Canine Companions for Independence puppy play date and annual barbecue…

Monday was an okay day. Everybody has gone home and we're getting back to the swing of things here in Santa Cruz. Karen came in and we did some personal care and a nice hot relaxing bath! She got me dressed and up in my chair and my aunt came over to take me to Costco to get the second series for my shingle shot, of course, we had to wait but I am glad to get it over with. That took up most of the day. I came back and took Robby for a cruise to the wharf and back to rest for a bit and then I took Dude down to the end of the wharf and back. Rosa came in and fed the crew and then put me to bed and fed me. My uncle, my aunt, my mom, Claudia and I played cribbage. I watch TV for a while and then drifted off to sleep.

Tuesday was a really great day. Cindy came in and fed everybody and then fed me and got me up in my chair. She got the yard all fixed up for our monthly puppy play date. The Woofpack came to pick up Robby to hang out with the pack. Cindy, a lady I met and got to know while playing table tennis at depot Park came with her new, freshly graduated puppy Hollis… Hollis was an adorable little yellow lab, she came a little early and Hollis and Dude I did such a good time. One by one people started showing up to watch the puppies play and get to know everybody a little bit better. I didn't think a lot of people would come because next Saturday is the annual CCI barbecue but that was about six dogs and 10 people. They play really hard and by the time Robby got home they had calmed down enough so I didn't have to worry about them hurting him, he joined in and ran around the yard with them for a little bit. Dude finally got really tired and came in here just to lay down and rest. My Google Glass started working but at some point quit so I don't have many pictures. Rosa came in and fed the crew and then fed me and put me to bed, I was exhausted and fell asleep right after I ate dinner.

Wednesday was an okay day. Susan came in and I got a nice long relaxing massage. Karen came in and we did some personal care and a nice long hot relaxing bath. It's really starting to rain again outside so I decided to stay in bed, what is up with this weather?? I slept on and off pretty much all day, watched some TV, listen to some music and play games on the computer. Rosa came in and fed the hungry crew and then fed me and change the sheets in the front bedroom for the next group of visitors. I listen to some music for a while, watch TV and nodded off.

Thursday was pretty much the same. Karen came in and fed the dogs and cat and then fed me. It was raining pretty hard so I decided to just stay in bed and relax again, one or two days is okay but after that, I start getting real antsy and bored.  I canceled my appointment with Carol, my psychologist. It cleared up for a minute so Karen took Dude out to throw the ball for a little while. I watch TV, listen to music and an audiobook. Rosa came in and fed everybody and vacuumed before she left. I just kept on watching TV and listening to music. I hope the weather lets up soon.

Friday was another rainy day and I wasn't feeling very good so I counseled Joy, the dog behaviorist, and just stayed in bed. She said she would try to help me out with getting Dude to try not to eat the fines on the side of my driveway and dog poop. I really have to watch and at the play dates and I hope there is a solution. Theresa came in and fed the crew and then she went to go pick up my medication at Safeway and a few groceries. She fixed me some cauliflower pizza crust pizza and it was really good! I watched TV, listen to music and played on the computer for a while.

Saturday was kind of a disappointing day. Today was supposed to be our annual CCI barbecue, over 20 people RSVPed that they were going to come but we had to call it off because of the weather, and then it turned out to be a nice day. I decided to stay in bed again because you just never know? The weather hasn't been nearly as bad as it was supposed to be, where is our May weather?? Theresa came in early and we did some personal care and a nice long hot bath after she fed the crew. I watched a couple of movies and I was out.

Sunday was another boring day stuck in bed. Cindy came in and fed the fur babies and then fed me. There was supposed to be a festival going on at send Lorenzo Park and I really wanted to go but it looked like it was going to rain all day again today. It cleared up for a little bit so Cindy took the boys out in the yard to play for a while. I hope it's nice tomorrow so I can get up and out of here. Theresa came in and fed everybody and then left. It gave me the rest of the evening to watch more TV, listen to more music and play more games on the computer. I haven't even had any pictures to edit.

Mother's Day weekend! Both of my brothers will be here…

Monday was a pretty good day. Karen came in and fed the fur babies, Penny has been trying to come in more and more during the day. We did some personal care and a nice long hot bath and then Karen got me dressing up in my chair. I took Robby for a cruise through the lagoon and back home to sit on the chaise lounge and watch out the window… His favorite thing to do anymore. Dude and I took off for cruise, I wanted to get some more pictures of the boardwalk but as I was leaving it started getting really misty and I don't want to ruin my Google Glass… I don't know how long it is going to last anymore. We cruised through Depot Park, down to the boardwalk and back and to the end of the wharf and back home. Rosa came in and fed the crew and put me to bed and was just feeding me as my uncle, my aunt, Fred, Claudia, and my mom was arriving to play cards. Claudia was my partner and we lost all three games. I watched TV for a while and I was out.

