#affordable pet grooming in chicago

[pawcarebooking]

10 Ways You Can Advocate for Animal Welfare This Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Make a difference this Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month by taking action for animal welfare. Explore 10 powerful ways to advocate for animals, from supporting legislation to adopting from shelters, and be a voice for those who can't speak for themselves.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

Prompt #9 please!

Oh, Nonnie, this is my last prompt in the inbox and it got me all in my emotions as well! Love an established relationship feelings-fest! (Prompt is "Listen to me.")

~~~~~~~

“Chrissy?” 

Eddie taps on the door of their overpriced hotel room and waits. He has a key, but he wants to respect her need to take a moment. After all, it isn’t every day that your wife flees her little brother’s rehearsal dinner in tears after telling her own sainted mother to “just shut up, okay?” 

Not that Laura Cunningham’s much of a saint. Still, Eddie’s treading carefully because this is the first significant time they’ve spent with the Cunninghams since the Christmas disaster of ’91, and there’s nothing that can send Chrissy spiraling back into the abyss of her childhood faster than a scathing comment from her mother. 

“Hey, Bets,” he says, trying again with a nickname that he only pulls out when the stakes are high. He can’t remember how it started—Christine Elizabeth shortened to Lizzie, Beth, Betty, Bets, maybe—but after eleven years together, eight of them married, and a hundred pet names split between them, what does remembering matter?

Pressing his ear to the door, he waits until he hears a sob before deciding that she’s had warning enough and uses his key.

The room smells like Chrissy’s perfume with an undercurrent of faux-floral toilet scrub. It’s not a place they could ever have afforded alone, which is part of the problem. As parents of the groom (and at said groom’s request), Phillip and Laura are paying for their attendance, which has set Chrissy on a self-destructive path where she has to battle a tornado of tolerance and an earthquake of obligation and yes, sure, Eddie’d suggested they just get a room at the Motel 8 and save themselves the hassle, but she’d wanted to do it for her brother. For Charlie. For his bride-to-be, Addie, who’s actually a cool girl. They’ve been to stay with Chrissy and Eddie in Chicago twice now, and Eddie digs her taste in music more than he’ll ever admit. 

(Addie also said she dug Eddie’s band-on-the-side, which is all he needs to love someone forever.) 

“Eddie,” comes a plaintive wail from the bed.

Chrissy’s curled on her side with a pillow hugged to her abdomen, still wearing the blue floral dress she’d sported to dinner. It has ridden up her thighs considerably, and Eddie must have grown as a person because he only thinks about that for maybe .02 seconds as he crawls onto the bed behind her and wraps an arm around her waist to pull her against his chest. 

“She had it coming,” he says into her artfully coiffed hair, which rests shellacked and sticky against his lips. “Baby. She did.” 

“Is Ch-Ch-Addie mad?” 

“Nobody’s mad except your mother.” In fact—and he won’t tell her this now—Addie’d been hiding a giggle behind a napkin. Eddie knows for a fact that she feels about Laura much the same as he does. Only, you know, she can’t say that to Chrissy because while Chrissy’s allowed to hate her mother, nobody else can say a word, and God, yeah, families are complicated. Eddie’s grateful that he only has to worry about Wayne, and Wayne never gives them any trouble. 

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” she says around another miserable little sniffle. 

“Eh.” He shrugs and kisses the spot where her shoulder meets her neck. “She was picking at you, and you snapped. It happens.” 

“But I wasn’t going to do it this time! I was… I worked on all those coping m-mechanisms!” That brings a fresh volley of tears. “Sandra’s going to be so disappointed.” 

“What, like you’re gonna get a bad grade in therapy?” 

“Yes!” She trills the word out on a wail.

Eddie loves her so much, but she’s making a mountain out of a molehill, and while he never minds comforting this particular damsel in distress, he’s also not gonna let her beat herself up when Laura’s the one who threw the first punch. 

“Alright, buddy, c’mon.” He pulls away enough to coax her onto her back, where she stares up at him from puffy, red-rimmed eyes and a blotchy complexion. “Hey.” 

“Hi,” she says. 

There’s snot beneath her nose, so he grabs a Kleenex from the box on the nightstand and holds it to her face. “Blow.”

She blows—honks if he’s honest—and he chucks the tissue onto the table before focusing on her. 

“Okay, counselor, facts of the case. Did your mother kick the evening off by telling you your dress was too tight?” 

Chrissy frowns. “It is, and—”

“Bzzt!” Eddie digs his fingers into her side, which has the intended effect of shocking her into a squeal. “Irrelevant. Conjecture. Also, bullshit. You look hot. So, true or false, counselor? Did she do that?” 

Chrissy nods, mute, pressing her lips into a thin line. But, hey. Not crying, so that’s something. 

“And did she, or did she not, tell everyone at the table that they’re paying for us to be here?” 

Another nod. 

“After which—and correct me if I’m wrong here—she put her hand over your plate so the waiter couldn’t give you any of the lobster risotto.” 

Chrissy’s mouth twists into what might be termed a smile, and she shrugs. 

“So then I switched plates with you, and she gave me that look she always gives me.” 

“What look?” 

“The look where I’m a pile of actual dogshit she’s just stepped in.” 

“Oh.” Chrissy’s smile widens, and she shrugs. “Right. That look.” 

“All of that to say, by the time she gave her little speech about grandchildren and welcoming a daughter into the family… I dunno, Bets, it felt like justifiable homicide to me.” 

“But I did it in front of everyone…” 

“Yeah, well, so did she.” 

“But—“ 

“No buts. Listen to me. Your mother’s never going to change, but you change every day. That’s why you’ve got me, and Sandra, and all our friends who actually like you instead of the stupid little dress-up doll your mother spent eighteen years trying to turn you into.” 

This is not the first time they’ve had this conversation. Chrissy already knows how he feels. However, if the message takes a million times to sink in, Eddie’s willing to keep talking. 

Chrissy blinks, sniffs, and rubs her eyes. “Okay,” she says because she’s not so good at acknowledging the truth of the matter. “I should call Charlie’s room. Apologize to him and Addie and—”

“Or,” Eddie says, cutting her off before she can work herself into another lather. “We could call up room service and charge two fucking massive slices of chocolate cake to your parents.” 

“Eddie…” 

“Best part is, they’re both for you.” 

"Eddie."

"I'll have a bite. And you can call your brother, too."

