Long Time No Blog

Wow, it's been about a year and a half since my last post. So much and yet so little has changed since then.

We sold our house and moved from the suburbs to acreage in the country, not too far from our extended family. We absolutely love it here. Our neighbors are all farmers and we are surrounded by cattle, horses, pigs and poultry.

We've added chickens, coturnix quail and midget white turkeys to our menagerie, as well as three mouse-hunting cats (one old black cat that had been a stray and stayed with the house when we moved in, and two sweet blue kittens). We still have rabbits, which we raise and show, and our sweet dog, who loves living on a farm and makes it her responsibility to make sure all the other animals are safe.

Not a week passes that one of us doesn't say aloud how much we love living here. It's so wonderful.

I've become a 4-H leader and am loving helping kids learn about rabbits. We have a really great group of kids.

DH is still working at the same job; computer programmer and general computer guru.

We're still attending the same church, and are involved in various small groups and ministries.

This year and last year, the kids have been in a hybrid program where they attend school half of the week and do their assignments at home the other half. It's been a fabulous fit for our family. DH takes the girls to school the mornings they have school, which allows me to sleep in, and usually I pick them up in the afternoon. The extra rest really makes a difference for me, and I'm able to be more functional.

My health issues are still there, and still fluctuate, but are a constant challenge. I'm still far better than I was a few years ago, though, and am still able to do quite a lot as long as I pace myself and plan for the inevitable resting up and recuperating time before and after any activity.

My sister saw a geneticist who specializes in connective tissue disorders, and was diagnosed with a hereditary connective tissue disorder. Probably some version of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or something very similar, though the tests to verify which version don't yet exist (it's not one of the few very serious types that tests have been developed for).

A hereditary issue makes so much sense, considering that both of my siblings and several of our extended family members all suffer from the same kinds of health issues. We're not quite sure whether that diagnosis is instead of or in addition to the FMS/CFIDS stuff, and are still learning about this and what it means.

Largely it makes me a little more careful and aware about overextending myself. While the chance of something like a rupture of a major organ is very small (we don't have the vascular version which carries a life expectancy in the mid-30s due to the high chance of heart or lung rupture), with this type of issue the connective tissue in skin, muscle and joints can suffer permanent damage or wear out preliminarily. From what I understand, any sort of overextension or straining could hasten or worsen issues that could cause more serious long-term disability. Limiting myself in that way is difficult for me with my personality, and I don't always succeed, but I'm trying. :)

My main concern, of course, is for our children and whether they will suffer from it or not. One of our kids is definitely hypermobile, which is one of the big indicators of the disease, but at this point all of the kids are healthy, happy and doing fabulously.

In addition to school, 4-H, AWANA and church activities, the kids are each taking lessons--M&M and Ebee are doing gymnastics (M&M, in particular, is an amazing athlete), and AJ did a couple of sessions of Christian Youth Theater and is now taking dance classes.

Overall, life is good and we feel very blessed.

Animal husbandry and farming threatened

There is currently a bill on the books in California that could have a huge impact on farmers and breeders of any animal in California, and could potentially impact the availability of meat also.

It would criminalize any sale or transfer (including giving away or exchanging transport) of most animals on public property or in any public place (including at rabbit shows, transfer of animals in relays to get them to their new homes, etc.) within the state of California, and also is written vaguely enough that any dispatch of animals, including humane dispatch for food, could be criminalized as well.

What happens in any one state can affect the entire nation, so it's important to speak out even if you're not from CA.

There are many other organizations besides the ARBA opposing this bill--I just happen to have this info. from the ARBA because I am a member. :)

Read below for more info . . .

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I've made some minor corrections to typos.

Official Call to Action from ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association)

Below is an official plan of action released this evening by the president of ARBA- Mike Avesing. He has sent out the following information (see below) and has urged every single member of ARBA to take action immediately to oppose SB 917.

Please do the following:

1.) Cross post this official ARBA call to action alert to every single rabbit owner and raiser you know. There are over 1,700 members of ARBA. They all need to see this message as soon as possible. Encourage cross posting to as many concerned citizens as possible nation wide. This message needs to go viral within the next 24 hours to be effective. It is up to each and every single person receiving this email to step up and to send it on to as many folks as they can. We all need to do this if we care about the future of rabbit raising and preserving animal farming interests in California and Nationally.

2.) Please either fax or send your opposition letter as soon as possible to Senator Ted Lieu, Governor Jerry Brown, and all members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee. All of the necessary contact information is contained within the ARBA action plan below. Also attached and embedded below is a sample letter that can be used. Just fill in your information as appropriate. Please feel free to edit to better convey your opposition message. Remember to include this phrase at the top of your letter: (name of organization or individual) strongly oppose SB 917 as amended and in any an all forms. This is so your opposition to this bill will not be dropped should it be changed or amended.

