I've had a really marvellous health day today, they are so rare I write about them when they happen. I had to do a lot of walking (sans cane) and truly as I sit down to write this just before midnight on Saturday, my body feels so good I want to take it out and party somewhere, but I can't. I had a successful day in so many ways and found I was enraptured with the fog outside the window first thing, look at the blaze of fall colour breaking through the grey!
I had one of those days where I read for a while, I knitted for a while, a friend dropped in for a while, and I chatted with an old activist in the laundry room. She is old enough to be my mother. Seriously. She is 94 and wields a large stick and her political analysis is right on the money. She was at our meeting with the minister. She said her life was marvelous as she had no children to clutter up her brain. I had to laugh. I had an aunt so very like her.
I decided to go to my doctor and get a certificate to enable me to get an emotional support animal. I have missed my furry companion, Ansa, so much - I know it's been three years but some losses do not fade. That is horsewallop. As there are no pets allowed in this building apparently an ESA supersedes these regulations and I can toddle everywhere with him/her. So wish me luck on this. We would be good for each other. Test case coming up.
I'm kinda thinking (s)he would look like this (My niece's treasure)
I think an emotional support animal is a great idea, I also think all animals are emotional support companions whether they are licensed or not. I hope all goes well with the minister taking the concerns to the proper people and have my fingers crossed for good results.
ReplyDeleteThank you River, us too, though political cynicism is part of elders' natures having been around so long and seen the trashed promises once elected!
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I am really glad that the meeting went so well, and of course I have my fingers and toes crossed for you qualifying for a support animal. River is right. So many of us need them.
ReplyDeleteYes, so very many. The tenants in my building (the ones I trust) are eagerly awaiting my experiment. I'll make sure all my ducks are in a row and if I must say so myself, I am an excellent dog whisperer. If I could train Ansa, a wild rescue, I could train any dog.
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With you about to cast a vote, I expect your local member did seem very receptive and his staffer had done his/her research. Sorry for the cyniasim. I have learnt it. As we discovered 40 years ago, buildings can make all the rules they like, but they are mostly bluff. They are quite impotent. You would make a good story on the evening news, as your cute little pet is compulsorily taken away from you. Get your pet and worry about the paperwork later, but please make sure it has somewhere to go if it survives you.
ReplyDeleteOh for sure Andrew and like I said above, you cross the sixty mark and cynicism is in the bones.
DeleteI'd rather have every piece of law fully researched and the landlord and tenant act fully researched and clarified before I take this one huge step for (wo)mankind.
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It is great that you had a great day and that you have decided to get a certificate for the keeping of an emotional support animal. You might like to reconsider the kind as I think that you would be better off with a short coat one rather than a furry one as maintenance will be easier.
ReplyDeleteThe one I am thinking of has hair rather than fur - a Yorkie. they are easily trained and quite intelligent :)Lucky you with your two!!
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Blogger has suddenly decided to let me in all over the place with no bother so I’ve headed over here to say how good it was to read your post today. All good days are a bonus. I do hope the Emotional Support animal becomes a reality; what a lovely thought. The combination of animals, very young children and older people is a win-win idea in recent years and it does seem that Canada has led the way. Here in Yorkshire there is at least one nursery/retirement home amalgamating for the blindingly obvious benefit to all. Keep up the good work Mary! xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne, I'm pretty good at this treading where no one has treaded before, can hardly wait to test these particular waters and welcome a furry companion. I think (s)he will extend my life and emotional wellbeing considerably!
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Wondeful wordsI
ReplyDeleteI miss my Callie
but cannot trip over her.
all my beautiful rugs
my son took up ")
have a wonderful day
or whatever it is in your land
which is t far from me :)
The sun is out Ernestine and grey clouds seep around its edges but all is well here. I know you miss your Callie as I miss my Ansa, life is not the same. I realize in her absence how much we talk to them. Ansa knew all my secrets and never judged me.
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I wish you well on getting a support dog. I have a household full of cats who keep me moving and doing for them. I am their staff so I guess you could say I am their support person. I've not had a dog since childhood, and although I love dogs, I know they are too much work for me. I can leave the cats and go off, but I know I could not do that to a dog.
