It is hard for Connie to get around – she couldn’t come to the Mansion visit to Bedlam Farm last month – and she spends much of the day in her chair, somewhat bent over, sometimes knitting, sometimes reading. She has to keep an oxygen tube attached to her nose at all times.

My usual protocol is to bring Red to the patient or resident, and then back off and let the two of them spend time together. He has to navigate tubes and wires without disturbing them. Red pays close attention to me, and I have to watch him closely, he takes his cues from me

It is not usually me they want to see. Today, Maria came with me to the Mansion, and as always, women seem to want to speak with her, sometimes more readily than with me. Connie and Maria talked about spinning and needle thread work – Connie has a big can of threading needles by her chair – and we all talked about books and mysteries.

Today was the first time I really saw Connie’s face, she lifted her head up to me and we had a good talk. Red seems to know what to do, he put his head on Connie’s knee, and then after awhile, he lay down on the floor and Connie could bend down and pet him – she worries that he might get tired standing up for too long. After three or four visits, Red does get tired, perhaps drained, and we cut off our visits.

He’s usually good for 45 minutes to an hour, but therapy work is hard work for a good therapy dog, they really pay attention to their people. If you choose to write to Connie – she has four letters by her bed – you can do by by writing Connie /c/o The  Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, New York, 12816.