Is Tulia losing her touch?

I have talked about Tulia's abilities to charm people on this
blog before. I have also mentioned about her ability to pick a
table in a coffee shop (one where we have recently sat) and
decides that this is my table and her table and she goes and
stares at the people sitting there asking them to move). She is
masterful at it. I try not to let her get away with it but she
is subtle and good. A wag, a pathetic look in the eyes, a tilt
of her gorgeous shiny black head, and people rise, gather up
their coffee, newspapers, magazines, laptops and leave the table
to us. They move whole meetings to the other side of the store.
But, yesterday, it didn't work. She was trying. From the minute
we entered the shop, she looked at a table where we had sat last
week. As I moved towards another one, she slowed down, and
wagged, twisting her head longingly towards the old table. There
were people there. They continued talking. They did not comment
on her beauty, her cleverness, her puppy dog eyes. They kept on
with their meeting. Tulia walked very slowly, dejectedly,
looking back. I asked her to find me an empty chair. She did it
but not with her usual joy. After we left the shop, I had to get
her to find the audible crossing pole, the bus stop pole, a
building for our meeting, before she truly cheered up again. I
guess we should go to the coffee shop and let her practice her
charming skills just in case she has lost her touch!

You never know!

I told stories in a very loud, crowded environment the other day. It is usually not the best type of place to do it and I thought that it was a big disaster. We all have performances like that from time to time. It appeared to me that no one was really listening and there was a lot of background noise. i got through it. I left. Afterwards, I have heard good comments. Only goes to show that you just have !trust in yourself and your art. It is not the best place or way to tell stories but it seems it was slightly better than I had thought it would be.

Grateful to live where I do!

I was on my way to the bus stop yesterday, when it started to rain very hard! my guide dog and I were soaked by the time we reached the bus shelter. I was feeling sorry for myself, soggy, and damp. I stepped into the shelter and then struck up a conversation with a man who was also waiting for the bus. He told me that he had worked all night at a grocery store. That he had come here from Libiya and had arrived here just before all of the fighting broke out there. He has lost 2 friends in the fighting. He was in his last year of medical school when he was forced to leave. Imagine, almost becoming a doctor and having to flee your country. Coming to a new land, and having to start all over again. "show, being wet did not matter to me any more and he began saying how great Canada is, I felt very proud and we had a wonderful conversation during our long wait for the bus. Thank you, for helping me put things into perspective.

Words are not enough to express how which experience was.

Saturday, 18 storytellers and more than 100 listeners took the
journey. We told all of Homer's odyssey all day long. 12 hours.
Lots of breaks. Every single person was brilliant. Rose to the
story. Made it come to life. Each voice so different but always
moving the story along. The audience came with us eagerly. The
greek ambassador came for part of the time too. It was an
experience like no other. I do hope that we get to perform it
again.

leading up to a performance.

Tomorrow is the day! We've been practicing for months to have 18 storytellers perform all of Homer's odyssey. And the day is almost here! Tomorrow! 18 unique voices and styles, 18 wonderful local storytellers, telling Homer as it was meant to be told. it is so exciting. and storytellers do not read. We learn the story. Not straight memorization either. Learning the story so it is in you to tell. But of course with the beautiful language. what an experience! One I will not ever forget. Come and listen. You'll be amazed!

How old is a guide dog when it starts working?

A friend of mine wrote on my facebook wall and asked me about when a guide dog is old enough to take the responsibility of being a guide dog. It varies a little with each dog. First, when they are puppies, they go and live with a family who trains them how to be good dogs and gets them used to all kinds of situations. Then, they go in for formal guide dog training. All of my guides have been a little under two years old when matched with me. Some can be about a year and a half and some can be older. Thanks as ever to all of the puppy raisers who read this. Without you, our dogs could not be the calm and socialized beings they are! And thanks to the guide dog trainers reading this (especially those who trained my wonderful Gia and Tulia) you have given me a gift that is the most precious thing I could ever get.

The words flew.

