First support group...

I have been looking for a loveseat for my front porch, I had a swing loveseat there but somehow it got tweaked. while I was at Home Depot I saw a love seat, two chairs and a coffee table for the same price that I have been seeing loveseat, they matched the color of my house and they were sturdy. Another lady was waiting to see if they have any more in stock so we started talking. I decided to get it and so did she but when we brought it out to the van there was no way it was going in so she volunteered to bring it to my house, her husband had a big truck. I thought that was so sweet because it was warm and she had her two kids with her, sometimes people can be so sweet.

On Friday I had a really great birthday. My sister-in-law, Janet, and my niece, Corinne, came down on Wednesday and on Friday we went to the Gilroy outlet’s and met my brother, Stanley, and my nephew, David. We shopped for a while, had a great lunch and then came back and went to the concert on the beach. It was Herman’s hermit and they put on an awesome show, he is so funny. It is a great lineup this year and I can’t wait to go every Friday. I was woken up at 4 AM with a flashlight shining around my driveway and my front porch. Somebody was pounding on my front door, my living room windows and even my door... there was no way I was going to answer the door. I called my brother’s cell phone and I could hear it ringing in the living room, they were staying across the street so I knew that would not do me any good so I called my sister-in-law’s cell phone and she did not answer but she called me back. I told her what was going on so she and my brother came running across the street. There was four police cruisers, an ambulance and a fire truck out in front of my house. My brother told the police that I had called them and they wanted to know why I didn’t answer the door so he brought an officer in to talk to me to see if I had seen anything. He was very excited to see that I have surveillance cameras but very sad to hear that they do not record. Apparently a security officer saw two guys breaking into a vehicle and tried to stop them and the two guys beat him up REALLY bad. The security officer said he saw the guy run into my house.

On Saturday was our very first support group, I have been trying to get one together since I moved here. I talked to a guy, Roger, who had one in the past but he just didn’t have time to keep it going so I told him I would do whatever I could. About seven people showed up so we all introduced ourselves and then talked for about an hour and 15 minutes, some people have scheduled rides and they had to go but we could’ve talked for a very long time. I am so excited and I cannot wait until the next support group. We are going to have one on the last Saturday of every month. We scheduled to have the rest of the support groups at Dominican rehab, it is more convenient to get to and pretty much everyone knows everyone so I think more people will come.

On Sunday was our puppy play date, always a good time. Corrine went with me, she always has a good time playing with Dr. Owens daughter Nina. I got all the way home and I realized that I forgot Robby’s favorite ball, Robby doesn’t really like to play with toys but he LOVES this ball. It belonged to Dr. Owens dog, Bella, but she gave it to Robby last week. We went back up to the playground but it was gone.

I love summer and parties...

They say that everything happens for reason and it’s a small world and I’m starting to believe that it’s true. This morning I took Robby for a cruise down by the boardwalk and it was a little cold and foggy so I came back, I was going to the movies with my aunt but we ended up not going so I waited around for a little bit and I decided to take Robby for another cruise. As we were cruising down the next street over I heard somebody say “hey Tammie” a car stopped and a lady got out and she said “hi, it’s Jill Downey”, I went to middle school with her and I can tell right off because she looks the same. I saw her at a 20 year eighth-grade reunion a couple of years ago but I don’t remember much about that day. I think it was about 120° that day in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the reunion was at Loma Prieta school on Summit Road. David, my younger brother, took me and it was so hot that day. We ended up going for a ride just to be in the air-conditioning in the van. The van vapor locked and we ended up having to call an ambulance to come and get me. The ambulance driver got rerouted to three hospitals that day because so many people were having heatstroke. Jill and I talked for a while and decided to get together and have lunch, it will be really good to find out what she has been up to. I found her on face book, face because in so wonderful to get back in touch with people from my past.

On Friday my uncle, my aunt, my mom, Lee and Claudia came over to play cribbage. We always have so much fun when we get together for cribbage, we do it whenever we can. I don’t know what is more fun playing cribbage or the banter that goes along with it... the snacks are awesome too.