3.) Next, get as many people as you can to likewise fax or send in their opposition letters. Remember that simply calling or emailing will NOT assure that your opposition will be heard and added to the official file. Have every single member of your family, your friends, co-workers, fellow farmers, etc. fax in their opposition individually. All animal husbandry will be ended in California should this bill pass. We want to literally melt down their fax machines and make it difficult for them to conduct their business as usual. Past experience has taught us that this is the only way to get their attention so they will hear us.

4.) Please, all of you from out of state, please join our opposition effort and fax in your opposition letters ASAP. As the saying goes “So goes California , so goes the nation”. The animal rights operatives behind this monstrous bill will replicate it across the nation if they are successful in passing it in California . This is their tried and true mode of operandus. YOU CAN BANK ON IT!

We all should extend a big thank you to Mike Aversing for his invaluable help in this effort.

ARBA Action Plan ” CA Senate Bill 917″

The ARBA is very concerned with the potential impacts of SB 917 on our hobby and our members in CA. With that in mind, we are urging that every one of our 1731 California members contact their elected state officials to express their concern about the negative impacts of SB 917. Target the elected officials that represent you. Encourage your family and friends fax letters of opposition to the bill. 4H or FFA groups would also be impacted by this bill and would also we a great place to get additional support.

To make it easier for everyone to do that, we are providing the following to as many members as we can:

*
A sample letter that can be sent to your elected state officials. (Separate email attachment) The letter should be useable by anyone. If you raise cavies, just substitute “cavies” for rabbits in the letter. Opposition letters can be faxed to 916-319-2181 to be reviewed by the individual who will be writing the analysis for the Appropriations Committee. Additionally, it is a good idea to fax opposition letters to each Assembly person on the appropriations committee to convey your position and how this bill will adversely affect you, your organization, and animal husbandry in general.

Faxing letters is preferred to calling since the fax is a hard copy of your opposition and must be included in the file. Calls are not recorded as such.

Contact information for the members of the Appropriations Committee is also included in this document.

*
Contact information for CA State Assemblymen (Separate email attachment)

*
Talking points that you can use in discussions on the bill (See below)

Melting down the fax machines at the capitol was a very successful tactic we have used in the past to defeat other bad animal rights bills. WE NEED LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE sending in their opposition. At the bottom of this email is the contact list for the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

When you have completed your opposition effort then it is imperative that we get others to do the same. These can be family members, neighbors, friends, fellow farmers and rabbit breeders, co-workers, etc. Please have those who reside out of state that you know do the same.

SPREAD THE WORD QUICKLY. It is especially important to fax opposition letters to Governor Brown’s office and Senator Ted Lieu’s office.

Here is their contact information:

Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento , CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841
Fax: (916) 558-3160

Senator Ted Lieu

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4090

Sacramento , CA
95814
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Fax: (916) 323-6056

The information we are providing has been supplied by many individuals within our membership. I don’t want to mention names for fear of forgetting someone. I’d sincerely like to thank them for their assistance and support.

Mike Avesing

Talking Points:

BENEFITS of the rabbit and cavy fancies:

*
the productive contribution the hobby makes in the lives of young people
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community service
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wholesome food
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the green movement/sustainable agriculture
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agribusiness/retail economy
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promotion of responsible rabbit ownership that ARBA members support

Committee Members District FAX E-mail

Felipe Fuentes – Chair Dem-39 (916) 319-2139

Assemblymember.Fuentes@assembly.ca.gov

Diane L. Harkey – Vice Chair Rep-73 916) 319-2173

Assemblymember.Harkey@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Blumenfield

Dem-40 (916) 319-2140 Assemblymember.Blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Steven Bradford

Dem-51 (916) 319-2151 Assemblymember.Bradford@assembly.ca.gov

Charles M. Calderon

Dem-58 (916) 319-2158 Assemblymember.Calderon@assembly.ca.gov

Nora Campos

Dem-23 (916) 319-2123 Assemblymember.Campos@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Davis

Dem-48 (916) 319-2148 Assemblymember.Davis@assembly.ca.gov

Tim Donnelly

Rep-59 (916) 319-2159 Assemblymember.Donnelly@assembly.ca.gov

Mike Gatto

Dem-43 (916) 319-2143 Assemblymember.Gatto@assembly.ca.gov

Isadore Hall III

Dem-52 (916) 319-2152 Assemblymember.Hall@assembly.ca.gov

Jerry Hill

Dem-19 (916) 319-2119 Assemblymember.Hill@assembly.ca.gov

Ricardo Lara

Dem-50 (916) 319-2150 Assemblymember.Lara@assembly.ca.gov

Holly J. Mitchell

Dem-47 (916) 319-2147 Assemblymember.Mitchell@assembly.ca.gov

Jim Nielsen

Rep-2 (916) 319-2102 Assemblymember.Nielsen@assembly.ca.gov

Chris Norby

Rep-72 (916) 319-2172 Assemblymember.Norby@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio

Dem-69 (916) 319-2069 Assemblymember.Solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Donald P. Wagner

Rep-70 (916) 319-2070 Assemblymember.Wagner@assembly.ca.gov

Sample Letter :

I (name of organization or individual) strongly oppose SB 917 as amended and in any and all forms.

