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What are your plans during this time of chaos and social distancing?
- Thread starter stevenfr
- Start date
Audii-Dudii
Active member
I took up dog grooming.
I hadn't planned / didn't want to, but I had no choice, as Miss Abby was already a few weeks overdue before this crisis arrived and had been panting almost continuously since last night, as the weather here in the Phoenix area is heating up.
It took me almost two hours from start to finish and to my surprise, she actually looks quite presentable:
Well, except for what looks to be a dueling scar just below her left eye, which arose when she flinched while I was free-handing her snout with the clippers and cut a bit too deeply.
But she didn't bleed, so no permanent harm was done -- Yay! -- and of course, the fur will grow back in time, so in a few weeks, no one will be the wiser.
In the meantime, though, I think she looks like a bad-*** standard poodle -- Snake Plissken-ish, minus the eye patch -- and not one of those foo-foo poodles, such as the one that recently won the NYC dog show.
Mind you, I no doubt inflicted a considerable amount of psychological trauma in the process, but she's a good-natured dog, so I'm confident she'll bounce back from it soon enough.
Looking ahead, I believe that with a better set of clippers -- the set I borrowed from a neighbor was old, the blades were somewhat dull, and it came with only one depth guide, hence the reason I had to free-hand in places -- as well as learning how to use them properly -- it turns out the YouTube video I watched of Mike Rowe shearing sheep wasn't as helpful as I had hoped ... who knew?! -- I'm confident I can significantly improve upon my results the next time.
Yes, that means I'm going to try it again in another six to eight weeks. Groomers in this area charge $80-90 for a standard poodle and the retired groomer who works part-time out of her house charges only $60 but lives across town, which requires a 60-mile roundtrip that is a bit of a nuisance.
Buying my own set of grooming tools should pay for itself in just a few months, which appeals to the frugalitarian in me, as well as save me several hours of time compared to driving and waiting.
Silver linings and all that...
I hadn't planned / didn't want to, but I had no choice, as Miss Abby was already a few weeks overdue before this crisis arrived and had been panting almost continuously since last night, as the weather here in the Phoenix area is heating up.
It took me almost two hours from start to finish and to my surprise, she actually looks quite presentable:
Well, except for what looks to be a dueling scar just below her left eye, which arose when she flinched while I was free-handing her snout with the clippers and cut a bit too deeply.
But she didn't bleed, so no permanent harm was done -- Yay! -- and of course, the fur will grow back in time, so in a few weeks, no one will be the wiser.
In the meantime, though, I think she looks like a bad-*** standard poodle -- Snake Plissken-ish, minus the eye patch -- and not one of those foo-foo poodles, such as the one that recently won the NYC dog show.
Mind you, I no doubt inflicted a considerable amount of psychological trauma in the process, but she's a good-natured dog, so I'm confident she'll bounce back from it soon enough.
Looking ahead, I believe that with a better set of clippers -- the set I borrowed from a neighbor was old, the blades were somewhat dull, and it came with only one depth guide, hence the reason I had to free-hand in places -- as well as learning how to use them properly -- it turns out the YouTube video I watched of Mike Rowe shearing sheep wasn't as helpful as I had hoped ... who knew?! -- I'm confident I can significantly improve upon my results the next time.
Yes, that means I'm going to try it again in another six to eight weeks. Groomers in this area charge $80-90 for a standard poodle and the retired groomer who works part-time out of her house charges only $60 but lives across town, which requires a 60-mile roundtrip that is a bit of a nuisance.
Buying my own set of grooming tools should pay for itself in just a few months, which appeals to the frugalitarian in me, as well as save me several hours of time compared to driving and waiting.
Silver linings and all that...
Audii-Dudii
Active member
Now that you mention it, I do see hints of Cujo reflected in her eyes...I don't know, there's something in her eyes that would make me watch my back if I were you ...
JoelM
Well-known member
I used to drive from San Diego to Thousand Oaks (Ventura County) every 6 weeks to get my Samoyed groomed. He got old and didn't travel well so I found someone about half the distance. Only $60 and I can't imagine that myself as it would take me all day and I'd be a mess. She did him in 3 hours. 3 hours for $60, that's a bargain and I gave a nice Christmas bonus each year. Unfortunately, he's gone (last July) so I don't need to worry about that, but dog grooming is another function that is gone right now. I hadn't thought about that until you mentioned it. At least mass shootings and most gun violence is way down.
Joel
Joel
Mexecutioner
Well-known member
Sorry to hear your dog passed last July. Our dog has a short coat, so I give her her bath in our tub and it is pretty easy. We used to take her and get her bathed and had nails dremmeled but not too long ago decided to do the bath here and save $55 every other week. We kept doing the dremmel at that place every 2 weeks for $15 a pop, but since I have a dremmel and the place is closed we have been having some dremmel action in the back porch. I think i am doing a good job with it. Now that I look back I realize it was costing about $1600 a year to do this, plus tips, which is silly. Now, when we had our 2 German shepherds I was more than happy to pay as it was way more work than it is now.
Audii-Dudii
Active member
Abby's groomer usually had her for around two hours and I killed the time I was waiting by visiting the thrift stores in the area and/or taking photos. Add an hour for the drive and the total was around three hours as well.
