Sasha: Therapy (for us) Needed

Sasha has been a good little therapy dog for us.  She has been my little mainstay friend for the last few months but she also has been helpful to both of us the whole time we have had her. She also sometimes makes us wonder if we need therapy:).
Last night as we heard ourselves talking to her, we had to wonder. I heard myself saying "Good girl. Here's your treat.  Now you can go to bed with Daddy or stay up with Mommy." What is that about!?
We hear ourselves saying other things to her like "You little .. (nothing too bad)" when she is in what we consider her bipolar mood. We do yell at her when she runs from window to back window barking ferociously at every dog, family or diesel powered truck that dares to pass by. She rests most of the day but comes alive - sometimes with a vengeance - with energy to play and wants constant attention in the evening. We wonder what people might think if they were passing by on the sidewalk or worse yet, could see us and hear us on video talking baby talk to her.
We talk to her about who knows what, each of us having little monologues with her. She cuddles up to us, sleeping between us (which we used to say we would never do) and we think of her as a little person around here. She is cute with her little routines - runs (treat expected of course) to the kennel when Tom asks her to so he can get me and the wheelchair out the door without her escaping.  Then, when  Tom goes in to release her, she perfectly poses herself on top of the middle pillow looking like the cutest little dog in the center of our front window.  It makes us occasionally think of the song "How much is that doggy in the window?".  Like I said, she is therapeutic to us and we have reason to feel there may be a gap of needed therapy which we have so far missed.  Somehow, I feel sure some of you pet lovers will understand.  I sure hope so.

Looking Around from a Wheelchair

Unfortunately, as many of you know, I was in this position four years ago.  That time I was recovering in a nursing home and was seen as the" younger woman" among the residents. I had less mobility that time around.
Well  I definitely am happy that this isn't a permanent position for me and respect and admire those who have to endure these limitations on a much more long term basis.
I am finding that I get more stains on my capris being in a sitting position most of the time. And I literally have pain in my lower back by bedtime..
But what I find most interesting is how people treat me.
MOST go out of their way to show kindness, grabbing the door to help out..smiling down at me sincerely ( I want to tell them all that this is just temporary)..looking like they have time to remember momentarily that they are thankful they can walk. A FEW don't see you at all and you have to be the defensive driver to avoid running into them as they step into or too near your path.
Then there are the friends and family like my sister Linda: "Glad you managed to haul yourself in here - or rather Tom did:)". Or our neighbor Dave who said he couldn't feel too sorry for me when he heard I was going to the Packers' game the other night.
And there are the perks: Some of them I have mentioned on facebook. Friends and family helping with meals and cleaning..A WW's friend Jean brought me a nice little catered lunch this week and played her dulcimer for me. I plan to treat her back to the Grapevine when transportation is no longer a major consideration.
And I must tell Holly, another coworker, that it is still possible at my age to develop some arm strength in my upper arms as I compensate. I was wondering about that a few months ago.
All I have to say is: FOUR MORE WEEKS (as I heard Tom sigh on one of his latest trips getting me in and out of the house). His arm muscles are strengthening too.

Packers Game: (Almost) Like Kids in a Candy Store

It would have been a complete analogy IF the Packers had won. It still turned out to be an exceptional fun time for Tom and me.
I remember a children's director in a former church saying :"Anticipation is at least half the fun of doing something." Once we realized we would be moving to the Green Bay area, going to a Packers game moved up high on the bucket list. When I realized that they were playing San Francisco, my hope rose that we could get tickets since Tom grew up in that area.
Once I was able to get tickets and surprise Tom with them for his birthday, we have looked forward to the big game! We hit perfect weather and great seats, one rung up near the 40 yard line. Since we were able to get the tickets exchanged for the handicapped area, we had a lot of room around us.
The sun was bright throughout most of the game. I have no desire to go in the frozen tundra we are known to play in around here.
The team spirit was infectious, though admittedly subdued through most of the game as SF played textbook football and the Packers scrambled to try to keep up. With eight minutes left in the game, there was a great surge of excitement and HOPE - diminished again unfortunately with the 30-22 finish as you all already know.
But - it was a lot of fun participating with the world's best football fans!   It was almost like kids in a candy store.