~~~~~~

All the prompts I've answered!

[coffeestreetapparel]

The reliable online store of Coffee Street Apparel brings highly affordable, functional, fashionable, and top-quality stretch scrub uniforms that are perfect as workwear. It is ideal for health care professionals, along with persons working in nursing schools, beauty schools, pet grooming centers, and veterinarian offices.

[colonbeautyproductsofficial]

Trending Model Razor With High Quality Stainless Steel. Turkish Exposed Blade Holder. On Barber Demand .We Make Again For Our Professional Barbers and Resellers. Hi Dear Sir/ Mam . I want To Introduce Myself that I Have Manufacturing Factory of Custom Pet Grooming Products Like ** Scissors ** Pet Grooming Shears **Gator Shears ** **Thinners **Combs **knives **Capes **Aprons **Groomers Jackets **Tank Tops **Vests etc. I Have Wholesale Factory Prices .High Grade Stainless Steel Material. Customized Logo . Japnese Steel and Handmade Products . I want To Make a Long Term Business With You . Our Products will win Your Heart and Buyers Will Ask Our Products Because They are Not only Professional our Products also with Very Affordable Prices. PayPal Payments Accepted. Awaiting Your Answer . Thank You By Colon Sales Team 😊 Whatsapp for More Info +923411148890 #blessedrazors #irvingbarbercompany #barberschool#turkishrazor #barberprofessional #razorsup #razorholder #wetshavers #✂️ #gunmetal #ukrazors #gravityrazors #7oclock #7oclockrazor (at Chicago, USA) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ_xkWahqTj/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ma5ey]

G Adventures South America: Day 7 - Colca Canyon

// March 17th, 2011

Not today, however!

Today, was the day I travelled out to the breathtaking Colca Canyon!

Rising early after a great night's sleep in our Hotel La Casa de Mamayacci I headed down to the dining hall where I found a few of the crew already tucking into cereal and bread, and making faces at the resident hotel pet llama who was milling around on the patio just outside.

