<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Cleora <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></i></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">This is the best chapter
so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I’m sure the duck will return.
She’ll come up with a new idea, or the magic visor won’t work outside of the
kingdom. The only area I had any trouble with was in the descriptions of how
the mechanics of the visor worked.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></i></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The story so far:<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Abandoned by her
flock, Sitting, a visually impaired duck, was walking south for the winter when
she found a crippled grasshopper who offered to help her in exchange for not
being eaten.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Their journey
brought them to The Crystal Pond, an abandoned province in the <st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype></font><font size="3"> of </font><st1:placename w:st="on"><font size="3">Hades Legions</font></st1:placename><font size="3">
which is currently at war with the </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><font size="3">kingdom</font></st1:placetype><font size="3">
of </font><st1:placename w:st="on"><font size="3">Silent Enigma</font></st1:placename></st1:place><font size="3">.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">They are summoned
to a meeting of the rulers of the various provinces in the kingdom where some
of the rulers consider her useless because she is not a warrior, and others
suspect her of being an enemy spy. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Two provinces
have already been disabled by the enemy kingdom, and a new monarch is needed.
Sitting suggests that they could defeat the enemy with cunning rather than
fighting. This rash suggestion leads to her being accepted as the new monarch.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Expectation that
she can solve the problem and get them out of war in one piece weighs heavily
on Queen Sitting.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She has never
ruled anything in her whole life and has no idea what to do. In fact, she is
not even sure she understands the problem.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Following a
school of fish in the Crystal Pond successfully killing the dragon sent against
the kingdom, Regis and Dark Merlin, two of the kingdoms rulers, appear at the
Crystal Pond to help her dispose of the dragon. They assure her that The
kingdom will support her. Dark Merlin helps her understand the messaging
system, and she invites all the rulers to come for a feast.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The next morning
After celebrating her killing the dragon, she finds that her food stores have
been stolen, her province ravaged by fire and storm, and many of her subjects
killed.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What has she
gotten herself into?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">If that isn't bad
enough, she tries to fly and ends up crashing and feeding grasshopper to a
fish.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What is the use
of going on? Can our mild mannered duck meet the challenge? Or, is it time to
cut her losses and hid south.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">1747 words<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Part six<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A Decision<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The fish, first
was stunned to find himself with a mouthful of Grasshopper, then started
laughing uncontrollably, thus spitting Grasshopper out. Grasshopper spread his
wings and made a somewhat safe landing on the other side of Sitting.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Are you nuts?”
Grasshopper scolded. “What were you thinking. You didn't tell me you couldn't
fly. What kind of duck doesn't know how to fly. You could have killed me.
Killed us both. Good grief. I need a bath.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Sorry. I told
you before I ran into things a lot.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“That was
supposed to be because you couldn't see.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Um. Speaking of
that. As soon as I took off, I could see clearly. I got distracted.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“And, for that
reason you decided to kill us both?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting lowered
her head in shame. “I guess I'm just a worthless duck. I can't fly. I can't
see. I get myself tangled up in all kinds of messes...” She sat down and
stretched her head and neck out on the ground. “Just go get Regis. I'm ready to
go.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper
paused, looking at Sitting with her closed eyes and neck outstretched. Was that
a tear trickling down? he wondered. Slowly, his anger abated. “I'm sorry. it's
not that bad. I guess it just takes time. But, next time, watch where we're
going.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting bowed her
neck, raising her head slightly. Her bill still resting on the ground, “Quack!
“I can't see any more.” she mumbled mournfully. “For a moment after we took
flight, I could see. Now it's gone.” She kept looking around, but everything
was as blurry as ever.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper
crawled over to Sitting and, hopping up on the carrier, wrapped it around
himself again. “Maybe there is a way to fasten this shield so I won't be thrown
out.”. Raising the shield again, he began examining it to see if there was a
way to latch it in place.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Hey, I can see!”
She began whipping her head first in one direction and then the other again,
trying to see everything. Again, Grasshopper sailed out of the carrier. This
time he was headed for the castle wall. He spread his wings and managed to land
safely. “What is it with the acrobatics this morning?” <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“It's gone, but I
could see for a second.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“What?” said
Grasshopper, hopping over to land in front of her.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I could see
again. Just for a moment after you got back in the carrier.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Are you done
slinging your head around?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting sighed.
