Snowy Christmas

Here is the creek at the end of the property

...and the puppies having fun in their first snow fall/blizzard, so far we are at around 2.5 feet.

Lorek doing zoomies in the snow!

I hope all of you have a great Christmas and holiday season.  Stay safe and play nice!

Construction

Here are some pictures of the new shop under construction...sorry it's been a while since posting last - we've been a bit busy!!

Here is the new front desk - well at least it's skeleton!

This is the hot water tank system that seems to confuse the City permit People.

The behind the scenes look from the mezzanine.  You can even see my two custom tubs with the stairs!

Up front window decals.

Darcy finished the tile tonight.

I'll post more pictures as I take them.

Tragic News

For all of you who work with animals or just like to walk at night - please be careful!!

Article

This is a friend of mine in the dog/grooming world, and it hit really close to home.
It could happen to anyone, so please don't walk around without paying attention to your surroundings!! For your sake and your dogs.

Michele

Tradex!

Well it's that time of year again ~ Tradex!!
Canada's largest indoor dog show, this week end there will be over 6000 dogs competing for the coveted Best In Show.
Tonka, Lorek and Lara will be attending. Tonka is entered in the Veteran sweeps with cash prizes. The Kidlettes are entered for both sweeps (cash prizes) and points (towards their championship).
I will try my best to keep everyone in the loop as to placings, but please be patient, Tradex is such a huge show I might be too tired to think by the end of this weekend!!

Wish us luck!

When I grow up...

When I grow up I was to be an artist. Nothing would make me happier, to putter in my studio creating things and having someone pay me to do so. Of course to the people that know me - stop laughing! No seriously, it's mean!!
I have be fortunate enough to have very sweet friends who will at the least put some of my fridge art up on the walls (some more so then others)!
In thinking about all such things (life, art, history doomed to repeat itself) I figured that for once I would 'toot my own horn' - Gosh darn it! I'm smart, I've got some talent and I'm a human photocopier!
So here are a few pieces that I have either photographed, sketched or painted...
This was taken in our pond.

A picture for Danny Virtue of Virtue Studios. It is a drawing of Markus, his favorite horse.

This wolf was a birthday present for a friend - this is what I mean by 'human photocopier', I can't do anything original, but I can copy anything.

This was my first attempt at painting, for a friend of Darcy's company - Zebra Logic.
Somewhere around here I have a finished picture of it...

So there ya' go, I realize that it is a crazy dream to have, but one that I hold near to me.

Bad City Hall, Bad!

Yesterday, Hubby and I spent a good portion of the day getting chores for the new salon done. One of those chores took us to City Hall for ''Tenant Improvement Permits". With all the forms in hand I dutifully sat at my desk when we got home and proceeded to fill them out....5 hours later...I photocopied everything, and put it by the company cheque book to take back to the City Hall.
Today after work I gather up all that paperwork from last night and set off to get my permit in the system. It started off with signatures from the landlord and then on to city hall. Once at the hall, I took my number and sat down for the long wait. Finally my number was called and off I went to proudly give her all my hard work - after all I am 'just' a dog groomer and they had made me be an architect, designer, plumber, general contractor and lawyer!

I think that they look for people who are happy to do it the right way, you know the type that trust that if they soldier along it will all work itself out - because it soon was to feel like I was going to be the 'next victim' of a government worker!

I was first told that my drawings were not double lined - and I'm thinking to myself, it is so on graph paper! No wait, double lined? HUH? You need me to draw another line around my existing lines? Okay, can I borrow your ruler? No, I have to redo everything? Are you sure I just can't borrow your ruler, or maybe that book edge? Go to another building and have a form approved while you check if the double lines are going to be an issue? Okay! I'll be back!

*at the next building* Hello! I need this form approved to get my permit! Can you help me?
"Sure, Mrs. Grenkow, take a seat while I run this through the computer."
"Thank you Sharon".
Several minutes go by...
"No." says Sharon
"Huh?" I blink.
"No. You can't have approval it's the wrong zoning"
sniff, sniff~ "What do you mean?" sniff, sniff.
"You will have to find another place, you can not have a dog grooming facility in that neighbourhood, it's zoned Industrial."
"But, but, but...we are currently 2 doors down and have been there for 8+ years with a business license from you guys for every year!"
This is where Michele, see's the $5000.00 I've already spent flying away, and literally loses it. I sank into the chair (I hadn't remembered standing up) and silently started sobbing.
Well I guess government workers do have hearts because Sharon started saying "Please don't cry, please!? We'll make this work, there has to be something."
She told me to leave it with her and that she would call me, I walked outside onto the stairs sat down and balled like a baby. I finally decided that crying was not going to get this done and walked over to the other lady who told me I didn't have to worry about the double line issue...oh how silly that seemed now! I started to head back to my truck in utter defeat when my cell phone rang...
*Sniff* "Hello?" *sniff*
"Michele?"
"Yes."
"It's Sharon, I got you your permit you can pick it up any time, no charge."
"Thank you Sharon, I'll come back right now." *sniff*
Well it seems that the government can't take your $200.00 every year for 8+ years and not make some exceptions every now and then. So I am now the first "Dog Groomer" code for Surrey, as all other dog groomers actually go under "Hair Stylist/Barber".
I need a drink!

