hi guys!

happy 2010! yeah...im only late by about....3 months. oopsy. anyhoo, only 2 days until spring!! yay! warm weather, bathing suits, sand n sun, here i come!! and then after sunday, next week we have 2 fieldtrips! wednesday we go to camp brady saunders and then thursday we go to staunton to see twelfth night by the big man, shakespeare. and THEN on friday we have a march madness dance! oh yeah!

Merry Christmas...or is it?

This post isn't about Waldo or anything relative to Waldo. This is about my aunt Terri. She died just an hour ago. You know, I just realized something. You don't miss something until it's gone forever.

Three weeks ago, my aunt had brain surgery. It went very badly. THe doctors had to resussitate her a few times. But when they finished, they ad to put dear Terri in a coma. She has been there in the hospital ever since. The doctors said that she probably wouldn't make it. Then, her brain activity began to increase. But only one hour ago, she slipped through our clutches forever.

Terri, I regret not being able to say "I love you" one more time. I am sorry that I never got to play my horn for you. But most of all, I am sorry that this time of year didn't bring the joy and comfort it's supposed to.

Readers, I ask that you keep her husband, Memmus, and her boys, Nathan, John, and Jesse, in your prayers. Merry Christmas...or not.

In school

Hey there everyone. I'm in Yearbook Class and yes I'm in school. I am very bored right now so I'm just updating the ol' blog. Yeah. Right now Mrs. Harden is yelling at everyone because they won't shut up! Uh-oh. Gotta go. Later!

Abbie A.

Puppy Sitting

Yes I am puppy sitting again. He is a 12 week old black lab named Lincoln. Can we say adorable?!! Lincoln walks well on the lead, knows his name, sit, down, stay (sort of), and come. He is a brand-new puppy to our region. We have to sit him because..... you know, I really don't know why I'm sitting him. Probably because one of Cathy's dogs got this viral intestinal thingy and the vet said to be cautious with her around other dogs. Tomorrow we are going to drop him off at Cathy's house so the soon-to-be raiser can pick him up. Anyway, I'm glad we are sitting him. He's SO CUTE!!! Will post picture later! Later!

~Abbie!

Hola!!

Hello everybody! Today is September 4th, 2009 and I have great news!! Okay, so I haven't gotten a chance to blog recently because we started school on the 24th of August, but Waldo has been paired with a lady from New Hampshire. Until I email her and ask, I'll not mention her name but anyway. Last week I received a package in the mail from GEB. I opened it and there was Waldo's certificate, my certificate, and some other papers. But the most important thing was the photograph of Waldo and his new, um, guidee?? Partner? I don't know. You pick one. Anyhoo, the picture was gorgeous and Waldo, he's such a poser, his nose has turned pink again. Funny, huh?

And then last weekend we sat a 5 month old blonde Lab for two days and a night. His name was Otis. We also got an email from Cathy saying that if at all possible, could we sit a brand-new ten week old Lab named Lincoln. Mom says that she thinks Cathy is trying to entice us back into raising. Trust me, I would love to raise another one but I can't because of school and Mom working. Okay, well, I'll post you later! Peace out!

Abbie!!

Waldo: Final Phase of Training

Waldo is, indeed, in his most final stage of training there is. Home Training. It is mostly for veteran guide dog users or people that don't have the time to come to the training facility. What happens is the dog in question is sent to the person's home and the trainer comes to them instead of the person having to go to the training facilities. Waldo has been paired with such a person and will not be having a graduation. More later!

Abbie Allison :D
Have a good summer!

Last week of school, here we come!

Yes, yes. This week is the last week of SCHOOL!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! FREEDOM!! *cough cough* Yes, I am very excited about that. On Saturday we're going to the beach in North Carolina. Considering that I haven't been to the beach in about 4 years, this is really awesome. Have a good summer! I probably won't be posting during most of it so BYE!

Back in School

Yeah. Spring break is over. Oh, so depressing. Still, it's only like a month and a half until.....*drum roll*.... SUMMER! Hallelujah! Still missing Waldo so much. Sometimes it's hard to think I might never see him again. Ah well. There's still his graduation.
*big sigh*

Until next time,
Abbie Allison
Proud American Guide Dog Raiser
Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. -William Shakespeare, from the play The Tempest

Already Three Years of Posting

Amazing though it sounds, it is true. I have officially been posting for three years. Huzzah!Random little tidbit for you there. I will occasionally try to post, just to keep everything up to date. Remember way back at the beginning, when I was so serious? Not anymore! In 2007, I had no idea that the decision to raise Waldo would change my life. But it did. It has taught me responsibility, justness, and not to get angry at a dog for being a dog. For example, stepping in a pool of slime, Waldo with his blond hair coming up and rubbing against me with me black pants on, et cetera, et cetera. Waldo, Waldo, Waldo. Always a sweetie no matter what.

Waldo is Gone.

Hi people. I know that I haven't written in a long time, and I apologize for that. But somehow I just couldn't bring myself to write. Waldo left in December. I had to wait until I was sure that Waldo had passed his IFT. The result: HE PASSED! He is now in his second stage of training. He has learned how to walk with a blind person, how to stop at a curb to signal the blind person that there is a curb there, and a lot of other stuff. He is living with a yellow female Lab; of course, he has been neutered.

He had been in a small town in NY but has now been moved to train in a big city. His trainer says that he is doing excellent, but he has some anxiety problems. Still, nothing too serious. At the rate he is going, he should graduate late this month or next month. Thank you for all your support throughout this ordeal. I want to personally thank my parents, for giving me hope when I thought all was lost, my sister, for always putting up with me, and, most of all, Cathy Foldesi and Sue Reznak for helping me and supporting me and giving me courage. Thank you. My best friend, Waldo, has turned out beautifully because of all your help. And to all the people at church, thank you for your prayers. But keep praying because this isn't over yet. THANK YOU, MY GEB FAMILY!

