[nagdu] Perceptions

[Debby Phillips]

You know, I was a not very good cane user when I got my first 
dog.  I wasn't very confident.  I would never willingly go for a 
walk by myself, and hated going to new places.  When I got my 
first dog, I think I did get part of my life.  Back? Well, since 
I didn't ever do the things that I started doing with my dog, I 
can't say I got it back.  I just got it.  Then I went to the 
Colorado Center.  I still chose after leaving there to get a dog 
again.  I will never be someone who enjoys cane travel, but I can 
do it confidently now.  And I like my fun little folding NFB 
cane.  (Grin).  It makes me feel sporty when I use it, because 
it's lightweight, but still looks and feels enough like the 
straight cane that I used all through my time at Colorado Center.  
I still don't enjoy going for walks, just for the sake of going 
for a walk with my cane, but I do enjoy walking places with Nova.  
I enjoy walking in our neighborhood, especially after my 
husband's assessment that pretty much, at this point anyway, the 
dogs in our neighborhood are behind fences.  They can bark all 
they like, but they aren't going to come running out on to the 
street.  And if they do, Nova and I will just keep walking.

 Convention will be a challenge, I'll bring my cane, but I'm also 
excited to see how Nova will adapt to things at Convention.  It 
is always fun to see how dogs work in various situations.  And if 
things get too crazy, I don't have a problem saying to my 
husband, "I think we should walk together here, especially if I 
need to find someplace really fast, like the nearest bathroom.  
Lol.  We're staying at the Clarion, so there's no hopping in the 
elevator and going up to my room.  There's a time to be 
efficient, and there's a time to explore, and there's a time to 
plod along and make your way somewhere with your cane.  (For me I 
say plod along with my cane.  Lol.    Debby and Nova, who's 
flaked out after our walk home from church.