Dear Esteemed Assemblyman: ,

I would like to convey my strong opposition to bill SB 917 pertaining to the topic of “animal abuse”. I ask to be included in the count for the opposition to SB917.

This proposed law is a direct assault on animal husbandry in the state of California including, but not limited to, those who raise rabbits. SB 917 constitutes a direct assault on small farmers and intends to criminalize them simply for their responsible and ethical pursuit of animal raising. Those who raise rabbits and other animals will be forbidden to sell them anywhere except on private property. This requirement will inevitably impede both interstate commerce as well as live animal trade within California ‘s borders. Selling at shows and on public property, giving away animals as pets, and transporting them to be picked up anywhere on public property will be considered an act of “animal cruelty” complete with fines, seizure of private property (animals), and arrest as a misdemeanor offense. Furthermore, the natural and time honored farming practice of harvesting animals for food will be now be criminalized and potentially be classified as “cruel and intentional killing”, an act of animal cruelty, and, according to this law, a felonious crime.

The terms cruelty, abuse, and neglect are not well defined by this bill. As written, they are ambiguous terms subject to the conjecture and whims of the enforcer. Who is to determine what is cruel, neglectful, and/or abusive and what is not? What criterion will be used? None are set forth in this bill. Normal farming practices may seem cruel to someone who has always resided in a city and has only owned pets that live with them inside their homes as many animal control investigators have. Because this law is so badly written and poorly defined, its enforcement will cause the inevitable abuse of power by those who choose to do so.

Clearly, this bill will unavoidably lead to the criminalization of innocent farming and animal raising California citizens.

Families will be prohibited from raising rabbits and other animals for food. Children participating in 4H and FFA will become instant criminals upon their 18th birthday simply because they raise animals. Small farmers, under the weight of such a draconian and ill-conceived law, will be forced to abandon farming in California and flee the state resulting in a massive loss of tax revenue and a vital food supply.

All wrongly convicted farmers and animal raisers caught in this ill-conceived dragnet will be incarcerated in California‘s already over-populated penal system. Rest assured, there will be legal challenges to this law which again will be borne by the California taxpayer. Additionally, this is an unfunded mandate whose implementation will be paid for by already critically cash-strapped local governments. .

During these fiscally challenging economic times, California simply can not afford to make SB 917 a law. Please stand with our innocent farmers and animal raisers of California by opposing this draconian legislation.

The last thought I would like to leave you with is- what will happen to California‘s meat supply should this bill go into effect? We are one of the largest food producing regions in the world. How many people will be adversely affected by this law when the cost of meat escalates beyond affordability? Already cash-strapped families will no longer be able to provide their children with meat-based protein which is absolutely essential for normal human development. The ultimate costs of SB 917 are grave and far reaching.

Thank you so much for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

(Your name/ position and/or organization here)

Addendum

I've been really struggling with health issues and pain/energy levels again over the last several months, so we're looking at where we need to make changes and cut back to keep things more manageable and allow me to pace myself better. We're also hoping to sell our home and move soon, hopefully to a place with acreage where we'll have more room to breathe.

The conversation with AJ was actually one small part of one in which I was partly trying to gauge whether it's important to AJ to keep any of the satins or get some back later, or if she'd be happy to just have mini satins long-term. I'm trying to figure out what's important to all of the kids right now, and which rabbits are most important to them to keep, since we are probably going to be keeping only a very few that they are able and willing to be mostly responsible for on their own.

We do have a couple of rabbit friends who have offered to take some of our stock for the time being and let us have back some of the original stock or their offspring later. I'm trying to make decisions about that right now.

We're currently looking at drastically reducing or getting out of raising rabbits for the time being, and getting back into it later when we move to a place where we can have a less energy-intensive setup and I get back on my feet healthwise.

Turning in the Service Dog in Training Vest

Mira has made a lot of progress in the year and a half I've had her, but it has become clear that we will probably never be able to count on her being 100% unflappable and appropriate in every situation. She just has not been able to completely get past the consequences of having lived in an abusive household before we got her, and having been trained as a guard dog previously. Although she is no longer afraid of most people and situations, it's still too unpredictable what will set off a fear or protection reaction for her.

