Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Adi Can -- Be a working dog

Jim's Little Photo Place today:
Wordless Wednesday (still has a classic Morris Minor 1000
I found when traveling in the Isle of Man)

Today: National Punctuation Day (so do it write!)
Source: Kelley of Regis and Kelley today
Picture of the day:
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[Click any picture for large size] [super sized picture]

Yesterday Adi was a working dog. We visited residents who live at Hearthstone Assisted Living Center in Conroe, Texas. We have made several friends there, they like to visit with us. Adi sure gets a lot of loving and petting there!

We sign in at the front desk after visiting the residents who are sitting out front, either in wheel chairs or the rocking chairs always there. This is the South you know, even Mrs. Jim has a white wooden rocking chair on our porch.

After that we walk through the halls stopping at the parlors, game area, and puzzle place. Most times we stop in at the Harbor, a portion of the center especially reserved for Alzheimer afflicted residents. Today we ran out of time and couldn't.

We did have pretty long conversations with two of Adi's friends in particular, we look them up every time we come. The rest of the time was spent with shorter visits with so many I lost track. I'm sure Adi did too.

We are a certified Pet Therapy Team, certified by the Delta Society. We are trained, then have to pass both a written test and a two-part suitability test which shows Adi's training and her gentleness, and how well we handle ourselves in different simulated 'surprise' situations. [Delta Society link]

Adi and I belong to the Montgomery Pet Partners (link) which consists of teams, an animal and an owner/other, who assist in various situations where therapy animals are helpful. Our people visit hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living centers. Interested persons may also join our group but cannot participate with an animal until certified by the Delta Society (tests are passed).

The other aspect is reading, Adi is a reading dog as well. This involves tutoring a child where the child reads to the dog (and owner of course) and in weekly visits to the children's reading programs, mostly on Saturday mornings.

Now, all work and no play make Adi and Jim dull kids:


Our morning began with a nice walk back from the golf pro shop where Mrs. Jim dropped us off for her 8:40 tee time. She went golfing with her buds. Actually my day began with a Tuesday morning Bible study with about 15 other men at the club house. Then our walk. [super sized picture]
Too bad Adi isn't a counting dog, she could enjoy herself counting all these horse apples that the winds from Hurricane Ike blew off. Adi can count to two and six, one bite of graham cracker is never enough when I'm taking my medicine. She has one bite and then the second when I am on pill number six. [super sized picture]
We ended up down in the quiet area of the golf course. It is down from our house just a short walk away. The lake is up after our rains but it will be lowered soon for inspection of the dam. Hurricane Ike may have damaged it as did Hurricane Rita three years ago. That year the lake remained empty all next summer still while the dam was being repaired. [super sized picture]

Adi got tired, she is tiring more easily now in her older years. (My Autumn poem link)

In case you don't go to that link, here is the picture I have posted there:


[large picture] [super sized

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Word of the day:

HELPMATE, n.
Devil's Dictionary: A wife, or bitter half.
"Now, why is yer wife called a helpmate, Pat?"
Says the priest. "Since the time 'o yer wooin'
She's niver [sic] assisted in what ye were at --
For it's naught ye are ever doin'."

"That's true of yer Riverence [sic]," Patrick replies,
And no sign of contrition envices;
"But, bedad, it's a fact which the word implies,
For she helps to mate the expinses [sic]!"
Marley Wottel

Urban Dictionary: single mom -- A woman working more than 40 hours a week while simeotaneously cooking, cleaning , and nurturing the future generation without the benefit of a helpmate.
TheFreeDictionary: A helper and companion, especially a spouse. [Probably alteration of helpmeet (influenced by mate).]

Word History: The existence of the synonyms helpmeet and helpmate is the result of an error compounded. God's promise to Adam in Genesis 2:18, as rendered in the King James version of the Bible (1611), was to give him "an help [helper] meet [fit or suitable] for him." The poet John Dryden's 1673 use of the phrase "help-meet for man," with a hyphen between help and meet, was one step on the way toward the establishment of the phrase "help meet" as an independent word. Another was the use of "help meet" without "for man" to mean a suitable helper, usually a spouse, as Eve had been to Adam. Despite such usages, helpmeet was not usually thought of as a word in its own right until the 19th century. Nonetheless, the phrase "help meet" probably played a role in the creation of helpmate, from help and mate, first recorded in 1715