ReplyDeleteSo very true DKZ - I've had cats and they are very low maintenance compared with dogs, but my best buds have always been canine.
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A doggie will do you good. We all know that.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see some men in your ranks at the meeting.
Congratulations on the good health day. :) Yeah!
Thanks Gemma, those pain free upbeat days are such a bonus.And I find myself smiling all day. the man at the meeting was supporting his wife (!!) but hey, that's good.
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How nice to have a productive day which makes you feel happy. Good luck with finding a compatible companion.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi!
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It's good to know that your meeting went so well, WWW, and that you have a good health day - well worth a celebration!
ReplyDeleteRe a pet - oooh yes! Especially one who looks like the sweetie in the photograph. Long ago we decided against having a pet so that we could be free to travel more - those days are gone, but we're still wary of adopting a dog, in current circumstances - much as I'd love to do so.
I totally get that T, but I know my daughter or niece would take my cutie in a heartbeat so I have that plan B in place.
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Oh, I do hope you are able to have a dog. Fingers crossed; toes too. Your niece's dog looks like a little Yorkie. Terriers are my favorite dog, short of Jack Russell's.
ReplyDeleteGiven a choice Joanne, I would do border collie, many of my dogs had that mix. But Yorkies are bright and cute and not too demanding on an old lady. I wouldn't have the legs for a collie anymore.
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I forgot about the collies of my childhood. I had a standard in my twenties, and he was about the smartest dog I've ever lived with.
DeleteGood luck with the politician - they do promise so much and come up with so little.
ReplyDeleteMore luck with an ESA. All old people should be issued with one free of charge and an automatically available handler/walker. I miss my Millie terribly yet when it’s a foul day outside I am glad she no longer volunteers me to drag myself out in it.
'Somewhere Towards The End' was written by Diana Athill, whose writing I adore. I have the title and, like you, find it an excellent book to read in one’s declining years.
(Although not so much of the ‘declining’, but you know what I mean; we may not willingly decline but the numbers, the numbers .........
Friko I meant "No Time To Spare" by Ursula K. Le Guin. Sorry. I also loved the Athill book.
DeleteI agree on one animal free of charge for all of us seniors.
Yes, the numbers, they are relentless, we don't want them and yet....
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Wow, sounds like successes and goodies all 'round! I hope you get your ESA, that would be the icing on the cake! Much as I love my malamute I would not have chosen such a large animal myself. If I ever get another dog/ESA, I would definitely choose something smaller. Even though I have come to love the mal personality. I am glad you had such positive response to your activism, I hope to hear that it will come to some benefit for NL seniors.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great but my inner cynic does an eyeroll. We have lived too long Annie to have any kind of confidence in politicians left in our hearts.
DeleteI love your Hapi, defo my kind of dog too but as we age we need to scale down our wants. A Yorkie would be fine for me now.
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That sounds like a great idea, to get an emotional support animal. Especially as it gets round the no-pets rule.
ReplyDeleteAnd how lovely to hear of someone who is 94 but still sharp as a razor on the important political issues.
Yes, it would be great to have a 4 legged companion again, they always suited me better than the 2 legged kind.
DeleteYes, she is a delight.
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Sounds like a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely think you ought to be able to have a pet there - they can be wonderful companions. In my opinion, there ought to be limits on where you can take ESAs unless they are absolutely required (a seeing eye dog, say). I noticed lots of people with dogs in the airport and I suspect they are all pets who've gotten a letter from a healthcare provider. Which is great for the dog's owner, but doesn't take into account all the people with animal allergies who might be on the plane. Also, ESA's aren't trained the way other service animals are, so they are more of a wildcard in terms of how they'll react to people or other dogs in public. The guidelines in the States are that a service dog has to provide a specific function - alerting to seizures, fetching meds, or whatnot - and not just be a companion. I no longer write those letters for patients because of that. If they just wanted to have a dog in their apartment, I'd happily write the letter. But I'm not willing to take on liability if they want to bring their pet into stores or restaurants or planes and there is a problem.