I've had her in and out of public-access training several times, thought we had worked through things and began gradually working toward putting her back in it, only to have something else pop up and have to pull her out again.

At our last session with our trainer, my trainer and I were sitting at a table talking as people were walking by at a mall. A woman with a large shopping bag came up and was almost right in Mira's face before any of us saw her coming.

She asked if she could pet the dog.

As I said, "No. Please don't; she's in training" the woman moved in even closer toward Mira, reaching toward her. Mira got partway to her feet toward the woman, barking and growling at her. She still thinks she is a guard dog, as she had been trained to be by her previous owner. She knew I had just told the woman to stay away and was going to make sure she did.

At that point we decided that enough was enough, and it wasn't fair to Mira, me or the public to continue putting her in a position where this sort of thing could happen. No matter how careful we are and how much we train, I can't guarantee that it won't happen again with the right trigger. Mira has barked and growled and rushed at people more than once (even though when she had the chance to bite, she just stopped and looked sheepishly at the person).

I do not regret bringing Mira home, and she will still be able to help me a lot at home. She is very good at her assistance tasks and can still help me a lot on the days I stay home and need to minimize movement and exertion. But I have turned in our "service dog in training" vest and will not be doing public access training with her any more.

The good thing is that ever since I was in the double-blind placebo-controlled study through a local teaching and research university, and discovered that my neurological symptoms, balance issues, brain fog, fatigue, pain and other symptoms were hugely affected by excitotoxins in my diet, I've been feeling so much better that I really don't feel that I need a service dog for public access work any more. I am better able to predict and prevent my bad spells, and when I do have a bad spell I pretty much stay home anyway.

Almost all of the other fibromyalgia/IBS patients in the study were similarly helped--84% had more than 30% improvement in symptoms, and some even got to the point where they didn't meet the diagnostic criteria for having fibromyalgia any more after going through the study. It has been very exciting to be a part of that! The study author will be publishing the study results in scientific journals and coming out with a book on the excitotoxin-free diet soon.

So, Mira is transitioning to being an at-home helper and family pet. We're going to continue training, and are hoping to take a "Control Unleashed" class and eventually pass the Canine Good Citizen test. But we have ended one journey and are beginning a new one together.

I'm sad, and I feel that I've failed her. I keep wondering if I'd been more diligent or had done things differently, if the results would have been different. But at this point I know this was the right decision. In a way, it will make life a lot less easier for both of us and take a lot of the pressure off trying to make her fit into a role that she just didn't have the temperament and stability for, and that was constantly stressful for us both.

I am looking forward to continuing to train and learn with her.

Birthday Present from the Bunnies

I got the perfect birthday present today . . . 9 baby mini satins. The mother is siamese and the father is white, so the dark ones will likely be chinchilla or self-chin black. Most of the light ones have dark eyes, so they'll hopefully be siamese, although they could also end up being ermine (a.k.a. ghost chinchilla)--white with dark eyes and a bit of grey ticking. Looks like at least 1 regular red-eyed white, too.

The girls and I are so much enjoying the colored mini satins, especially since we're getting some more mellow-tempered ones.

Wordless Wednesday 29 April 2009: Hoppiness

Busy

I thought you all might enjoy this fun picture of Mira and Gingersnap. Aren't they cute together?

I took some photos of baby bunnies this week, and will hopefully get a chance to post some soon. We've sent to pet homes some of the satin babies that weren't show-quality but had great personalities, sent to freezer camp a few that had health or temperament issues, and are looking for homes for a few more bunnies.

Hopefully we'll be trimmed down to just a few of the best satin and mini satin rabbits before too long. I might also keep the mixed-meat-breed doe, because she's such a wonderful mother and is a great resource as a foster mother while also producing amazingly fast-growing and healthy babies.

Life has been busy, but good, lately. With kids, homeschooling, housework, adding the extra family member, dog training and doctor appointments, plus DH working extra hours due to craziness at work, I have had my hands full.

The college student who is living with us--we'll call her Name-Like-A-Semiprecious-Stone, or NLASS for short--fits in pretty well with our family. She enjoys being here, and we enjoy having her.

Several of you asked what excitotoxins I am avoiding. Yes, artificial sweeteners are on the list, as are natural and artificial flavors. Also any kind of modified starch or modified protein, or extract of a protein/soy/yeast. Soy sauce, of course. And dough conditioners--the stuff that makes bread soft, like L. cystine (not sure if I spelled that right). Who knew? Actually, just about any food with additives is likely to have excitotoxins in it. The actual full list is a full page long, but I'm not supposed to publish it or give it out to people until the study is over.

At least it's not like a food allergy where I have to be 100% compliant and completely avoid everything that might contain any amount of an excitotoxin in it.

