Santa's helper

Rissa went visiting today. She wore her kool Santa suit. Pictured here is Rissa's "boss" - Brenda - the volunteer coordinator at the hospital. She wore the hat/beard for the pictures only - she wore the jacket only the rest of the time - many people smiled when she jingled by them. She was quite proud in her coat - she loves to be made of anyway.She actually did not mind wearing the outfit at all - the pictures make her look like she did. She wore this suit in honor of Woody who passed it on to my girlz to continue to make folks smile.

Sunday

A doggie Santa suit was passed on to the girlz... Rissa models the outfit - will get a better picture when the snow looks better.

12/13/09

It's quite boring around here for the girlz... snow is just an icy mess and difficult to run and play on. Taking girlz in the car for rides and errands - we visited Bri and Gracie yesterday afternoon. The dogs just hung out after sniffing the new house.Bri and Gracie with the girlz in the pic taken earlier this year.

Winter arrives

HO HO HO

Today was the annual Employee Benefit Craft fair at work. It seems just like the economy - the fair had less shoppers than previous years. It was still successful - just noticeably low key. Rissa hung out with plenty of folks and SANTA... Rissa is so difficult to get a good photo of... I must have 100 pictures of her with Santa and 99% are bad... Brenin another therapy dog was there too...

November 29th

The girlz got a walk around the Shore Path in Bar Harbor today and then got to stop in one of their favorite stores! Tomorrow, Rissa will be the "rein-dog" with Santa at the Employee craft fair.

Bed race

Rissa unexpectedly walk in a parade today. OB girls entered a bed in the bed race today (I covered and was patient care so Ellen could RUN/PUSH) - All the girls walked in the bed parade - not only the "team" that pushed the bed - I had Rissa with me SO, she marched and wagged along Main St. downtown Bar Harbor!

This photo was the night time training session - pre decorations. Will post later a shot so you get the whole idea. A fun chamber event to bring people shopping in town.

Friday 11/13

All 3 girlz went visiting today. Rissa did the hospital. Timber went into Safe Harbor at the retirement village and Jillian saw the folks on Pleasant Cove (assisted living) - not many folks to see as 6 of em were on a field trip to the VFW playing BINGO!

Wednesday 11/4

READer dog in Somesville resumed. Only a few kids came... 1 got her book for a filled bookmark(she had 8 left over from May!) I had to tell Tremont school that I won't be coming this semester for READer dog... it would be a high risk situation for me to be at school (which is now being invaded by the swine flu) and bringing what I picked up there to work... Newborn babies and moms are especially susceptible... a few of the docs I work with thought it would be wise to wait until after the holidays to resume Timber at school...

Halloween

My first and maybe only trick or treater was a Dakota as a black lab. The girlz gave him many kisses - and they didn't try to eat his candy!

Friday 10/30/09

Took all 3 girlz visiting today. Rissa went into the hospital. She saw many patients (2 remembered her from before) - she got many belly rubs from staff! I took Timber into the Memory unit to see those folks and then switched and took Jillian upstairs to the assisted living floor! No one was available to visit on the second floor ( 2 moved, 1 was out on a pass, 1 passed on and 1 was sick....) so, I took Jillian into the Memory unit to visit those folks again - thought they may not remember I was just there with a different colored dog - and they didn't!

Jillian's official

Jillian received her tag and acceptance letter from Inter Mountain Therapy Dogs. She is now a READer dog!

10/22

Went to Bradford with a friend from work to see her new puppy - cute! She's still to young to come home but soon! 3 litters of puppies all needed holding! Timber's daughter Isabella had a litter of black puppies just 2 weeks old - male puppy in picture... the puppies and camera didn't cooperate today - best shot I got of a puppy in a puppy pail. My 3 girlz went and got to run and swim at their former home with many other canine friends.

Stolen

Timber stole a beanie baby dog. Not that she doesn't have MANY stuffed toys... guess she needed another! Maybe she misses her puppies? Carrying this around all day.

Friday 10/16

Rissa went a visitin' again. She loves to go. We saw many folks at the hospital - 1.5 hours worth of visiting and then shot off to the retirement village. I was glad to see one of our "regulars" was feeling better - last time we were there I thought it might be the last time we saw him... Next visiting day I plan to take all 3 girls and share the sites. One to the hospital and one to each of the different floors at BBV. Rissa was hot and tired by the end so... time to share the visiting.