Plans for the day:

Check blog comments and answer, especially the Little Photo Place for Wordless Wednesday madness.
Shop a little in Montgomery and maybe Conroe and Willis -- for new supply of hot dogs, relish, ice cream, frozen dinners, and whatever sounds good. Our refrigerator and freezer are bare. Also need to get the heavier wire to tie the two bushes.
Mrs. Jim is playing bridge with her three cronies in the afternoon. She will wash Katrin in the morning.
After bridge she will run a couple of errands then go to the church to finish her job--volunteer--doing orchestra librarian work.
After that is orchestra practice. Mrs. Jim plays the viola.

Yesterday:
Got all done on my list except shopping. Not much though about the clutter organization
.
Ongoing Plans:
Get my clutter organized
Prepare Sunday school lesson, 1 Samuel


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# posted by Jim : 9/24/2008 01:54:00 AM
Comments:
Jim, most of the grocery stores are getting back in shape. Some of the stores still don't have cold or frozen foods. Our power went on last night at 7:30pm. I am soooo glad to finally get it back, since the warm weather was gradually coming back. I think it got up to 90 degrees yesterday. TF and I are greatful that we got through without much incident.

Hearthstone is a wonderful assisted living center. I used to visit one down near the dog track several years ago, when I was selling dental plans. They are such a nice group of people. I can imagine that they just love ADI. What ever happened to your new poodle? Has she become Mrs. Jim's dog?
# posted by Blogger Lucy Stern : Wed Sep 24, 07:50:00 AM 2008
 
Hi Lucy, yes, and Mrs. Jim doesn't have a blog for publiicty. I do intend to tell about Katrin some more pretty soon.

I'm glad you got power back. Can you imagine those Galveston residents who are just returning this morning?
A lot don't really know whether they will be able to stay or live on the main land until they survey what is left for them at home.
Most don't have utilities as they are all turned off and require inspection before anything gets turned back on.
The news said that there were over 17,000 gas meters identified for replacement.
..
# posted by Blogger Jim : Wed Sep 24, 08:27:00 AM 2008
 
That's so cool, Jim. I know the dog that hangs out at the assisted living facility where my grandma was really was a blessing to the residents. What an awesome ministry. And Adi looks like such a sweetie. :D
# posted by Blogger Dianne - Bunny Trails : Wed Sep 24, 09:05:00 AM 2008
 
When I first saw the picture I thought maybe they had taken you there to live but wouldn't let the dog in the door.
Or the other way around.
Glad to see you've survived another Texas hurricane.
# posted by Blogger Cliff : Wed Sep 24, 10:33:00 AM 2008
 
I bet the old folks love to see Adi, I think dogs are very good therapy, they take out the stress that people put in. Can you eat those apples I wonder? I have to pic some at work this next week or so. Bob.
# posted by Blogger Rob : Wed Sep 24, 02:37:00 PM 2008
 
Dear Jim,
you are such a nice man. doing the most important things. Help the elderly having a better eveing-life, and also preaching for the children at Sunday school.
Always wink a laughter and a blink in the eye.
With a little more training you might try to fill my late uncle Leif's shoes.
Well, I guess you are best off in your own shoes. My clumsy way of saying;"You are great. I admire what you are doing."
From Felisol
# posted by Blogger Felisol : Wed Sep 24, 04:52:00 PM 2008
 
Adi is a good little worker, and you are a good person to go on the visits with her. I guess if you didn't go, she wouldn't be able to go, so you are the key.

I scrolled down since I've missed several posts here.

I was most happy to find out that you've had not damage to your home from Ike.
I know many Texans in the Galveston area really had a lot of damage. Some lost their homes entirely.
Some Houston residents have had power outages and ongoing troubles too.
Ike was a meanie!!!

Happy Day to you, Jim!
# posted by Blogger Jamie Dawn : Wed Sep 24, 05:08:00 PM 2008
 
Adi ~ My mom and I admire what you and Jim do - such selfless, generous work. We're also glad to see that you get plenty of play and exercise time, as well as much needed rest. Keep up the good work! ~ Lucy-Maude

Oh, we checked out the poem - applies in so many ways... a little melancholic, yet uplifting, as well.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Sun Sep 28, 05:39:00 PM 2008
 

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