Right now I'm beginning the slow process of trying to figure out what levels I can tolerate, and how sick different foods make me. And then deciding which foods are worth what level of illness at what times. Great fun. :)

Bunnies at the Beach

Last week's rabbit show was a lot of fun, except that I didn't realize it was going to be in an open horse arena and the girls and I didn't dress for being semi-outdoors in the snow and wind.

Having the college student live with us is going pretty well. It helps that we like each other and get along well. :) The kids really like her, too.

She has been helping quite a bit with meal preparation and things like that. But mainly it's just nice to bless someone by sharing our home and helping meet needs. She is looking for a job, so if anyone knows of an opening in our area (or even just wants to hire a babysitter), she would love the opportunity to apply.

Right now I'm typing from a hotel on the coast, about 4.5 hours southwest of our home. DH and I decided to get a friend to stay with the kids and animals so we could make it a weekend away together.

I'll go to the rabbit shows, and he'll enjoy hanging out and relaxing on the beach and in our room. Then we'll have tomorrow evening to relax on the beach together, and Sunday morning we'll head home. We've always enjoyed long car rides together. Lots of time to talk, with few distractions.

DH found a very nice roadside inn, located about 30 minutes from the show in Sounds-Like-Abandoned by the Sea. The rooms are much nicer than your average motel room, tastefully decorated with amenities usually found in a suite rather than just a motel room.

Our rabbits haven't done too badly so far. We haven't won anything (well, a few best of class and one best of variety, but only one where we actually beat a rabbit entered by someone else--it's not quite as exciting to win best of variety when your rabbit is the only one in the contest. :) ) Even our rabbits who place low in the class are mostly getting good comments from the judge--it's just very stiff competition.

I went ahead and brought the mini satin doe who was supposed to kindle several days ago. After putting in the nestbox almost a week ago and seeing her cart hay around that day, and then nothing . . . nothing . . . nothing . . . I assumed it must have been a miss or reabsorption, and she wasn't going to have babies. But a more experienced breeder felt her for me and could feel babies in there, so she's just overdue.

Hopefully both she and the babies will be all right. I'm going to pull her out of tomorrow's show and leave her in peace to have her babies. I gave her a box with hay in it, and stuffed lots of extra hay in the biggest carrying cage for her.

My siamese junior doe kept thumping her feet at the judge tonight, so hopefully she won't get too grumpy by the end of the day tomorrow. The other rabbits seem to be doing well--eating fine, active and not showing signs of being too stressed out.

I'm so impressed with how kind and friendly everyone is at the rabbit shows, both judges and exhibitors. I'm learning a lot and having a great time.

And now, I need to go to bed so I can get up early for the show in the morning!

Full Life

Things are still going well here. I still have pain and fatigue, but it has been better the last few days. The head and neck pain is finally quite a bit better--the doctor said it was just a really persistent muscle spasm.

Our friend and home helper is still coming, and is still being a huge help.

Over the last few days we've gotten a little Christmas shopping done and stocked up on groceries for the predicted wintery weather the next week or more.

Tomorrow, if the weather permits, Mira and I have our first interview/evaluation with the owner-trained service dog program we're applying to. I really hope that goes well, and that we get accepted.

Today will be, I'm sure, a momentous day in family history for years to come.

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You see, the kids have been rather heartbroken that, instead of a family pet, we ended up with a service dog in training. She likes the kids, but she knows that she is not really their dog. She is pretty close to 100% focused on me almost all the time. This is as it should be, and as it needs to be, but it's been a little hard on the kids.

It was breaking my heart seeing the look of hurt on their faces (especially AJ's) every time they tried to pet her and she tolerated it nicely, but then quickly excused herself to be with me. Every time they called her and she ignored them to go with me as I walked out of the room.

The girls have told me several times, with tears in their eyes, that they didn't feel it was fair that instead of a pet for the whole family, we got a dog that was really just mine.

So, DH and I talked about it, and after a family conference we decided that the kids needed a pet. We knew we couldn't handle another dog at this time, and I'm allergic to cats. So that left various small animals to consider.

After some research and discussion, and some visits to pet stores and the Humane Society, we decided that rabbits were the best fit for us. I had rabbits growing up, and enjoyed them a lot, and the kids quickly fell in love with rabbits when they got a chance to hold them.

Today, our search came to fruition and we added three new members to our family. They are 9-week-old rabbits, two girls and a boy. We're going to try to have all three of them "belong" to all three kids, but I'm not sure whether the kids and the rabbits will cooperate with that. :)

AJ named the little buck rabbit Gingersnap. He is a broken (two-toned) New Zealand rabbit, who will soon be neutered to prevent myriads of little bunnies overrunning the house. :) His fur is white with tan spots.

