On Tuesday morning we had our route in Huntington NY. It’s closer to the
city than Smithtown is, but still a ways out on LI. We all hung out in a
conference room of the Huntington Library. The bad part of the day was that it
rained, anywhere from a drizzle, to a rain. The cook packed us a lunch of sandwiches,
chips and cookies. The other bad thing is that the room we hung out in had
mold, or something, but my allergies did not like that room. I was sneezing,
coughing and so congested I could hardly breathe. Ok so I was really trying to
play off that the morning did not start off well, I would rather write about
the positive than the negative. But it wasn’t a good morning. Plus my
allergies, and the rain. Missy was testing me. Not following commands and I had
to be mean. Well perhaps not mean but firm with her. In the conference room, I
decided to do obedience with Missy, but when I did the off leash recall from
across the room, one of the students in my class, who has a habit of doing
this, was not holding on to her leash. So of course her dog took off for me
too. She went off on me, saying it’s not the right place for obedience, blah blah
blah blah blah. I was upset. So I just went back to my table. And I’ll admit it
made me cry. It wasn’t just that particular thing, but the whole morning. My hubby
cheered me up *smile* Like I said this student has a habit of not holding on to
her leash, has been yelled at by the instructors for this very thing. She later
apologized. I could have been more assertive about it, but it was just one of
those mornings I wanted to stay in bed and cry and sleep.
I didn’t go out on my walk until 11:30am, and didn’t get back until 1 or
so. The walk itself went well. There were lots of obstacles and lots of people
out. It rained on me, and it was cold. When I got back to the conference room, I
ate lunch, and other students went back for a second walk. It had to be at
least 3 miles I walked. We even stopped in a drug store for a soda and Kleenex.
We did get back to the campus fairly early. We were told that on this night
we would have our night walk. So dinner went as normal. And then we loaded up
the bus at 7. The night walk would take place on the Horseshoe route. We had
eon this route several times, in both directions. There were several
instructors out. We were told that we would be on this for our own. They would
be around if we needed help, and to stop, put ours dogs on a sit stay and wait.
They also gave us bling bling blinkers for our harnesses. They are just little bubble
looking things that clip to the harness and blink. So we got out there, and it
was not raining like it had been forecasted. We could choose the way we wanted to
go, I went counter clockwise. It had rained earlier in the day, so we had some
obstacles to deal with. I started out and thought to myself, wow its dark.
Eventually other students passed me going the other direction. At one point I
stopped to take my rain coat off, because it was hot walking. Shortly after
that I thought I was lost, so I kept on thinking, should I stop and get help,
no I should just keep on going, I can do this, we can work this out. The thing
I had to concentrate on more than the guide work is the balance stuff. There
were lots of leaves on the ground, and the sidewalk was very slippery. I used
my support cane, but it was hard. My pup slows down for the cracks in the
sidewalk, for broken up sidewalk, and for unevenness in the sidewalk. She is
super about that balance stuff. But by the time I got back to the bus I was
exhausted. And of course all of the other students finished before I do.
Several students went around more than once. And when I got to the bus, the director
of training was there too.
The highlight of my day was that the instructors had their weekly or
bi-monthly meeting. It was decided that everyone, including me would go home
either Sunday or Monday. Two students are being driven home on Monday. Two go
home by plane on Monday. 4 students are local on LI. One is in GA. And I will
go home when my family comes up to Celebration Sunday. The reason for us being
able to go home early is that we all progressed very quickly. And for me
because I have had a guide and only need a bit more work, which can take place
in my home area. *happy dance* I am so ready to be in my own bed, in my own
home, with my hubby. For all the students and professors out there reading, I
won’t be in class until October 18th. Once I get home, the Monday I
return I will be on the campus of my university, going through a trial run,
working through any issues. I’ll need to do some work in my home area, and getting
on the train and stations. Plus I just need a day.
So the countdown begins….5 nights and counting….
Until next time….
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