Miss Shelby, Tunisian crochet

I want to share the good news that lil Miss Shelby and I have been officially accepted into the HandiDogs program! We begin in the September training class as the summer one about to begin has been filled for some time. I am tremendously excited!

I feel I now know why Shelby came to be part of our family so unexpectedly. We went to the Humane Society that morning in the hopes of adopting Gizmo, after several failed attempts to adopt a small dog. We know those little guys simply weren't meant to be and Gizmo was. Shelby however was completely unexpected. While we were being processed for Giz, we saw Shelby, a shy little girl in the kennel across the way. There was just something in her eyes, and we knew we couldn't leave her.

So, the next day they had their surgeries and microchipping and came to their forever home. Gizmo finally stopped shaking as he did in fear constantly during our couple hours at the shelter, and both pups came to realize they were here to stay. Gizmo came out of his shell and has shown himself to be a clever and playful little goof who always "talks" when he yawns. Shelby came to love DH and I, and even the children, intelligent and very quick to learn. Both crate-trained without incident and faster than we ever imagined. Shelby learned on Day 1 that it was her bed and how to let us know she needed to go out. Giz took about 4 days for the crate, and immediately knew about the restroom as well. Shelby is an amazingly smart girl, proving her wit by learning every trick we have taught her on the first day.

I can hardly wait for the training process. Shelby and I will take 6 10-week sessions to train and certify her as a HandiDog, which will allow her to go any public place as my assistance dog. Yesterday was a particularly rough day with my pain levels, and she quite clearly knew. She tried to get up in my lap on the recliner several times, which she knows is a no-no, so she ended up staying on the floor next to the chair and just put her head against my leg and looked at me contently. I never thought I could like a big dog, having had terriers since I was 8, but she is a special, beautiful girl.

Tonight--well, morning since it's 3:37 a.m.--I begin making a sun dress for Meg. I will post updates along the way.

I recently had a femoral series of x-rays and next week have an MRI (lumbar). There is something going on in one of these areas but I can't determine the cause so they're trying to figure it out. I am going to ask my PCP for a manual chair, as the pain in my bones and joints is sometimes so great I can't handle holding my arm up and the scooter level to accelerate. With a manual DH would have to push me since I can't with the 3 pound limit, but at least I could get out more than I do now.

I just finished an online week-long Tunisian crochet class. Here is my classwork, a Tunisian-stitched bag which was then felted.

Pre-felting


Post-felting drying


Finished product