On Saturday afternoons my dad has more free time available than any other day of the week. This means we have more time to spend together as a family. And do things we might not be able to do on other days. Sometimes we relax at home. Or we have a leisurely lunch in a restaurant. Or we go shopping without hurrying. 

Oftentimes we do choose to stay home on Saturdays. If we are staying home we might relax and have a quiet family day. Sometimes my dad catches up on outside chores. Like mowing the lawn in the summertime or cleaning up the fallen leaves in the fall. My mom and I might do some extra training. Or just spend a quiet day together. But even on relaxing stay at home days I still do my regular job. Because my mom still needs my help. 

But sometimes on Saturday afternoons, we go out to lunch at a favorite restaurant. And after we eat we go shopping at some of our favorite stores. Do you have a favorite restaurant that you enjoy? And a specific store or a special place where you like to go shopping? My mom loves going to bookstores! And my dad does, too!

When going to a bookstore my mom and dad most always come home with a new book or two or three! Being able to look at the books and see the size of the print makes it easier for my mom. Because when the print is too small, it makes it more difficult for her to read. Do you remember in my post, Dog show fun! how I told you that it was hard for her to see the signs in the rally ring? Well, seeing the words in a book can be hard for her, too. Because her eyes don’t work quite the way they should she has to make some adjustments. Like memorizing the signs in the rally ring. And making sure the print is large enough in the books she buys. There are even times when she uses a magnifying glass!

My mom also enjoys listening to audiobooks. There is a program that is offered through the National Library Service. This program is for people who are blind, have low vision, or have a physical disability that makes it difficult for them to read or hold a regular book. It is free for those who qualify. And you know what? My mom qualifies! So she gets to use this service. They provide access to thousands of Talking Books that she can choose from. There is a special machine that can be used to play these Talking Books. And now, with the advancement of technology, there is an app on the phone where the books can be easily found and downloaded. This app is what my mom uses for listening to books.

You might think that it is boring for me to go to a bookstore with my mom. Well, I can assure you that it is not. Since I am patient. And well trained. Waiting is easy! While she is looking at the books on the shelves I just lay down and rest. And then when she moves to a different section I get to stretch my legs before laying back down. And you know what else my mom does? Sometimes she will even do a few training exercises with me in between her browsing. That part is extra fun for me! Most of all I just enjoy being with my mom no matter where we go or what we are doing. 

Have you ever thought about the many types of books there are? And the different reasons why people read? Some books are enjoyable stories that are read just for pleasure. Like fantasy books. And some are stories that have a message that offers an opportunity to learn some lessons throughout the story. Like my book. And others are written to provide information that expands one’s knowledge in a specific area. Many of my mom’s dog training books fall into this category. Because my mom likes to learn so much about dog training I’d say this is probably her favorite kind of book! 

In my post My pesky little sister! I told you a little bit about my brother, Eric. When he was younger my mom would read books to him. This was a favorite activity that they did together. Some of the books that they read were ones that helped him learn about different life events. Like books about people with disabilities. These were especially helpful for him when my mom was first having physical difficulties. And especially after she became fully dependent on using the wheelchair.

Because my mom saw how much these books helped Eric understand the differences people had. And the ways they adjusted or coped with these differences. It started to spark a desire for her to write a children’s book. One that would be a fun story. But also one that could be used to help others learn. So they could begin to learn about service dogs and the ways they enhance the independence of a person with a disability.  But she also thought this could be a special way for kids to learn more about the ways a person can adapt to changes when they become disabled.

My mom knew the many ways books could help someone expand their knowledge about different subjects. And how a book could be used to increase awareness of how something could successfully be done in different ways. And she also thought that maybe a story could be a way for others to become a little more comfortable when meeting someone who was different than they were. Because of all these things she wanted to include a section that offered a way to learn more beyond what was shared in the story. This was why she included the section “A note to parents & teachers” at the end of my book. This section has some common questions she often gets asked. And gives the answers to these questions. 

Do you have some favorite books?. My favorite is Blogger Dog Buffy! Service Dog! But you know what? I am sure my choice didn’t surprise you! Especially since this is the story about me and my mom. 

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