I think we were in the Halloween department and there were all these different stuffed toys, including that owl. It looked so life like it was incredible! Laura was drawn to it for all the obvious reasons and when she picked it up it was like she couldn't put it back down on the shelf. So, instead of putting it in the basket, she perched it on her hand, holding the feet and let the owl 'ride' on her shoulder while we walked through the rest of the store.

I remember all the looks we got, for that owl looked so real that many people couldn't help but stare!! At the check out counter the lady was hesitant at first when Laura tried to hand her the owl, she was still holding it like it was real, with it perched on her fingers! Only after a few moments did the cashier realize that it was a stuffed owl!! It was so much fun!

After Laura checked out she went to sit down on one of the benches out in front of the store and as I walked towards her I remembered having the camera and took this picture. She looked so happy that morning, so beautiful, so alive and full of mischief that only Laura could have when she was doing things like that!! I am so glad I had the camera to capture that moment, even if scanned it is a fuzzy image!

This particular moment was one of my favorites with Laura. I also have a few photos I took of Laura when she showed up her one early morning dressed as a clown. This was shortly after I fell and broke my leg, when I was barely able to walk with the walker. She came over, with her son James, to cheer me up.

Joan's note:
Laura had a jester's hat, with its many tails, I'm not sure why she wasn't wearing it that morning.