October 5th

The girlz and I just went on a hike and swim with friend Debbie - visiting from Florida for the week. Flying Mt and swimming in Valley Cove. A beautiful fall day.

Sunday 10/4

The Canine Carnival was today - an event with the chamber's Autumn Gold celebration. The Dog Scouts and the local kennel club co organized it. I was at the dog bite prevention table all day and I was in charge of the dog/pet show. Lydia and Louise were judges with me. Naturally everyone won! Rissa attended with me all day - what a trooper - hanging and getting lots of love and attention all day! A friend showed her in the dog show - she won biggest heart and best snuggler. A successful event despite the change in locations the day before due to the weather forecast.

Oct 3

Participated in a 2 day craft fair for our Books Fur Kidz fund raiser. We did great and met many nice folks who showed support for children's literacy. We had high hopes to make some $$ for our books... this was a hard economic climate to be fund raising in. I am pleased we broke even today so... any future sales will be for books!

Happy Birthday Rissa!

Rissa turned 11 today... I've sung her Happy Birthday all day - wag wag wag...

other first day photos

Monday 9/28

Jillian is official! She got her paperwork/tag for TD Inc and today I brought her paperwork to MDIH and she had her "official" hospital badge done and started visiting patients. She had a lot of "you're so beautiful" " how gentle" "I love her eyes" She provided some physical therapy while we were there - one woman we were visiting was due for her P.T. and she told the tech she would go for a walk if Jillian came with her - so we did. Jillian walked right beside her the entire way - was a very slow process - she sat and waited... wasn't afraid of the walker... She saw her previous owner - was indifferent to him. Acted the same way as everyone else she met. She wasn't overjoyed to see him but, wasn't afraid of him either. She was pooped after 2+ hours of people petting her plus it was quite warm in the hospital.

Friday Sept 18th

Rissa visited patients and staff at the hospital today and then hung out while I did some paperwork... she is such an easy dog to take anywhere.

Jill

Jillian passed her therapy dog tests! Sending in the papers so soon she will be able to visit folks and become a READer dog.

September 12th

Yesterday Rissa went visiting at her favorite retirement village. We delivered one of our special order totes after the visit and Rissa played a bit with Simon. This morning I took Jillian to Cortland manor for her second therapy dog evaluation - she passed no problem. I'm a bit tired since I worked in between those appointments and have had only 2 hours sleep and.... work has called for more help again! They are OK at the moment so I must get a nap in now!!

Trying to get a good snap of all 3 together!

Dawg Dayz of summer coming to an end

The girlz got a Labor Day weekend swim in at Algerine Cove.

August 26th

The dawg dayz of summer are about to end... Have been busy making totes and cutting up cards for our Books Fur Kidz fund raising summer project. The totes are fabulous and I wish we made them sooner. Perfect beach bag! Made out of mesh so sand will fall through and the mesh doesn't matter if it gets wet from wet towels or swim suits!

Volunteer of the Year award

Tonight I was surprised and honored to receive the MDI Hospital's Volunteer of the Year award - along with Rissa and Timber. They were on the award too! I thought I was giving a brief presentation on the Books Fur Kidz project at the end of the evening. Much to my surprise - they had a slide show of all the volunteer activities - not only at MDIH but the READer dog and Dog Scouts volunteer too. What a nice honor.

August 15th

Today I went and sat at the Somesville Library Blueberry Festival with Puppy Pails (Books Fur Kidz) A beautiful WARM sunny day to be sitting on the library lawn by the mill pond and ocean - I had a nice breeze behind me and some battery operated fans to help keep Timber and myself cool. Made 170 dollars for our cause! Pier is at the Machias Blueberry Festival selling pails and will get a report later from her.

speaking engagement

Pier/Bri and Rissa/moi were invited to speak at the Ellsworth noon rotary club today. We spoke on dog scouts... what it's all about, national level and what we do on the local scene - fundraising, education etc... nice group of people.

Sunday August 9th

Down east dog scouts walk and pot luck lunch/meeting in Bass Harbor. Took Rissa. Nice sunny, summer day!

August 3rd

Took Timber with me to deliver a set of pet oxygen masks to the Trenton Fire Department. They seem to really appreciate them - nice group of folks. Timber allowed a demo for those there. Robyn and Cirra came along for the presentation too!