“Yes. Sorry.” She lowered her head so Grasshopper could climb back aboard.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Repositioning
himself in the carrier, Grasshopper paused to think. He had been in the carrier
constantly since Dark Merlin had put it on Sittings head. The only difference
was when he had raised the windshield when She launched herself into the air
from the window sill. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">This time he
examined the carrier carefully. He had raised the small clear flap at the front
edge of the carrier thinking it would shield him from the wind in flight. As
soon as they were airborne, Sitting had begun whipping her head first one way
and then the other so he couldn't see the pond they were flying toward. When he
looked around the edge of the shield, she had whipped her head in the direction
of the pond moving his focus to the tree stubs beside the pond. When he had
looked forward again, the bank was coming up swiftly and then they had crashed.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I want to try
something. I want you to keep your head perfectly still. Okay?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper
ducked his head and moved back into the carrier, raising the shield.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sittings vision
cleared. She immediately forgot her promise and began looking all around.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper was
prepared. He turned loose of the shield, and dug his feet into the side of the
carrier.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sittings vision
blurred.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“What are you
doing?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Trying to keep
you from slinging me out. If you're going to keep moving your head so much, let
me get off.” He started to get out of the carrier. “Then, you can twist to your
hearts content.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I could see. I
was trying to see everything. It was amazing. Now, it's gone again.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Hum,. Hold
still.” Grasshopper moved deeper into the carrier, and raised the shield again.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">As before,
Sitting's vision sharpened. This time she kept her head still. “What did you
do?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I raised the
shield. The part of the carrier that is supposed to help me stay on when you
are flying. It turns clear. It seems that when it is up, you are able to see
what I see.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“When I launched
off the window sill, I was able to see to fly. It was amazing. For the first
time, I could see clearly. I was looking at everything. The leaves in the pond,
the fish floating on the surface, the clouds up above, the charred remains of
the trees, the blades of grass on the ground; it was amazing.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper moved
forward a little, and peeked around the shield. “Can you see?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Yes. But, I'm
seeing things off to the side.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper
tucked his head under a fold of the carrier. “Can you see?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“No,” she said
sadly.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He brought his
head out so he could see again. “Can you see?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It's the carrier.
Somehow, it seems to be transferring what I see directly to your mind when the
shield is up. I won't have to tell you what I see anymore, I think you will be
able to get it directly from my mind.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Hum, I wonder
what else it can do?” <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Dark Merlin said
that when we put the visor down, we would be invisible. I'm not sure what...”
Grasshopper noticed a flap folded back against the top of the carrier. “I
wonder what this does?” He slipped the ends of his antennae between the flap
and the top of the carrier. The flap dropped down and snapped into place on the
top edge of the raised windshield. “Ah, that's the latch I was looking for.
Now, maybe I won’t get thrown out so easily.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I think this needs more clarification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I think the mandibles</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">would be better devices to manipulate</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">the visor than the antennae. The latter are
too delicate.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting started
looking around again. More slowly, this time. Despite the destruction to her
land, it was marvelous to be able to see the sharp lines of the trees, the
clutter of leaves and ash on the pond, and, sadly, the scales on the dead bodies
of the fish floating in the pond. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Hey. Where did
you go?” <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting turned
her head toward the sound. An unfamiliar head was staring at them from the
water.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Who are you?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Where are you?”
said the fish.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I'm right here.
In front of you.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“I can't see you.
You were there, and then you just disappeared.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Grasshopper
tugged on the visor with his antennae and it snapped back up to the top of the
carrier.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Oh. There you
are again. I am the new lead fish. The former lead fish was killed along with
many of our school. They will be gathered into the storage bins as soon as
possible. They can be eaten. They gave their lives for the province. We know
that most of the food has been stolen. They would want their bodies to serve
the kingdom.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting looked at
all the floating bodies. She felt a terrible sense of loss. She hadn't known
them individually, but they had done what they could to help her. The thought
of eating them, now, was sickening. “Yes,” she agreed. “Would you be able to
see to that?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">“Yes, My <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Liege</st1:place></st1:city></font><font size="3">.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Thank you. I
will be talking to you again later,” she said as she turned and began walking
toward the castle.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She had much to
think about. How could she fly away and abandon these creatures that had done
so much to welcome her, and make her feel at home. But, she had no idea what to
do. she felt she had friends now, and she was sure they would do whatever they
could to help. Then, there was the surrender option. She didn't know exactly
how to do that. Also, the members of this kingdom were enduring a lot of pain
and hardship because they had refused to surrender. She didn't understand why.
It seemed the obvious way out, but Dark Merlin and others had suggested that
surrender was the last thing they were willing to do.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Could we go
around to the edge of the castle where that puddle of stagnant water was?”
asked Grasshopper.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sitting, deep in
thought, turned toward the repaired battlement and walked around to the puddle
Grasshopper had mentioned.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She sat down
beside it and stared at her reflection in the water. Suddenly, her image
disappeared. “Hey, I'm blind again. I can't see myself.” She raised her head
and began looking around. She could see the sharp lines of the stones in the
battlement, and the ant mound behind the castle. She tilted her head toward the
water again. She saw some mosquito larva floating on the water. She snatched
them up with her bill. “Where is my bill?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Then, her head
and neck reappeared in the water.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“What's going
on?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“The visor,” said
Grasshopper. “I figured it out. When I raise the windshield, you are able to
see what I see. I found a flap in the top of the carrier. When I lower it, it
snaps into place on the edge of the windshield. When it is lowered, we are
invisible.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He raised the
visor again, and Sittings image appeared in the water. “Now, I'm pulling it
down.” Her image disappeared.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Well,” she said.