On Saturday my uncle and aunt had about 20 people over for Swiss steak, my aunt makes the best Swiss steak. It was really hot and I got out of here late so I decided to go up on Westcliff where it’s usually cooler and it was for awhile but all of a sudden it started heating up so when I decided to turn around it was really miserable the whole way back, it was 95° that day. On the way up I noticed there was somebody setting up a big barbecue and a box with some announcers, it was the cold water classic. While I was cruising back somebody told me that they were giving away free T-shirts so I went to check it out and it looked really cool but I didn’t have the nerve to ask for one so I went home without one, I wish I would have just asked.

On Sunday was the puppy play date. As soon as we turned towards the elementary school Robby knows. I thought it was going to be really hot because it was the day before but it was actually pretty cool and Teresa came by and took some pictures. There was only two puppies but we met two new ones and everybody had a good time. Today Cassie and I went for sushi at Mobos, I think we are going to make it a weekly thing. After I came home and gave Robby some water Heather and I went to the movies to see “get him to the Greek”, it was hilarious. They are finishing up putting a gate in my driveway. The neighbors like to park there while they run next door to the apartment complex and sometimes forget about it. It would also be nice to be able to let Robby out and not have to worry about a stray dog trying to bother him. It looks really nice. It’s a family owned construction business and they have done a lot of work for me and I have been really happy with everything. They keep adding stuff on and waiting for them to get frustrated with me but they are very sweet.

Movies and lunch...

I think it’s finally time to get a new van, mine is a 2000 and it has been a really good van for me but the battery keeps going dead and nobody can figure out why. I took it to one place twice and another place once and it still doing it. The first time I took it to the first place he decided to take all of the fuses out which meant that NOTHING worked, we couldn’t even adjust the outside mirrors. I decided to take a to a place closer to my house so I could have my caregiver drop it off and walk back. They thought that they have a problem fixed but the battery was dying again so I took it back to the first place and again they could not figure it out but it gave me a solar battery charger to keep in the front window and of course the next time I went to go use it it was dead again. It’s really a shame because it runs really well but it’s very frustrating to have an appointment and get ready to go and the battery is dead.

On Saturday was the Woof to Woof in Scotts Valley. One of the ladies that I met at our graduation at CCI asked me if I would do a presentation with Robby. Normally I avoid these because I get so nervous that my mind goes blank and I forget what to say. I wrote down what I wanted to say and went over it a lot to more or less memorized it so I thought I was ready. When I got there and went to the CCI booth the lady told me that they had moved my presentation from 10:30 AM to noon. It was really hot that day and there wasn’t a lot of shade so we went down the street to the Farmer’s market and found some trees to shade as for awhile. We got back and sat in the booth for a little bit and then did the presentation. The lady that started the presentation explained everything about CCI and told me that I was just supposed to talk about my experience before and after I got Robby, I thought that would be even easier. Once I got up there and they put the microphone in my face I just rambled about... I really don’t know what. I rambled on for a while and then my mind just totally shut down and I couldn’t think of anything else to say, it was a good thing that there was only about four people listening. I feel really dumb afterward and thought that I did a terrible job and I really hope that she gives me another opportunity, hopefully the more I do it the easier it will get.

On Monday Cassie and I went to Mobos, in my opinion the best sushi place in Santa Cruz. It was so good that we decided every Monday should be mobos is Monday.

On Tuesday I went to see Claudia to get my haircut, I had gotten a perm a little over a week ago and wanted it trimmed. While I was there, she works in a beauty shop in a retirement home with about 120 residents. I met a lady who recruits service dogs to visit retirement homes and cheer everybody out, perfect for Robby I thought so I told her I was interested and she’s going to send me an application and then I will have an interview. I had an appointment at the DMV to get my ID renewed. When we got there the place was packed and there was a young gentleman at the front of the line and when it was his turn he looked at the lady behind the desk and looked at me and waved me forward, I thought that was so sweet. I don’t know why you bother making an appointment because we still had to wait a long time, apparently the girl was on break or lunch. I agree that they deserve breaks and lunch but can they schedule them around my appointment?? I tried to do it online or over the phone but it was impossible.

