May 7, 2025

I flew to Cape Cod  last week. It was the first time I jumped aboard a plane since before the Pandemic. It was great flying again. The travel bug has returned.

 

While I spent five days with my sister and her wife in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, Pat, the woman who raised my second guide dog, Bailey, visited. She brought her current guide dog in-training, nexie. She is a black lab, less than sixty pounds. She lay between Pat and I during lunch, placing her head on my foot.  When she did, I told myself my new dog would be with me soon and his big head would be propped on my foot soon.

 

It was wonderfully healing to be with Pat, talking about my second guide dog Bailey and his life with us. Until then I didn’t want to acknowledge the huge gap Bailey had filled and left due to his death early last year. Now, at least, I can begin learning how to allow myself how to love another guide dog.

 

The day after Pat left, she texted me a quick note. It said she found my new dog’s puppy raising region on social media. She said he has a big head and a soft face, which in dog terms means an intelligent expression. Jerry said he looks smart, the same way my first guide dog, Verona, had looked.

 

Now I am even more excited, and I want to shout it out to the world. I am going to meet him in eight days, and I cannot wait to feel his big head and introduce myself.

May 13, 2025, I spoke with dog three’s trainer yesterday. Her name is Andrea, and she is one of the Guide Dog Mobility Instructors, or GDMIs in the Specialized Training department for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Now that I am older and often rely on a support cane, the admissions person thought my needs would be better addressed with a GDMI who will incorporate my other mobility challenges in addition to my blindness and receive a dog who is acclimated to a support cane when working with me. How cool is that? Andrea also works with the deafblind students and students with other disabilities. .

I got to pick out the color of dog Three’s collar, type of leash (biothane or leather) and booties. We talked about the types of harnesses and the harness handle. I prefer an ergo-style to ease the strain on my wrist.

 

We ordered dog food and today and tomorrow I am washing the dog beds and gathering up all the doggie paraphernalia I’ve collected over the years. I’ll donate some of it to a local shelter and   maybe Andrea will accept the dog booties for the equipment room back at the school. Hey, it’s all about reusing and upcycling now, right?

 

Jerry is so excited, and I know he will have to restrain himself. He will also need to pay attention and mind the rules for a while, something he doesn’t like.

 

May 15

Dog Day. It’s early evening in  Monroeville. The humid air keeps it from getting too cool. I am so nervous. I admit it to Jerry, who  seems amused by it.

 

The van pulls in and I feel the change coming.  I pray this match is everything for which I am hoping. It’s a quiet and simple greeting. He is curious but not overly excited.  I get a few sniffs, call his name and dispense a few treats. We go inside, he and my other dog are friendly and ten minutes later they are chasing one another in the back yard.  He doesn’t relieve himself until later after all the greetings are done and we are preparing for bed. He settles in on the tie-down on his new bed and soon we are all asleep.