“That's a handy little bit of knowledge.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She waded out
into the puddle and gazing out over the charred remains of her province,
settled down on the water to think. The province is a mess. The enemy is going
to destroy me along with the rest of the kingdom if I hang around. I don’t
belong here. My presents is just an accident. There is nothing I can do to
help.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“Lower the visor,
snap yourself in. We're going south for the Winter.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Saying nothing,
Grasshopper pulled the visor down, and it snapped into place on the top edge of
the windshield as Sitting spread her wings and lifted them both into the <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">air.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">On the ground,
tiny eyes filled with despair as the flapping of wings followed by a rush of
air marked her departure.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">To be continued... <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Deana <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><table class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt;" border="0" cellpadding="0"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></td><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><td style="padding: 0.75pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></td><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></tr><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></tbody></table><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">As usual, this is delightful and informative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">Irish’s character and personality come out
distinctly, as do her flaws and strengths. The series certainly points out that
dogs are as individual as humans.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">Good
job.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Chapter
22</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Irish
Eyes</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It
might seem that after such a difficult ending to our working life together, I
might have been to heart-sick after losing Phoebe to return for another dog. I
grieved but also picked myself up and prepared to try again. At the end of each
dog-handler relationship, regardless of why the team ends a partnership, it
means beginning again from the very start. The handler must be willing to open
their hearts to a new friend. each of my dogs leaves paw prints on my heart and
carves out a unique space in my life. The reason I refer to my dogs as
successors is that they can never replace the previous dog and there will never
be another Tammy. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Great parragraph.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
Lady In Waiting<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What
to pack?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sturdy
walking shoes,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Her
favorite dress for pictures.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Raincoat
just in case,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">An
open-heart.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What
to leave?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Regrets
for what was,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sorrow
for what has ended.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Longing
for the past,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Second
thoughts.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Who
awaits?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Who
will fill the void?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She’s
like a mail order bride,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">She’s
full of questions,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No
answers.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Hope-filled
heart,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Anticipation.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Her
heart struggles to open,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">To
begin again,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">To
welcome.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">To
receive <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
true gift of love.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No
wonder she can't decide,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What
she needs to have-- <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Except
a new guide dog.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
Irish was my smallest guide dog. She was another black <st1:place w:st="on">Labrador</st1:place></font><font size="3">
and weighed in at sixty pounds. My younger daughter, Kassia was
four. She couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t allow her to go to guide dog
school training without her. She claimed to remember going to class to train
with Phoebe. She said she had a lot of fun bouncing around in my tummy and
should be allowed to come this time too. I left for class on January 2</font><sup><font size="2">nd</font></sup><font size="3">,
1984. For the first week of training, Irish was perfect. She was quiet, and her
pace and pull were well matched to mine. It wasn’t until the first snowfall,
that she began to demonstrate her true personality. We stepped out the park
door and she launched herself from the top step to roll snorting in the fresh
snow. I was dragged down the steps at the end of the leash. My quiet perfect
little dog was a complete snowflake. She also objected to relieving herself on
dirty snow. Instead of circling around me at the end of her leash to locate the
perfect spot, she would make one circle and then plant herself beside me to
lean against my leg. She tilted her head to look up at me as if to say, “I
can’t go here! It’s too dirty. Eventually, to avoid frostbite, I would allow
her to move off the concrete into a snowbank. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">‘m a little hazy here as to where she goes to the bathroom. Does she og on
the sidewalk? How can she do it in a snow bank. Who’s frostbite are you
referring to?</span></u></i></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">When
we returned home, I discovered that although she knew quite well what to do,
she didn’t always do it. She was a party girl. She loved people, going
places and best of all sniffing. Although she could guide well, she didn’t like
making decisions. She would guide me right up to an obstacle and stop, waiting
for me to tell her which way to turn. If I suggested she might try moving
right, she would crane her neck to the right and then not move if she didn’t
think she could get around that way. If I then suggested she should try going
left, she moved off in that direction. She always made me direct her,
rather than make a decision before we reached the barrier. If we were walking
in the narrow path between snowbanks toward another pedestrian, she refused to
decide to move over to pass them. She marched up and barked at them to move and
let us pass. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I know it is difficult to find different
ways of saying, “she this and she that,” but I recommend that you try. This
will mean varying sentence structure. That will make the reading more
interesting. It will mean avoiding monotony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">In other words, the quality of the sound will not be as singsong.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">One
of her other quirks was that she hated anyone staring at me. She would lean her
weight against my side and growl so softly that it was only perceptible because
her ribs were against my calf. When I asked people what she was looking
at, they told me it was a man usually wearing a hat staring at us.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Wow! She was very perceptive. Sighted
humans will recognize a starer quickly and will be made to feel
uncomfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">When she perceived the
person staring at you, it was like they were, by extension, staring at
her.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">Good dog!<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">One
day, she was so busy sniffing that she failed to warn me that we had reached
the corner. I tripped off the curb, painfully twisting my ankle. I sat
there massaging my ankle and said through gritted teeth, “Irish! If you don’t
get your nose out of that storm drain, I am going to rip your ears off and
stuff them up your nostrils!” <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">An
elderly woman arrived just then and overheard my remarks to my dog. She was
outraged that I would say such a thing to my wonderful dog. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No telling what would have come out of her
mouth if it were her ankle.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The
public doesn’t understand the need for discipline. I should have given Irish a
double-handed high collar leash correction accompanied by a firm verbal
reprimand for doing something dangerous to my safety and causing me an injury.
