Dark Clouds on the Horizon

Anyone who thinkgs that it's rough being cooped up with small children in the house in inclement weather should try doing it with a rambunctious, two year old golden retriever. The constant clatter of Suki's bone being dropped on the floor, alternating with dashing around the room, made me realize this dog needed to get out!

I could hardly blame her. Suki had spent the previous day learning a new route to Itai and Hilla's house and traveling all day on taxis, cars, trains, and busses, so she was badly in need of a good hard run to release pent up energy and tension. However, dark clouds were looming on the horizon, so I dared not stray too far. There was a cold wind blowing that made Suki skittery, and occasionally a cold rain began to fall, but we managed to get out into the back yard for a run and break up the boredom. Suki was good and ran on the grassy area between the sheds, and for once, did not insist upon running into the avocado orchard and picking up fruit to eat, a habit which has forced me to catch her and put her leash back on every time. She was happy chasing sticks and running around letting off steam.

Suki now knows the route to my daughter's house, my son's house, and Rotem's school, and is at home on busses, taxis, and trains. She's turning into a real traveler.

I was glad last evening to get on the train and stretch out on the rug and go to sleep. It had been a long day: We went to see the Emma again, this time by bus. We found the right stop in the terminal, and when we got on the driver asked a woman to give us the front seat, but a woman was sitting there and didn't want to get up. I could tell the driver was angry at her, but Bracha just said, "Suki, kadima, kisay," and we found another seat.

The Emma just lay in Bracha's arms and slept for most of the visit. Once in a while she did open her eyes and look around, and make little sounds, but she can't even walk in a straight line - something any beginning guide dog can do! So right now she's not too exciting, at least not to me! But she makes Bracha happy. Then we went to Tel Aviv on the train, and I finally got fed and Bracha told me to go to Rotem. I pulled like mad on the harness, because I like the children at Rotem's school and I know how to whisk us right through the gate and down the stairs to the schoolyard. And Bracha has promised that next week we are going to go to school and stay in the classroom, and Bracha will give all the children a lesson all about me, how I was trained, and how I work! I'll be the star of the show! (you know I am usually quite modest, and whenever someone says I am pretty, I usually nonchalantly sit down and start scratching my ear, or just stand there wagging my tail and smiling).