Elwood really likes being curled up between my feet. No climbing. No poking at my hands bone in mouth while I try to use the keyboard. I will end of using this laptop computer in my lap. Yesterday I put him on tie down while I talked with someone. He whimpered and fussed until I settled him down. Then he was quiet, for about an hour. He is getting to be like most people–a service lasts an hour so at the end of that time, let’s get on with it. Elwood did very well this morning by identifying the street despite the snow covering. This is very gratifying. I depend on my dog to identify walks and streets when they are snow-covered or poorly defined. He’s really coming along.

Safe streets have taken on a whole new meaning to me this week. We did not get the snowstorm of many inches of snow that was coming this way. Instead, we got an inch or thereabouts which basically means it’s inconvenient to walk around town. Today, being clear though cold, I bundled up in hat, scarf and gloves to take Elwood out. While out, I decided a walk would be possible given that no percipitation was falling. We walked down Pine Street. Clear in spots but very icy in others. We turned at 2nd. The same. We walked up Main. Not bad. When we got to 3rd, Elwood made a quick right-hand turn back to the apartment. I had planned to walk up to 4th, but well, if he wasn’t interested … When we crossed Pine, it was clear to me Elwood was planning on going home. I don’t know if Elwood just thought I was disoriented and took the long way home or wether he judged the streets to be unsafe. In the first case, I’m dumb. In the second, he’s smart. Elwood didn’t worked in snow as part of his training. He may just think it is an aboration to be endured before better working conditions materialize. He could be right.

On Saturday we were able to get out and walk. If the rain we have had was turned into snow, I don’t think we would dig out until June. Elwood did very well on our walk, down 2nd, up Prendergast, across on 4th and back down Main to 3rd. He did think Potter’s Alley might be the route off of 4th, but that is, as Patience once remarked, a better endeavor with a skate board than a dog. It was damp, nasty and cold by the time we went to church. I tried something new—putting the gentle leader on Elwood during the service. I also used the flexi lead to continue to get him (and me) used to it. He was relatively good though the Peace continues to be an opportunity to stand with the pack. I’m not standing at all at this point, focusing instead on keeping him down. When we got to Communion, Elwood decided to investigate the pew cushions. Ok. Laying across the pew cushions isn’t great but if he’s quiet … Taking the cup in my right hand is an adventure. I can’t even find my mouth with my right hand. Fortunately, the assisting minister is well-trained and neither lets go of the cup nor hesitates to guide the cup to my mouth. And then, Elwood flops to the floor in perfect form, jerking my whole body. Wine splashes on my face, my sweater. Someone is now seeing if they can get the wine out of my sweater. After the service, someone comes over to offer a ride home because of the inclement conditions. No, we’ll walk. It’s not snowing. It’s not really raining, just misting, and it is more complicated to accept a ride than walk. We leave the church and Elwood finds the good folks getting into their car. He dashes over. Did I want a ride after all? Well, apparently, Elwood understood more of the conversation than I thought. Time to refocus Elwood on his work. Rant: And then there was the girl at the corner of 3rd and Main when we were going to church who bounces across Main and says, Hi, Puppy! and Elwood jumps on her. I’m trying to position myself at the rounded ramp to cross 3rd. I have a dog who now lunges out into the street. Stop! Let’s get re situated here. Let’s check traffic again. Why do people talk to my dog? ...

When I woke up this morning, the radio said it was 14 degrees. Brr. This was Elwood’s first real test of working in snow. Curbs are hard to find. It is icy in places. He moves fast so I had to concentrate on slowing him down. Secondly, I had to find the curbs. I was doing okay for a while, then we had a crossing or two where Elwood had veered. This is not all his fault. The curb cuts are not always one for each street but at the point, one ramp for the two right angled streets and these are difficult for dogs. We went to a favorite restaurant of mine. It was Elwood’s first trip. We found the restaurant okay. We sat at a table by the window. The server removed a chair so Elwood would have plenty of room. He wanted to sit up and look out the window. So long as he didn’t wiggle, I allowed it. He wasn’t bothering anyone. On the way home we had trouble picking up one of the curb cuts and had to wade through some snow to cross. A bit sloppy but as I always say: No honking horns, no screeching of brakes, no broken glass. We were fine. Elwood is still having difficulty understanding that in church people move around but he is to stay still.

