Climbing onto the couch

Just two quick notes, but before I want people to know that it has been just over a year since Goya came down with coonhound paralysis. The first note is about Goya's progress from Bonnie:

Dad and I went out shopping last night and left Goya on the floor in the basement. When we got back, he was on the couch!!!!

He has been asking to get up on the various couches in the basement for several months now, but he has always needed help. Last night he made it all by himself! Good boy. I'm going to leave him in the basement today since he seems to be able to move around and be where he wants to be better there than he can upstairs.

The second note is about the kindness of strangers. As I believe Bonnie has mentioned, we take Goya to the local Starbucks every morning. It is only a little over a block away. This distance was almost infinite in June, and now is routine. While at Starbucks, we get a cheddar cheese brioche as a treat for Goya. He has to get to a standing position from a sitting position to get a piece. The sidewalk at Starbucks is rough enough that he can get to a standing position (he still has difficulty on our slippery floors). The goal is to get him standing about 10 times every morning as part of his rehabilitation. As a benefit he likes the brioche.

Today one of the MANY people we've met while outside Starbucks, bought Goya a starbucks card to pay for his brioche as a christmas present. It was really a nice surprise.