I'm hoping today won't be as wearying as yesterday. Here's a newsflash, though … I slept almost eight hours straight last night.

All day Tuesday, the weather was windy, gloomy and rainy. Mica got muddy no matter where she ran.

I ended up with seven boarding dogs in the kennel building, all medium to big ones, and most quite vocal. They tried to establish relationships with other dogs, though they were separated by fences. Some would even hurl themselves at partitions to try to "start something" with a neighbour. This makes a thunderous noise, besides the barking and growling.

I didn't have extra runs to put any distance between the scrappy inmates guests. I only have so many "privacy curtains". One young adult dog has unusually high anxiety, and yelps and howls when she can see me.

And I had scheduled a cat to groom on that day! I don't know how I missed that I would have a kennel full of noisy dogs while grooming a cat. Surprisingly, Phil the old cat, was calm, but by the time the dematting and washing and brushing was done, my nerves were shot.

Phil didn't lose his cool for two hours, but almost all cats have "a bridge too far", and there were a couple of areas of his body that he didn't want touched.
Molly, a Springer Spaniel
Big yawn: a spa day can be tiring. Molly was so sweet.
Even a half-bath is tiring…

For one of our Hanukkah meals, I made a kugel, which is a baked noodle dish. I changed it up according to what we had on hand, and it wasn't a "kosher" kugel.

There was sliced cooked chicken breast on the bottom, then the noodle mixture of my own invention: it included cheese sauce made with leftover brie.

Who the hell has leftover brie? I did, and it's not the first time, but now I know that it makes a rich, velvety, mild cheese sauce. Yum! 😋

Today, I feel refreshed. The temperature outside is a bit lower, which makes things less muddy everywhere, and the dog piles will be firmer to pick up. Few things worse than trying to scoop pudding-like poop: I am sorry to give you that visual, but that's part of my life! 🤷‍♀️ 🤢

Have have a dear little "meekie" dog (a small hybrid type) for grooming today. She's pretty good for most of the process, and testy for nails and face. Buffy has a history of seizures, and she had a petit mal seizure the first time I had her here, but never since, not for years. I have a great relationship with the dog and her owners. 💕

I do have a last-minute reservation for two dogs for an overnight stay and have promised to groom them while here. The smaller old girl has a chronic ear infection, and it hurts my heart to see her. Owner has tried everything including vet care. The odor is so bad that it makes my eyes water even if I don't cry over Lacy. 😔 Never a dull moment around here.

Can you even believe that it's December 1st today? I can't!

Hope your day is pleasant and "above ground". We have so many friends, neighbours and acquaintances who have not survived the year. The worry and sadness could get a person down.

Love, Ann

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