Since we were at least a half mile from home with no means of calling my family
for help, I could have been stranded there indefinitely if my ankle was damaged
enough that I couldn’t put weight on it. My dog understood she had misbehaved,
but she certainly didn’t understand the verbal threat. If a guide dog gets
distracted by sniffing another person, seeks their attention or distracted from
concentrating on guiding their blind handler, the consequences could be
disastrous to the blind person. Praise and even high value treats as rewards
are important. Cuddling, petting and play with a guide dog when out of harness
help to cement the bond between the dog and owner. However, the dog is a highly
trained professional. He needs reminders that when his harness is on, ordinary
doggy behavior is taboo. This must be strictly enforced if he is to remain of
use as a guide dog.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">One
of Irish’s favorite leisure activities was running on a long leash beside our
tandem bike. If Curtis and I took the bike out of the shed, she expected to go
for a run. One day, another elderly woman stopped her car in the road to
threaten us with reporting us to the SPCA for cruelty to our dog because we
were forcing her to run beside us. I asked my vet to write a letter if I needed
to defend myself against any action she might take. My vet was supportive. She
knew my dog was young, fit, and that I would never push her beyond her strength
or ability. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3">My lab insisted on jumping out of the car
window when we got to a country road, and would run for miles at great speed
while we trailed behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">Finally, he
would jump into a stream to cool down. I swear that he whinnied like a horse
until we opened the window to let him out.</font></span></u></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Irish
also loved to swim. She would dive into the river, swimming down to retrieve
rocks and bring them to pile them next to me on the bank. My little daughter
put her to work helping clear up tree litter from the yard after storms. She
happily helped gather fallen cones and branches.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">While
walking through town on a quiet Sunday, I paused at an intersection with Irish
and my five-year old daughter Kassia. Since no traffic was moving at all,
I instructed “Irish, forward.” When we reached the other side, a woman
across the parallel street shouted, "Your dog crossed against the walk
sign." I yelled back "She can't read.” As we approached
the next intersection, my daughter leaned down to explain to Irish. “When the sign
looks like that. It means ‘dog catcher over there!’ So don't go.
When it<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Looks
like that. It means free dog biscuits over here. There Mommy,”
announced my clever child. "Now she can read." <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><u><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">These anecdotes are priceless.</span></u></b><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I retired her after four years because she
suffered from extreme allergies to cat fleas. The poor girl got dime-sized
hives if bitten by a tic. She had to be kept on medication from early
spring through to the first frost in the fall. Her medical expenses made
it unlikely that I would readily find an adoptive home for her. I have
done my best to analyze their needs when placing my dogs in retirement
homes. Only Irish was of a temperament that I felt comfortable keeping
her as a family pet. She had never really liked guiding and was happy to
spend a lot of time outdoors running with our other family pet dog. I
transferred her care to my youngest child several months before going for a
replacement. After retiring, only once, did she indicate that she wanted
to guide. My new pup was exuberantly dancing around at the sight of his
harness. So much so, that I was having trouble catching hold of him to
slide the harness over his head. Irish walked over and put her head
through the harness as if to say, "This is what you should be doing."
Since I was only going down the drive to get the mail, I buckled her up and
went out the door. The new pup in town was so upset; he jumped through
the screen door to race after us. Just then, my ride to work arrived. I
quickly switched the harness to the correct dog, handed Irish the mail and sent
her back up the driveway to my daughter where she stood on the porch. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Irish taught me to pay close attention. Her
party girl approach to life meant that I could never just relax and expect her
to do all the work. Although she was capable of excellent guiding, loved
getting into her harness, she was an odd combination of soft and stubborn. If I
corrected her too firmly, she simply flopped down and refused to move. I had to
call the school to send a trainer out for the first time. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I think a new parragraph
should start at the end of the above line. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">On a trip into town, Irish stopped to investigate
a particularly fragrant drain. I firmly corrected her and went on to the
grocery store. On the way home, she veered out into the middle of the highway,
walking me down the centerline. Huge logging trucks sped by going in opposite
directions. I was almost blown off my feet in the buffeting slipstream. She
obviously had decided that if I was going to be mean about her sniffing the
drain, she simply would not go anywhere near that drain on the way home. I was
shaking like a leaf by the time we made it back to the house. I immediately
called for help when I finally got home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">Follow-up service from your training school is vital. Even an experienced
handler can need some help from time to time. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The trainer the school sent was an experienced
instructor. After Irish refused to get up after I was told to correct her for
walking me into a blackberry bramble growing out on the shoulder of the road,
he agreed with my assessment. He said she would always be a challenge to work,
but that she was really watching traffic and would not get me run down.
