Guide Dog Vacation

I finally woke up long enough to write a little about the wonderful weekend we had. I think Bracha is still asleepbecause we never got back to our room until the middle of the night. There was so much to do that I just could not sit still.

We got to the Nof Ginosar Hotel on Thursday afternoon. First we put all our things in the room and then Bracha took me for a long walk around the grounds and showed me around. I took one look at that water and decided right then and there that I wanted to go in right away, and Bracha promised me that the next morning we would go swimming!
Sure enough, the next morning early we headed for the beach. Bracha had barely managed to unsnap my harness and leash and I was in the water leaping about. What fun! Then the water got deeper and I started swimming. My fur was completely wet and my tail streamed out behind me and I felt like an otter rather than a dog. There were also lovely insects with blue and green wings flying over the water and zipping about, and I started swimming back and forth with my nose in the air chasing them. Soon everyone on the beach was calling out and watching me. Then Bracha came in and we swam together! I think I could have stayed in there until I was so tired I could not have swum any more, and Bracha called me out. I think swimming is just about the only thing that is even more fun than running free!
There was music all around at the festival all the time, and millions of people, and everyone liked me. Everyone said I was a beautiful dog and Bracha was very proud of me. We sat and listened to lots of music, and there was always a bone for me and a bowl of water. It was very hot – so hot that I had to drink all the time and I could hardly walk on the sidewalks because my paws would get hot.

Wouldn't you know it that on Friday night it was Bracha's time to play, so everyone sat in a circle and started up. There were hundreds of people around, and the music was very loud, but I as so tired from swimming that I just lay down beside Bracha's chair and listened to jigs and reels and dreamed about going back in swimming again the next day. I barely remember Bracha waking me up in the middle of the night, putting her bouzouki away, and taking me down in the elevator and back to our room to sleep.

I think Bracha will take me to the festival again because not only doesshe need me to get around there – she also knows I'll behave myself beautifully. I can hardly wait until next year!