Grocery pics that made me smile 2


Today has been both a hard day and a good day, one after the other. I showered this AM, which was really good, and then we headed out to Starbucks to meet some women whose group we are going to be giving a presentation to in a few months. When we got there, they were already seated. They chose to move together two small tables right next to the door and near the area where people pay for their drinks. My seat was sticking out into the aisle a bit. Unfortunately I didn’t think to ask to move to another table!

As we sat and chatted, more and more people kept coming by me, bumping my chair, or just getting close to my chair, and standing around staring at Hestia while waiting for their drinks. It was really hard. Hestia had to climb onto my chest twice, and we were only there 30 min!

But it was good to talk with the women, and we will have a great presentation for them in a few months!

After Starbucks, we had planned to go to Sam’s. But I was having a REALLY hard time. Very difficult. Normally if I am that poorly off, I pouch Hestia so she can be right there to help me and I can still push the cart. But I had taken my pouch out of the van and forgot to put it back in the van. So that wasn’t an option. I couldn’t carry Hestia and push the cart at the same time, so I had to have her walk and use her from a distance.

I did somewhat OK at first, focusing my energies on Hestia and her cute googley face. Then Brad got out his camera. For some reason, being on camera makes me calmer and happier, because I know I am preparing to educate and share to my blog and list friends. So Brad took a few pictures of Hestia and me walking around in Sam’s.

While doing this, an older woman working at Sam’s and an elderly man with just a huge bag of bird seed in his cart approached me to talk about Hestia. They were both really nice, and Hestia seemed to want to say hi, so we practiced her visit command with the people. The man seemed very lonely, so I was happy to talk with him about Hestia for a bit. Brad got a few pictures.

Later on, a little boy probably about 5 years old was walking past me and his mom was educating him about service dogs. So I stopped and talked with the little boy for a while. When I am talking with young children, I explain that I get sick with no warning, and my dog is able to warn me before I get really really sick. Then I can do things to get better faster and not get so sick. This usually works well for that age group. He was very respectful, it was great.

Hestia did mostly OK at the store. She still wants to sniff the floor sometimes, but when I catch her doing it and tell her leave-it, she has no problems doing so. I just have to keep half an eye on her to make sure she isn’t sniffing behind my back! She knows when I am looking!

As we left the store, the older man who pet Hestia was talking with the receipt checker. He proceeded to tell the receipt checker everything I had told him about Hestia. I felt good we were in his life today. He seemed quite lonely.

Now we are back at home with lots of tasty food from Sam’s. And Brad got 11 pictures to share! In all the pictures, I am wearing a teal dress with pink flamingos on it. I have red sandals on, and Hestia is wearing her red mesh vest. Even though Brad isn’t in the pictures, I wanted to say that he wore a pink flamingo brooch to match my dress!

Veronica pushing a cart while Hestia heels next to her and looks up at her.  Veronica is smiling and looking down at Hestia, drawing strength from her.
Veronica pushing a cart while Hestia heels next to her and looks up at her. Veronica is smiling and looking down at Hestia, drawing strength from her.
Now Veronica smiles at the camera.
Now Veronica smiles at the camera.
The Sam's Club worker reaches out to pet Hestia, but Hestia looks to Veronica for permission.
The Sam’s Club worker reaches out to pet Hestia, but Hestia looks to Veronica for permission.
Hestia being petted by the Sam's worker.
Hestia being petted by the Sam’s worker.
Veronica gives the visit command (pointing at the person to be visited) and Hestia makes her way over to the older man.
Veronica gives the visit command (pointing at the person to be visited) and Hestia makes her way over to the older man.
Hestia gets the working command, and turns back towards Veronica.
Hestia gets the working command, and turns back towards Veronica.
Veronica smiles at the man and talks with him as Hestia looks to the side.
Veronica smiles at the man and talks with him as Hestia looks to the side.
Veronica laughs as she and Hestia start to walk away.
Veronica laughs as she and Hestia start to walk away.
Closeup of Hestia heeling next to the cart, looking up at Veronica
Closeup of Hestia heeling next to the cart, looking up at Veronica
Closeup of Hestia from the side, again looking up at Veronica.
Closeup of Hestia from the side, again looking up at Veronica.
Hestia sits in Sam's with a display for potatoes behind her.  She is still looking up at Veronica.
Hestia sits in Sam’s with a display for potatoes behind her. She is still looking up at Veronica.

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2 thoughts on “Grocery pics that made me smile

  • Deborah Rubin

    A lot of times it is too crowded in my store to let Eowyn heel, she’d get crushed. I put her in the seat of the cart.
    I hate it when people come over and just reach out to pet Eowyn. I actually yelled at one guy who touched me to get to Eowyn. “Don’t touch her, she’s my service dog!” Because of the combination of bi-polar and PTSD, I really do no like to be touched. Except by certain people.

  • Tami & Chili

    Hestia is a little charmer, but you can tell that her attention was on you the whole time. She is a Gem. I loved the pics.