[nagdu] Atlantic city NJ Yesterday

[marilyn]

Hi Everyone,
Yesterday I went with a Lions club from Queens, NY on a bus trip to Atlantic City, NJ. My fellow lion and I had to travel an extra hour from where we live to go to Queens. The president of that lions club opened his funeral home for 100 people to meet there. He had bagels , rolls , Danishes , coffee and tea. While I was sitting there eating I heard birds. Anna looked but didn't pay much attention. I was told they were finches. Outside I heard a water and was told there was a pond in front of the building. We boarded the bus. 50 people on each as there were two buses.
I was asked to say a few words as a Lion , blind person and guide dog user. Everyone loved Anna. 
Since I am also involved with the Organ donor network I got to see my friend Marilyn a fellow lion who is very involved with the eye bank. Our first stop in NJ was lunch at a Winery. It was family style eating. Anna sat under the table while we waited for the second bus to join us. When my friend and I got up to leave to take Anna out the people who were on the second bus and sat at our table had no clue I was blind or had a guide dog under the table. they told my friend Marilyn they were shocked. We walked through the gift shop there and around the beautiful grounds. It was windy but not cold. We went back to our bus and was talking to some of the people outside. I was asked to go on the second bus and speak for 5 minutes before the buses left. So my friend Marilyn introduced me on the second bus and after I spoke I introduced my friend and fellow lion. I could not begin to tell you how comfortable and welcomed I was made to feel with Anna. 100 people loved her and talking to me. In fact our bus was worried I was going to ride on the other bus . I got to pick the 50/50 and raffle tickets too winning numbers. I am not much of a gambler so I lost 26 dollars and my friend Marilyn and i decided it was time to walk on the board walk. I told Marilyn we would walk to the mall that was built on a pier. She never new there was a mall on the boardwalk . She was very happy to see Anna work and thought she was a great dog. As we were walking and it was very windy I hear a dog on my right growl and a table fall over . My heart was raising because I didn't know if the dog was loose. Thankfully it wasn't . Seems it was on a flexi leash and when it spotted Anna he decided to run at us and growl. My friend Marilyn said I had the look of fear in my face. she said the dog was a big rot wilder. Anna was not distracted and we just kept going. there was a cat , other dogs and pigeons on the board walk. When we got into the mall and went on a glass elevator . My friend said the view was spectacular seeing the ocean with its white caps.
We headed back to meet up with my friend who I came with who wanted to gamble. we had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. Anna ate her dinner there too. 
we boarded the bus to go home and then from Queens back to Long Island. 
Marilyn and Anna who are now off to the blind group