As wonderful a pet as she remained for my daughter for the next 8 years, it was
almost a relief to hang up her harness and train with another dog. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I you’d lost your balance
when she lead yoou down the middle of the hiway, you would have been run down.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0032490989msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Iresh
taught me that unless you truly enjoy your work, you will only be adequate at
it but not give it your best. Knowing the task isn’t enough to be excellent at
it. I can understand that as I would rather read a book, write a poem, or play
with my children than do housework. I do it because I don’t like dirt and
disorder, but I will never have the sense of pride and accomplishment I saw my
mother take in a perfectly kept home.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Newest of Diana’s
submissions<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Another wonderful chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I’ve never seen a lab as large as Gentry. 14
is pretty good for a dog that big. How scared did the woman with the baby get?
How long did Gentry have his cat? One of the best things about your stories is
the development of your canine’s personalities. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Chapter
23.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Red-neck
Trucker Dog<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Gentry
was my fifth dog. He was 95 pounds, fast, strong and had no respect for
women. He was also my best traffic dog. His speed and agility
proved priceless when he needed to spin me into a hundred and eighty degree
turn and back on to the curb to avoid being run down by a Winnebago or logging
truck. He could easily walk the five miles from our home out along a
county road with no side walks. When we arrived in the vicinity, he still
had so much energy that he pretended not to see the turn into my restaurant and
tried to sail on by hoping for another five miles of jogging. I called him my
red-neck trucker dog because he always thought he knew best. If I decided
to go left at a corner and he thought we should go right, he needed
convincing. After several firm commands to turn in the direction I chose,
he would move off slowly grumbling argumentatively under his breath. The
translation was clear, “The damned woman is all turned around! The bank
is over there! Women just have no sense of direction!<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I get the picture. It is very funny.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">When
she figures out she has made a mistake, we’ll just have to turn-around and go
back!” When we arrived at my destination, he would huff at me as if to say:
“why didn’t you tell me you wanted to go to J.C. Penneys!” When waiting at a
street crossing, he would surge forward when the light changed and the parallel
traffic began to move. I had to be firm about waiting for my command before
entering the street. If we were walking past a familiar shop that I sometimes
entered, he tried to drag me over and insist we go in. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Gentry
had a softer side as well. His favorite toys were soft plush animals or a
sock doll I made for him. He also loved kittens. He drove our
family cats crazy trying to pick them up and carry them around. He ended
up with a scratched nose more than once when he poked his large black <st1:place w:st="on">Labrador</st1:place></font><font size="3"> face into the exposed belly of a sleeping
cat. It never discouraged his belief that all cats were adorable.
Eventually he adopted a black kitten that someone dropped off on our
driveway. They often slept together. The kitten curled between
Gentry’s large front paws serving as a pillow for his big buddy’s broad
bear-like muzzle.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Gentry
also loved babies and small children. All it took to completely break his focus
was <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The phrase, ‘Also loved.’ Is a bit over
used.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">a
toddler crying out, “Goggy!” He would totally forget he responsibility to me as
my <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">guide
and start wriggling and wagging madly. He would agree, “Yup! That’s what I am!