M&M has always liked solid white rabbits best, so she was thrilled when we found a sweet little New Zealand white doe that she named Snowflake.

Ebee keeps changing her mind about what she wants to call the doe she chose, but so far it has been called Bun-Bun, Sugar, Snowball, Ginger and I think a few more named. I hope she doesn't get too confused.

Mira and the bunnies are doing amazingly well with each other so far. The bunnies seem cautious, but not terrified. Mira is interested, but calm. She doesn't seem to see the rabbits as prey or food at all, and she hasn't tried to bark at or play with them. She just looks at them, gently wagging her tail, and sniffs them.

At the moment we have all three bunnies in one small cage. It's big enough for them now, but as they grow to 10-pound rabbits it won't be sufficient for long. I'm hoping to find or make a larger cage, possibly with more than one level, that will be a more appropriate home for them as they grow.

Clicker Training

Sue Ailsby's Training Levels Site is the best resource I've found for training a dog. Whether you are teaching your dog to work, show, compete, or just be a great family pet, working through Sue's training levels will give you an excellent foundation.

Mira and I are currently working at level 2 or 3 on most tasks, with a few on level 1 or 4. The levels go up to 7. Even at this stage of training, Mira has a level of behavior and training that most people in the general public find impressive.

By the time we get to level 7, she will be close to rock solid and nearly 100% reliable with tasks and basic obedience on and off leash, with and without distractions. By that point the goal is to have such good communication, good teamwork and eagerness to learn that Mira should be able to learn basically any task and do it reliably with just a few minutes' work.

The best part is that clicker training is fun for both the handler and the dog.

Better

Finally, after 3 and 1/2 weeks, I seem to be getting over this cold. Everyone else in the family had it too, but they were all only sick for a couple of days or so. I've actually felt like I had a bit of energy yesterday and today.

I finally found a denist that I think is a good fit for me. Today he fixed several problem fillings that previous dentists had done poorly, and also some other issues. I was really impressed with his chairside manner, his demeanor, his knowledge about both traditional and alternative approaches to dental health, the thoroughness and goodwill with which he answered all my questions, and the good quality of his work.

My front teeth look so much better now--I'm no longer embarrassed to smile. And my back teeth in one quadrant of my mouth are fixed so that they're smooth, pain-free, and no longer have gaps and shelves under and between fillings that serve as food and floss traps. I'm very pleased.

The one bad thing was that I had to have so much anesthetic to have 4 different teeth worked on. It made my lip swell up visibly huge, and numbed my face all the way up to my eyes. Apparently the eye nerves were affected by the anesthetic, because it actually messed up my vision for a few hours. And I think there was enough of it spread through my system that it sort of made all my muscles relaxed. That made walking a bit of a challenge when I got done. :)

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After the appointment I was so dizzy, tired, weak and having trouble seeing (because of the anesthetic affecting my eyes) that I didn't feel I could safely drive. So I hung out at Trader Joe's, leaning on a cart for balance and trying to walk it off for as long as I could before I had to go get the kids from the sitter so she could pick up her daughter for school.

I still don't feel quite normal (wait a minute--what's normal?), but I'm sure it will have worn off completely by tomorrow. These sorts of things always affect me more and take longer to wear off than for most people.

I'm sitting on the sofa with the laptop right now, relaxing while Mira picks up all the kids' toys, the remote control and any other random objects she finds and brings them to me, hoping I'll give her a treat.

Mira is doing so well with her training. She is getting quite good at picking up shoes and toys and putting them away in their respective bins. She's learning how to turn lights on and off. If I give her something and ask her to take it to DH, she'll find him and give it to him even if he's in another part of the house. Then she'll deliver something back to me if he asks her to. She finds my phone and brings it to me when it rings. She picks up things I drop (or anything I point to) and hands them to me to save me from having to bend over. She can even pick up a dropped credit card on a hard floor--quite a feat for a dog. And, if I hand her money or a credit card she will hand it to the person I indicate, even if she has to do "paws up" on a counter to hand it to a cashier.

Yesterday I started introducing her to the electric shopping carts at a grocery store. It will take a little bit of practice to get her used to working with one, but I think that will help so much in conserving energy on shopping trips if I really need to go shopping on a day that the pain and fatigue are especially bad. Right now she thinks the cart is some strenge beast that's trying to steal me away, I think. :)

I'm working with Mira with a laser pointer, too, so that eventually I'll be able to indicate a specific item on the floor, on a shelf or across the room for her to get and bring to me. She's pretty good at telling when I'm getting toward the end of my energy or am about to have a migraine or a "crash" and alerting for me, too.

Mira loves to jog on the treadmill the SIL The Mentor and Biology Teacher BIL gave to us, and that helps a lot on the days I don't feel up to walking her much.