Unfortunately, time is money and while there was a point in my life when $60 practically rounded to zero, that is no longer the case. My father fell in December 2013 and broke his hip, hence was no longer able to care for my disabled sister. So I took a leave of absence from work to help out, only for him to fall and break his other hip just as he was finishing his recovery from his first fall.
Not surprisingly, my short-term leave of absence became a long-term one at that point and after he died in February 2017, it became permanent. Because even though I was paid very well, my paralegal job frequently required me to travel several days each month to attend depositions / perform review documents and the cost of hiring a full-time caretaker to look after my sister while I was at work and a 24-hour caretaker while I was traveling was prohibitively high.
So I effectively retired and did so between 10 and 15 years earlier than I had planned, which means I've been living on savings for the past seven years and still have two more years to go before I can file for Social Security benefits. Once that happens, my financial situation will improve, although my benefit amount will be significantly reduced because I will not have worked for 36 of the previous 40 quarters. Although I do have a decent amount of retirement savings, in view of the change in my circumstances, I'm a bit leery of spending too much of it on frills, because one never knows what the future might hold -- Covid-19, anyone? -- and I don't want to end up having to eat discount-brand cat food instead of the premium brands when I'm in my dotage... <shrug>
Needless to say, even before the virus lockdown, I was effectively stuck at home for most of the day and this is even more true now. Which means I have lots of time on my hands, so doing my own housecleaning and laundry and car / home maintenance, etc., helps me to stay busy as well as saves me money.
My next project will probably be a DIY haircut, as I'm only three or four weeks away from being to make a ponytail and I'm positive that nobody wants to see that! :shocked:
Your financial circumstances are certainly challenging but you seem to have a handle on it. SS benefits are a game of analysis for now vs. later. Early benefits are the least beneficial as I'm sure you know. Best to wait if you can but that's a financial decision that only you can make.
As to cutting your own hair - you can..... and you should. It's easy once you get the hang of it and challenging once you 'really' get into it. Given all of your skill sets I have no doubts as to your ability to look just great.....
Cheers....
Victor B
As to cutting your own hair - you can..... and you should. It's easy once you get the hang of it and challenging once you 'really' get into it. Given all of your skill sets I have no doubts as to your ability to look just great.....
Cheers....
Victor B
And how is your cloning work progressing? :ROTFL:yesterday was easter and many tourists came to may balcony to take pictures with their ****ing phones, disturbing my work!
So I've used my spare time to get Nikon Scan (for a Coolscan 9000) and Minolta Scan (for a DSE 5400) software installed and functioning on a Windows 10 PC. Scanned a 1992 portrait of a dear former neighbor. Her appearence, demeanor and house made us feel as if we had a grandmother across the street. Miss you Nona Kodachrome and likely a Pentax LX with a longer lens.
Kodachrome and likely a Pentax LX with a longer lens.Attachments
My plan is to take some of the prevaricating procrastinating pompous pathetic mismanaging so called world leaders to The Court of Human Rights and charge them with Crimes Against Humanity.
Their lethargic failure to act with anything resembling alacrity means (amongst other things) that I am still unable to play on the swings!
Their lethargic failure to act with anything resembling alacrity means (amongst other things) that I am still unable to play on the swings!
Attachments
Audii-Dudii
Active member
This is also true here! While the parks themselves are still open, everything inside them (except the restrooms) has been wrapped in caution tape and is now officially off-limits:
Same deserted location as one of my previous posts. GFX 50R, 32-64mm lens, f13 ISO 400. This time a vertical shot. Having some fun, my wife and I are going to out of the way places to photograph, take a box lunch and relax a bit. All our favorite watering holes are closed for "HappyHour"
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stephengilbert
Active member
That's you on the end with the tripod?yesterday was easter and many tourists came to may balcony to take pictures with their ****ing phones, disturbing my work!
First, let me apologize to you folks that are purists out there, and would consider the below image cheating. It is a composite. Being 83 years old and in lockdown has given me time to play around with old images using new tools. My goal has always been to make pleasing images regardless of method. My history goes back to film-Camera Clubs-PSA Salons-paper negatives- double printing-montages- derivations-posterizations-etc. Not sure where to post this: foreground, including the sun and star marks made in Feb 2010 with a Sony A900, 28mm Sony f2.8 lens at f11, ISO 200. Sky made several nights ago with GFX 50R 32-64mm lens at 44mm, f7 ISO 400.
Again, my apologies in advance if I have offended anyone....it's just my way of having fun and keeping my old brain active. Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
www.modernpictorials.com
Again, my apologies in advance if I have offended anyone....it's just my way of having fun and keeping my old brain active. Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
www.modernpictorials.com
Another from the series of my wife and I going to deserted places to photograph. Several previous images I posted of this spot when the garvey was out clamming. This time the garvey was in. GFX 50R, 100-200mm Fuji lens at 150mm, f13 for added depth of field, ISO 400. The lens stabilization is wonderful, as I hand held this shot. Thanks for looking.
Dave in NJ
Dave in NJ
Plenty of time on my hands. Going through some old digital files and re-making final images. This image made late August 2014 with a Sony A7R and Minolta 20mm f2.8 lens (neither of which I have anymore). f10 ISO 400).
Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
www.modernpictorials.com
Thanks for looking
Dave in NJ
www.modernpictorials.com