Four times a year Daisy goes to have her hair done. She’s a very woolly spaniel and without grooming, she gets matted and this causes skin problems, not to mention discomfort. When she first came to us the fur on her ears was very tangled and the only way to deal with the problem was to have them clipped – it was impossible to get through the mats even with a specialist ‘rake’, and attempting to do so caused her pain. So, every 12 weeks or so I take her to Vicky, the groomer at the vets, and she is transformed from a woolly bear:
To a sleek, shiny spaniel:
Whilst Daisy is being washed and clipped, Sam and I have an hour to spend. Since, it is often raining, we have got into the habit of going to a dog-friendly pub. I buy a coffee and Sam has complimentary dog biscuits, It’s a rather nice building, with big windows that have wide, low sills – just perfect for a small dog to settle down on and watch the world go by:
Sam is happy to be entertained this way for an hour, and she usually gets some fuss from other customers, but I try to take something to occupy my time. One or two of you have received a letter that I have written in this very spot, and another one of you will be the lucky recipient of this my latest epistle. In fact, from the perspective of letters, I could do with weekly trips to catch up!
Sometimes it’s good to have time out like this… and you will notice there was a letter involved, so I’m getting over my writer’s block – hurrah!
The Snail of Happiness 
Wild Daffodil
/ November 1, 2019Hurrah!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 1, 2019Yes, indeed
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tialys
/ November 1, 2019I must admit – I think the ‘woolly bear’ look is a lovely cuddly one but, having had a golden retriever that used to get very matted, I know what you mean about having to keep it under control and the sleek look is also very beautiful. It’s as if she had two modelling assignments that day, firstly her ‘Top Shop’ one followed by one for ‘Chanel’.
I see that Sam has the ‘natural look’ going on which is also delightful.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 1, 2019I will forever think of her in these two modes… mind, you, the Chanel look never lasts very long.
Sam rarely mats, dries very quickly and sheds dirt – apart from an occasional trim round her eyes to ensure that she can see out (and I do this myself), she’s very low maintenance.
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nanacathy2
/ November 1, 2019Oh those fur balls on a spaniel are lethal. They do need a good trim, and how lovely that you get time out with your other dog, let’s hope no-one recalls the song about the dog in the window.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 1, 2019Strangely, people rarely offer Sam a home, but I’ve had loads of offers to take Daisy.
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katechiconi
/ November 2, 2019Lovely Daisy! She goes from frizzy haired rocker to sleek Marilyn Monroe. Does all the extra attention go to her head? Does she require even more admiration and dog-worship than before? I love the sound of your dog-friendly pub. Wish I had one of those nearby…
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anne54
/ November 4, 2019It’s a lovely idea to have an hour that is not spent racing around, trying to fit 10 things into a time that is only going to fit 7. Sitting in a pub, with your dog, writing letters sounds like heaven to me. Glad to have you back!
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Ann Pole
/ November 6, 2019Relaxation for an hour in a dog friendly pub sounds like a good thing.
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Nikki
/ November 10, 2019What adorable companions! And what an excellent way to spend a free hour – a rarity these days.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 11, 2019Sam always seems to enjoy our hour together
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