PHOTOGRAPHY

Fluffy Warmth and Light

My week in photos

MONDAY — Fluffy is fluffier!

Monday was Fluffy’s first and probably only trip to the groomer!

I decided to let Fluffy’s hair grow long. Nature decided for me. I shaved him a month ago, and his hair has grown substantially. Winter is on the way, so why fight it?

I typically bathe and groom my dogs, but I wanted his first trim and shape done professionally. I wanted them to shape him so that I could maintain his shape. This is a new small business with incredibly low prices.

The groomer has a nice setup for the dogs. The main room is designed with wooden partitions to separate the dogs. The owner can choose to socialize the dogs with others, or their dog can have its own spacious partition.

The groomer has a very pet-friendly design. Owners are required to show proof of vaccinations, which is typical for any groomer I’ve used. This one was different in that there were no kennels or cages. I noticed that all the dogs appeared calm and playful. They weren’t stressed or barking nonstop as they often do when they’re caged or in an unfamiliar environment.

The atmosphere was friendly, and the dogs appeared surprisingly happy, considering they were at a groomer. When I picked up Fluffy from his visit, he played with the other dogs and had a great time. Now Fluffy is even fluffier!

Fluffy is very easygoing. He allows me to brush him without complaint. In theory, I should have no difficulty maintaining the groomer’s design myself from here forward. That’s the idea, anyway. I’m not experienced with dog grooming and usually do a terrible job. I don’t let that stop me, though. I bet the dogs wish I’d stop. One day I’ll post an article on how to embarrass your dog with bad haircuts.

The photo is blurry because it’s a screenshot of a video from my phone. The groomer sent a brief video of Fluffy “talking,” telling me he was ready to be picked up. One thing I enjoy about being self-employed is the ability to pick up my pets from the vet, groomer, etc., immediately in most cases. What a difference from all the years I had to wait until completing a sixteen-hour shift to pick up my little sweethearts from their appointments.

TUESDAY — Treasure Hunt Tuesday

On Tuesday, I began writing an article for a Medium prompt about a walk in the woods. I pulled out a few old coins and stopwatches found in my childhood when metal detecting with my dad.

Wow, such good memories! Every coin or relic holds a special memory. This was a beautiful time of sweet reminiscence, and I recalled precious childhood moments I hadn’t remembered in years! Little did I know that those memories would be the greatest treasure of all.

WEDNESDAY — Where are my glasses?

We all know how cute Fluffy is by now. So maybe he wants to wear glasses to be taken more seriously. Can reading glasses taste so good that Fluffy must chew them to pieces?

I’ve learned I can’t leave anything on my tray table unless I want it to become dog food. Last week he chewed up the tv remote. This week it was the reading glasses. I’m not worried, though. He’s still a puppy, and I know better than to leave temptation for his cute little chewy puppy teeth. He’ll outgrow this phase, so I’ll enjoy his puppy nature as long as it lasts. He’s still my sweetheart. I can read any time, but Fluffy will only be a puppy for a little while.

THURSDAY — Light in the darkness

These solar lights came from Lowes last week, but Thursday night was the first time they actually lit up. I always turn on the porch lights so they don’t work in the presence of bright light. I turned off the outside lights, and they shined brilliantly! I’m surprised at how much light they provide. Eventually, I’ll no longer need an electric spotlight outside. The idea is to transition to fully solar-powered lights.

FRIDAY — Warm cozy plants

It’s that time of year again when the Mango tree and the Pattaya plants (dragon fruit) must come indoors to survive the winter. The pots were too heavy for me, so my neighbor kindly brought them inside for me. This will be their new home until March.

These plants were grown from small cuttings last April. The more mature plants remain outside. They’re too large to bring inside. The leaves of mature plants will die with a freeze, but the roots usually survive the winter.

Oh, and the dirt on the floor isn’t from bringing the plant indoors. Fluffy has already started digging in the pots. I’ll have to find a solution to that. I’ll probably wrap them or cover the dirt with something.

SATURDAY — Fluffy and dirty

As you can see in the photo, Fluffy has rolled in the dirt outside so much this week that he’s dirty again. I cleaned him a bit before bedtime. But as I’ve said, he’s a puppy. I’m glad he’s having some good dirty fun.

He likes to sleep on his back with all four limbs sticking straight up in the air. I don’t know how he does it, but I love watching him sleep.

I have two other dogs, and I know how fast they grow. Soon he’ll grow out of his puppy phase, so I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. I can’t get mad when he destroys something; I have to smile and be happy to have a puppy in the house again. Any items he’s destroyed are things that I normally wouldn’t leave within his reach.

SUNDAY — Indoor sailing

I’m at the river now for a late start to the weekend. It’s too cold to be on the water, but I can watch the boats indoors. The cabin has a nice nautical atmosphere with model ships, etc. It’s a late start to a relaxing weekend.

I’ll relax today before my appointment with the surgeon tomorrow. The spinal and hip procedures didn’t work, so the pain is still intense. Tomorrow I’ll find out my options moving forward. I still believe we’ll figure this out and find an effective solution. It’s simply a process of trial and error.

Medical intervention can be a lot like car mechanics. Sometimes you must try different approaches to find what works for an individual. Medical science has no crystal ball, but I believe medical practitioners are trying everything they know.

The good news is that the pain is manageable without needing narcotics. It can be managed with periods of rest between activities. I’ve taken advantage of my lack of mobility to catch up on my paperwork and bookkeeping for the rental houses. This week, I signed a purchase agreement for another rental property in my neighborhood. It makes me feel good and hopeful to plan for the future and find ways to make a living if my condition worsens.

I’ve accomplished a lot and managed to keep a clean house despite physical pain and limitations. I’m happy about that, and I’m thankful for the things I’m able to do. Today I’ll sail and surf the web instead of sailing outdoors.

This concludes my week in photos. Thank you for reading. I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead!

Mia Verita, 2022

Thank you to the hardworking editors of Weeds and Wildflowers for hosting these photos. It’s great to see Dennett writing again, and I’m so happy Captain Argentina is improving.

Thank you, Dennett, for this PHOTO-A-DAY-CHALLENGE.

“So, what is this Picture-A-Day thing all about? It’s a photo challenge, not a contest. Take photos each day, choose one to represent your day, and post them here. Post each week or as less often — whatever works for you. It’s not about the best photos; it’s about photos that introduce us to your corner of the world and to your life. I like to add a word that I associate with each picture and some narrative from time to time.” — Dennett

I’m tagging some others who have participated in the PHOTO-A-DAY-CHALLENGE. Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from this list. Thank you, and have a great week!

Dennett, Louise Peacock, Anne Bonfert, Erika Burkhalter, Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages, Barb Dalton, Kim Zurich, Penny Grubb, Tracy Aston, Sasha Meyer, Eileen Vorbach Collins, Susan Alison, Shruthi Sundaram, Barbara Radisavljevic, LensAfield, Ivy Shepherd, Jane Frost (Jane Grows Garden Rooms), Lisa Bolin, Lynne Nardizzi, and Sandra B.

Mia Verita enjoys photography, sketching, writing poetry, and sharing inspirational stories.

If you’d like to read Mia Verita’s stories and those of other Medium members, you can join Medium using her affiliate link. She’ll receive a small portion of the membership fee at no additional cost to you.