Not enough hours!

There are just not enough hours in the day anymore! I was supposed to have had blue-prints drawn up to give to the plumber along with a TON of other stuff, but have not want, will or desire to accomplish it. I'm not sure if it is because once I start, I know that that I won't come out of my office for several days or if it's still a bit of 'cold feet' because now it's not just something that has been handed to me on a platter but something that I actually have to put myself into and see if I sink or swim.
I'm hoping that I will get a lot done this weekend (well my weekend which is Sunday - Monday).
If anyone finds something ubber-funky that I must look at please feel free to send me a link. My creative juices are fairly pathetic when it comes to interior/office design!

Phase One

Here are some pictures of the new shop - forgive me that they are in reverse order - I guess  didn't think as to the order while I uploaded them.

This is the back area... you. know where all the magic happens! LOL  The wood and car are from the past tenant and will go soon... then it will be 2000+ square feet of emptiness - at least until November

Here is a better lit shot as we get closer to the front of the shop.  That's my friend Georgie, thankfully he is a very talented Plumber who was there to tell me how much money I will owe him shortly!!

The next are some shots of the reception area - trust me you won't even recognize the changes shortly.  I'm thinking of a lavender colour for the walls... haven't decided on the rest.

This is the very front of the building, it's going to be hard to make it more welcoming due to the type of building it is, but I'm happy that we found something so close to the old shop!!

Signed, sealed and delivered.

I signed the lease for our new building today - 2022 square feet
of "Everything you see before me, is mine!"
Now the hard work begins, planning, designing, colours, and all those other good things. I'm thinking that it would be really cool to have miniature stairs running along the walls for our 'shop cat' - Ruff - I think she'd like that.

Also Breakfast TV wants to come back out and play, I would rather they come and play at the new shop as it will be way cooler, but I think this one might be out of my hands, so to stall, I passed them along to friends as they just had Shepherd pups and would rate much higher on the puppy breath scale! You can see the pups by visiting: www.canczechdogs.blogspot.com
They are pretty cute for Shepherds - but we all know that Dane-ishes are MUCH cuter!!
Ssshhhh!! Don't tell Tony and Katie I said so!

Broken Baby

Poor little Munch-butt broke her foot last night, while trying to twirl for Daddy when he came home from work - poor thing twirled right off the main level, down the half stair into their play area!  We thought that she just jammed her toe, but she still wouldn't weight bare by this am, so off Darcy went with Munch-butt to sit for 7 hours at various locations (Dr's, x-ray, casting clinic).

At least she got to pick out her own colour of cast!

Ta-Da!

I told Darcy that if he found me a new place to open my shop that was perfect I would buy him a Ducati motorcycle. So today when I found the perfect place, I phoned him up and asked if that offer worked for me.

He said "Go for it! Buy yourself a Ducati, you can't ride so I will get it by default!!"
Little did he know - until I explained it to him - that my version of having a Ducati, would be to buy another Dane and call him "Ducati"!!
Wow, did the phone ever go silent after that! LOL

Everyone can do their happy dance now - I know I have done it at least 5 times today!
I might actually sleep tonight without having nightmares of grooming street dogs in an alley.
When I get photo's I will post them. Now the work begins!

If any of you are feeling overly Google happy, I would happily accept links to pictures of very posh salons to get ideas of layouts - my new place is a blank canvass.

Pity

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.
~D.H. Lawrence

There are many times through out a day that this poem floats
through my mind.  Working with animals on a daily basis proves it to
me time and time, again.  When I was a vet tech, I would see
animals come in with limbs ripped off and not once would they
complain or cry out.  That level of quiet strength is something that I
just don't feel humans are capable of.  I know that I certainly
don't have this trait, as I start to feel more and more
sorrow *insert self pity here* as we draw
closer to Halloween.

***History Note:  My mother died at 9:10 pm October 31st 2006
after a vicious battle with breast cancer.  In her last days
she was incoherent and a shell of the amazing person that she
was, of course she was a people pleaser and such a loving mother
that she refused to pass until I told her it was okay to go
and I left the room.  Within minutes she was gone.***

I used to love Halloween.  The ability to put on a mask, be
someone else, have a blast with friends, and to top it off
with candy!  (The Pagan in me adores it.)
But now it is a highly advertised reminder that no one is
safe, mind numbing sorrow is lurking around every
corner, and that I am one parent away from being an orphan.