I’m a goggy!”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>love
your rendition of doggie language.<o:p></o:p></u></i></b></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He
frightened a young mother in a department store when he noticed she was
carrying an infant. He stood on his hind legs to get a better look wagging
excitedly. He didn’t touch either mother or child, just did his best to tell
me, “Look! It’s a baby!” <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Gentry
had a particularly delecate stomach, but a sincere belief that food of any kind
was for eating. Keeping him from scavenging or eating anything that presented
itself was something I had to work on. Having him in my life taught me to dog
proof and pay attention to changes in our routines. Holidays, travel, or not
giving him enough work could all throw his digestion off. I wrote the following
essay and poem to share some of what I learned with other dog handlers during
the time I worked this complex partner.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>
<b>Gentry's Lament</b></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'><font size="3">
By Gentry, a black <st1:place w:st="on">Labrador</st1:place></font><font size="3"> retriever, </font></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Gentry”s Lament,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>By Gentry,
a graduate of
The Seeing Eye inc. </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;'><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>
With editorial assistance from DeAnna Noriega</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></td><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></tr><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></tbody></table><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Christmas is such a confusing time,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>All the everyday rules seem to change.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>A tree is not for the kitty to climb,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Or where to leave your mark, it’s strange.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Master covers it up with lights on a cord,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>In which it is easy to tangle your paws.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>And she spends more money than she can afford.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>But woe to the dog who breaks any laws.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Don't chase the kitty up into the tree!</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Don't help yourself to the snacks on the table!</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Even a ball is not what it should be,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>And you must rush around as long as you’re able.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Hurry everywhere with no time for stopping.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>There are so many people that you don't know,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>And master spends all her time shopping.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Or she packs for a trip--will you get to go?</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>If you love your dog then take my advice.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Make time for a game or a pat on the head.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>A new toy or dog treat would also be nice.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Your dog loves you best, when all has been said.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>He doesn't ask much for all that he gives,</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>His friendship, his caring, his joy in his work.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>Taking care of you is for what he lives</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>So, remember his needs, and don't be a jerk!</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'>(Okay, so its doggerel at its worst, but what do you
expect from an over worked Labrador retriever guide dog?)</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> Seriously though, there a few
things you should do to make the holidays easier on us guide dogs. Dog
proof your holiday decorations. Poinsettias and the berries off mistletoe
are poisonous to small children and us curious canines. Gifts under the
tree that give off strong odors; such as chocolates, fruitcakes or boxes from
Hickory Farms, can be a terrible temptation to those of us who live for our
noses.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;'><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> The holidays can also mean
disruptions to familiar schedules. This can lead to the disturbance of
bodily functions. Be sure to offer frequent opportunities for your dog to
relieve himself. Try to avoid changes in his diet by bringing along or
having someone purchase his accustomed food in advance of your visit.
When spending long hours in transit, remove your dog's harness for comfort and
try for seating with adequate room beneath seats for your dog to relax
in. A dog biscuit or chew might also make up for missed meal times and
make anxiety during land ins and takeoffs easier for your
dog. Your dog is likely to be overstimulated by the
attentions of holiday guests. Give him a chance to spend time with you
alone. Be sure to maintain obedience exercises and grooming
rituals. This will reassure him and keep him clean and well mannered
despite the excitement around him. Also, make time for play, this will
relieve his tension and give him a chance to burn off steam. Don't forget
lots of praise and reassurance when things get tough in new surroundings.
If you must correct your dog firmly, follow the correction with a simple
command for which you can lavish him with praise. This helps to soothe
his feelings at the same time showing him that he is a good dog, and that the
undesired behavior is the problem. </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><span lang="EN" style='font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;'> If you must leave your dog
in an unfamiliar environment, be sure to leave his care provider with
veterinary information. Leave him with a few familiar things from home,
such as a favorite rug, toys and food dishes. An old sweater or other
piece of your clothing with your scent on it can sometimes keep your dog from
feeling abandoned among strangers. Remember your dog needs just a little more
care and attention during stressful situations. Wherever you
go, and whatever you do, have a happy holiday season! </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Gentry
and I traveled many miles on Greyhound Buses and planes as I became more active
in The American Council of the Blind and accepted a gubernatorial appointment
on the Oregon State Library Board of Trustees. He did his best work when
in unfamiliar areas. He was easily bored when we were traveling
predictable routes. Boredom led to impulsive actions. For example,
he jumped into an oily water filled drainage ditch because he was hot on the
long walk to work. He also jumped up onto a drugstore counter to see
where the chirping of a canary behind the counter was coming from.
Although his exuberance and strength were a challenge to control, he had
terrific initiative in problem solving. One day I wanted to go to a
meeting held in a room at the library. The front and side entrances were
locked and of course if there was a sign posted anywhere, it wasn’t accessible
to me. After we had circled the library twice with Gentry showing me
locked doors, I gave up and started back to my restaurant. A block away,
Gentry suddenly pulled me up the steps of a house. He spotted some people
through a picture window and decided I needed help. Before I could turn
him back to the street, the gentleman of the house came out to ask if I needed
anything. After I explained that my dog thought I was lost because I was
unable to find an entrance to attend a meeting at the library, the gentleman
showed us where a back staircase led to an open door. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Gentry
loved to travel. He dived under airline seats and curled up so tightly,
that an airline stewardess once asked me if I wanted my bag put into the
overhead storage locker. She mistook the handle of his harness for the
handle of a rolling suitcase. When Gentry was nearly ten, he accompanied
Curtis and me on a <st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place></font><font size="3"> cruise to
celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. He got to leave his mark on
seven different islands. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">When Gentry began to limp on cold mornings and had
trouble coming awake and alert after being down at rest, I knew it was time to
start the process of looking for a retirement placement. He worked ten
years. My husband had decided to move from <st1:state w:st="on">Oregon</st1:state></font><font size="3">
to </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><font size="3">Colorado</font></st1:state></st1:place><font size="3">.
Our eldest daughter had chosen a college in </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><font size="3">Grand Junction</font></st1:city><font size="3"> </font><st1:state w:st="on"><font size="3">Colorado</font></st1:state></st1:place><font size="3">.
