Home again

Well, we arrived home last Sunday, and have spent the last week getting adjusted to our new environment and life together! I'll cover the week's adventures in a moment, but first will talk about last Saturday's events. I'd planned to write everything up that evening, but an early bedtime and flight out of Portland on Sunday morning meant that didn't happen. Saturday was a whirlwind, but so much fun! I met my puppy raisers about noon, and it was great to hang out and talk together. They are such wonderful people, and I am very lucky to know them all! We also took some pictures, and at 1:00 graduation happened! We were each presented our dogs by our raisers up on stage, and handed the leash. After that, everyone talked very briefly about our dogs and what they meant to us. It was so much fun, and ended to quickly. After graduation we took a tour of the campus, and Lenore got very excited when we entered the kennels where she'd lived since July. One of her favorite techs got to see her and say goodbye. After this class, I have a new appreciation for all that the techs in the kennels do to shape our guides into the creatures that they are! My girl spent a long time in the kennels in Oregon, and they were her constant source of companionship, fun, and friendship. After spending some time with one of them, and hearing him talk about all he does to help relieve dogs stress in the kennels I appreciate them almost as much as the puppy raisers, and they were those behind the scenes people that I never early thought about until this class because my dog spent so long in their care! If it weren't for the love and dedication they put into her over the past six months while she was eagerly awaiting placement, I don't think she'd be where she is now. So, Thanks, Oregon kennel technicians for all you did to make my girl happy! :) When all the graduation events were finished, I went for a delicious steak dinner with my puppy raisers! It was great getting to know them better, and we had good food and great conversation. I also went into a store and showed them a little of what we learned in our two weeks of training, especially in terms of building work. It was hard saying goodbye in the evening, but I know we'll keep in touch, and they'll be happy to know how well Lenore is doing. On Sunday morning, we loaded up and headed for the airport about 5:00 AM. Lenore flew like a pro, and spent the flight curled up at my feet. When we got home, she smelled every inch of the place, and eventually settled down on her bed. On Monday, we went to Georgetown, where she met one of my coworkers for coffee. It was so great to see him again, and I know the two of them will become friends in time. When we were finished I went back to my house and worked around my neighborhood. Lenore did great, though we have a challenge at the moment, because the already couplex street crossing in front of my apartment is undergoing construction. After looking at the corner with a friend, it was decided to leave patterning Lenore to it until all the construction is finished. So I'm getting help at the corner for the moment. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in much the same way. I worked with friends to get my dog used to my neighborhood and do some routes. She is so smart! She handled everything like she'd lived here for years, and I'm just so impressed with her! On Thursday, we did some work on the subway, and again, she handled the escalators and crowds like a pro! Someone commented that we looked like we'd been together for ever, not like a team fresh out of training. So that was great to hear! Yesterday, we took it a bit easier, doing one workout in the morning, and having an afternoon of much needed downtime! The weekend holds pretty much the same thing, and it's back to work and the real world next week. I am so glad that we've had this week to adjust and bond! I really think it will make such a difference to our partnership for years to come! Thanks so much for reading! I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it!