Exploring the Whitehouse

Hello everyone! Saint and Dusty here.

Mummy took us on another adventure today — Tuesday, March 15, 2023. It was a great day in Washington, D.C. We waited in line to tour the White House, which started at 11 a.m. It took time to get inside, but we made it! We went with many of our friends who are usually in Mummy’s classes. We took many photos with Mummy and the group while inside the White House.

There was so much to see! We saw the state dining room (yum), the blue room, the red room and the green room. We saw that the library has over 2,700 books. That is a lot of hours spent reading!

Because of Mummy we even got to see exclusive areas of the White House such as the part of the building that has scorch marks from when the British burned it in the War of 1812. It was a day to remember! We cannot tell President Biden’s dog this, but we even urinated on his lawn, which means we technically own part of that lawn now, if we are using dog rules.

The fun did not stop at the end of the White House tour. The next place we went was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We saw so many bones!! Although these bones were too big to chew on because they once belonged to dinosaurs! We ended up staying until they shut down the place.

Here is a photo of us with the whole group spending time in the White House!

Until next time. Take care. Be well. Hugs and wags.

Flying to D.C.

Hello everyone! Saint and Dusty here.

Today –Monday, March 13, 2023—was such an unusual day. Mummy woke us up very early so that we would be out of Presque Isle by 1 a.m. We had a goal to get to Washington, D.C., with 11 of our friends who wanted to come with us. For us this meant catching two flights on time. Good thing we really enjoy catch!

We arrived at Bangor and caught our first flight. We flew in style when Mummy got us moved up to first class. We got many smiles as we greeted each person walking to their seats on the plane. All of the passengers loved us!

There were also many good smells and crumbs surprises under each seat.
Our second flight took us to Washington, D.C. There were not as many crumbs under these seats as there were on the first flight. We got to nap the rest of the way there. When we woke up, we had done it! We were in D.C.
From then on it was back to riding in a vehicle. A nice man in a wheelchair accessible van drove us to our hotel.

Teri was waiting at the hotel for us! Teri has helped Mummy and us many times. This time she is attaching wheels to a big kennel so that Mummy can pull us around in it. This will be great for our journey through Washington!

Here is a photo of us spending time together inside in the airplane.

Saint and Dusty sleeping on the airplane.

Until next time. Take care. Be well. Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty

The Ramp to the Hair Salon

Hello everyone! Saint and Dusty here.

Mummy took us to a special place in town on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. It was –7 degrees, but we ventured out in Miracle –the van Mummy drives– anyway. The drive was quick. We pulled up to the building and got inside from the cold with ease.

For five years we have been going to Salon 207 because this is where Kim works. Kim is a beautician who cuts Mummy’s hair. Kim also makes sure that Mummy always has access to the ramp to get into the building even when guys in Jeeps think the accessibility ramp is a parking space. That has happened often. It’s good to have Kim looking out for us!

Mummy’s haircuts aren’t long, but we make the most of our time by sniffing around. Kim lets us explore the room while she and Mummy are busy. Sometimes there the sun shines through the windows onto the floor and that makes for a great spot to lie down. This time there was no sunny
spot to lie in, so we spent time together, by Mummy’s side, until her hair was all cut.

When we were getting ready to leave, some other costumers were just coming in. We greeted them before heading back outside, going down the ramp, and then into our seats inside of Miracle. What a good day.

Here is a photo of us spending time together inside Salon 207 during the hair appointment!

Saint and Dusty spending time together at Salon 207.

Until next time. Take care. Be well. Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty

Going to an UMPI Basketball Game

Hello everyone! Saint and Dusty here.
It has been a while since we were able to go watch a basketball game. The gym looks so very different now! Although we could smell some dry wall that we remember from when they worked on our house years ago. So we think that there must have been some big construction since the last time we went.
This time we were able to sit in the bleachers! Mummy had a spot all picked out for her
that happened to be right next to the opposing team’s players. This felt a little weird since we knew we were there to root for the Owls. We recognized some of the players warming up before the game started from one of Mummy’s afternoon classes. We could tell by their scents because
they all look the same in their uniforms. We could sense that Mummy wanted to go right out on the floor to ask them about their progress reports. (That has been a big topic of discussion we remember from that class when we aren’t asleep)
The women’s game was pretty easy going, as people in the crowd seemed to be happy throughout. The women’s team was playing really well. Once the men’s game began, however, things started to feel much tenser. Players were getting really rough out there. The student section kept yelling at one individual player from the other team. We think it was because he was
scoring a lot. Toward the end of the game when things were really tense he came flying across the floor right next to us. He almost slid right into us! He didn’t, thankfully, and wasn’t hurt. The game went right down to it, and unfortunately the Owls lost. The energy in the building was a little deflated. But we know there will always be more games to be played.

