Two blind friends for lunch on Monday (guests rather than being the fare) plus another joining us from Ramsgate on-line for dessert.
Fortunately, only one had brought her guide dog which was absolutely silent even when I bumped into him. The other hound had wisely been left at home.
Years ago, I’d decided firmly against having one myself. They have a limited working life before much deserved retirement. it can then take literally years before a new one is available so all that precious independence is lost in the meantime. But I hadn’t realised that it then takes many months of further training of the new guide dog and owner together for success. All that time, effort and emotional investment for a partnership that, in this case, doesn’t really work.
Instead, we concentrated on all the positive things we could share with each other: the Polish painter, massage expertise, felting, ceramics and pewter making, flower arranging, writing and so much more.