She has been doing marvelously well in being more comfortable around both people and other dogs, so much that I've been able to start working with her regularly in non-dog-friendly places like stores.

On another note, the kids and I are adjusting to a new homeschool schedule. We added some new subjects, and my mom helped make schedules for the layout of the day and for what the kids need to do in each subject per day. It's so helpful to have that more organized, with times built in for breaks and periods where I can relax a bit while the kids work on things they can do idependently or have recess, in between the more teacher-intensive subjects.

Even Ebee has some educational things and Montessori activities to do while the older girls are doing school. The goal is to get everything done between 9 and 2, but we're still working on that part.

DH's job is going really well, and as always he is a huge help to me. And now, I'm going to go spend some time with him while the kids are gone at AWANA. :)

Harvest Days

Thanksgiving is coming up, and it's a big holiday around here--it's when my side of the family does a big holiday gathering complete with gifts.

This week the kids and I got out the bin of Thanksgiving decorations out, and decided to have a little fun:



Happy Thanksgiving and Fall, Y'all!

More Beach Photos

I couldn't resist posting a few more photos from this weekend. I love beach photos.



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J's Birthday Party, by AJ

AJ has been doing a unit this week on the writing process. She started with brainstorming ideas and writing a word web. Then she picked a few of her favorite details to include in the story, and numbered them in the order they belonged.

After that we wrote a first draft, revised it, copied the new draft (including some more descriptive words she chose from the thesaurus), proofread it (including looking up words in the dictionary to check spelling), and re-read it again to catch any errors that were missed the first few times.

Then it was time to "publish" her story. I decided to allow her to start her own blog, with careful rules and supervision. If you want her blog address, drop me a note via e-mail. I'm not going to share it online.

Here's AJ's story about her cousin J's birthday party the weekend before last:

One Sunday we went to our cousin J's birthday party in B------. It was fun. While we drove there, we counted cars.

When we got there we ate. The food was delicious. The games were fun. We didn't play the sock race game, but I played the balloon race.

On the trip home it was dim outside and shadowy inside. We were glad to go to bed when we got home. The day was enjoyable.

Here are some photos I took this weekend at Adventurous BIL's and Artistic SIL's property in B-----. It's incredibly beautiful out there.



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Impromptu Trip

We took a wrong turn Satuday night and ended up at the coast, so we decided to make an adventure of it. We spent a night and day at the coast, then came halfway home and stayed at Adventurous BIL and Artistic SIL's house the second night. After an afternoon exploring and playing on their acreage, we finally came home just in time to cook dinner Monday night.

It was a great adventure that the kids and I will remember for a long time.



It's a good reminder that God can take even a wrong turn and make it into a beautiful thing.

Wordless Wednesday 15 Oct 08: "He is happy who has a wonderful dog."--AJ

Mira's Pack

Here are the promised photos of Mira in her service-dog-in-training pack:










The lettering says, "SERVICE DOG in training DO NOT DISTRACT". Having such large, legible lettering helps a lot to make most people not just walk up and pet her while she's working.

How far we've come in 2 weeks

We have a cleaner who comes every 2 weeks to clean the house. Last time Mira had only been here a few days and she was quite upset by the whole thing. She growled at them when they came in, and then kept barking at the noises they made. She was extremely stressed by all the scents and sights as they cleaned, and I ended up finally taking her out of the house for a little while to give her a break.

This time she let me know with a brief woof or two and running to the window that they were outside, but quieted right down when I thanked her and told her to "leave it."

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She was easily redirected to going outside, and by the time she came back in they were already in the house. She sniffed them over without a sign of a bark or growl, and then was fine with them and quite friendly. The whole time they were here she never seemed upset by the sound of the vaccuum or them banging things around moving stuff to clean.

She went over to watch with interest several times, or tried to lie down near where they were working. My only concern was keeping her from getting underfoot with her friendly interest in what they were doing. But when I called her she immediately came to me without a backward look.

When it came time to pay them, I put the check in an envelope and had Mira take it to the cleaner. He was delighted by this, and she was so proud of herself.

She knows I'm not feeling well today, so she's mostly staying right with me. She has alerted several times and wasn't happy until I laid down for a rest. You can bet I'm not going to try to drive anywhere today. I'm learning that when she acts that concerned about me, those are days I need to not try to drive so I don't end up getting stranded somewhere.

Last night she kept alerting to DH. He was really tired and in pain from an infected toe, and just dragging around and feeling generally under the weather. She kept woofing and nudging him, and licking him and pawing at him persistently. This morning when he woke up he was sick with the cold that Ebee is just getting over.

A neighbor dropped by this morning to look at a sick tree in our yard and give advice about it. He came while the cleaners were here, and I knew he was coming in time to put Mira in the back yard just before he rang the doorbell. I let her in after he was in the house. Again, not a hint of barking or growling.