All 18 storytellers performing on Saturday at the full day long
odyssey event are working on their books. Well, I assume they
are! Smile! I sure am! A phrase occurs in the books. His words
flew. Her words flew. I love that image. Words flying. From
my mouth to your ears. Words flew. What a lovely image. Please
come to the odyssey if you can. If you do, you need to buy
tickets ahead because the box office will be closed at the
beginning of the day. My book is just before lunch. It will be
a great time. Nothing else like it. I hope to see some of you
there.

Re: [Great-White-North] My guide dog makes me laugh so hard!

Tulia reminds me of her half sister. Shelby loves to show me poles for crossing whether or not I need them. Especially the ones we need to cross to get to the grocery store that's a couple of blocks away. Her tale wags agains my leg very hard when she's so proud of showing me things.

 

Andrea and Shelby

----- Original Message -----

From: Kim Kilpatrick

To: Canine Guides List ; Great White North Guide Dog List ; Great things about being blind Blog

Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 8:55 AM

Subject: [Great-White-North] My guide dog makes me laugh so hard!

 

As many of you may know, my lovely guide dog somehow sprained her
foot last week. She has been home resting for the past few days.
Just going out to go to the bathroom about a half block away and
back inside. Gradually, she has started wanting to do more.
Wanting to play and go with me whereever I go. This morning,
before it gets too hot, I decided to try walking the 2 short
blocks to a building with a coffee shop inside in the food court
of the little mall. Tulia had not been happy when I went out
with my white cane and left her home. So, I put my cane in my
backpack and was also prepared to turn back if she started
limping. We set off. We walked slowly and carefully. But,
Tulia decided to show off her brilliance in her work and show me
everything along the way that she had ever showed me. Crossing
poles for the audible signals. She marched up to those and
planted herself right beside them. Doors. Benches. Tables we
had sat at. Showing me everything. As if to say, "What are you
doing with that crazy white cane? I am much much smarter!" I was
laughing so hard. We got to the coffee shop. She found the
line, then a table, then lay on my feet. I drank my iced coffee
and practiced some stories for our upcoming odyssey storytelling
show, and then back we came. Once again on the way back, she
pointed out the crossing pole, guided me around the recycle bins
(it is garbage day here) and came home flawlessly. I do not
think she limped either. She is still on her anti-inflamatory
meds but seems to be doing very well. She is being cautious with
her footing but I do not mind that at all. I'm still chuckling
at how she showed me she cannot be replaced by a white stick.
What a little character she is. She is now flat on her back in
the sun!

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My guide dog makes me laugh so hard!

As many of you may know, my lovely guide dog somehow sprained her
foot last week. She has been home resting for the past few days.
Just going out to go to the bathroom about a half block away and
back inside. Gradually, she has started wanting to do more.
Wanting to play and go with me whereever I go. This morning,
before it gets too hot, I decided to try walking the 2 short
blocks to a building with a coffee shop inside in the food court
of the little mall. Tulia had not been happy when I went out
with my white cane and left her home. So, I put my cane in my
backpack and was also prepared to turn back if she started
limping. We set off. We walked slowly and carefully. But,
Tulia decided to show off her brilliance in her work and show me
everything along the way that she had ever showed me. Crossing
poles for the audible signals. She marched up to those and
planted herself right beside them. Doors. Benches. Tables we
had sat at. Showing me everything. As if to say, "What are you
doing with that crazy white cane? I am much much smarter!" I was
laughing so hard. We got to the coffee shop. She found the
line, then a table, then lay on my feet. I drank my iced coffee
and practiced some stories for our upcoming odyssey storytelling
show, and then back we came. Once again on the way back, she
pointed out the crossing pole, guided me around the recycle bins
(it is garbage day here) and came home flawlessly. I do not
think she limped either. She is still on her anti-inflamatory
meds but seems to be doing very well. She is being cautious with
her footing but I do not mind that at all. I'm still chuckling
at how she showed me she cannot be replaced by a white stick.
What a little character she is. She is now flat on her back in
the sun!

So glad to hear an annoying squeaky toy!