It was awesome watching a basketball games again, with all the people in one big room cheering the Owls on. We can’t wait to attend more!

Hugs and Wags,

Saint and Dusty.

Thanking Mummy’s Dad at Sainte Anne de Beaupre

Dusty and Saint on the Grounds of the Shrine at Sainte Anne de Beaupre, Quebec, Canada. The Weather There Cleared for Us Just in Time: 8.18.2022

Hello Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here.

Anyone who knows Mummy at all knows that her daddy was a huge influence on her.  She always says that anything that she has achieved she owes to him.  We thought about him a lot on our trip.  We know that he would have been so excited about our adventures.

When Mummy was a very little person, her daddy took her mummy, her sister, and Mummy on a trip to Quebec.  One of the highlights was a visit to the basilica at Sainte Anne de Beaupre. 

Mummy had always wanted to go back.  Since we were traveling through Quebec on our way home to Maine and would be staying only a few hours from the shrine, this seemed like the perfect time to visit. 

The weather was not good the day that we went: Thursday, August 18, 2022.  It was raining really hard and foggy.  We had to drive through Quebec City, which had lots of road construction.  But Mummy was determined.  And amazingly enough, when we got to Sainte Anne de Beaupre, the weather cleared!  It didn’t get really sunny, but we were able to walk around the grounds and savor the beautiful views, as well as explore the inside of the basilica. 

The basilica is old.  They have made some real efforts to make it accessible to everyone.  We were able to see quite a lot.  We tagged along with a group that was getting a tour in English.  It was wonderful to learn the history of the shrine and what so many of the artifacts mean. 

The only thing that we took exception to was the mosaics of the seven deadly sins in the floor.  We specifically objected to the illustration of Envy.  They depicted a dog!  Can you believe it?  All the dogs we know are very kind and generous.

This excursion meant a lot to Mummy.  She wanted to thank her dad for the good life that his faith and support of her has made possible.  We bet that he was smiling down during our whole visit.

Driving back to our hotel, the weather was awful again.  But we got back safely.  And the weather didn’t matter.  We had done what we set out to do.  So we brought the sunshine with us. 

We have a photo of the mosaic with the dogs symbolizing envy.  But we would rather share a photo of us outside on the lovely grounds of the shrine.

Until next time.  Take care.  Be well.  Hugs and wags.

Dusty and Saint

An Unexpected Jewel

Saint and Dusty by Kinross Pond, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Catching Some Sun. The Lake and Fountain Are in the Background--8.16.2022.

Hello Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here.

When people ask us how we decide to stay where we do on our trips, we explain that the answer is simple.  We need to stay in a hotel that is wheelchair accessible.  The vast majority of hotels still are not.  That always kind of shocks people when we tell them.  There’s a lot that goes into accessibility.  We won’t go into the details here. But if you would like to learn more, we are happy to share. 

If you’re going through a less populated area, you are going to have fewer options.  So those days of driving were longer, since we needed to get to the next stop that was wheelchair accessible.  That’s how we wound up making a reservation for the Microtel in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, for 8/15/2022-8/17/2022.  We knew that there was a lake in Kirkland Lake (hence the name).  But that was about it.

Kirkland Lake was a wonderful surprise.  The lake attracts people to fish and do water sports—none of which we do.  But there were other fantastic features.  Kirkland Lake is a lovely little city.  It’s immaculate.  Within a short roll of our hotel is an amazing monument to labor (mining), beautifully landscaped. 

The people who work at the hotel could not have been nicer. They were very, very interested in what we do and in service dogs in general.  This was a great teaching opportunity. 

Mummy asked the staff if there were a nice park where she could take us.  That’s how we found Kinross Pond. 

