Things to do in 2014

I just want to stay on my feet -- 2013 was a sucky health year, so I'm going to include in 2014 to make sure I get sufficient rest  & nutrition  to try to make that possible.

Dog-wise - both Luna and Tink have both passed their CGC (Canine Good Citizen -- it's an AKC award that essentially says your dog has good manners in public).  But we want both of them to be certified therapy dogs so the next step is to get them into an additional therapy situation (preferably a nursing home)  to acclimate them to the elderly and not just children.   Historically we've always gone to Give Kids the World - a wish-granting organization that works with Make-A-Wish to bring critically  & terminally ill children to the Central Florida area to visit Disney, Universal, etc.    

The test for Therapy Dogs, Inc. *and* the one for TDI, Inc. (similar but different organizations)  requires a supervised visit to a nursing home facility, so we need to do that.  

We're really motivated to get them certified -- a new hospital is opening here in Orlando that embraces pet therapy heartily and we'd like both of these dogs to be able to go.  I need to make some calls and **get busy**!!

Callie that's awesome! My Rottie is a therapy dog, it really makes you appreciate life. He goes to hospitals and does reading with children at our library. (The children with reading problems read out loud to the dogs, it helps them build confidence and if they make mistakes the dogs never judge) I am certified through TDI, its a good organization. Good luck, keep us posted. I wish for a healthy year for you as well!

I've always wanted to participate in a pet-assisted reading program, but there weren't any in our area when we had Tonka, who would've been a perfect candidate for that.  He was registered with the Delta Society and we took him to the local hospitals long-term care unit for visits.  I've heard about a reading program at the library here, but Ruby's personality is not suited for that at all.  She would never sit still -- she'd be too busy trying to investigate the room, play with the child, etc.  No more therapy work for us unfortunately.  

As for resolutions, I stopped making them a long time ago because I never kept them.  Years ago, my friend's dad announced his, and I still love it, so if I had to make one, I'd steal his:  "To be more cynical than I was last year."  So easy to succeed at that one! 

More seriously, I feel like my list of goals is the same all year, every year:  to eat better, to exercise more, to get more sleep, etc.  I guess I'm in a rut, because I haven't set my sights on anything more specific than that in years!