Prada does not understand museums. I know I have mentioned this before, but I’m afraid that’s the best way to summarize a visit my friend and I made to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. This is one of my favorite locations in Oregon, especially with the new building that holds all the space artifacts and displays. Yes, I'm a NASA nut/space cadet/whatever you’d like to call it. We could've spent hours there, and I probably could've spent days just in one of the buildings but Prada didn't understand why we would move two or three steps, then stop and stand there (reading or looking at something) for upwards of ten minutes, then scootch another few steps and stop again...confused puppy. She did well, though, and didn't run me into any tailfin tips or drop-foils (those little flap thingies that hang off the ends of wings and tails on airplanes).
Prada continues to be baffled by museum behavior—which is a real shame because I love museums. We’ve been through most of the Smithsonian, the Hershey Factory Museum, and a few art exhibits at UAHuntsville in the last couple of years and she remains skeptical of their value. Frankly, if I’m only going to the one place and won’t be out more than a couple of hours it’s almost worth the lack of frustration to leave her at home
After grazing the museum floor for a while my friend and I continued up north from McMinnville to Portland and back to OMSI for an IMAX dome film (OMNIMAX). IMAX screens are six-seven story movie screens, but the one at OMSI is domed over the theatre so you get this awesome 3-D effect and surround image. Now, at TSE instructors mentioned that movie theatres and drama theatres aren't necessarily dog guides' favorite places. Lots of visuals and sounds with no logical explanation. So I was a little apprehensive about taking Prada into this place--and such an intense example thereof!
When you go to an IMAX film, especially in a dome, you go for effect, not for plot or subject content. This time the content came along with affect, since we watched Adrenaline Rush: the Science of Risk. It was a phenomenal film, well worth seeing unless you're afraid of heights. Lots of skydiving and base jumping and wing-suiting and parasailing and all that fun stuff (that I want to try!). Prada did just fine, though. Slept most of the way through the film and behaved beautifully for all the other viewers oohing and ahhing over her gorgeous coat and working style.
Prada has little interest in theatre, other than its value for naptime. I’ve taken her to dramatic productions, IMAX films, and regular movies, and she doesn’t appear to care much about these sorts of things. Some people talk about their dogs watching TV, being interested in the screen, or reacting to dogs on TV but Prada exhibits none of that interest. She doesn’t even seem to recognize voices over the phone!
Saturday, the 4th! Independence Day
Prada and I didn't see fireworks. Neither of us is fond of high-pitched whistling noises and those tend to characterize fireworks displays all too frequently these days. Instead we went up to Champooeg State Park to observe a reenactment of how the 4th was celebrated in Oregon in 1859, the year Oregon achieved statehood. It was simple, short, very interesting, and relaxing. We went with a few friends who had nothing else to do that day (all our families abandoned us for other plans) and then returned to my place for the evening to hang out. Prada got a bit bored at the reenactment and tried to play tug-of-war with the little tiny American flag they gave me but otherwise performed wonderfully.
I’ve since taken her to fireworks displays and Prada jumps into my lap and starts shivering. She really doesn’t like explosions. Now, with her seizures, I don’t think I’ll risk taking her out to see fireworks on the 4th anymore. We heard fireworks going off near our apartment over the New Year, but Prada didn’t seem to think those were relevant to her, thankfully. So, I will either leave her at home or give up on seeing fireworks displays. Honestly, I haven’t decided which yet.
Monday, July 6th
Item of interest: a tour of the YMCA. Prada came nose-to-nose with basketball courts, an indoor track, weights, exercise machinery, a martial arts class, and an indoor pool. The only thing that really bothered her was the treadmill but after a quick investigation she relaxed. She has no interest at all in flying balls, which pleases me since I spend a lot of time at my school’s fitness center. My only concern is that she may grow restless when placed on tie-down when I run or swim. Oh, well, guess she'll get used to it.
Correction: Prada likes balls apparently. I don’t know why she showed no interest at this basketball court, but she’s a great paw at soccer and catch! As for the track and pool, she doesn’t like it when I get to the far end of the pool from her, or the far end of the track. But she just sits up and watches me until I come back around. I try to stop and pet her every couple of laps while I check my heart rate and get water. I also slip the harness off while she’s tied down because we have several friends who usually come in or out of the gym while we’re there so Prada can say hello to them while I’m running or swimming.
Yesterday Prada acted like a little two-year-old at my dentist appointment. She refused to lay down for more than a minute and a half at a time, bound and determined to investigate every strange smell and sound. I finally resorted to the gentle leader and she stayed down for the rest of the appointment, then walked me through a drive-through at a small local coffee shop (that's how blind people use those things, even drive-up ATMs…just kidding!). Wouldn't be the first time I walked through a drive-through but Prada made the process a bit easier. More visible mass to encourage cars to keep their distance behind us.
Ok, this is actually pretty unsafe and you shouldn’t do this. I did it this one time because it’s a drive-thru only and there were no cars in line or even on the street coming or going. Actually, in some places walking through a drive-thru is illegal, so just don’t do it! Do as I say, not as I did! :D
Today (I DID IT! all caught up now!)
Lovely long walk through the Oregon Gardens (when did I stop starting sentences properly?). Prada has a slight plant-distraction but that's easily remedied by a "pfui" and sometimes a leash-correction.
Plant Distraction: habitual sniffing at plants while working.
My sister in Arizona suggests I take her out there to Tucson and let her sniff a cactus or two to cure her of this pervasive problem J
So how's her work in all of this coming along? It seems as if I’ve just been keeping an events journal and not focusing on the more interesting aspects such as her work improvement and quirks, and the emotional trail that we've been walking the past month and a half. Since this entry is long enough, though, I'll save all that for tomorrow or the day after. I know at least a couple of y'all have lives other than reading my blog J
A little correction for your post on the fourth: that was actually the Newell House. It's right next to Champoeg, but not on the park grounds.
ReplyDeletewell everyone there seemed to imply verbally that the Newell House was on hte park grounds so I got a bit mixed up. But thanks for the correction
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