It seems that if I have enough warning, this is a perfect solution to completely stop the "guard dog" behavior at the door. She is making a lot of progress even when she does answer the door, as well as with not growling at the window, but I think I'll keep having her not answer the door for a while whenever it's practical.

Cute Stuff

This afternoon Ebee decided she was going to color one of her teeth purple with a crayon so she could have a "loose tooth" too. She actually told M&M her plan before she did it, so I was able to convince her that coloring her tooth purple wouldn't make it loose, and that putting crayons in her mouth was a bad idea anyway.

AJ and M&M spent a long time after school this afternoon making journals and valentines for everyone in the family.

AJ left a lacy heart next to my bed inscribed with the words "Your secret admirer: Will you be my Valentine?" Amazingly enough, she spelled every single word correctly. Not bad for a 7-year-old just starting 2nd grade. :)

M&M made the cutest teeny-tiny heart with yellow scallops all around the edge, with the words "I love you" just the right size to put in my pocket.

And Ebee wrote in purple crayon all over a piece of purple paper, and gave it to me. She said she made me a purple card because it matched my clothes. (I was wearing purple today.)

Mira was antsy and wanting something to do even after our walk tonight, so I had her help the kids pick up their toys. I'd point to a toy and have her pick it up, then point to the correct bin and tell her to "put it in the bin". It only took showing her what "put it in the bin" meant 2 or 3 times before she got it, and she was so excited when she did it right.

She helped pick up a whole bunch of toys and she LOVED IT, and so did the kids.

Assistance Dog in Training

I've been having a pretty bad flare-up the last couple of weeks . . . bad enough that last week I had to call DH to come get me from Target because I wasn't able to drive home. I hate it when that happens.

Mira, though, is already showing herself to be incredibly helpful. She's getting more reliable with her alerts (or I'm getting better able to interpret them). Somehow, she seems to know a few minutes ahead of time when I'm about to reach the end of my energy, have a crash, or get a migraine.

She's also learning how to lie down along my back with just the right amount of pressure to help provide pain relief when I'm really hurting. She makes a great canine hot water bottle, and she's long enough to stretch out the full length of my back.

With the trainer/behaviorist and the paperwork I needed from my doctor lined up, she's now an official "service dog in training." She even has the service pack that says so. (The camera is missing right now, but when we find it I'll post a picture of Mira in her service-dog-in-training gear.)

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I am amazed at how much difference it makes in my pain levels just to have her carry the things in her pack that I would normally be carrying in a purse. She has all the essentials in the pack on her back, and there's even a spot to clip my keys.

Yesterday I had a much-needed chiropractor appointment, and afterwards was extremely tired and sore. I got home and decided to sit down at the computer to check e-mail quickly before we had to leave for a family gathering. But Mira wouldn't let me.

She insistently alerted until I said, "What is it? Show me."

She led me to the bedroom and stared from me to the bed and back. She's been doing this when it's bedtime.

"OK, OK, you're right. I really should lie down for a few minutes."

So I rested for a few minutes, and then felt like I could manage to go to the family gathering. I really wanted to see my aunt and uncle who were in town briefly and were leaving to head back to Indonesia today.

As we were getting ready to go, I gingerly gathered my things together, trying to move or bend as little as possible.

Then I dropped my keys.

I stood there staring at them, thinking, "Oh, no. Am I going to have to bend down to pick those up? I don't know if I can manage to get all the way down to the floor right now."

Then I remembered: Mira! I asked her to hand me the keys, and she picked them up and gave them to me perfectly. That was easy.

We had a lovely time visiting at the family gathering. After we'd been there for a while, Mira started alerting and led me to the door. I thought maybe she needed to go to the bathroom, but no. She led me to our van. So I went back in and told DH that Mira said we needed to go.

Mira helped me gather together our things, picking up her portable water dish and handing it to me to put in her pack, picking up the bag of treats (although she wasn't sure she wanted to give them up for a moment), and even helping get MM's shoes (it was the first time I'd asked her to pick up a shoe, and the task needs a bit of work, but she tried).

By the time we got out to the van, my pain levels were between a 7 and 8, getting into the van was a challenge, and I was on the verge of tears. All I wanted was to be at home and in bed. I was so glad we were already loaded up and in the van by that point rather than just starting to pack up and get ready after I'd already crashed.

Mira was right on-the-dot with her alert. And very timely. I don't know how she can tell several minutes before it happens, but somehow she knew in time to give me a chance to get my things together and go before the crash actually happened.

I'm just so amazed, over and over again, by this dog. Somehow God provided a miracle in bringing this rescue dog into our lives. Mira is definitely a fitting name.