Wednesday July 22nd

Rissa and I (with Robyn and Cirra) delivered 8 pet oxygen masks sets to County Ambulance today. The money was raised with our Dog Scout yard sale in June - we purchased 26 sets to donate to fire departments and ambulance crews in Hancock county. Rissa allowed a little demo of the mask.

Sunday 7/19

Today I took Rissa and Timber to the SPCA pet show and fair as reps at the Dog Scout booth. Weather cooperated - seems like they had a good turn out-to crowded for all the tables and folks/dogs under the tent tho.

Friday 7/17

The girls had another fun outing. We took a walk to the Reservoir on a quiet park trail. Went with neighbors Kate/Bobby and their kids and 2 other dogs - Moxie and Pilot. It's a perfect 1+ hour hike on a wide trail - swimming and then return. The trail head is only a 3 minute drive from my house too! Yes, we could walk but the girls are running and swimming so hard - I don't want Rissa to overdue it to much - actually Jillian is less conditioned than Timber and Rissa - she is getting in shape tho! It's hard to walk all three on a busy road also - safer to drive and park there.

Tuesday 7/14

The girls had a nice early morning walk at LLP with Tracy and Simon - swimming too!

SWIMMING!!!

Timber brings in 2 bumpers and I can't get a good shot of the girls front on so - this shows them all going to retrieve - Timber making the big splash on the left and out swims the other two hands down.

July 11th 2009

Jillian passed her first therapy dog evaluation today! She did very well with all the other dogs and the people at Cortland manor. 2 more observations to go!

July 10th

Rissa was her sweet, calm wonderful self today as we visited the hospital and retirement village. She also double dipped as a READer dog and gave a certificate and a puppy pail to a nice supporter of READer dog. Ruth has bought and donated over 20 books for our kids in the last few years.

July 4th

Another eventful dog day. Sold "puppy pails" for dog scouts at the ball field in Bar Harbor. Set up a nice booth. Had a lot people ask what dog scouts are. Good PR. Sold some of our pails! The sun was out - against all odds and weather prediction. We have more pails to sell but, we have covered our product costs at least.

Saturday, June 27th

Another READer dog activity for Timber/me today. Re-opening and re-dedication of the Somesville Library Children's room. We were asked to be there in case kids wanted to read to the dogs. None of them did but - the dogs got plenty of love and attention. Cirra/Robyn attended also.

Saturday, June 27th

Timber and I (and Bri and Pier) just had an interview with a local newspaper reporter on our "Books Fur Kidz" project. Hopefully a little story will be in the paper next week. We then walked around town and did some tourism promotion - Timber greeting at the info booth!

Friday

Today Rissa visited the hospital and the retirement village. She enjoys it and I do too. Now if we can get thru the night - severe thunderstorms predicted and as Rissa ages she becomes more and more afraid during the storms. :(

June 23rd

We have our cards and puppy pails in the stores! We delivered them today. Cross your fingers they will be "hot"items and make some $$ to buy books for our READer kids. Timber came along for the delivery!

108 dog scout puppy pails completed

We will sell them in Bar Harbor on 7/4 as a fund raiser for Dog Scouts. That's a pile O pails!

Puppy Pails

The first installment of puppy pails are about to hit the stores. Pictured are the first blueberry ones. The cards are packaged and about ready for sales too.

Service Award

I received a Presidential Service Award today. Our Dog Scout troop leader applied for them and presented 2 of us with them at the meeting. A very nice surprise. It's awarded for volunteer hours. We got a certificate, a letter and a lapel pin.

Sunday - June 12th - letterboxing

Dog Scout meeting today. Nancy introduced the troop to letter boxing. The rain didn't stop us and we found 3 boxes at Birds acre in Ellsworth. I took all three dogs on the hike but, Timber wore the backpack so she got credit towards a badge if I do more letter boxing. It actually will be a fun activity. There are 14 more boxes hidden in Hancock county... We then had a picnic in Otis at Nancy's lovely lake front home. Luckily, she has a finished garage - perfect for wet dogs and people. The girls all went swimming regardless of the rain (hey - they were soaking wet anyway from our walk in Birds acre) Pictured are our first 3 stamps and some blurry photos of the dogs on the walk.