Busy days...
Even though I entitled this post "busy days", it hasn't been too hectic. I think it's all the work that BECKONS which makes me feel busier than I really am, and there's more that should be accomplished in a day than I have time and energy for. I don't WANT the snow to come early, but once that happens, there will be some jobs that just CAN'T be done.
Yesterday I had a 16 year old Cocker Spaniel to groom. The poor thing is quite decrepid, but the one thing she can do very well is EAT, and is quite obese. Grooming this dog seems a huge task because I'm lifting greater weight, and on the grooming table, she won't STAND UP to let me groom her legs, belly, backside. Then, if I get her lying down, and start the clippers, she jumps up. Up, down, up, down, and if I try to support her weight with my "spare" hand while clipping her, she puts all of her weight on me. I am going to invent some kind of a support/bench/roll to allow these old obese dogs to drape their weight over; I've seen "slings" that support their weight from above, too. At any rate, I got through the grooming job, poor gross thing, and as usual, if the owner didn't leave the dog so long between clippings, it wouldn't be so difficult.
Speaking of which, earlier in the week, while I tried to get ready for my Yard Sale, the phone rang. This was a customer whose matted dog I had groomed the day before, and as always, I believed I had done my best work: the dog went home free of tangles and smelling like apple blossoms. Every time I have to remove urine and feces soiled fur from a dog I think, "Ohhhh I'm not getting PAID enough...". The customer was calling to tell me that although she had been pleased with my work in the past, she was very disappointed in the job I had done THIS time. My heart just felt like it turned over. The lady could have just matter-of-factly asked if she could bring the dog back and have me "even him out", but instead went into quite a long diatribe. I did get her to bring the dog back, and I could see that I could have done a better job in spots, but also, it seemed that the owner had changed her mind about leaving a mustache on Fluffy. After I re-groomed her dog, she DID seem satisfied. *sigh*
Today I groomed ANOTHER elderly cocker spaniel mix, who is not in the best of health either. She was as good as she knows how to be: another dog not able to "stand up" for more than a few seconds, and also VERY heavy for her height and type. The owner seemed very pleased, so that made it a good morning!
This afternoon I picked up lunch at the Beanery (the bistro that I make cheesecakes for), and took it to my friend who works at an insurance office. She is alone with too much work, and as it turned out, had forgotten to bring her lunch! So we had lovely beef barley soup, cheese and vegetable sandwiches, Chai tea lattés, and two different kinds of cheesecake. My friend's daughter stopped by for a visit and we ended up sharing, which made the quantity of DESERT seem not so decadent! It was like a little picnic; we all enjoyed that break.
Did a housecall for dog toenail clipping on the way home. I haven't done much since then except make a fairly large batch of turkey vegetable soup to freeze for when I visit stepmother in Calgary again.
Now, back to the kitchen to start some supper. It has been a GOOD day.
Thanks for reading ! Hope your day have been as good. ~Ann