Where Is Waldo Now?

Hi everyone! Just update as to how Waldo is...

Waldo is 14 months old, weighs about 60-70 pounds, and will be going to New York GEB Head Quarters sometime between December and March. GO WALDO!! Oh, and he will almost definitely be put on the breed eval; the end of Waldo and my road of friendship is almost in sight. Ah, it's gone by too fast. I'll show you a picture now.

We all know that Waldo wants to be a palm tree for Halloween...or hula girl, or whatever he's trying to be! Whatever he may try to be, he's always our own loving party animal Waldo!

"I didn't do that! It must have been someone else; you've got the wrong dog, I promise!"

An alternate one might have been: "And we all know that I have the cutest puppy-eyes!"

I'll try to post more often; it's kind of hard with my mountain of homework.

Sorry.

Abbie

PS

I have an article in the Goochland Gazette again!

GEB Puppy News

ARGHH!!! I keep forgetting to use Mom's computer instead of this one it has pictures on it than this one.....oh well. Anyway, next week we are going to Fairystone National Park for a week and a half and (wait for it) we're not taking Mr. Waldo. He is going to stay with a sitter. They say that they have a real swimming pool, not just a baby pool like what we have for the dogs. I think he'll have a blast. I think they said that they have a dog or two.
For other news, Gem (a GEB puppy Cathy's been raising) went up to NY headquarters last month for her IFT. In other words, the test they have to take to see if they get to be a guide dog or they go into the breeding colony. And, surprise surprise, Cathy did such a wonderful job as usual, that Gem PASSED!! So give Cathy and Gem a BIG round of applause!!!

WAY TO GO, CATHY AND GEM!

Shane and My Guinea Pig, Maple

Oh my gosh, it was sooo funny. I recently got a six-week-old (now nine weeks) guinea pig that can fit in the palm of my hand! When I first got her, she would freak out and squeal loudly whenever Shane or Waldo came near. But this morning I was holding her on my lap and Shane came up and sniffed her. Amazingly, she started squeaking in delight. Maple turned around and started licking his nose. She kept licking him and then Shane turned and started licking her plump little underside. That's the first time that's happened. Next time I'll post a picture of her.

Waldo is Turning One Next Month

No, I'm not kidding. It seems like it was only yesterday when I published my first post, not knowing what a funny yellow Lab named Waldo would come to me, always eager for attention and yet always ready to be the world's fastest runner when he grabs something naughty. Waldo has been such fun to have around, the house will seem empty when he goes up to New York for his final evaluation. You know how us kids always say, "I want to be a fireman" or "I want to be an artist when I grow up"? We never realize that some people (or dogs, in this case) don't have a choice. To quote Shakespeare, "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." I think Waldo is the third one, "some have greatness thrust upon them". If you think that I am making this all up, let me assure you I'm not.

Waldo's Jacket

Well, as you can see from the title, Waldo has his jacket! It's also hard to beleive he's turning 10 months old on the 17th. Here's a picture of Waldo in his jacket. We really should take a better picture. That's Sue in the yellow shirt. I should post a picture of Cathy too, but we don't have a picture of her. To my faithful readers, I'm trying to get back to writing every week.......oops! I have kind of neglected my blog, but I am trying to get back on track. Anyway, Waldo has been progressing rapidly with his training. He is definitely walking better on the leash, but I don'thandle him that much since he is very strong. Trust me on this one. Last week he had to go up to the Guiding Eyes facility in New York for his plugged tear duct that was making his eye run with yucky "eye boogers". That's what we call them. So now he has to be on a glue-like medicine that we have to apply for 42 days! Waldo was certainly happy to be home with his buddy, Shane. As you can see they can hardly share a bed any more, but they manage. Ha ha!

Yum, Yum

Waldo enjoys relaxing and chewing on his bone after going over all of his commands. He does well with: backup, sit, down, go place, kennel, lets go, get busy, sit and stay, down and stay, not yours, come and here.

He enjoys visiting at our church, Wal Mart, Best Buy and the library. He always likes seeing the smaller kids and people at church and the library.

Shane sharing with Waldo

Shane lets Waldo share his bed when they get tired out from playing or going on walks. Poor Shane, sometimes Waldo will crowd Shane right out of his own bed! Shane gets to have all of the bed at night when Waldo sleeps in his kennel.

First chance of water fun in March

I've been finishing up with school work so haven't spent much time working on the blog....sorry.
The first really warm day in March, we got the baby pool out for the dogs. Waldo loved playing in the water and didn't want to get out. He drank a lot so that meant that I had to keep taking him out to "get busy".

Long time, No blogging!

Hi everybody!
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

Waldo has gotten HUGE!! Next I'll post some pictures. Waldo now has to lay down before he can eat and we're working on his walking on a leash. I have to go now because we are about to eat dinner, but before I go let me say this, there's going to be alot of pictures next time!

Cute pictures of Waldo

In this picture Waldo was being a little pot because he wouldn't look at the camera (well, I shouldn't say anything because Shane wouldn't look either).

Waldo has figured out that if he runs off with a sock, and we call him back and he drops it, he gets a kibble. On Monday he had his evsluations and he did really well, surprisingly enough. Thank goodness it was warm because the evals were outside.

I took this picture when I was laying on my side with Waldo next to me on the floor. He probably weighs 35lbs.