Today I went with Heather, Cassie and Jack to see Shrek three in 3-D, it was my first 3-D movie and I really enjoyed it a lot. I cannot imagine Shrek or Toy story being a bad movie and I cannot wait for Troy story to come out. On Friday I’m going to see karate kid, I have been waiting a long time for this one. I love Jackie Chan.

Good days and bad days...

Today has just been a really bad day. It started off at 2 AM this morning I woke up and I was burning up. I have an electric throw around my shoulders and one across my legs so I don’t have to turn the heat way up in my room. My brother rigged to outlets in my room that I can turn on and off with the computer but the blankets were plugged into the wrong outlet so I could not turn them off. I turned the air conditioner way up to 66° but that did not help. A friend of mine was also on face book at 3 AM and she was sad because she had just lost a friend to cancer. While Robby and I were cruising along the cliffs to dogs lunged at him, one of them made him jump in front of me and I ran over his back foot. The owner of the dog just kept saying “I’m so sorry” over and over... I don’t really know what to say to that so I just ignored her, check out Robby and went on my way. Why do people take their dogs on the cliffs or out in public if they are aggressive?? While we were cruising along I ran into one of my neighbors who works for Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation. There was a bunch of people around looking over the cliffs so I asked him if they were having a party and he said “no a funeral”, I feel really stupid and just kept on going.

Today I took Robby to Santa Rosa to get him re-certified. I have been so nervous for the last couple of days just hoping that he would pass. He has a problem with people and animals coming up to him. Most of the time they are already on him before I notice and then I feel bad telling people to leave him alone, I need to get over that and just do what I’m supposed to do. We got there a little bit early and although I was so nervous I forgot to introduce my aunt, who drove me there, it was so great to see Andrea, she was one of the trainers at team training. She met us at target and had us do a couple of commands. Sit and down he did really good at but when she dropped food he kept jumping at her, he wasn’t interested in the food at all but he was just so glad to see her. I dropped some keys on the ground and he retrieved them just like a pro. She walked over and around him and although he jumped a little bit he did really good with that one also. she watched me load him into the van, he did perfect. When we got back to CCI she had me have him jump on the counter and he did a great job with that one also, usually he will try to jump on my lap. I was thinking about it on the way home and I have them pick some stuff up off the ground that I think when he has something in his mouth he wants to put it in my lap instead of jump on the counter and hand it to somebody else, we’re going to have to work on that. She said that he did a really good job and he passed for another year but I need to work on him not leaping at people. After we got back to CCI and we were chatting with James, who trained Robby and kept him during the night while I was in the hospital, Lauren, who kept him during the day, and Meredith came to say hello... it was really great to see them all. We had dinner in Santa Rosa and came home, it was a really great day. On the way there we talked about getting me a new van. my van has been a really good van but it is a 2000 and it is so low that every time we go over a driveway and scrapes on the bottom, so much so that the door does not close all the way anymore and it’s always a gamble whether the battery is going to be dead or not on the days that I use it. For a while I thought about just keeping this one because I really don’t use it that much, everywhere that I go in Santa Cruz I can just cruise there by myself but there are a lot of times that it would be nice to have a reliable van.

Friday we went to see La Mission. It’s playing at a really small independent theater and it was a really good movie. Benjamin Pratt is in it and when it first came out he came here to Santa Cruz to premiere of the movie and hold a question and answer session after and I really wanted to go but I had a lot of family here. Last night my nephews from Modesto, Robert and David, showed up in the evening to spend the night... what a really nice surprise. They went to a concert at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and had a really good time. They went out to breakfast with my mom and then had to get back home.

Robby and I went to our Sunday puppy play date and Robby, as always, had so much fun. It’s only for an hour but they are exhausted by the end of the hour. I was going to cruise down along the cliffs but there was too many people so we cruised down by the boardwalk and ended up just coming home because the place was packed, it’s a good thing we didn’t drive anywhere today because I would’ve taken forever.

Melia's first birthday party weekend...

