Saturday, January 31, 2009

Friday 1/30 and Saturday 1/31

Rissa accompanied me to work and then we made visits to the in-patients. One of our men from the retirement village happened to be at the hospital so we got to see him there - he was so happy to see Rissa - a friendly face he knew! We made visits then at the village and dashed back tot he hospital for another meeting - Rissa was tired and so was I!! Timber had Jill keeping her company at home - no stuffed animals were destroyed when I left Timber this time!!

Took all 3 girlz on a nice winter hike this afternoon with my neighbors and their mini aussie. We were able to stay on snowmobile tracks... we did the chuck it with tennis balls for the dogs - they all got along well and had a blast. Jill is very easy to take just like Rissa and Timber. I only wish I had taken my camera! Jill had a little test today - friends came over with a 3.5 month baby - he cried and Jill was very concerned like Rissa is.. Both gave him kisses... I have not seen Jill give many kisses (unlike Rissa) but she kissed the baby when he was crying. Very sweet - no problem with crying babies for Jill. She also met 2 new people without fear - just a happy wagging girl - very similar to Rissa and Timber - just yellow.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Slumber Party


VIP



The superintendent of schools visited Tremont today and read to Timber - Sirius The Dog Star! Timber "pawtographed" it and gave him the book to take home even though he hadn't filled his book mark! 2 of the regular children got their books today for reading 10 books/chapters to Timber. Colby had made a request for a Chris Van Dusen book - he had Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee... I happened to have an autographed copy of MaGee's camping spree - he was happy to have a book he loved... Logan got Art Dog!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Canceled again :(



Somesville READer dog had to be canceled again due to mother nature - we're only to get 12-18 inches depending on the amount of ice we get! Here's another picture of sweet Jill with my girlz. Happy girl - she's right at home - took about 4 hours and she got right into the routine... car rides, cookies, playing... She's much easier to photograph than Miss Rissa!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Dog Motel

Not a great picture but... "Jill" is staying here until she goes to her new home. Sweet, sweet girl. Gentle mouth, happy, 6 years old. I took some great pictures inside - NO CAMERA CARD in the camera! Jill is a half sister to my sister's dog "Ruby" in Alaska. Tomorrow is to be READer dog in Somesville - the weather prediction might make us cancel it again :( !!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thursday 1/22

School this morning with Timber. One boy earned his book today - he was so excited - got a picture for Timber's album. The school superintendent will be at school next Thursday - he requested a Thursday because he wanted to read to the dog! We'll have 2 kids get books next week and we'll have him help "pawtograph" them! Learning a lot about ADD through observation of some of the kids... One girl read and could stay focused and now she cannot - ? if she is off her meds - so obvious - all new to me. I make observations - share with librarian and then she will share with teachers - she also is present in the library making the same observation.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday, 1/16

Pet therapy day at the hospital - saw oooodles of patients and staff today - then to the retirement village. One of our favorites is in the hospital - he fell last night and is badly hurt :( Rissa was her usual friendly, outgoing canine self - she's such a love. Timber didn't destroy anything while we were gone!!

Thursday 1/15

School day for Timber - her 6 kids all were in school today. It's interesting and sad to see/hear some of these kids regression from Christmas break. It's like they are back at the beginning of school and all the progress they made over the fall totally disappears. More surprising is the parents do no reading with these kids over break - even with teacher encouragement. AND - they send their kids to school without breakfast, tired and/or without their glasses... I would have never been sent to school not ready to learn.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sunday 1/11/09 and the year in review

Dog Scout meeting today - in a snow storm and a LOT of people came. Planned troop meetings and events for year plus developed some smaller committees to work on fund raising, education, membership... I also tallied up my volunteer hours for 2008.

Timber Pet Therapy visits at MDIH and BBV = 18 hours
Rissa Pet Therapy visits at BBV and MDIH = 48 hours

Timber Reading Education Assistance Dog at Tremont school = 56 hours
" " at Somesville library = 24 hours
Rissa Reading Education Assistance Dog at Tremont school = 16 hours
" " at Somesville library = 4 hours

All the other volunteer or dog events participated in:
Pet Therapy in-service (March)
Timber - hunting demo dog at the sportsman show, 2 days in March
Volunteer luncheon in May
Sumner High School in May
Bri's READ tea in Blue Hill in June
TV 5 news on us at Tremont in June
Canine Carnival and hunt demo in September
Juvenile Diabetes walk a thon in Sept
North Haven READ in Sept
Alzheimer's walk a thon in October
Rissa - Business of Reading at Bar Harbor School in Oct
READ organizational meeting at MDES in October
Somesville READ tea - October
Acadia Clean up day at Little Long Pond in November
Family Festival - Ellsworth in December
Rissa Rein dog with Santa in December
Orienting new pet therapy team - December
Atticus's READ tea in Bangor - December
Developed 3 handouts, Intro dog/baby - distributed to 3 hospitals - in use now and
dog bite prevention for kids and adults.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Thursday, 1/8/09

School day with Timber. 1 of our boyz left so we got a new one today - he actually read to her last year and started again today. Timber was very calm and gentle at school - before we left she ripped the ears off a stuffed bunny - fluffy stuffing everywhere... The teacher at school shared - the boy that moved asked his mom if the same reader dog would be at his new school - he loved Timber.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

1/1/09 Happy New Year!


Today, Rissa and I oriented a new pet therapy team at the retirement village. Kim and Brenin(dog) already visit at the hospital and will now start at BBV. What a handsome, sweet boy he is. He wanted to play with Rissa but, she was all business and wanted to see her people!