Tuesday was a really good day. Cindy came in and fed the fur babies and then fed me and got me out and in my chair. The Woofpack came to get Robby to hang out with the pack. Dude and I loaded up in the van and Cindy drove us over to my appointment with Dr. Petrocelli, my rheumatologist. We stopped and got some coffee and while we were hanging out waiting for my appointment it dawned on me that my next appointment was for both Robby and Dude so I texted Maria and told her that we were going to need to come and pick up Robby and take them both out to Aptos to see the puppy eye doctor, once a year they examine all of the service dogs, seeing-eye dogs and hearing dogs free. The offices of that big and once you get my huge chair and my two big labs in there there's not much room for anyone else, everyone there is so sweet and obviously loves dogs. We stopped by to pick up Rosa on our way home and after she fed the dogs she put me to bed and then got me something to eat. I watched TV for a while, listen to some music and then fell asleep. I have a bunch of audiobooks and I keep wanting to listen to one while I fall asleep but once I get into bed and on the computer I just start playing games and watching TV.

Wednesday was another good day.  Susan came in to give me a nice long massage, this weather keeps going between hot and cold and it's really messing with my arms so it felt great. Karen came in and we did some personal care and a nice long hot bath. I didn't have time to take Robby for a cruise because I have an appointment with Jennifer at noon for my facial, I started getting my appointment earlier when I was doing my personal care at night so I had to really rush to get there. I have to remember from now on to make all of my appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays later on in the afternoon. Dude and I cruised back home to rest for a bit and then I took Robby for a cruise through the lagoon, Down Bay St., Park, to the end of the wharf and back and over to the end of the boardwalk and back. Rosa came in and fed everyone and put me to bed and then fed me. I tried to catch up on my blog and edit all of my pictures, my Google Glass is slowly dying again… Every time I lean back in my chair it turns off and then I just don't have it for the rest of the day.

Thursday was a really good day. Both of my brothers are coming for Mother's Day weekend! Karen came in and fed the hungry critters and then fed me, got me dressed in up in my chair. I really love the days that we don't have to do personal care and a bath because it gives me more time to cruise around. Robby and I took off for a cruise through the lagoon, through Bay St., Park, through Depot Park and then back home. I have roses on one side of my driveway and when they bloom they look so beautiful! We came back and rested for a bit and then it was my turn to cruise with Dude, we cruised through Depot Park, down to the end of the wharf and back, down to the end of the boardwalk and back and then home. It was a really beautiful day to take pictures and I was glad that my Google Glass was working! We hung out in the yard for a while until Rosa came in to feed everybody and put me to bed. I listen to music for a while and edited pictures waiting for my brothers to arrive, I fell asleep before they arrived.

Friday was an awesome day! Karen had the day off so Cindy came in and got me dressed and up in my chair and my brothers came down to say good morning! Dave and I took the boys out for a cruise through the lagoon, through Bay St., Park, through Depot Park and then home. The rest of the day we just hung out and enjoyed the beautiful day and the company. Theresa came in early so we could do some personal care and a nice long hot bath. My brothers went out to get Togo sandwiches for dinner. I watched TV for a while and then went to sleep.

Saturday was another awesome day! Cindy came in early to get me dressed and up in my chair for the Human Race, it's a cruise from natural bridges State Park down Westcliff Drive and back. When I first moved here we did it with CCI but the last couple of years I just kind of done it on my own. When you get to actually usually have a barbecue, I don't usually make it back for the barbecue. I met up with Foster, Sicily, Jan, and her daughter and husband and we cruised down to the lighthouse and then somehow I got ahead of everyone else and I didn't see them. We cruised down to the wharf where we met up with my aunt and uncle, my brothers, my cousin Rich and his two girls for lunch at Olitas. We had a really nice lunch and a really beautiful view. I cruised back and we chatted in the yard for a while until Theresa came in to put me to bed. I listen to music for a while and visited with my brothers until everyone got sleepy and decided to call it a night.

Sunday was another amazing day! We decided to go out to eat the day before Mother's Day and have a barbecue in the backyard because it was going to be so busy on Sunday. Cindy came in and got me dressed and up in my chair and I took Robby for a cruise through the lagoon while my cousin's dog Gunner played in the yard with Dude, Robby is too old and I don't want him to get hurt with the two pups running around. We cruised back and everybody was hanging out in the yard and the pups had calmed down so Robby hung out with us. We barbecued hotdogs and sausages and had a couple different kinds of salads, for dessert Kelly made this killer strawberry shortcake. We hung out some more and reminisced about when we were younger, it always brings back so many good memories! Theresa came in and put me to bed and I fell asleep shortly after.