Once we got all the crew out of bed and ready to go, it was onto the coach for the drive up to the world famous Colca Canyon. Along the way we stopped at a few small villages, affording us the chance to have a bit of a poke around a number of small churches and other community buildings.

There were customary gatherings of locals in brightly coloured traditional clothing pretty much every spot we stopped, eager to show us their wares, or in one gentleman's case, hand off his large, impressive, incredibly sharp-taloned bird of prey for a photography opportunity or two, in return for a few soles.

Continuing on, gradually climbing through lush, green terraced farming land as we went, we began pausing less in little villages and more at impressive miradors (lookouts) where we had the chance to grab some photos and, if we hadn't already, purchase any number of Peruvian hats, scarves, gloves and other trinkets from the awaiting, smiling vendors.

View expanded panoramic image

Colca Canyon

What can I say about the Colca Canyon other than – WOW! Being almost twice the depth of the Grand Canyon in the USA, it is marketed, here in Peru anyway, as the deepest canyon in the world and it's hard to argue with the promotional tag line. While it didn't blow me away to the same extent the vista did when I perched on the edge of the Grand Canyon a decade ago, it sure was impressive as the grass and shrub covered cliffs dropped away, sometimes further than the eye could see, down to the Colca River rushing along below.

We spent an hour or two hiking the well groomed tracks that rimmed some of the deeper parts of the canyon, eventually arriving at the tourist-ridden "Cruz del Condor" a section of the canyon known for its excellent and reliable opportunities to view soaring Andean Condors.

Credit: Chicago Media Productions (YouTube)

While it took a little patience, we were lucky enough to eventually lay eyes on around 3 HUGE condors that were cruising the rim of the canyon, which was about 3,960ft (1,200 m) deep at this point. The condors, which have a wing span that can reach up to an incredible 3.2m or 10.5 ft in length, were using the morning thermals to hunt roughly 10m below our position on the trail.

Try as I might, with my new Canon G12, I wasn't able to capture a decent (non-blurry) image of one of these magnificent beasts, but the wonderful Florian (German), who had the luxury of having his SLR camera with him, has kindly allowed me to post one of his great pics (see below)!

Credit: Florian Lees

Making sure I was positioned on the right side of the bus to maximise the views on the return trip back to Arequipa, I was able to enjoy more sweeping, green vistas like the one below. Both these images and the images taken of the canyon (above) really don't capture the scale of the country and therefore don't really do the region justice, but it should give you a pretty good idea nonetheless.

We were making good time back through the high alpine country and down towards the Arequipa when all of a sudden our bus decided to break down due to a broken fan belt.

Evidently, our bus driver wasn't as savvy a mechanic as he was a driver and we were divvied up into 3 smaller groups which hitched rides with other tour operators that arrived on the scene, back to our hotel in Arequipa.

An eventful end to what was a pretty fantastic day exploring an impressive geographical wonder, and a couple of days spent up in Peru's true alpine country.

Links & credits:

All images // Rob Masefield

Colca Canyon, Peru // wikipedia.org

Hotel La Casa de Mamayacci // lacasademamayacchi.com

[pawcarebooking]

Explore Fresh Wagg Grooming in Chicago

Fresh Wagg Grooming, located on Wolfram Street in Chicago, IL, provides exceptional pet grooming services. The pet groomers give your pet an amazing grooming experience. From breed-specific cuts to lavish baths and specialist treatments, we cater to your pet's unique requirements with care and skill. With an emphasis on quality and attention to detail, Fresh Wagg Grooming ensures your pet looks and feels its best after each appointment. Schedule an appointment now for a Fresh Wagg experience your pet will enjoy!

