Hi Liz! When I was getting ivory in Febuary 2010 I was in thesame room you are in. The park door swells and you have to slam it to be sure it doesn't blow open. If you are open minded about food then I'd suggest just saying yes to what ever Nick cooks. He does really well and will take requests. Trust the man. Smile. I understand what you mean by not having the responsability of caring for your guide. When the day of retiring knocks on my door i will feel the same way. These pups are under our loving care. LivDog will enjoy her retirement. By the way, if that is her in your picture on your blog I have to say that she is a good looking lab. I like her coloring. Enjoy your night's rest, Alexis and Ivory