Glad your doggy is ok and it sounds like you are quite busy.  Great news.  Keep up the good work.  

--
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up. 
Karen Carter 
Class of '74

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Shelly <[log in to unmask]> 

> It seems like yesterday that I was sitting down to write my september 
> update. This month has been full of activity and has just flown by. 
> I began volunteering at an elementary school about a half hour from home. 
> Ths is the same one I was at last year. I am there for ten hours over 3 days 
> a 
> week. I am working with first through fifth graders and have 7 kids. My 
> one fourth grader and one of my fifth graders are reading chapter books. The 
> other are quite low readers. I have been in contact with the children's 
> librarian at the library for the blind and she has sent me some wonderful 
> books. 
> NBP also donated some early phonix readers with print and Braille. I still 
> braille up books a couple times a week. My kids are all great. In the last 
> week 
> or so they've started to test me more, but I'm ok with hthat. To me it means 
> they are starting to see me as a regular person not just the blind lady. 
> I've 
> also spoken in a few classrooms about blindness. 
> Ellie is of course quite popular with all the kids. She handles the crowded 
> hallways wonderfully. 
> There is a little boy at the school a special ed student who has behavior 
> issues. He doesn't speek much mainly repeating what is said to him. He and 
> Ellie 
> love each other. His reward for getting his work done quietly is to come pet 
> Ellie. He pets her she licks and wags and he speeks to her saying her name 
> and sometimes telling her to sit. It is a very neat thing to watch and makes 
> me want to work a therapy dog full time someday. 
> in choir we have begun our christmas music;. We will be singing at a couple 
> of special events during the holiday season. 
> There is a new horse at BNB. He is a western gaming champion now retired. I 
> wonder what he thinks as he is walking through the weave polls "this is so 
> dumbg! 
> I'm supposed to be running!" He is adjusting very well to be a therapy 
> horse. He is wonderful to ride. He is very very responsive and has a nice 
> walk and 
> marvelous trot. I've been able to ride him off lead quite a bit. I even did 
> it during the game today which was a ring toss which involved quite a bit of 
> turning and stopping. 
> Medically its been a tough month for Ellie. A couple weeks ago we were out 
> at the stable and the stable owners dog jumped on ellie biting her 3 times. 
> Its 
> was a terrifying experience for everyone involved. The wounds have healed 
> fine and she shows no fear or aggression toward other dogs. 
> A bit later in the month she was playing hard with me one morning and came 
> up limping. it lasted for a couple days and was sensitive to touch for a few 
> more, but is fine now. 
> She got in to my friend's dogs food and I think we are getting another ear 
> infection, but I began treating it today so hopefully it won't get any 
> worse. 
> November will be another busy month. There are a couple special things 
> coming up. I'm going to see the dead sea scrolls exhibit next week. The day 
> after 
> that I'll be going to the WCB convention being held in Seattle. 
> talk to you next month and of course before if I have anything interesting 
> to say. 
> don't forget you can check my livejournal at 
> http://turtlechelle.livejournal.com/ 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> 
> > >>