Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hello All

Me and Pearce just want to take this opportunity to say sorry for not updating as often as I would like but we have been very busy getting lots of pressies for all our friends and we still have got to go into work on Christmas Eve and have been told that we have to stay in all day how cruel is that at least half day but no it has to be all day.

Have a lovely Christmas and a wonderful new year!!!

Lena and Pearce

1 Year on

A year ago on Saturday 28th November me and Pearce celebrated our 1st year together and what a fantastic year its been.

We went to London on Sunday to Hyde Park where they have winter wonderland which has all kinds of different stalls, christmas markets, fair ground and we really enjoyed it until the rain came down and we had to take shelter but we all did get a German Sausage in a roll including Pearce as a special treat for giving me the independence that he has and a wonderful boy wouldnt have him any other way, I cant say there werent any problems because we did have a few issues but was all resolved and both of us used to walk at a snail's pace but now people call us speedy gonzalez we have gone from 0 - 100 in a few seconds even!!! thats how pleasing my boy really wants to be and he is such a handsome chap as people call him and cant resist stroking him and today was a nightmare was trying to put his handle onto his harness and people were talking to him and about him and he knows it and he was wagging his tail and he wouldnt sit still but fortunately the people stopped talking so i could get the handle on and then what do I get, he's in training we mustnt distract him but i had already got up and walked off lol, i get that all the time as I wear glasses doesnt bother me though.

We did have quite an eventful week last week beginning on Tuesday 24th Nov when Pearce got attacked by another dog but fortunately wasnt hurt but the next day we had to report it to the police and big issue who have hopefully sorted the problem out. Then on Thursday evening mum noticed a red lump on Pearce's hind leg so took him vet friday evening after trying to get hold of guide dogs dog care and welfare team and they think it is just a hot spot which could have been caused by a bite of some sort and he has aggravated it by licking it so he is on antibiotics for a week and got some cream to put on it so fingers crossed thats all it is.

My friends on that Tuesday were also told to leave a restaurant in MK city centre because of the guide dogs and now that is really not good for a city like Milton Keynes, mind you they ddid not shift but didnt give them their service either apparently a customer complaint but I do feel like walking in there and giving them what they deserve, it has been reported and hopefully should be sorted soon.

I did two talks one on fri 20th and another on mon 23rd November and both really enjoyable I was nervous but apparently i did very well by not showing it and I went to this school a few years ago and teaching assistants that helped me are still there and they all said how I have changed so much and grown in confidence I know that a few years ago I would never have been seen dead in front of 5 people let alone 300 and I am really proud of myself and everyone was really impressed and Pearce was a star performer and even bowed at the end of the assembly what a show off!

Today Nov 24th Pearce was attacked by a dobermann didnt get hurt fortunately but i am going to talk to someone within the council to see if we can get these people sorted out as there is no way of getting past them and I was nervous before but even more so now it ran across the road at us so scary but we are both ok I am pleased to say.

Well Today was another day but this afternoon we had a funny experience. Pearce likes to wander around the switchboard and today he went into the little office next to us and a lady from another culture was there and Pearce sniffed her apparently and my supervisor was there and this lady said to her "he sniffed me" and my supervisor goes "hes not going to bite" and then she walked back towards me Pearce in tow and then the manager of that team came round to speak to me and my supervisor and she said this lady usually prays at around 3 every day and now she cant because your dog touched her and now she is unclean so keep your dog away and we said "ok we will try to" and then this lady walked away and then as i was on the phone once i had gotten off the phone my supervisor told me all about it and I was so shocked and told some others and we just thought what rubbish I just cant believe some people, they can say things to us but we are not allowed to say things to them as it would be classed as racist, I get it all the time on the bus and I find it so unfair that I cant say anything but they can say what they like, I would like to know how others think about these issues because I really dont understand.