Now if I was devoid of pity, these things wouldn't plague me the
same way, it would be a fact in
the circle of life.  The pain of losing my super
hero, the light in my darkness, the only person
on this planet that I could talk to and never be judged,
or afraid what they thought of me - all
those things that a Mother is....gone.

For this I have pity and it consumes me.
Oh to be a wild thing that never felt sorry for itself!

***Okay I'm done with my over the moon, pity party!
If you feel the need to throw your head
back and howl, go ahead! I do.  Lamenting with
humour is far better for the soul.  Oh and if
you need to borrow balloons for your own pity party let me
know and I will send mine to you, as
I'm done with them for now!***

CMG

Well it's official, I'm a Certified Master Groomer or a highly medicated professional!
Now some people might be thinking to themselves - Michele, it doesn't count if you printed it on the computer yourself - I didn't!

My dear friend Sandy, pushed and pushed me, first by making me do the written and practical tests through IPG (International Professional Groomers). Then she really got pushy and gave (yes, that's right folks - GAVE) me her salon....sort of like when you throw someone in the water when they can't swim just to force them to instinctual do the doggie paddle. Of course Sandy jumped ship, moved to a far off land and opened up another salon which is currently kicking butt (she has put 5 other groomers out of business!!), but that's another story.
So in my round about way I am putting out a big THANK YOU to Sandy, even if I did it kicking and screaming the whole way!

Things I Ponder

When we refer to animal (Mammals) eating habits there are three categories that we place them in: Carnivore (only eats meat), Herbivore (only eats vegetation), Omnivore (eats whatever).

And since humans are mammals, would we not use the same terminology? So my question is what makes Humans so special that they can call themselves things like Vegetarians, Vegans, Meatatarians (well that one was used on TV, so I guess doesn't count), and other such nonsense?

If a mammal doesn't eat meat, then it's a herbivore, therefore if a human is a mammal that doesn't eat meat it's still a herbivore...

These are the things I ponder at night when I can't sleep....

Wrap Party

No, I haven't been hiding a secret pass-time of the lyrical type - we had a wrap party for an indie movie (independent movie), written/directed/produced by a friend Bill, called "Covet". Very social group - you know those actor types, "Look at me! Look at me!" - of course those tend to be the most entertaining events and it was.
When you see the movie and think to yourself, wow the stalker guy's apartment is ubber creepy - that would be my handy work. I embraced my inner issues and had some fun, too bad that I had to follow what was required in the script, as I had actually pictured the photo-wall differently, but what's a wanna-be stalker gunna do?

Had a new development in the search for a new shop, the owner of the building next door came over and introduced himself, seems like he has a crazy tenant that he wants to get rid of and we might be able to take their place, so keep your fingers crossed and don't tell the other building owner that he's just switching one type of crazy for another!

Turn about is fair play.

I started blogging for my dogs, to keep everyone who was interested in them apprised of the day to day, goings on...at the time it seemed simple "A Breeders account of 2 litters", it became so much more. I find myself having a difficult time of staying on that theme, so my solution as of 10:25pm tonight was to start a separate account of all things Michele. Of course dogs will still weight heavily on this blog simply because, my dogs are me, but hopefully I will be able to relay the wacky goings on of my life and save a bunch of money on therapy at the same time!

Did you know that I'm writing a book? I know - Sssshhhhh!! It's a secret - don't tell anyone! Of course it is about dogs, but more to the point, what I have done in the name of "DOG"....for all of you who know that I'm dyslexic and are wondering what I'm doing writing a book about religion, don't worry, I did mean a book about canines. For the rest of you that know how bad I am at English - too bad, suffer along with everyone else, that's what makes the book 'me'.

I could start this new blog telling you all about a friend of mine who was attacked by a dog and nearly had a very important part of her anatomy ripped off, but that would be common place in knowing so many dog people; accidents are bound to happen. I could also lament about my poor old Dane, Tonka, getting attacked, but that's a story for Tonka to tell and she's usually very modest about 'war' stories.

So I'm left with the story of having to find a place to move my shop to and having precious little time left in which to do it. I actually found a place that could with a lot of work would be perfect, but one of the owners doesn't want dogs so close to his salon because the dog people on the other side of the building are rude and loud, so he thinks all dog people are like this. Just my luck, perfect shop, perfect rent, and no one wants to rent it to me!!
How do you convince someone that you could be a perfect fit for them when they hate you to begin with? The constant conundrums hurt my head, to say the least. Oh by the way if you have a place to rent in the Cloverdale area, let me know I'm a great tenant.