What caused me to sign out of Skype is not important, just start here with me on this one. I try to log back in. I discover I’m using Skype 3.0. This is unaccessible so I reinstall the program and reinstall 2.5. I click on a yes box and discover I have reinstalled 3.0. Uninstall. I install 2.5 again and say no, I do not want to upgrade. In all cases, I come to a sign in screen which is unaccessible. I can’t find a password box. I cannot tab through the options. I cannot click on the sign in button, hoping my password is stored somewhere in some unknown folder and file in 100gb of laptop. So,until a sighted person comes along who may be able to unscramble this, Skype is inoperable on this computer. Sigh.

I had fun today. I wrote an email to Elwood’s sister Eiffel in his name, detailing Elwood’s recent activities and sending sis birthday greetings. I just received a response in Eiffel’s name for Elwood. Elwood seemed uninterested while Eiffel detailed her helpful ways … picking up paper and removing socks from laundry hooks. Good news … Eiffel is getting on well with the previous dog guide, Valerie, a golden retriever.

Well, not really snow. More like heavy frost, a covering, icy. Off we go. Elwood has never worked in snow and ice. Fortunately, he grew up where he has already encountered what it is. And like my other dog, snow is good. I’m wondering how he will understand that human beings do not have 4-paw drive. My shoes held up. Elwood held up. Even I held up. We made our excursion without anyone falling down. Hurray!

Today Elwood was quite funny. When we got into the car to go to church, Elwood tried sitting on my lap. He has done this more since he got his tail caught in the door. After I convinced him to get into the foot well, he positioned his nose under the dash and left his harness in my lap–opposite of what is usually done. During the sermon, Elwood fell asleep. Good. Well, not so good. He started dreaming. His feet were going. His whole body was shaking. He began yipping. He started barking and there wasn’t any correction I could give him. He was asleep. I thought about waking him up, but that really didn’t seem fair. The pastor said afterward: Not only do I put people to sleep. Now I put dogs to sleep, too. Elwood has a rubbery toy called a cong. It’s wider at the bottom than at the top with rings getting smaller and smaller. Both ends are open. Sometimes he carries it in his mouth. Tonight he began racing around, running up and down the hall. Whoever created the sounds in cartoons of animals running and then screeching to a stop knew a dog like el wood. That’s exactly what it sounds like. He also began making noises through the cong. It sounded like a hooting noise. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get his harness on. I had him give me the cong, put it on the bookcase, he took it back and the running and noisemaking started all over again. He knew I would just laugh. Finally I said to him, We have to get serious, and we did.

Today is Elwood’s birthday. He is two. I hope this year is filled with good things for him and me and that the terrible 2s do not apply to dogs. Elwood has made a decision: Breakfast first. Park second. I an live with this. God watch over my dog and me.l

We’ve had a busy time of it. Elwood and I left at 4:30 a.m. for the airport to go to my son’s wedding. The flights themselves were uneventful. The ground processing was slow and frustrating. We learned it’s a half an hour walk from Terminal C to Terminal A in Detroit. Elwood was terrific at the wedding and the reception. Lots of people didn’t even know a dog was present. That’s an important test for me … Does my dog know when it’s important to behave? Elwood learned the hotel pretty well … where the elevator was, how to go in and out and how to get to the restaurant. He really preferred to show me the stairs, but they were in his direct line of sight while the elevator was at an angle. Fast food restaurants continue to be problematic–too much food on the floor and too much activity. Elwood is very definitely a pack animal. If anyone around him is up, he believes he should be up. Today a friend sewed both his mats since he is thinking they might be fun to chew on. He has bones. He has other toys all of which have good chew value. Today I caught his tail in the car door. I’m not proud of this. Elwood shrieks quite effectively. afterward, he stayed in my lap. I’m not going back down there on that floor!I finally convinced him otherwise. He certainly is quite dramatic and milks his advantage for all its worth.