[pittylover728]

Posted @withregram • @temboandlaika Are you excited for another set of great businesses? We are! These businesses are Black-owned. As we continue to strive for racial equality, please understand why we "buy Black” - link our bio. A @ucsc study showed that 41% of all Black-owned small businesses in the USA have closed due to constraints created by COVID-19, and are less likely to get approved for small business federal relief loans (@colorofchange ). Don’t just support once, support regularly! Support includes purchasing, visiting, following, liking, sharing, and reviewing. . Sheri Patterson created @barksandpurrspet to provide your family members with natural and health pet snacks Brandon started @rockyswalkers with transportation from all 5 boroughs for boarding + walking, with the help of his younger brother Julius, providing dog walking in LES/East Village . Rahanna Gray owns a mobile grooming business @_stylishpooch_ and was recently featured on Queer Eye! @queereye . Tara Robertson owns @pupstarspetcare in Chicago providing daycare, grooming, and walking and now has hand sanitizer + masks Leon hand makes incredible @butlerbowls , "well-made pet furniture at an affordable price that looks great and will last for a long period of time." His craftsmanship is amazing! . Toni Craig-Cox is a 1st time dog mom. She experienced a level of love that she didn’t know was possible with her dog Aria. She was experimented by putting Aria on different products to show off her cuteness + figured other pet parents might want to do the same thing and from that, @petcartooningbrand was born. . Rachel & Chris Morrisey started @happee_dawg to create raw meals that are "the perfect combination of complete blends, only consisting of simple, human grade, USDA approved ingredients." . . Alissa Maree makes custom reversible pet bandanas for your pet at @brixxyandco Deana Evans is the founder and CEO of @barksfirstavenue , a luxury point-of-view on pet apparel #barksfashion Comment below if you've used any of these products or services or are excited to in the future! And of course, tag a Black-owned business we can share in our next feature. PLEASE SHARE. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCWS4zhgLwZ/?igshid=138tssm1sv4qc

[themadilisa]

mocha task: one

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Full Name: Madison Louise Becker

Nickname(s) and how they got them: Madi, Mads 

Date of Birth: April 28th 1997

Age: 22

Zodiac: Taurus

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire (UK)

Places lived since: Chicago

Parents’ names & occupations: Louise Becker née Taylor and Tyler Becker

Siblings: No siblings. 

Relationship with family (close? estranged?): Madi’s close with her family. 

Children of his/her own?: No, she’s too young for that!

If so, relationship with child’s mother/father?: N/A

Age he/she became a parent: N/A

PHYSICAL

Height: 5ft 4 inches

Build: Slim

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Nationality: English & American

Distinguishing Facial Features: Straight nose & high cheekbones

Hair Color: Ginger

Usual Hair Style: messy curls or worn up in a messy bun. often with strands that are bonded together with flecks of paint. 

Eye Color: Hazel

Complexion (freckles, acne, skin tone, birth marks, scars): A few light freckles, pale skin that doesn’t tan at all. A few scars from childhood accidents - she was a clumsy kid, one in particular is a scar on the pad of her thumb when she tried opening up a coconut with a knife... it didn’t go well. luckily it didn’t need stitches. 

APPEARANCE

Style of dress/typical outfit(s): Casual

Typical style of shoes: Canvas shoes, typically vans. 

How does he/she dress up?: She has a few night out dresses, short slinky things that she rarely wears. 

Dress down?: Fluffy PJ and leggings with cute slippers. 

Favorite outfit: A band t-shirt that she tucks into an old pair of jeans. each item of clothing has at least one patch of paint on it, but it doesn’t bother her. Her favourite pair of vans and very little jewellery, just a ring. 

Glasses? Contacts?: 2020 vision baby.

Grooming (makeup? shower daily? wear only clean clothes? pluck eyebrows?): Clean clothes? Madi doesn’t own many shirts or trousers that don’t have some sort of paint stain on them. she rarely wears make up. Madi is particular about showering daily, if she has time she’ll even shower in the morning and in the evening. 

Jewellery? Tattoos? Piercings?: Madi’s not really a jewellery or tattoo person but she does have a couple piercings. her ears are pierced twice, and she’s got a belly button piercing from a misguided attempt at rebelling as a teen. 

What does their voice sound like?: She’s got a sweet voice, a little high pitched and all excitable. 

Style of speech (loud, mumbler, articulate, etc.): She can be a very fast speaker, especially when she’s excited - she’s not really a mumbler and she often doesn’t realise the volume of her voice. 