Nov 11th 2009

Today my mum, sister Rebekka, Pearce and myself went to London Kensington to have a look at a sight village exhibition for visually impaired people. We left at 8:45 for the station and took the 9:17 train to London Kensington, we arrived at 11am and everyone was standing outside the hall for the 2 mins silence and so we decided to join before going inside and then suddenly we heard this weird noise which sounded like a train but in fact it Pearce grumbling right in them middle of the silence and all because another guide dog had walked outside with its owner to join the silence and I was so embarrassed but couldnt stop laughing fortunately I was able to stop and tell Pearce to be quiet and then after the silence we went into the hall to have a look at all the different things that are available for visually impaired people a lot of things I knew about but still fascinating stuff and we met 3 people I knew my RNIB rehab worker, the guy I trained with during training and the lady who runs VICTA whom which I am a member, there were also lots of guide dogs there including a flat coat retriever and a german shepard. Once we had been around everything we went out into Kensington high street and had a Macdonalds and were served but my mum could not understand what was being said, we asked for 2 chicken wraps and a mac chicken sandwich and chips and coke and the lady asked well it sounded like "do you want 2 chicken selects 3 or 5" and I just burst out laughing I could not help myself and I know it was not the best and nicest thing to do but I really couldnt help myself and in the end Rebekka had to tell her what we wanted slowly which solved the problem and we then finally got our meals and we got sat down downstairs and a lovely lady came over to us and asked if Pearce wanted water and I said "yes please thats very kind of you and excellent service". After we had eaten we walked all the way to the Royal Albert hall and we let Pearce have a free run in the park which he enjoyed as there were lots of squirrels and pigeons for him to chase but he was actually very good and came back every time I called him, we then had to make a decision as to whether to carry on to Harrods or to head back and he thought it was too far to walk still as my legs were aching so much so he did head back and went to TKMaxx to look for party clothes without success even though I tried on trousers and 2 tops, the trousers were too long and did not suit me as they were skinny and one top not glitsy enough and the other I just did not have any clue how to put it on even with mum's help and again I was in fits of laughter and finally we got it on and it was to low cut for my liking afterwards we headed back to the station and got on the train for Milton Keynes and then got home and a quiet evening in such a hectic day but very good and I had a good sleep as I was so tired.

22nd Oct 2009

Today was the day me and Pearce were going to have a photo taken for the company newsletter as my supervisor for the switchboard and reception work was really impressed how fast I had picked up the switchboard and she was really amazed at what I had achieved and wanted to give me recognition for the hard work and effort that I put in to achieve what I have, we had a lovely morning and what lovely photos I will enclose a few in this blog. Pearce also got an ID badge to show that he works for the council and is now a full employee and he was strutting his stuff with it on this afternoon and showing it to everyone and we all found it extremely funny but he did look so proud with it on and the headset as if he really works on the switchboard a real poser and great worker.

Thursday 05^th March 2009

Today was the big assembly about Guide Dogs, at 8:30 me my mum and Pearce all went to the school signed in and sat in the staff room. People were coming back and forth saying hello to Pearce telling their stories and making lots of fuss of him which he really enjoyed. Then at about 08:55 we were taken to the hall got chairs and sat down while the children came in and sat down all eyes on Pearce and then when all the children and teachers had settled down the assembly started and they sung a hymn which went like this God gave me eyes so I can see, God Gave me Ears so I can hear, God gave me Lips so I can speak, God gave me hands so I can touch God gave me feet so I can walk God made me. Then the teacher spoke about the hymn saying some people aren’t as lucky and some parts of their bodies don’t work properly and then finally the talk commenced. Me and Mum were interviewed by being asked lots of questions about Guide Dogs and we had to answer them to the children and at the end the children got to ask questions not all were answered as the assembly went longer than planned and at the end we were given a beautiful bunch of tulips and a compliments card saying thank you very much for coming to talk to us about Guide Dogs and What a good boy Pearce was just lying there and doing what was asked of him when we asked.

06^th March 2009

Today was Pearce’s big day his 2^nd Birthday and we went to Crufts for the day me my sister and mum. What a great day we had and it was still full after all the controversial things happening with Pedigree dogs I bought two T-shirts one Border Collie to represent my Toby and a Black Lab one to represent Pearce. For his birthday I got Pearce a chew bone and a dumbell as he loves his food and his doggy girlfriend Bella got him a sqeaky toy some chews and another squeaky bone and he also got from another doggy friend a rope bone and he also got a card from the school we visited to do the talk wasn’t that nice and what a famous boy Pearce is.