Hey Friends! I have fallen behind on my blog way more than I had intended. I guess my mom and I needed a break longer than expected. But I’m happy to say… I am back! I’m not sure yet what my posting schedule will be. But it will be far more often than it has been over the past year or so.
My mom and I, along with my dad and brother Eric, recently went on vacation. If you have been a follower of the blog for any length of time, I’m sure you can guess where we went. Yes… Walt Disney World! If you are new to my blog, Disney has been a long-time favorite destination for my family.
My Mickey bowtie!
When people go on vacation, they usually get away to rest, relax, and have fun. Their responsibilities at home and work are put aside while they vacation. But I do my job every day, even while away on vacation!
My mom’s disability never takes a vacation! It is always present, which means she always needs my help, no matter where we are or what we are doing. The assistance I give my mom while vacationing makes it possible for her to continue living each day to the fullest.
My mom, dad, and I drove to Disney. Well, my dad drove, and my mom and I went along for the ride! It was two long days of driving with an overnight stay halfway, both going to Florida and returning home. We were all happy when we arrived at each destination! To my surprise, when we got to Disney, Eric was there and waiting for us. I was so happy to see him!
My mom and I soon after arriving at our Disney resort!
The weather was unseasonably hot and humid, which was hard for my mom and me. Fortunately, we found ways to stay comfortable. We went to the parks early in the day with my dad and Eric, but only stayed for a little while. My mom and I would return to our resort before it got too hot. And then return late in the day to meet up with them for dinner.
Returning to the resort on our own was made possible because I was there to help my mom in all of the ways she needed throughout the day. I pushed automatic door buttons, opened doors, picked up things she dropped, and kept her company.
One of my many bus rides while at Disney!
Throughout our 10 days at Disney, I met a lot of new friends! My mom and I had the opportunity to share with others the many ways a service dog helps their handler. Ways that give independence that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. We talked about the proper etiquette when seeing a working dog. I even got to shake hands with many of my new friends!
I got to meet the family of a lady who would be graduating with her first service dog the following day from the same organization I am from Canine Companions which is national service dog organization with six campuses throughout the country. Near Disney is the Orlando campus, but it isn’t the one I graduated from. The campus on Long Island, New York, is closest to where my mom lives. So that is where I was partnered with my mom.
Meeting Diamond, the night before his matriculation!
I also got to meet a puppy in training, Diamond, who was matriculating into professional training the next day. Again, at the same service dog organization. I whispered in his ear and told him to study hard so that one day, if he wanted, he could be a service dog, just like me!
Like any vacation, our time at Disney came to an end. And we headed home. It was relaxing and fun. And hard to leave. But it was great to be home! We had a quiet week to settle back in and ease back into our routine.
I got to meet Figment, one of my mom’s favorite Disney characters!
As mentioned earlier, I hope to resume a more regular schedule for sharing posts with all of you. Are there any topics you would like me to talk about? Or videos of things I do that help my mom?
If anyone has tried to contact me through the “email Buffy” tab on the blog, your messages have not reached me. I am aware of the problem. My mom is working to fix it. In the meantime, you can leave a “comment” on my blog post, and I will respond there.
