This has been quite a day!  After my guests checked-out and I cleaned the Inn, I moved my efforts outside to help RJ rake leaves before the snow flies.  The air was a crisp 39 degrees. I could not believe all the leaves that were still on the ground even after days of RJ raking before the weather warmed up and we finished painting the deck.  I lost track of how many cartfuls of leaves I moved to the compost heap.  As the afternoon wore on, the temperature began to fall.  I slipped a pair of work gloves over my regular gloves as I tried to keep my hands warm and my fingers supple.  As I dumped my umpteenth cartload of leaves, the sleet started and the wind began to pick up… and I got chilled.  I couldn’t wait to finish and get inside.

      Yesterday we washed and clipped Cooper.  I swear it’s an all day affair. I wash him in the morning so he would have time to dry. His coat had gotten so long that he had the “Elvis” look. Wild and wooly!  When it gets that long, it takes forever to dry and he hates the hairdryer, so it’s a multi-towel dry and then he gets to rub his body all over my carpet (lucky me).

      I went over to the Inn while he was “drying” and waited for my guests to arrive. There is always something to do at the Inn while I wait. I managed to keep myself busy laundering, putting dishes away, dusting, and cleaning out the refrigerator.  After my guests checked-in and I made dinner reservations, I came back home to do battle with Cooper.  Time to cut off all the fur! 

     I’ve done this enough to know how long it would take, but his fur was so long that it took me a whole lot longer then I had planned.  I used scissors to clip his ears and paws and clippers on the rest of him. Fortunately, he wasn’t matted except for a couple of knots on his legs. I left his feathers, which gives him that Springer Spaniel look. When I was through, I had enough fur to knit a sweater! At least he looks good. I think it took me longer to clean up! There was fur everywhere.  I cleaned his ears.  You know how spaniels have those long floppy ears. Well, they are prone to ear infections and wax accumulation if they are not cleaned regularly.  Fortunately, Cooper lets me clean them, but then he runs off and drags his head – and ears – along the floor. Nail clipping is much easier. He will give you his paw and let you clip his nails.

      Bentley, on the other hand, is not so easy.  RJ got the idea to clip Bentley’s nails since we had all the tools out.  I called Bentley.  Of course, he didn’t come. My couch potato was sleeping on his bed, which is next to the fireplace. He was way too comfortable to get up and be tortured, so a little bribery was in order.  It’s amazing how a dog will come when food, especially treats, are offered. 

      “Bentley,” I called. Bentley poked his huge head around the corner.  I waved the treat in front of his nose.  “Do you want this?” I asked walking backward toward the center of the kitchen.  I mean, he is one BIG dog.  I need a little bit of room if RJ going to cut his nails. First of all, have you ever seen a Great Dane’s paw?  It’s the size of an adult man’s hand. HUGE!  Bentley came into the kitchen; I gave him the treat and coaxed him to sit down.  He wouldn’t give RJ his paw, so we tried to get him to lie down. I could not get him all the way down, so we rolled him on his side, I wrapped my body around him and whispered in his ear until he calmed down long enough for RJ to clip 10 nails. Once we finished, treats for everyone, including me!