2nd Flower presentation

March 2nd, we did 4 outings, including the presentation on flower drying/pressing and a mild attempt at access denial cleared up by a manager.

We got out the door in good time, and we picked up Donna. We stayed for the meeting and the lunch (salad). With questions, the presentation ran just about an hour, right on the mark they wanted. Whoo! I don't remember if I've said it here, but I used to be phobic about public speaking, and am glad that I can do it now. Maybe this means I can give talks on service dogs in the future.

Lots of compliments on the presentation, and a lot of compliments on Keeper's behavior. Lots of questions- boy? breed? how old? I'm tempted to get those silly little groomer's ear bows, just to see how many people still ask if she's a boy. I really need to put together a flyer for Keeper and hand it out if I do this sort of thing again.

Keeper got to cram herself into a normal/small sized bathroom stall. The handicapped was out of toilet paper. She was super confused about that. It worked, but she's so easy to knock into mildly worried about why things are different. It's good to know we can fit, it just takes work.

On the way home, we stopped at Micro Center, and I got a 2TB external hard drive (I'd filled up my 500GB). Mom bought it as my birthday gift. Keeper did well with a store she'd never been to before.

I took a nap/had a three hour crash, then went to writers' group. I haven't written or edited anything, but there's some stories I want to follow.

After, Keeper and I went to Applebee's, and met up with friends. I was a little late, so I was the only one going through the doors/in the lobby area. The guy opening the door told me I couldn't have a "pet" in there. I told him, politely but firmly, that Keeper is a mobility service dog, and that we were allowed by federal law. He used his little ear piece/mike and called back that some lady was trying to bring a "pet" inside. I told him to use the proper term, that she was a service dog once more. Keeper's pack is not exactly subtle (hot pink, huge patches.)

The manager comes hustling up, obviously looking to punt the pet out the door. Looks down, sees the pack, me holding on to the harness handle, and deflates to congenial host. "That's a service dog. You treat them like a human." I was so happy to hear that. The manager made a couple other comments about things like the GIANT freaking patches on her "jacket", and the way Keeper behaved- tucking under a table, not looking for food.

For once, I was glad to be used as a learning opportunity. I'm also really glad that manager knew what was going on so I wasn't trying to educate 2 people. I'm grateful that access challenge was so mild. I'm not sure how coherent I would have been at explaining things after the day I'd had.