Friday, February 22, 2019

A Day Off

Happy to report that all the cabinet doors have been installed and my shelves have never been so neat! On the other hand, my entire body aches!

I have a corner sink, so the cabinets over the sink are really hard to reach. I asked HeWho is tall to get the screws out of the cabinet door that was hardest to reach. But, I knew better that to ask him to paint that area. So, I scrounged around and found some scraps of wood and made a platform to put my stepstool on. I gained at least three inches and it was enough if I put one foot behind the sink and stretched across the abyss with my paint brush in hand.

I do not like heights, but the ceilings are only 8' high. We put the cabinets flush with the ceiling, after I pitched a small fit to make him do things my way. If you are thinking that I can't possibly reach beyond the lowest shelf, you are absolutely correct! But this is why stepstools are made. 

All the stuff that is used infrequently is always stored on the top shelf anyway. And, the bonus is that it left enough room for the open shelves underneath that hold the items I use daily. The cabinets over my sink are particularly hard to reach, so all the things in them are used only on occasion. 

Back to my aching body. When I am on a stepstool or ladder I tend to hold on with every muscle in my body. I can barely walk! I had a charley horse in my butt muscle today! I stood in the hot shower, then slathered myself with Theragesic. I smell awful, my clothes smell awful.

You will be happy to know that O Cedar delivered on their promise! The first package came last week with the mop head holder. Then, yesterday Fed Ex guy handed me this cardboard tube holding a new mop handle, but before I could investigate the contents (return address was no help), UPS pulled in and my Chewy box arrived. This was an unfamiliar driver and I had to take a moment to explain the meaning of signs and speed limits while the alarmingly overweight young man struggled to heave the box inside. It only weighs about 60 lbs! I can move it. Not right now, but I can. Who do you think carries the bags into the laundry room and puts them in the big trashcan that stores the pet food?

The more I look at the remaining cabinets, the more my muscles ache, I think I will take today off! This will  make the dogs happy. And I bathed my little guys last night, so I will sniffing sweet little heads.

I hadn't planned to wash the dogs, but the snow is melting and the back yard is now muddy. After I finished my day yesterday and sat down, Cujo immediately jumped into my lap (well, I lowered to recliner and made a ramp for him). I commented that he was smelling like a hound dog. He gave me the stink eye, I think I hurt his feelings. They do have a very distinctive odor and when they have been running around it gets a little gamey. Still wasn't that bad. I was tired and could live with a touch of gamey dog.

Then Charming Eddie came over to beg his way into my lap. I put the chair down and leaned forward to pick him up. The fur on his little face had streaks of gray and under his neck was solid gray! Dried mud. His under carriage was covered in mud and his fur was stiff. He looked up at me so innocently while I demanded to know if he had dug a hole in the back yard. 

I picked him up and went straight to the tub. I gathered all my supplies and then turned the water on. He sat patiently in the bath tub waiting to be sprayed with some nice hot water. Eddie loves to be bathed, which makes the chore an easy one. Well, easier that having to hold one down. Eddie has a lot of fur and it takes more shampoo and water to get him clean. Doxies are prone to dry skin, so you have to be sure to rinse them well. Eddie likes the entire process. The preparation, the washing, the rinsing and the drying. Takes two towels to do the job with his long soft hair.

Done with him and longing to just sit down and rest, I looked over at Cujo sitting in my chair with wet eyes. No way was I going to get away with not bathing him! I picked him up and checked the timer on the oven that was cooking dinner. Twelve minutes is long enough to bath another animal fond of his bath. He will jump out of the tub, given the opportunity, and is not fond of the drying. He prefers to shake vigorously and wet everyone in the immediate area. But, with short hair, it is a quicker bath.

Now that I think about it, dog bathing is pretty strenuous on the muscles, too! No wonder I hurt so bad!

5 comments:

River said...

I've only ever had to bath a dog once, when our pup got stolen and they rubbed him with oil and garlic to confuse his sense of smell, but he found his way home to us anyway, so we soaped and hosed in the backyard, thankfully it was summer so he dried quickly and there was no need to hold him down in a tub.

Val said...

The thought of Eddie having his bath is almost too sweet for me to dwell on. I'm the wife of a diabetic, you know!

Joanne Noragon said...

I think you are a credit to women kind, and that is higher than man kind, as we both know. How wonderful it must be to be working in an almost completely painted kitchen! With two clean dogs, to boot.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

I ache all over today but I don't know why

RunNRose said...

I sure do wish my dogs loved baths! We have laughed many times over the years at how astute they are. All I have to do is walk across the room with the blow dryer, or the mat that they stand on to get dried. Dogs that were underfoot a few minutes ago totally disappear!
Ours are Yorkies.