Kinross Pond is a treasure.  It’s a few blocks off the main street, which is the Trans Canada Highway.  But those few blocks take you to another world.  The pond has a fountain in the middle.  It is surrounded by marsh grasses.  There is a paved loop around the pond.  There are inviting benches periodically so that people can rest and contemplate.  There are markers every so often around the loop that give you the history of Kirkland Lake and tell you about some of its significant residents and events. 

When we went, it was lunchtime.  So we saw a small cross-section of the community.  There were people who seemed to be taking a break from work.  There were children on the playground.  There was a family having a picnic.  There was a very elderly man having his daily constitutional.  Boy, was he moving!  Several people brought their dogs there.

Here’s a photo of us relaxing by the pond.  It was pretty warm that day, as you can tell.  Behind us, in the distance, you can see the fountain in the pond.  This truly was an unexpected gem.

Until next time.  Take care.  Be well.  Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty

A Jungle in Thunder Bay

Saint and Dusty at the Centennial Botanical Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario--8.14.2022

Hello, Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here.

When you think of Ontario, Canada, your first thought might not be of a jungle.  But that’s exactly what we found during our stay in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  On Sunday, August 14, 2022, we went to the Centennial Botanical Conservatory.  The conservatory was a project by the Fort William Parks Board.  It opened in 1967 and is a legacy to the citizens of Thunder Bay.  It is open year round.  It must feel amazing to step into the jungle setting in the middle of winter.

We went on a quiet, rainy Sunday.  We were the only people inside.  We took our time, checked out everything, took lots of photos.  Because of COVID, the cactus house wing was closed—people would be packed in awfully close.  But we could see in. 

Mummy let us climb up on a couple of benches along the way.  You can get tired walking through a jungle.  The benches are very thoughtfully placed to encourage people to sit, enjoy, meditate.  The plants are labeled so that people can learn.  They really must like it in the conservatory—some of them are really, really tall.

In the summer, the outside grounds are also very lovely, filled with gardens and bee hives.  Even though it was rainy, we truly enjoyed strolling around.  It was so peaceful.

We are including a photo of us, a closeup of us on a bench.  Dusty really likes to rest her head on Saint.  And Saint, being a good big sister, lets her.

Sometimes we hear people saying, “It’s a jungle out there.”  We wonder if they’re talking about the Centennial Botanical Conservatory in Thunder Bay?

Until next time.  Take care.  Be well.  Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty

Spinner Knobs and Human Rights

Mummy and the Girls--Canadian Museum for Human Rights--Israel Asper Tower of Hope--Winnipeg, Manitoba--8.12.2022

Hello, Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here.

Mummy drives our van, Miracle, using hand controls.  There is no driver’s seat.  Mummy deploys a ramp, rolls up it into Miracle, folds up the ramp, and locks into the driver seat space in her wheelchair to drive.  Since she can’t use her feet, she has to do everything with her hands.  With her right hand, she uses a spinner knob that allows her to completely control the steering wheel and make the sharpest turns with only one hand.  It clamps onto the steering wheel.  Mummy’s is egg shaped.  That’s more comfortable for her little hand than a round shape.  It has blue tooth toggle switches that she can use for her directional signals, bright lights, and windshield washing.  She uses her left hand for a lever that ties into the brake and gas pedals.  She accelerates or brakes using that lever: down for gas, forward to brake. 

Mummy has been using hand controls for many years.  She has never had a problem with them—until we were driving across Manitoba, toward Winnipeg, on August 10.  Suddenly, the spinner knob fell off the steering wheel into Mummy’s lap.  This was a terrible feeling.  We were still more than 2,000 miles from home.  How could we make it that far without our spinner knob?

If this was going to happen, it couldn’t have picked a better location.  Manitoba is very flat and the roads are quite straight.  (We are so lucky that this did not happen in the Rocky Mountains.). Mummy managed to tamp the spinner knob back onto the wheel so that she could use it, although it kept falling off. 

When we got to Winnipeg, Mummy took the spinner knob, put it on the steering wheel, and lined up the set screws.  (They were still in the spinner knob.). She didn’t think that she had any tool small enough to tighten the tiny screws.  Then she remembered that she had a small file on a little Leatherman tool on her key fob.  So she was able to use that.

In Winnipeg we saw one of Mummy’s former students, Terry Lewycky.  He came to see us to catch up and brought some tools.  We were also able to borrow an Allen wrench from the hotel maintenance man.  So we got the spinner knob back on good and tight.

