but like you I have been a dog person since I was very little. We were a large, poor family and couldn't afford another mouth to feed, so I didn't get a dog until I was 16. However, people were always dropping off dogs by the roadside where we lived and I was always trying to make them my pet. My mother used to tell me that one day I was going to get bit and sure enough I did, but not badly enough to need stitches. Still didn't faze my love for dogs. When this last one died I told people who were urging me to get another one right away that I would never have another dog. I'm almost 70 and this last dog was a larger dog and she lived for almost 16 years. What on earth would I do if I had to take care of a dog at 86 years old? Besides, my income is limited now that I'm retired and they cost an awful lot to keep, especially in their later years. I am a firm believer in being a good, responsible dog owner and it's not responsible to get a dog when you're older unless you have a younger person who you are sure would take that dog if you die.
I was able to do a lot of volunteer work in my mid-forties to early 50's. I was married to someone who made a decent living and both of my children were grown and on their own and had very good jobs. I had made the decision to leave a corporate job because I absolutely hated working in large corporations. So I decided to take a hiatus of sorts and do volunteer work and get involved in something that would make me feel like I was contributing something. I told myself that if I didn't like what they were having me do I'd give myself permission to move on and I did once or twice, but for the most part I did enjoy some of what I did. I took the master gardener course and then the advanced master gardener course through our extension center and they require lots of volunteer hours and continuing credits. Then the extension center offered a new certificate for environmental stewardship and I took that course and did my volunteer hours but they discontinued the course once state funding dropped dramatically (thanks to Republicans in our state house). Before any of all that, I got involved in a guide dog school in our area and raised two puppies that went on to become guide dogs for blind people. I also volunteered doing anything at that organization that they needed help with. The dog that I just lost was from that school. She was not guide dog material (someone had decided to drop her off at the school), so they gave her to me when she was a little over a year old. I was with that organization for eleven years, but then I felt I needed to get a part time job. I ended up in a public library which I absolutely loved, then went full time, then to our local land conservancy as the director's assistant (unpaid - I had been a volunteer for them and an honorary board member). I divorced and had to get a full time job and ended up at a law library and then a state university job. I've lived in three states and got to travel a bit when I was married. Of all the jobs, I liked the university job the best. I met new people all the time from all over the world.
I always thought I'd travel more but so far I haven't travelled at all since January. I was dealing with a minor health issue that's since resolved, so I'm getting itchy to do a trip.
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