Minty, TonTon and The chicks get some Retirement Home loving!

We were still setting up at the retirement home when the residents started arriving.  At one point I said to one of the nurses, wow there are a lot of people here and she said, Oh my dear, that is only one wing, there are two more  coming.  The corridors  were rippling with slow moving elderly people making their way to the hall. In wheelchairs, using walkers, helping each other along, led by laughing assistants.

In the end we must have had upwards of forty maybe fifty people in there. I never had time to count.  This is a wonderful place. There is a caring feeling here. Minty stood watching them all come in and we were not sure what we should do first.

TonTon knew though. He had been given permission to play fetch inside and he was not going to wait around for someone to change their minds.

He took his new clean rope toy and kept shoving it into laps and against quiet hands until he got a taker. 

TonTon was not on his leash anymore. He was in fine form. I just let him manage the game.  Which he did with all his usual exuberance and concentration. The volume rose. Then out came the chicks. 

Many of these women had raised poultry and were very confident. 

As the chickens did the rounds, Minty followed me around and around the room sniffing and visiting. Being petted and cooed over. But soon she got tired. And I lifted her into  the laps of the residents for a rest. 

And she went from person to person. Being loved and loved.  And stories were told. 

Anecdotes shared. This lady said she could just keep her .. just sneak her up to her room. 

But this shot says it all. Hands reaching.  All those beautiful busy hands reaching out. Minty  fell asleep soon after this shot.

TonTon played fetch with so many different people that he started catching and moving on, interchanging his play mates himself so more people got a turn. Even the smallest blindest throw was caught. We watched him try to get movement out of a man who could not move. Ton put the rope carefully into his hand, the man closed his fingers slowly around it and after some time and much concentration from both man and dog, the man was able to flick the rope every so slightly. The rope toy did not actually leave his hand. But Ton pretended it had, grabbed it as it rose up, threw it and caught it himself and returned it to the hand of the man.  Who just beamed. The old man just smiled out loud.

The worst part of our day was packing the animals and birds up and taking them away again. But we made an impromptu parade as we left, The Old Codger led in his wheelchair, piled high with chicks and boxes and babies bottles, barely able to see where he was going. And we all trundled along behind him lugging animals and assorted paraphernalia. Wonderful staff  helping. Laughing our way back out to the front door, with voices calling out to the animals as we went. And they want us back. Soon.

Good morning. I fly out today.   The chicks are already at their babysitters, the lists are written, my bag is open on the floor and I have discovered with very little surprise, that I have NOTHING TO WEAR at all!  Typical.

We have another exciting development today. Our good blog friend Misky whom many of you know, has posted an interview with me about sustainable living.  Misky is a beautiful poet with a graceful pen, a talented lady who is also a great cook. She has two blogs, one for words and one for food. What more could you want. Her interview is on her pages at Misk Cooks and I would love you to pop over and visit when you have a sec.

Now I had better get out here, feed everyone and sprinkle fairy dust over the farmy so all goes smoothly until I return.   John has everything in hand so I am confident.

I will see you tomorrow from California!! Take care. Have fun.

celi