Rusty's First Haircut

Our dog Rusty has never had a professional haircut. Lately he has been doing a lot of biting and scratching. Our efforts to relieve his skin problems have not been successful, so we decided it was time to have him professionally cleaned.

My wife called PetSmart to make the appointment for this past Saturday. They talked her into something called the Furminator. It is a process that helps breeds (like Golden Retrievers) regain their coat. They said that they do not shave Goldens because the hair does not always come back the same way.

So, we arrive at PetSmart and ran into a snag. We were told to bring proof that Rusty had been vaccinated. I had found a receipt from the vet, but unfortunately it did not have the year written down. So, I had to drive back and try to find additional paperwork. Fortunately, I was able to find the right document and Rusty was officially allowed to get a haircut.

We then learned that the Furminator was a 4 hour process. We had dinner plans and so that option was off the table. I guess the Furminator is the Super-Deluxe package (like at the car wash). We told them to just give him the basics (wash, nail trim, clean ears, etc).

What happened next was pretty funny.

Rusty has a mind of his own and can be pretty stubborn. He also has separation anxiety. So, he did not want to cooperate. When it came time for him to have his backside cut, he just laid his 125 pounds down and would not budge. It took 3 employees to try and lift him so they could work on him. They finally were able to do it. They all laughed at his strong will.

An hour and a half later he was ready to leave. He looked and smelled nice. He is not biting and scratching very much.

He is a happier dog which makes us happier as well.

Konked!

Yesterday was the first time I felt like going to the YMCA in the last month. I had been feeling under the weather but I am on my road to recovery.

After lifting some weights, I used the Hydro-Massage machine to relax my muscles. It felt good to be back at the Y.

My wife used the massage machine after me. I decided to wait for her at the entryway to the Y. When I got there I noticed that they had a sports tent set up to promote some upcoming event. It was sponsored by Tostitos and they had a couple of chairs that looked inviting. So, I decided to take a seat and relax. The chairs had a nylon bottle holder which was perfect for me. I put my water bottle in the holder and leaned back to relax. I was checking out an unopened bag of Tostitos when ....

Just then someone came up to enter the Y and the automatic doors went into motion. Little did I know that my head was lined up perfectly with the automatic doors. What happened next must be obvious to my readers.

Konk!

My head stopped the doors from opening all the way.

I felt a little dizzy, but that is not that unusual for me.

Until next time ...

DQ and Potato Casserole

A funny thing happened tonight. My wife had made a delicious ham and potato casserole and I ate as much as I could. But, there were so many leftovers, we decided to see if our neighbors wanted some. It's not something we do very often (maybe once a year). Not because we don't like our neighbors, but we usually do not have a lot of food left over.

We checked next door and they were not home. We decided to drive to the local DQ (Dairy Queen) to get some ice cream. After we arrived, I waited in the car. A few minutes later, my neighbor walks to the window and hands me a 'Blizzard'. It turns out, they had decided to bring me back a dessert. This was also unusual, they had never done this. This was only the second time they had been to this DQ.

What an odd coincidence.

ps: I am now a fan of the Blizzard, but boy is it filling.

In Search of Golf

Summertime in Florida can be hard on a golfer. It seems like everytime I try to play golf a thunderstorm rolls in. This has happened to me the last 6 times I have tried to play.

Tonight was no exception. I met my friend Rick at Heritage Harbor only to find out the course was reserved for the High School team. So, we decided to play at a different course. On the way, the heavens opened up and we decided to call it a night.

I thought that was it for me as far as playing golf. But on the way home, my neighbor called and asked if I wanted to play at USF. I said sure.

After arriving at the course, I thought we would be unable to play. I saw flashes of lightning in the distance. My neighbor wasn't going to let a few thousand degrees of heat discourage him. I thought, well, why not.

It turns out the storm stayed away and we were able to play 16 holes.

And, he paid!

So, my search for golf was finally fulfilled.

Rusty Gets Stuck

The other night our dogs Rusty and Bob went out to the backyard for one last time before bedtime. After a few minutes, we heard Rusty barking over and over. This usually means that Bob has cornered a possum or an armadillo.

But this time, his bark meant something else.

My wife went outside and saw that Rusty was in distress. Him and Bob had been creating this giant long tunnel of a hole and Rusty had gotten himself trapped.

The only thing we could see was his head and front paws as he was trying to pull him self out. He wasn't able to use his back paws because of all the loose sand.

At first, I couldn't figure out how to get him out. I started to dig all round him, but the whole was so deep, nothing I did was working.

Finally, I was able to clear a way and he pulled himself out.

Poor guy, was scared.

After that, i blocked the hole. They will have to start a new one.

The Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

When I lived in Pittsburgh I always seemed to have a sore throat or some other ailment. I never felt completely healthy.

After I moved to Florida, I became much healthier. I wasn't sure of the reason until recently.

A few years ago during a trip back to my fathers house, I could not help but notice, the pungent smell of cigarettes when I was in his 'smoking' room. Instantly, I felt a sore throat coming on.

Second-hand smoke was the reason for my childhood illnesses. Back then, there were no special rooms to smoke in. The whole house was available for him to smoke.

So, if there are any smokers out there, think about the effects of second hand smoke on your loved ones.

That is my PSA (Public Service Announcement) for today.

Office Putting Green

My job at NewHomes was a dream job. One of the benefits was that I somehow managed to have a putting green in my office. I don't even think that JR Ewing (from the old Dallas show) had that perk.

It all started with a monthly staff meeting where they had various activities to have employees interact (team building). One month we had a Price Is Right contest. I volunteered to bring in a putting green to help with the Price Is Right putting game.

It was a fun meeting. When it ended, I said that maybe we should keep the green close by if we needed it for the future. My boss (and friend) Dennis agreed. I just had to figure out where to store it. Then, I got a great idea.

Why not have it laid out in my office (that way it would not get all wrinkled).

So, that is what happened.

Every now and then, I had to test out the green to make sure it was still working ok. To be 100% certain, we used to have putting contests so that others could be sure. Everyone would leave with a smile on their face.

Those were good memories.