We didn’t want all this excitement to prevent us from going to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.  We had been looking forward to that for so long.  So we went on Friday, August 12. 

This was the first Museum for Human Rights in the world.  It is an amazing place and so accessible.  The parking was fantastic.  The bathrooms were the embodiment of accessibility.  We saw many exhibits and films.  The lower levels of the museum focus on Canadian Human Rights.  There was much information about Indigenous/First Nations people and Metis.  Higher floors looked at Human Rights, globally.  You could spend weeks there and not see and absorb everything. 

The docents had urged us to be sure to go to the top of the Israel Asper Tower of Hope.  People can climb the steps, which symbolize the challenges of achieving Human Rights.  Fortunately for us, there is also an elevator.  It’s very moving and humbling to be at the top.  On a clear day—and we were there on a very clear day—you can see all over Winnipeg and beyond. 

We are including a photo of us with Mummy at the top of the Israel Asper Tower of Hope.  Our dream is that you draw some hope for Human Rights from it.  As Mummy always says: We All Can Make a Difference.  We All Can Be That Difference.  Let Us Start Today. 

Until next time, folks.  Take care. Be well.  Hugs and wags.

Dusty and Saint

Good Thing We Can’t Eat Bones

Saint and Dusty Relax in Front of a Dinosaur Skeleton, Museum of Natural Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon--8.8.2022

Hello Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here. 

One of our stops on our Journey back home from Alaska was Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  We stayed at a hotel right on the edge of the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.  That made getting to attractions on campus pretty easy. 

We went to two attractions on two different days.  We visited the Diefenbaker Canada Centre.  Diefenbaker was a prime minister of Canada, the first from a prairie province, and the first to have a library with his artifacts.  This would be equivalent to a U.S. presidential library. 

Also at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre was an exhibit on women in science.  That would send a powerful message to everyone, especially children. There are many discovery camps at the centre throughout the summer.

The other place that we visited on campus was the Museum of Natural Sciences.  They have a lot of geological specimens.  Those made us think of some of Mummy’s colleagues at UMPI. 

What we really liked best, though, were the dinosaur skeletons.  Some of them were so big.  Putting them back together must have been like solving a big jigsaw puzzle.  The bones were a little tempting to us.  But they were safe: Mummy doesn’t let us have bones.  And we always try to do what Mummy says.  She knows best. 

We’re including a photo of us lying before a dinosaur skeleton.  We know that he looks pretty scary.  But don’t worry—we were very safe.

Until the next time, Take care.  Be well.  Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty

Saturday, in the Park

Saint and Dusty Relax by a Display of Wild Animals Found in Alberta at the Grande Prairie Museum, Muskoseepi Park, Grande Prairie, Alberta--8.6.2022

Hello Everyone!  Saint and Dusty here.  We wanted to tell you about the lovely time that we had at the Grande Prairie Museum in Grande Prairie, Alberta.  It’s located in Muskoseepi Park.  We went there on August 6, 2022, a lovely Saturday.  It seemed as though all of Grande Prairie was there that day.  The people really love to get out and use the city’s facilities!

Right beside the museum is a heritage village made up of historic structures from the region.  It has houses, cabins, churches, a post office, a livery stable, blacksmith shop, trading post, school, and much more. 

Here’s a photo of us lying beside a display of some of the wildlife you find in Alberta.  We prefer being outdoors and around live animals.  But this was the next best thing. 

We also have a funny story to share.  Our Journey consisted of many long days of driving.  We are good company for moral support, but we’re not very lively on a trip: mostly we curl up in the back and sleep.  Driving with no one to talk with, Mummy needs something to listen to in order to stay alert.  Mostly she was able to listen to satellite radio.  But that did not work in Alaska and a large part of the Yukon Territory.  Mummy has lots of classical music on her phone.  The only lively, rock ‘n’ roll music on her phone, though, was The Eagles Greatest Hits.  On the trip from Alaska into the Yukon, she probably played that album at least two dozen times.  She now knows every word and breath for all the songs. 

Mummy still likes the Eagles.  But she was glad to get satellite radio back and have some variety.  When we were at Muskoseepi Park, though, someone was having a picnic—any playing The Eagles Greatest Hits!  We all had to laugh.  Mummy said that the Eagles must be following us.  :>)

Until the next time, take care.  Be well.  Wags and hugs.

Saint and Dusty