The FL Adventure Continues

Tomorrow it will be three weeks since we arrived in Solivita. Whew, we've been busy. Getting the house together took a lot more work than we thought--hey, shopping is tough when it's a job--but we're loving it.

In case I neglected to get you our address, it's 483 Davinci Pass, Poinciana FL 34759. Our cell numbers are the same.

Below is a link to some more photos to show what we've been up to. If you don't want to see sunshine and fun, don't click on the photo. Can't say you haven't been warned. :-)

Hope to see you soon!

Fl Adventure 2011 Pt 2

Start of the Florida Adventure

Well, it's official, we're temporary Floridians! Arrived at Solivita on Tuesday and have been having fun getting settled into the new house. There have been some not so fun adventures--no water--but we're feeling mighty blessed to be here for the winter.

Below are some photos of the first few days (click to see larger). I'll keep you posted on how we're settling in and hope to see some of you down here soon! If not, look for us on the deck in Chicago in April or May. Cheers!

The Next Adventure

Well, today marks the start of my first full week of not working and I have to say, I like it! Time for meditation and yoga in the morning feels quite luxurious and Bandit will enjoy lots of extra walks.

Of course, I'll miss the daily interaction with all the great friends at SitStayRead but I look forward to discovering the next adventure.

Not sure yet what focus Shandy's blog will have but I promise to keep you posted. In the meantime, please keep in touch by phone (same cell #) or email (click here for new address.)

Let's get together for lunch or coffee. Hope to see you soon!

Saying Good-bye to Maggie

Saying good-bye is the most difficult part of loving our canine friends. We're so sad to report that Rick and Lauren Johnson's beloved Maggie died of a stroke last Friday.

That's Maggie on the left with her partner in reading, Baguette, at their annual Halloween party in 2008.

Both Maggie and Baguette have been SitStayRead dogs almost from the beginning. They were certified in 2004, just a year after the founding of the organization, and continued to spread joy year after year.

Maggie's sweet, calm presence made her a favorite with kids and adults alike. Her enthusiastic tail wag in greeting always brought smiles--and if she was lucky, a treat from her admirers. Maggie will be greatly missed by so many. Thank you, Rick and Lauren, for sharing her with us.

Reflecting on the Pact We Make With Dogs

It's a year today that we said good-bye to our beloved Shandy. She enjoyed life to the end--that's her at a concert in the park on our last evening together.

I miss my brown-eyed girl every day, but I also feel her presence every time I think of her, which is often. At night I sleep with my legs bent to keep her spot on the bed--a 17 year habit is tough to break even if you want to, and I don't. I wish I could still hear her gentle snores.

A lot has happened this year, some good things, some not. But even in the not so good times, I get comfort from thinking of Shandy. And from remembering my friend Johanna's blog post "On The Pact We Make With Dogs". It's a beautiful piece. Her phrase, "Their partnership was legendary", helps when I'm particularly sad because it feels like I did justice to Shandy's many gifts--most especially her love of children. Shandy led, I was just her human partner on the other end of the leash.

Johanna lost her beloved Oskar recently and I wish I could return her kindness with a similar comforting thought. I don't have her gift though so all I can say is, "Johanna, you walk in integrity wherever you go and Oskar, Ulani, and all the animals in your life are the luckier for it. You honor them by acknowledging them for who they are. Thank you for sharing your stories."

Feeling the Love at NTA

As you can see, the Reading Rewards Celebration at National Teachers Academy was a love fest. That's Slugger giving a kiss.

The students received their Summer Reading Fun Packs, chose books to keep and to pass along, and had a chance to say good-bye to their canine reading buddies.

These celebrations are a great opportunity for major donors to see what they make possible and we were happy to have two visitors--Maggie Mastellone from Allied World Assurance Company and Caitlin Rosberg. Caitlin presented SSR with a $5,000 check from the Kluth Family Foundation. Through her job at CouponCabin.com Caitlin had the opportunity to choose a nonprofit to receive a grant and we were honored that she chose SitStayRead.

Thank you to all our donors for making these Reading Reward Celebrations possible and for giving our students the tools they need to keep reading and writing all summer long!

Presenting Smokey and the Bandit

SitStayRead's Hollywood night at Kinowerks Studio was a smash hit! As you can see from Smokey and the Bandit, guests were dressed in their finest for the big night. (Smokey is actually wearing a tux!)

Guests enjoyed food and drinks while touring the facility and everyone was in awe watching The Matrix in the private screening room of the Wachowskis who wrote, directed, and produced The Matrix Trilogy.

Nearly $2,000 was raised at this blockbuster event--all of which will help more kids learn to love reading! Click on Smokey and the Bandit to see more photos of all the fun.

Our thanks to everyone who attended and helped with this event, and a special thanks to Kinowerks and the Wachowskis for hosting SitStayRead in their star studded studio!