I Didn't Realize There Was a Dog!

Earlier today Isaac and I were at McDonald's, me working on my laptop and Isaac practicing his down stay.  It was pretty busy there and he was doing really well.  In fact, when we were ready to leave, he was sleeping so soundly under the table that I had to nudge him in the butt with my foot to wake him up!

So then he stood up and kind of shook himself off.  I don't like him doing that in restaurants.  I know it's a normal thing for a dog to do when they first get up but it's not a good thing to do in a restaurant because fur goes flying and not everyone is as comfortable with dog hair in their food as I am.  Sometimes I am able to put my hand on his side and stop him from doing it.  Then when we get outside, I tell him "Shake it off" and let him do it then.  Other times, I at least try to make sure he is not shaking right beside a table where someone else is eating.  Today, he was still under the table when he shook himself off, so it was a kind of half-shake because he didn't have much room.

And then he came out from under the table and this guy seated across from our table said, all surprised, "Wow!  I didn't even realize there was a dog there!"

And I love hearing that.  That means he was doing exactly what he was supposed to do.

Limitations

Sometimes I get so frustrated by my disability.

No, that's not quite accurate. By my limitations. By the things I can't do and want to do or even need to do.

I have been having a lot of trouble with my car and I have to get a new car. Well, a used car, but new to me. I live in the middle of no where, there is no public transportation, I cannot be stuck here without a car. It is a mile to the nearest store, and while I could walk a mile there and back, at least most days, with my back problems I could carry very little home in the way of groceries. And all my doctors are far away. I have to have a car.

Well, I do not have much money for a car, so my options are very limited. It is becoming apparent to me I am not going to be able to find anything in any kind of decent condition for what I can spend. And it is using up a lot of spoons looking. So my first thought was, well, I need to work more to make more money, and I also need to spend less money, so I should cut back on my acupuncture appointments.

And then I thought about that for a minute. That would have worked, maybe 12 years ago. But now? Work more and do the only thing that helps me manage my pain less? That sounds like a sure recipe for disaster. I can't do that.

But that is the only way I am going to be able to get a car and I need a car. And I want to be able to do it. I want to be able to work hard and then get what I need. I want to be able to do it and I just know I can't.

Swimming with Geese

You've heard of swimming with sharks?  Or swimming with dolphins?  The other day, Isaac swam with the geese at our local state park.

He had a blast.  I think the geese were playing with him.  First he would jump into the lake and swim toward one.  Then it would flap its wings hard and honk really loudly at him and he would turn around and swim the other way, as if intimidated by the goose.  Which was probably smart of him.  Those things can pinch. 

And Isaac is a big baby when it comes to things like that.  He was horribly offended and acted like he was mortally wounded when Mike's cat Indigo swatted him on the nose, and she didn't even use her claws.

Then he would swim towards another goose.  But the first goose would then swim towards him.  And when the second goose flapped and honked, Isaac would turn around and swim after another one.

He spent about an hour swimming with them.  Afterward, he was worn out.  He slept really well that night!

Busy Days

The last few days have been very busy.  Well, yesterday, not so much.  But Monday was, and again today.

Monday I had a bunch of errands to run, including a trip to the welfare office.  I had to go mystery shopping.  I got this gig as a mystery shopper and it's pretty cool.  So I had to go to a particular grocery store and buy a few things (for which I am reimbursed) and ask questions of employees in particular departments.  Then I had to tutor.  Then I had to go home and provide some data online about the  mystery shopping job and upload my receipt to prove I really did the job.

Isaac did great.  He had to do a down stay of about 40 minutes at the welfare office, then later we stopped at a McDonald's because I had a little time to kill before I could go mystery shopping because I had to do it between certain hours, so I had something to drink and did a little work on my laptop and he had to do another down stay of about 40 minutes more.  Then he had to do a longer down stay at the library while I tutored.  He would have a hard time doing so many long down stays every day, but he did great.

Yesterday I took him to the park and he ran around for a while and then swam in the lake for about a hour.  He swam a lot.  He loved it.  He was very worn out afterward, but he had a great time.

Today was another busy day.  I had an appointment this morning, had to come home and work on an article I needed to finish, then had an appointment with my psychiatrist, then went shopping for a new-to-me used car (did not have much luck, apparently there are not many options in my very limited price range), then came home and finished the article I'd been working on earlier.

Isaac did very well today, too.  Several down stays were required and he did just fine.

I am hoping we can have a nice walk tomorrow but I think it is supposed to rain.

The Cat at the Grocery Store

This happened a couple weeks ago but I am just now getting around to writing about it.

Isaac and I were on our way into a grocery store.  Just as we walked through the front door, Isaac stopped.  He was looking at something outside.  I stopped and looked to see what he was looking at.

It was a cat.  On the sidewalk in front of the store, half-hidden behind some potted plants for sale.  She was all puffed up to make herself look big and fierce, staring at the big doggie that was staring back at her.

I have said before that I was not sure what Isaac would do if he saw a small furry creature or a deer in a store.  Outside, when he's not working, he wants to chase them.

I was quite relieved, and also very proud of Isaac, that he resisted the urge to bolt after the cat.

He was really interested in watching it, though.