Two of my uncles, two of my brothers, my mother and several nieces and nephews
lived there. Our youngest daughter was also interested in attending a
university in </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><font size="3">Fort Collins</font></st1:city></st1:place><font size="3">
that had three different tracks of equine management. Having two daughters in
college would mean a lot of out-of-state fees. My mother was experiencing
health problems and as eldest daughter, I wanted to be able to help her deal
with things. Gentry was a country dog. I thought moving from a rural
setting to a large urban one was a lot to expect of an eleven and a half year
old dog.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> Although his exuberance and strength were a
challenge to handle throughout our time together, he was a wonderful
guide. I couldn't just work him when I knew he was in pain even though he
would have continued to guide until he dropped-dead in harness of old age. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Scottie, my best friend at college, and I
had kept in touch over the years. She and her husband and son now lived
on the family farm. Her mother had recently lost a sweet yellow labrador
I had found for her as a companion. Mom Hagedorn still lived alone in her
house on the farm. Scottie helped me convince her that Gentry would be a
great security guard with his large size and deep authoritative bark. His
house manners were excellent and he enjoyed children so Scottie’s son Jonathon
joined the effort to convince grandma that they needed to adopt this big
fellow. He died at fourteen. I saw him several times during his
retirement and was glad he was having a good time in a warmer climate with a
child to play with and other dogs to dominate. It seemed to me, that it
was only fair to give him those three years of rest after the ten years he had
given me. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Before his death, he achieved two more of his life
goals. One day while walking along the canal near her home in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place></font><font size="3">, Scottie and
Gentry spotted a bunny out on a spit of land made where the canal made a turn.
He finally caught a rabbit. He proudly brought it and dropped it at Scottie’s
feet. He didn’t even mind when it proceeded to make its escape. He was just
proud of having caught it. I sent him a plush bunny for Christmas to mark the
event. He also gained a good deal of weight. I had insisted he
remain below the hundred pound limit because people often mistook his squared off
head, broad muzzle and muscular chest as those of a rotweiler. I knew
that not even a pinch collar and gentle-leader head collar would be enough to
counter balance his determination and large body mass if he weighed much more.
I suspect </font><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Labradors</font></st1:place><font size="3"> are always hoping to fill
out more of the wrinkles in their oversized hides. They never think they have
had enough to eat. Gentry taught me to accept others for
themselves. No one is perfect, but if we can learn to focus on the good
qualities in their natures, we can live with those that aren't to our liking. I
wrote this poem when I had to attend a conference after his retirement and
before I was given a class date.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
Letter To Gentry In His Retirement<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I am
here, X…<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
know where I want to go.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The
directions I have<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Tell
me to proceed south.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">There
is no sun on my face,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No
friendly trees festooned with moss on their north sides.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Only
this hotel lobby,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">With
myriad radiating corridors.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No
way to guess--which direction to turn.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Decorative
planters and urns full of sand,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Spring
out to block my path,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">As I
trail the walls in search of doors.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
grope the panels seeking elusive braille signage.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Guide
dogs sweep past me,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">And
I cross canes with someone going the other way.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I am
tempted to challenge--en garde.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
miss you so much, my dear old man.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">You
who have walked by my side,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Guiding
my steps for nine of your eleven years.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">You
have been my protector, my champion,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">My
friend, my loyal guide dog.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I am
here, X…<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">But
where have they moved there--too?<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I don’t understand the
last line.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Marcia<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">This is one of the best depictions of the
progress of Alzheimer’s disease in an individual, the background history, the
effects on the remaining family and the loss of self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I can’t find anything to suggest. I wish I
could.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">Kudos to the writer.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
watch as the caregiver tentatively approaches Dad with his morning orange
juice. She doesn’t want to startle him; he doesn’t know who she is. For that
matter, he doesn’t recognize me either. The fourth of six children, I am on
hand to observe and orient the new in-home care provider during her first day
on the job.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Decades
ago, when Mom and Dad were lucid, our family agreed that we would help our
parents age in place at home instead of moving them into a retirement
community. From a financial point of view, it made sense- the cost of assisted
living these days is $4,000 to $8,000 per person each month! Of course we had
no idea then what helping them age in place at home would ultimately entail. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It’s
been four years since the first hints of Dad’s memory loss at age 90, Then he
developed oral cancer. The man never smoked one day in his life, but he did
research with atomic energy during the 1950s while in the Air Force. Was that
the cause of the cancer? No one could know. The anesthesia, twice because the
cancer recurred, perhaps accelerated the memory loss that had already begun. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I am glad you’ve mentioned that anesthesia
can promote dimentia. I don’t think the general public is aware of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I have a friend who oted out of knee
relacement surgery when she became aware of the potential for that effect.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">I insisted on a spinal when I had my knees
replaced.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">When
the time came to hire a caregiver, both Mom and Dad resisted the help. After 40
years of managing and maintaining their retirement home without assistance,
they felt their privacy was being invaded. We argued that our 90-year-old Mom,
weighing barely 90 pounds and struggling with Macular Degeneration herself,
couldn’t lift Dad without help when he first arrived home after surgery. Mom
couldn’t admit that Dad’s memory was fading; she was in denial over her own
weakening and confusion. She expressed sour displeasure when we remained
ever-present even after Dad had mostly recovered from his first operation. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Following
his second surgery, Mom could no longer fight us on Dad’s need for constant
care, although she continued to refuse help for herself. Our youngest sister
moved into their house full-time. For two years, even with six of us and
a paid caregiver, we had our hands full with the two of them. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Then,
Mom fell - abruptly, unexpectedly, traumatically – one minute, she stood
talking with Dad and his caregiver, and then she crashed like a tree to the
ground, cracking the back of her skull on the rock hard tile which she herself
had selected 40 years earlier for the elegant entryway to their then-new home.
