Dis and dat…

While I have been giving most if not all of this space / attention too Mya and Payton it is because they have taken up most of our time these days.
I will attempt to update you on what has been happening around here.
Payton, aka Getty, has official been adopted from As Good as Gold and is doing ok. He decided to eat a little leftover rabbit carcass that had been dispatched in our yard and ended up with another case of Montezuma’s revenge but has been nursed back to health with the help of a three hundred dollar vet bill. We love our dogs but I should not have retired so as to be able to keep up with the food and vet bills that come with owning dogs. Gold fish in the future and Wendy can name them all!

Mya and I have been spending time, about an hour or two, three times a week, visiting assisted living and nursing homes along with St Joesph Hospital. The residents and patients that we have come to know are very happy to see us and welcome our visits. At the Greens in Elgin there are five ladies that come to a room each Monday and wait for Mya to come and lick them sloppy. They claim with discussed delight that they will have to go wash their hands before dinner!
Visits to Rosewood nursing home can be a bit more depressing and rewarding at the same time. Many residents appear to be lost in a empty shell of life, while others are grateful to see a dog and someone to talk with about their pet dog long gone or perhaps being taken care of by family while they recover.
My first visit to Rosewood while Mya and I were walking from room too room I came up to an white haired little elderly lady in a wheel chair that was bigger then her. As we walked up I asked if she would like a visit with Mya. The look on her face was one of puzzlement and excitement. She spoke to me in a very soft voice. So soft I was unable to hear her. I stepped closer again asking if she would like a visit with Mya my therapy dog. Her eyes got bigger and again said something to me that I was unable to hear. By this time Mya and I were very close to her and by now she seamed a bit excited and her eyes were about to pop out of her head. As I leaned over to hear her she said with a crack in her voice “I’m afraid of dogs”

We see her in her wheel chair each time we visit. We keep our distance but she now has this telling little smile on face that I had not seen in the past visits.
Grandkids are doing great. Tiff finished her second year on swim team swimming on the varsity team. When the girls swim season ends the boy's season starts. Unfortunately Cody had to withdraw from the swim team due to hip pain. You may recall he had pins implanted into his left hip when he was young due to Perthes disease. Seams that the pins may have to come out and an MRI that was taken last Monday will determine what if anything will be done. He is on track to graduate this spring and is looking into going to ECC studying police sciences.
Echo continues to qualify for state swim meets through the local YMCA swim team. They will be competing in state swim meet in March. I hope to get some video of her this year and will share with you.
Kristina continues to drive a school buss and does not like it much. Kids on the buss can be troublesome at times.

Time to let the dogs out!