Gander: Service Dog

06/12/2026

Nurse Mae checking on her charge.

Saw the surgeon today.
Mixed news.
They can stop the pain, but beyond limited mobility will be a stretch. Pun intended.

Mae was concerned and like she was on rounds when the doc came in: never took her eyes off me.

Surgery not possible until August.

He’s a great doc.
Pics and more info tomo.

All good for now.
Sleep well.

06/11/2026

This service dog needs a home. A long time member of this community has been in and out of the hospital and rehab facilities for several months and will likely not be able to care for her pup.

“He's apx 5.5, will be 6 on 02/27.
He supplies deep pressure to my torso area when he senses my blood pressure going too high or too low, and also gives hugs when he feels me getting anxious or panicky by leaning on my leg(s). He might need some refresher training as he hasn't "worked" for over 6 months now.”

Yesterday the handler wrote:

“I have a very hard decision to make. Some of you know I've been in and out of various hospitals and rehab facilities since early January. My service dog/therapy dog Rocco has been in boarding with his vet for most of that time. The vet says he's been great but they really want to have me find him a new home, foster or forever. I've been calling/writing everyone I can think of but to no avail. My choices are (1) try to get the vet to let me keep him with her, (2) let the vet find him a new home, or (3) return him to Norfolk SPCA and let them rehome him. I love that dog more than words can ever express. I wish I knew what was best for both of us. So, dear friends and followers, I'm asking for your help deciding what to do. Please leave a comment with 1, 2, or 3, or 💞, 🏠, or 🐾 (1-3 respectively). I'll tally the results on Friday and will follow whatever the majority of you suggest. Thank you, one and all.”

If you have an interest in this pup or know somebody who might, DM me with your contact information and I will pass it on to the handler.

The dog is located near Hampton, Virginia.

Please share.

06/11/2026

“So, I checked everywhere. Florence isn’t here. I haven’t had my tail attacked in days.”

She checked every one of Flo’s snoozing spots in the house and couldn’t locate the cat.

I guess we will have to head for Flo’s new digs in New Jersey soon.

Potpourri:

I am heading to consult with a shoulder surgeon today. He’s in Florida, an hour away. Had to get a new MRI prior, then had to get up at 0-dark-thirty yesterday to pick up the results yesterday. It is in the direction of Mobile Alabama. Had breakfast at Waffle House with friend Michael Hennigan prior, near the hospital where I had the test done. He has a practice there. The hospital, not Waffle House. I’m sure if you were cardiologist, he’d have a thriving practice at WH.
The hospital and the surgeon are each about an hour from where I live, but in opposite directions.
Medical care is sadly a little disjointed and spread out down here.
The bad news? Even if he takes the case today, the surgeon surgeon doesn’t have an opening until the end of August 😳

Supposed to be crazy warm this weekend. Just heard the news say it will “feel like” 109°! We have free tix to a small concert Saturday, but it’s at an amphitheater! Not sure about subjecting the queen to the heat.

Hope it’s cooler where you are…

06/11/2026

Our vet with the director of the national Veterans art conference.
He said the food is wonderful, the people are great and he’s absolutely having a ball

06/10/2026

Go where you feel most alive.”

Came up in my memory feed this morning. Why going fishing with Gander was always fruitless.
Great fun, but fruitless. I’ve never seen any dog, outside of a circus, that could balance on as small an area in an attempt to catch a glimpse of his finned friends.
If I thought I loved nature before G came into my life, I was sorely mistaken. He caused my attention and appreciation to grow exponentially.

06/10/2026

I think she spotted us…

Sleep well.

06/09/2026

So, our Veteran is on his way to Columbia today to the national Arts …
He had a little trouble this morning at the airport.
It appears the national Conference may not have told him that, though he is airfare was supposed to be covered, it would be another $50 to take a luggage. And they would not take cash so he had to buy a prepaid card at a kiosk. He was left with nothing.
I don’t know how the VA no the American Legion auxiliary expects a disable making $750 a month to come up with both hotel fees, previously covered in earlier years, and baggage fees. I usually try and just take a carry-on on with me, but he’s gonna be gone a week. Hard to pack a week’s worth of clothes in a backpack for an event where you have to look nice.
Will be sending him enough money later today to make sure he doesn’t have that issue coming back.
Since he is only 40% disabled, he cannot use the USO, so he had to leave early enough this morning that he didn’t get to eat, so no food for him until the Conference tonight.
I’m going to call the USO in Columbia and see if they can meet him at the baggage claim and get him a sack lunch even though he’s not a retired or regular ID card holder.
With recent cuts in budgets to Arts related things in Veteran recovery, the national Conference had to forgo paying for rooms and other amenities.
If leadership only knew how much healing the Arts can achieve.
I have a call into the leadership and sent an email. I’m hoping to talk to them today and I’m going to offer to work with them through the year or obtain corporate sponsorships so these guys never have to go through this again.
My time in Denver, the national Conference two years ago was truly one of the best Conference experiences I’ve had in my life. I am hoping something similar for Anthony.
UPDATE:
The kind volunteers at the Columbia USO, after I called, are going to put together a sack lunch for Anthony to take with him to his hotel so that he has something to eat before this evening. How wonderful is that?
Just forwarded on to him some money so he at least he has funds during the week.

06/08/2026

It’s also PTSD awareness month

Remember, all wounds are not visible.

06/08/2026

“After every storm the sun, look for a rainbow.”
Mae
The Dao of Dog

From non-stop storms to sudden beauty (the weather too 😉)…

Returned home from watching Riverdance in Mississippi ( 90 minutes away) on dry roads in time to watch the joyful celebration of the Tony Awards.

06/08/2026