We have had a tough few days. Somehow, my guide dog sprained her foot the other day. She is on anti-inflamatories and rest. No work for her for a few days at least and minimal work for a week or two depending on how things go. She was quiet and loved her chewable pills. This morning, I heard a sound I have not heard in a few days. The squeak of a squeaky toy. She is still not allowed to play but her even wanting to is a good sign. I have always found the sound of that toy annoying but today it sounded great!

My love of reading.

I have loved reading ever since I can remember. I loved being read to, learning braille, reading audio books, and reading in general. i am never without a book of some kind with me. Now with small dchpices, I can carry several. I love browsing libraries and finding books to read. so, it always shocks me to find someone who does not like to read. I came upon this again yesterday. I was working learning my odyssey in a cafe so I could get out and give my dog some work and exercise. i was taking a break from Homer when I overheard someone at the next table saying that she never reads and how much she hates reading and finds it boring. i almost said something but I did not. but how can anyone find books or reading boring? I'm sure glad I don't.

Visit from the guide dog school.

Each year, our field representative from the guide dog school pays us a visit. The great thing about Guide Dogs For the Blind is that they will also come and see you if you have any issues at any time. but, each year, they visit and offer you the chance of getting together and going for a walk, learning a new route, or working on anything you would like to learn. Our visit was on Friday and we worked on getting to the new vet's place. We tried various ways of getting there to find the safest and best one. My guide dog found everything. Remembered everything and worked like a pro. even yesterday, she found me new audible crossing buttons at another street. This is her new particular skill. Finding the poles with the audible buttons. It is quite amazing. When the visits are over, all of my guides have gotten quite silly when they get home. Rolling about and prancing. Like they just passed a very important exam. It is so cute!

Odyssey from a dog's view.

My name is Tulia. I am the cutest black lab that ever lived or
ever will live. Now, here is what you must know about the
odyssey. All of the storytellers are working very very very very
hard. I should know. I've been there for all that practicing
and talking and moving about and discussing characters and
everything. I snore through some of it but it is very good. I
must point out that the first being to recognize odysseus when he
comes home is not a person. Sure, his son does it after a
goddess points it out. But the first being to truly truly
recognize him is not a person but a dog. Here's to the
brilliance of canines I say. So buy tickets and come on June 16.
If you do, you will see me. And if you do and ask Kim nicely
when my harness is off, you can pat me. Who can resist that?

Getting the odyssey into myself.

When I jumped at the chance to be one of the Storytellers
bringing Homer's odyssey to life, I had not ever even read the
whole odyssey. I knew some of the famous bits of course. But
not the whole story. I set out to find the version we were using
in audio or electronic format as I am totally blind and could not
read the print version. I found several versions. Some in poem
format, some abridged, some with boring readers, some for kids,
and a few that I read right through. The story seemed
interesting and I became more excited. I could do this. I've
been a professional storyteller for over 10 years. I have a good
memory. I love all material. But when I started to learn it, I
could not remember it at all. The beautiful language did not
stay in me. The words seemed lifeless. Beautiful yes they (,
but lifeless too. Why? After some work, we came up with a few
reasons. First, I could not picture the story in my imagination.
I have not seen ancient greece. What were the pallaces like?
What did they wear? Who were the gods? What did they do? How do
you yoke mules to a wagon? I realized then how much I put myself
into the stories I tell. Moving through them myself as the words
fly to my audience. I could not do this. I was trying to cram
words into my head and not put the story into myself and live it
with all of me. So I started reading about the greek gods.
Asking questions of our artistic directors and kind storytelling
friends. What clothes did they wear? How big are mules? What
would the pallaces be built like? I asked and asked until the
pictures and the people became clearer in my mind. It was only
then that the beautiful language flowed easily and came to life
for me. And now as I tell my part of the wonderful story, I am
there and the words come naturally. What a rich tapestry we wove
in our rehearsals last weekend. Each voice different but always
moving the wonderful story forward. Come and experience this
with us. You will be amazed, amused, astounded, astonished. I
raise my mug of tea to brilliant blind homer. Hopefully blind
Kim (smile) will be brilliant too on June 16. Come and f9do
out!