Today we went to see the movie “Just Wright” it was a really good movie, good choice Aunt Kathy. We’re going to try to go to the movies every Friday, I miss going to the movies. During the movie Robby came undone from his hook and started wandering around, not too far but I wasn’t paying attention and he ended up laying down behind me and when the movie was over I panicked a little bit because I could not see him.

On May 1st a bunch of people trashed some buildings downtown, I went down there the day after and it was really heartbreaking. Today they were replacing the Windows and Wednesday when I was there I noticed they put some statues of sea animals, I just love going downtown.

My brother Stanley and Corinne are coming down for the weekend. We are going up on Bear Creek Road for my cousins daughter’s first birthday, it’s always so beautiful up there in the mountains. the party isn’t till late in the afternoon so I’ll probably take Corinne to the Greek Festival, in his downtown this weekend.

On Saturday instead of going to the great festival the girls decided they wanted to cruise along the cliffs and go to the surfer museum at the lighthouse, that was a really good choice because it was beautiful. We got back just in time to load up and head to Melia’s birthday party up in the mountains. The weather was beautiful, the food was awesome... I ate way too much and it was really good to see everybody again, some of the people there I have not seen in a year or more.

On Sunday Corinne and Sierra, Corinne’s friend, went with Robby and I on our Sunday play date at the elementary school. I’m always amazed but grateful that there isn’t anybody on the playground and in the field so we don’t have to worry about the puppies bothering anyone, although they are adorable and who wouldn’t want to play with them?

Human Race...

Ever since I moved to Santa Cruz I wanted to see about getting a support group together, I heard they didn’t have one. I e-mailed the guy named Roger from Dominican rehab and he said that he had one but he just got too busy to keep up so it was forgotten about, I told him that I would do anything he needed me to do to get one started again. This Friday I have a meeting with one of the therapists from Dominican rehab, Terryn, and the rehab nurse from Dominican home health, Julie, here at my house to see if we can get a bunch of people together, I am SO excited. Last Saturday was the human race in Santa Cruz. My mom dropped off my aunt and I in the morning and we found our group and started out. It was a beautiful day and it was great to see everybody. We started at the rear entrance of the natural Bridges State Park and walked along Westcliff Drive, turned around at the lighthouse and walked back and then walked home. I got a T-shirt and Robby got a bandanna and we all had a good time.

The Eagles concert...

On Monday my uncle Ronnie, aunt Patty, cousin Eric and his wife Jill came to visit from Arizona. I have not seen them for several years and it was really great to see them. On Thursday afternoon my brother David came from Georgia and my brother Stanley came Thursday evening and his wife Janet and daughter Corinne came Friday evening. On Thursday we went to the wooden nickel in Watsonville for dinner. My uncle Dick and aunt Kathy go there once a week for lunch and EVERYTHING there is awesome, it is always a real treat to go there although it’s very small so I don’t go there a lot. On Sunday we went to my cousin Rich’s house up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and it was really beautiful. Everybody that was visiting has at one time or another lived in that house and had really fond memories so we all had a good time, almost everything had changed but everything stayed the same. The week went by really fast and by Monday everybody was gone again but we have a lot of fond memories and hopefully everybody that took pictures will forward them to me so I can put them on face book for everybody to share.

I call the DMV to find out if they could mail me a form to renew my identification card and they said my wait would be 10 minutes. After saying that about six times it change to “your wait will be longer than 10 minutes so we suggest you call back another time or come down to the office”, really??

Last Saturday I went to an Eagles concert in San Jose. I used to go every year when I lived there and I can talk one of my brothers into going, it wasn’t that hard because they love them as much as I do. Of course they put on an AWESOME show. Some new stuff as well as a bunch of classics. I went with Susan, my massage therapist, and her husband. Before the concert we went to a place called the grill for dinner, it’s inside HP Pavilion and the food was really good. I had halibut with shrimp over rice with a garlic and butter sauce. Susan had stuffed chicken and her husband, Eric, had prime rib... everything looked really good. I had never met Eric before but it was really comfortable and we all had a great time, we are all excited about doing it again next year.