I laughed so hard - the boys thought something was wrong

Toto's new haircut

The idea was to try to 'save' a little money by cutting Toto's hair ourselves. After a wash and dry and comb, it was painfully obvious that spending $50 bucks at the dog groomer is well worth it. (This was even before the cutting.) Such a project can take HOURS and the volume of hair was astounding.

The $100 clippers proved fairly inadequate - it wasn't like shearing a sheep - though Doug tried as evidenced by the strip of stubble on Toto's back. You can't see it but one of his front legs is shaved and looks like a chicken leg compaired to the other. Toto is surprisingly bony.

I laughed until I cried

I can't remember what set me off, except the visual, and I don't often laugh uncontrollably anymore. But this was completely out of control, so much so that I thought I might choke at one point due to the bite of pizza in my mouth. Matthew thought I was v. upset - he couldn't understand. He'd never seen me laughing this way. Ah the proximity of pleasure and pain, love and hate. I guess that's what he was witnessing. I was laughing so hard for about 5 full minutes, that I was crying and almost choking all at once.

Meanwhile, Toto is completely unfazed by all this. And next Tuesday he will get a professional trim. Anyone need any dog clippers? - they've only been used once and I can give you a good price.

Unrelated thoughts

• Another wrong-sided surgery at RI Hospital was reported this week. People, please if you are going in for surgery on a body part, mark it yourself with a permanent marker just to be sure.
• 1 lump or 2? Go for 2.
• The school crossing guard told the kids and I to have a good weekend but it was only Tuesday. Ah, to be retired