared to life before him?". It was nice to reflect on the change my life has been through, without the heavy details. Also, Charlie has a soft toy to play with, but he decided to hover over it the whole time instead. Poor baby has learned not to vocally complain about having to lay on a floor without bedding, but he hates it!

After MetLife, we picked up a free lunch (courtesy of my former coworker's generosity in the form of a Tropical Smoothie gift card). There was a huge gaggle of teenage girls getting their lunch orders in before going back to school, so we had a long wait. He did really well, and when my lunch was ready, he toted it to the car for me. With a cane in one hand, and his bridge handle in the other, it's such a blessing that he thinks carrying something is a game! We went to the library and parked near their field for an impromptu picnic!

I keep his all weather blanket in the trunk, and their grass was so neatly maintained that my "business" walker had no trouble rolling through it. We sat in front of our car, but facing the trees and nearby sheep. It was so restful with the breeze and gentle sunlight! I think I found a very willing picnic partner in him! ;)

After lunching, we put everything back in the car together, and then I moved the car to the front of the library so we didn't have to walk so far. Inside, we were helped to a computer next to a big window, and Charlie cat napped while I took care of other important "I have no job now" business. When I was done, we browsed through their book sale, and I scored 4 paperback novels for a dollar. When we walked to the front desk to pay for it, another library user ambushed us and said "I just HAD to come see this pretty baby, I have retriev-"(then she tried to get all handsy) "please don't touch us!", I said quickly while trying to open my wallet to get out the dollar I needed. "Oh, no, it's fine! I have retrievers and I just love dogs!" I put my wallet down, turned square to look at her and said in a normal tone (which is loud for a library) "No, it's not fine. I asked you not to touch us." While I said it, I moved my hand from supporting me to block her touching so she ended up petting my hand instead. She looked 15 shades of upset and offended, and the library worker said, "ma'am, do you need any help from me?", which prompted Ms. Handsy to turn a bright color, snap her mouth shut, and walk away. A THOUSAND Angel hugs to the library man for that, Lord!

 I was really tired, and I know Charlie was trying so hard to be good, but it's hard for him to know what that means when a human shakes up what he's expecting from them. As far as he's concerned, me and my family are the only ones that pay attention to him, we keep all the new and strangeness safe and in control, and then a random happy person tries to convince him he's off duty and it's playtime. It really confuses him, and he has to be "reset" after incidents like that, which is super annoying, because that means a stranger has stolen time and energy from me for the sake of their selfish need to pet a random stranger they never even expected to encounter. I know I have to by firm but polite, because we might be the only service dog team someone meets, but I really didn't want to deal with it today, so I decided not to educate her on how to interact with us - I just let her be "butthurt" and walk away.

(Ok, I know bathroom selfies are the worst, but look at his cute widdle flipped back ear!!!)

After the disruption from the stranger, I decided he had worked hard enough, so I took him off duty for our long car ride home. He played with a toy the whole way, tossing it into the back window and getting it, then growling and repeating. So I thought "it's 2 o'clock, mom said the dog park will be deserted....", and I surprised him by pulling in. It was the first time Charlie and I had been since the last post about it, for which I feel shame. He had a blast! We only stayed half an hour, but the place was practically ours for the duration. He ran like his tail was on fire, and actually brought me the ball. He usually ignores me in the park! I brought my walker with us, so I was able to rest a little while he partied hard.

After running around like crazy, he walked in perfect heel beside my walker, for a very slow walk to cool down a little. He licked the little statue of a soldier, so I sat down and took a quick picture. :)

Now here we are, 4 hours later, he in his ratty quilt and I in my jimjams, peacefully resting. It's such a worry off me to know I don't have to dread tomorrow morning. I don't have to plan out how to ration my little bit of energy. I have no reason to force myself to hurry and be some place on time. I can wake up when my body is rested. I can wait to get dressed until my hands wake up. That right there is a huge relief to know I don't have to force my hands to do something! Imagine wearing mittens, wrapped in barbed wire....and having to put on your bra, or socks and shoes. ::le sigh:: 

Oh, tomorrow promises to be sweet.