Why I love my job

I have the best job on Earth! I love, love, LOVE being a dog groomer!
I am a quiet person. One who likes to be in the background, observing, taking everything in, figuring out who I like, who I don't, who I'm comfortable around, who I'm not. I am not a person who can go anywhere and be immediately charismatic, charming and secure. I'm just not.

But every day, I meet new people and I have one thing in common with these people I meet. I love their dogs! Even the ones I hate, I love!

I've watched these dogs and their people and I have come to realize a couple of things.

#1. Some people have an unnatural attachment to their animals.
#2. Their animals know this....and use it.

Every morning when the little darlings start rolling in for their appointments I witness some of the greatest snow jobs ever. You would be amazed at how these dogs work their owners. These are some of the finest actors known to man...yet their people don't believe it.

Fifi comes in once a month, with her owner Andi. Fifi seems nervous and she starts shaking and sometimes will cry a little bit. Andi, naturally, feels HORRIBLE for Fifi. She feels guilty and starts baby talk (in a pitch I might add, that the dog probably can't hear) but Fifi just keeps on shaking. Andi picks her up and Fifi nuzzles her head deep into Andi's neck and chest, as if to say

"Don't abandon me Mommy! I love you! What did I do to deserve this? Have I not slept on your lap for the last three years, faithfully? Religiously? Have I not been your constant companion on many summer walks? Have I not given you hours of amusement and allowed you to dress me in fur and put bows in my hair? Only for you to do this to me? To bring me here?"

I pry Fifi from Andi and tell her, "This is all for your benefit. The second you leave, she is fine...I promise you."

Upon which Andi replies, "I feel so bad leaving her! She is so scared!"

Fifi sits on the floor shuddering and occasionally standing on her back legs, spinning in a circle with her taught leash pulling my arm out of the socket. I convince Andi to leave,

"She'll be fine the second you are gone, I promise."

Unconvinced, Andi leaves the shop and in the last second, turns to see Fifi, defeated, now happily leading *ME* back into the groom room. Satisfied that all of her efforts have failed and she is indeed going to be groomed today. This happens every day, with nearly every dog and it never gets old. That's how I know....it is the greatest job ever!

(Names have been changed to protect the innocent.)

Un-Decorating

Today is the day I am taking down all my Christmas decorations. It makes me very blue! I love the lights and the tree's and the twinkling, red nosed reindeer twisting and turning in the yard. I catch my breath each time I turn the Christmas tree on and see it's reflection in the window. The lights mesmerize me and it makes my heart happy to see all the houses on the street lit up with colored lights and angels in their yards, wreaths on their doors and Santa's on sleighs.

I wish I could keep them up until February. That way I could say they were valentines lights. Maybe get a cupid to replace Rudolph and a big lit up heart for the door. :)

Bad Blogger, Bad Boys

I am a bad blogger. I was always bad at writing in my journal too. Seems upon going back to read them that I only had thoughts about Boys and how mean they were to me.


This caused me to reflect. Something I usually do with pleasure as I enjoyed so much of my life, especially high school. I am one of the few people I know who would do high school over again and not change a thing. Or at least I thought this was the case....until...upon my reflection....I discovered my weakness....I was boy crazy!!


I had the same boyfriend for most of high school and up until I was 23. So that wasn't necessarily the problem. The problem was I was allowed to start dating him when I was a mere fifteen years old. Let me just say....I was a mature fifteen. But in my newly formed, thirty six year old opinion, mature enough to wear makeup and stay up until midnight on a school night. Not mature enough to be alone....anywhere....with a boy. What were my parents thinking? Under no circumstances would I let me date at fifteen. My father followed me around making sure I wasn't doing anything bad my whole life up until this point and then, when I needed to be found out, he stopped! At fourteen, out at the Nectarine ball room with six of my little friends just dancing and singing he shows up and drags me home screaming and crying but at fifteen alone....with a boy....he's no where to be found! Dad dropped the ball.


Needless to say...I would not date if I could go back AND ya know what else? I wouldn't let me have dilusions about some white knight A-hole riding up on his trusty steed to wisk me away into happily ever after! My knight appeared in a black firebird with a blonde streak and a silver tongue. I never stood a chance.

Cold morning.

I have to say right off the bat, that today started off a very good day. There is nothing worse, IMHO, than waking up hot and sweaty, it is an awful feeling. Today, when I woke up, it was because the bitter chill of an almost fall morning had come creeping into my bedroom and gently nudged me into conciousness. As I scrambled to get my husband off the comforter, I smiled, just a little bit, at the thought of finally being cool at bedtime again. There is nothing better than a freshly made bed and a crisp autumn breeze to help you snuggle into it. I am anxiously anticipating that moment. I do enjoy the fall. If not for the sweatshirt weather than for the sheer fact that my birthday week kicks it off! Labor Day party, RedWings, Turkey's, snowballs and Santa Clause. Only ten more months until summer!

Sad day in dog-dum

Yesterday I had my first injury at work.
A darling little schnauzer, Miss. Lexi, was in for her monthly groom. Miss Lexi is very sweet but like most schnauzers, has a bit of anxiety. I turned my back for just a second to turn off the dryer and as I did, little Miss Lexi lept off the drying table! All probably would've ended well excepting that she was tied to it to prevent her from doing just what she did! All in the blink of an eye, I ran over, grabbed the lead, undid it, and she continued her plummet to the floor. Feet already in motion, she hit the ground running, literallly. Unfortunatly for Miss. Lexi, when she did, her two little puppy toes got trapped beneath her and BROKE!!
Poor baby. :(
I know there was nothing I could've done differently, sometimes accidents just happen, but I felt terrible.
I hope she is feeling better today.

New to this

I have to say that I am new to the blogging world. Not new to the world of jotting down my thoughts and feelings, but new to jotting them down where everyone (including my mother) is free to read them without having to break a lock or snoop through my room to find them. This concept has been a little hard to grasp.

I am not one to wear my heart on my sleeve. Most of my feelings are covered by sarcasm and a quick wit, which I thank my Father for. So I don't see this as a place where I will have profound thoughts or become enlightened, it would be nice, but I don't see it. I see it as a place to share the fact that today I got bit by a "stinkin' ass, dirty dawg" (courtesy of the movie Friday) and it hurt or that I found an awesome recipe to share or that I just feel like venting and this is one place where SOMEONE can probably relate and I don't have to say I'm an alcoholic.

So, here's to my first blog, may it remain upbeat and funny and always make me feel better, if not by own words, then by the responses from others.

Ceud Mile Failte!