It was a game-changer. She fought for three weeks to recover, but she simply
lacked the strength and succumbed. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Now,
we follow Dad’s lead as he continues his journey “alone.” At first, he was
confused as to why his wife of almost 70 years would “leave him.” We tried to
comfort him, placing photographs of her pretty face throughout the house, and
making frequent visits to the cemetery. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">This
October, on the first anniversary of Mom’s death, we gathered with Dad at her
grave. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren chatted and laughed
as we freshened the flowers and told family stories. Dad sat on his walker that
comes with a flip-down seat, and stared at the marker, asking again and again,
“Where is my wife?”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">We
vacillated, trying to explain the afterlife to this man who has lost the
ability to understand. We assured him that Mom was in heaven waiting to be
reunited with him (at the same time urging he not be in a hurry to leave us);
still confused, we proposed the more scientific explanation that Mom’s body was
buried, warm and peaceful, beneath the well-tended green grass.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“But,
where will I go?” he demanded. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Again,
we offered variations on the concept of heaven, burial, and the separation of
our eternal soul from our earthly body. Thankfully, we were the only group at
the cemetery that day so there was no risk of appearing irreverent as my
brother and sisters alternated lying down side-by-side on top of Mom’s grave,
blinking at the bright cerulean sky, holding hands, demonstrating how Dad would
lie next to Mom like they used to in bed. Dad didn’t seem bothered by our
silliness. Somehow, I think he knew we were trying to help him comprehend,
trusting us when he was most vulnerable – not knowing who we were. Dad asked if
any of us had known his lovely wife. It struck me then, even while he was
looking at the marker for “Barbara, beloved wife and mother,” that he was
beginning to forget her name. Eventually, Dad tired of sitting outside and we
headed home.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">At
94 with Alzheimer’s, it’s as if Dad is performing a slow disappearing act. The
father I’ve known for more than 60 years is vanishing from view. He no longer
resembles the intrepid mountain climber, the Air Force officer, the confident
chemistry teacher, or the world traveler. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
tried to see Dad through the caregiver’s eyes as he sat wordless, watching
birds outside the window, tapping his chest, and forgetting to eat the
breakfast she has placed in front of him. Imagining how Dad must appear to the
caregiver as she was meeting him for the first time, I was saddened she would
see only the shell of a man - stooped, shuffling, wobbly, confused, and
smelling slightly of urine due to overnight incontinence. Most of his teeth are
missing from his two bouts with oral cancer; his dentures weren’t yet in place.
As always, he sat with the morning paper, flipping through the pages front to
back, back to front, and front to back again.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">“What’s
in the news?” I ask.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He
hangs his head and says, “I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">When
the caregiver prompts him to drink his juice, he stares blankly, uncertain what
she’d said either because he isn’t wearing his hearing aids or his brain can’t
process her words. The new aide couldn’t know that the newspaper, orange juice,
and a mug of hot tea have been part of Dad’s morning routine for most of his
lifetime, nor could she know my pain at seeing the ritual fading. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">He
is amiable, not angry; polite, not belligerent. We are grateful for small
favors. He doesn’t wander or put himself at risk, but he needs prompting to eat
and use the bathroom. He eats well and sleeps soundly. His heart and his lungs
and his kidneys are strong. He sits wordless for endless hours coloring with
pencils in his special coloring book for seniors, but he can no longer put
together the pieces of a jig saw puzzle.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It’s
a mixed blessing –Dad has forgotten he is a widower, he doesn’t miss his
missing teeth, he doesn’t mind a bevy of “strangers” hovering about him every
moment. He is unaware that his loving daughters are helping him toilet, bathe,
and dress. He can’t remember the word for “robe,” and at times doesn’t
recognize his own home.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Today,
the caregiver sees a man bent over his walker, dragging his slippered feet,
uncertain of the direction to the bathroom. Although the aide is kind and
compassionate, I am compelled to follow them and flood her with stories of
Dad’s disappearing past.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"># #
#<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv5921241520msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7583510497msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>