Jazzy Gets a Haircut

With summer here, it's getting hot!  Jazzy is not too crazy about the warmer temperatures.  We went for a walk the other day and she plopped down in a patch of shade in the middle of our walk.  Poor thing!  

Adam suggested that she get a haircut.  I was all for it, until I found out you have to leave your dog at the groomer's for at least 4 or 5 hours!  I was thinking I would just sit in a chair for 30 minutes while she got a haircut.  But after speaking with a groomer on the phone, I realized this was more like a spa day than a simple haircut.  

I realize I am a bit overprotective of Jazzy.  I was talking to Adam about all my concerns.  "What if she'll feel like I'm abandoning her since she was abandoned by her previous owners?  What if she thinks she's being punished?  What if they let her outside without putting her harness on and she runs away?  What if she gets in a fight with another dog?"

Adam looked at me and reminded me that Jazzy is, in fact, a dog.  And most dogs have been to a groomer and survived.  He's right.  I'm just a crazy, overprotective dog mom.  

So I finally worked up enough courage to take her to a groomer.  I asked for recommendations on Facebook and my Facebook friends were kind enough to respond with some suggestions.

Jazzy was happy that she got to go for a ride in the new car.  Once we got there, she happily greeted the front desk lady and the groomer.  They were very kind and made a big fuss over how cute she is.  They answered my extensive list of questions and addressed all my concerns.  I felt very comfortable leaving her with them.  My heart did feel a little pang when I had to walk out the door without her. 

It was a long afternoon waiting for the call that Jazzy was ready to be picked up.  I dropped her off at 1 in the afternoon and still hadn't heard anything by 4:45.  I started to get nervous that maybe I had given them the wrong phone number.  (Did I mention I'm crazy?)  I did end up calling and checking on her and was told she'd be ready in another hour.  

When I went to pick Jazzy up, I almost didn't recognize her!  She must be much more comfortable without all that hair.  While I miss her scraggly charm, she's still adorable.  I made sure to tell her how pretty she is so she won't develop a complex.  She even had a sweet little bow around her neck.  

Of course, she hated the bow and tried to get it off herself.  I ended up helping her untie it.  

Look at my sweet girl!  

The groomer told me she did a very good job and cooperated.  Jazzy got a beef stick for being such a good girl.  

I'm happy to say we both survived her first haircut.  

  

Buying a Car is a Lot Like Dating

Adam and I had to buy a car recently, since my old one decided to bite the dust.  Neither one of us were really looking forward to this process, but it turned out to be easier than we thought.  As we were going through the car-buying process, I realized that buying a car is a lot like dating.  While the following suggestions may not be the best dating advice, they do make buying a car a bit easier.  

Ask your friends and family to set you up.  

Much like you can rely on your friends and family to set you up with suitable dating prospects, they can also give you car suggestions.  Adam and I talked with friends and family and got their opinions on solid, reliable cars.  While everyone is bound to have different opinions, it can give you a place to start.  They can also have valuable tips to dole out.  My mother-in-law's husband used to be a car salesman.  He was able to give us some good negotiating advice, like buying a car towards the end of the month when car salespeople are trying to reach their quotas.   

Stalk your prospects. 

Facebook-stalking potential dates can help give you some insight into their personalities.  Stalking car prospects online can also give you some insight.  There are tons of resources to check out.  Websites like Edmonds and Consumer Reports were helpful to us.  There's also a wealth of information on individual listings on dealership websites.  Most dealerships have Carfax reports available for each listing, which can tell you about any accidents or maintenance issues for each car.  

Play the field. 

You should see what's out there before you settle on a mate, just as you should before you settle on a car. Look at different models and makes.  If you are buying a used car, test drive different cars of the same make and model.  The same make and model of a car can drive dramatically different, depending on how the previous owner drove it.  See what's out there, you may be surprised at what strikes your fancy.  

Don't give it all away too soon.

Just like you shouldn't give away the goods too soon when you're dating, you should also hold off when car-buying.  When you start going to car lots and talking with car salespeople, don't give away too much information too soon.  All that small talk you make is not just polite; salespeople are trying to gain information that might hurt you in the end.  Don't tell salespeople your exact budget, how much you plan to put down or what you want your monthly payment to be.  Be guarded in what information you share. For example, if you let on that all you care about is a small monthly payment, they might give you that, but up the overall price which requires you to pay monthly payments for a longer amount of time.  So be guarded about what information you share.     

Play hard to get. 

While I don't agree with this in the dating world, it does help you in car-buying.  Adam and I were offered "a one time only" deal on the first trip to a dealership.  We did not accept it and left.  We told them that we would think about and get back with them.  Both the car salesman and the general sales manager of the dealership called us and told us they would love our business after the fact.  We had the edge at that point, even though we ended up going with a different dealership.  

Think with your brain, not with your emotions.

Just like you can get wrapped up in your emotions when dating, the same can happen in car-buying.  Adam and I really liked the first car that we test drove, but we had to think about all the aspects of the car, including the price.  When we were offered the "one time only" deal, it was very tempting to accept it and be done with the process.  Plus, we liked the car.  Thankfully, Adam's sensible, practical side stopped us from accepting the first deal we came across.  We thought with our brains, and ultimately ended up with a car that had more features, lower mileage and a better price.  

Hopefully these ideas will help make car-buying a bit more simple.  

Stand Up, Boots!

This past winter, I saw an idea on Pinterest for boot stays.  Boot stays are inserts you put in your boots to make them stay standing up.  They help your boots keep their shape, make them easier to grab and they make your boots look prettier in your closet.  Boot stays can run you up to $20 a pair, which can add up quickly if you love boots like me.  So, the ever-so-helpful Pinterest told me to use pool noodles to make your own boot stays.  Since it was the dead of winter when I saw this idea, I tucked it away in my mind. Now that summer's here and pool noodles are available, I pulled the idea back out.  

Here were my sad, floppy boots before their boot stays.  Please ignore the layer of dust on the top shelf of my closet.  My excuse is that I'm not tall enough to see the top shelf, therefore I am not required to clean it.  

All you need for this project are some pool noodles, a sharpie, and some scissors.  You can get two pairs of boot stays out of one pool noodle.  

Once you have your pool noodles, just slide one in a boot and mark where you need to make your cut.

Then, poke one blade of your scissors into the line you made to get you started.  Continue cutting all the way around the pool noodle.  The noodles were really easy to cut since they are hollow in the center.  I just used some little scissors that were handy, so you don't need heavy duty ones.  

Once you've made your cut, slide your boot stays in and put your boots back in your closet.  Doesn't it look so much nicer?  

The best part of this project was the price.  I bought two pool noodles for just under 8 bucks, and ended up with 4 pairs of boot stays.  Not too shabby!