Accent?: Still very much English - she’s picked up a slight Chicago twinge which is more noticeable when she’s speaking to someone else from Chicago, but she’s very well spoken, accent leaning towards an Oxbridge/received pronunciation accent. (think BBC news presenters)

Unique mannerisms/physical habits (bites nails, talks with hands, taps feet when restless): Madi definitely talks with her hands, she’s known for excited gestures and wild limbs when she’s excitable, multiple cups of coffee and tea have been sacrificed to her hands flying around. She’ll play with her hair with she’s nervous, either push it behind her ear or twist strands between her fingers. 

Left handed or right?: Left handed

What does their writing look like?: Super messy.

Do they work out/exercise?: Not really? She’s often too engrossed in a sketchbook to care about running.

VOCATION

Level of education: College - currently studying

Profession: Sales assistant in retail / forger

Describe their work space: Standard shop layout?

If no job, where do finances come from?: N/A

Past occupations: Various sales positions/temp work. 

Dream occupation: Artist

Passions: Painting

Attitude towards current job: A stop gap to pay for college. (goes for both jobs)

Spender or saver?: Saver (though currently all her money goes to school tuition)

LIKES & DISLIKES

Hobbies: Anything crafty.

Indoors or Outdoors?: Outdoors, she loves sitting outside and painting the landscape - especially in the summer. 

Favorite color: She’d struggle to choose but probably yellow. It’s bright and sunny. 

Favorite smell: Wet paint

Favorite and least favorite food: Pizza / Meatballs 

Favorite and least favorite book:  / 50 Shades of Grey

Favorite and least favorite movie: Girl with a Pearl Earring / The Da Vinci Code 

Favorite and least favorite song: Heart to Heart by James Blunt / Gangnam Style... it’s still overrated.

Favorite and least favorite holiday (and why): Christmas because it’s time for family and giving and enjoying yourself and with all the lights and colours she just thinks it’s beautiful / Valentines Day if that counts... she just thinks it’s a con by the card and gift companies to make money. 

Coffee or tea?: Neither. Hot Chocolate

Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?: Smooth probably.

Do they watch TV? If so, what?: Yes, she may not always pay attention to it but she watches. Mostly teen shows and bad reality tv. 

Favorite place to hang out: Mocha, isn’t that obvious?

Do they like music? What kind?: She likes pop, and the top 40 really. She’s got a bit of an eclectic taste in that she enjoys a bit of show tunes, a bit of 80′s and a bit of rock as well. but her go to is bubblegum pop. 

Favorite type of weather: Sunny. 

Favorite form of entertainment: Music.

How do they feel about traveling?: She’d love to travel more. 

What sort of gifts do they like?: Homemade gifts, often something she’s crafted or painted. She’s all about the thought you put into a gift over the value of it. 

DETAILS

Type of car he/she drives (or wishes he/she drove): Doesn’t drive. Wishes she had something cute like a Fiat or a Mini

Pets?: None.

If not, do they want any?: Yes.

Most prized possession: A painting her grandmother did of her as a child. 

One word to best describe them: Bubbly.

What makes them laugh?: Memes, friends, quite a lot to be honest.

Any special holiday traditions?: Returning to Cambridge UK and spending time with her dad’s family. 

Do they know how to swim?: Yes

Can they cook (if so, how well and do they enjoy it)?: Sort of. She’s not terrible but she’s not the best cook either. Typical student really, she can cook a few select dishes. 

Is there anything they always carry with them? If so, why?: A sketch pad, because you never know when inspiration will strike.

Ideal vacation: Caribbean

Do they keep a journal?: Nope. In a way her journal is her sketchpad.

Are there any places that hold special meaning to them?: Her grandmother’s home. 

Bad habits: Nibbling her nails. 

Good habits: Drinking plenty of water.

Do they smoke? No.

Drink?: Socially, but not often.

Take drugs?: No.

BONUS

Most important/defining event in life to date: Moving to Chicago/America

Daily routine: Eat, sleep, paint. Repeat. Pretty much. Oh and college.

Sleeping habits (Night owl or early bird? Light or heavy sleeper? Fall asleep anywhere or need specific conditions?): More of a night owl if anything She can fall asleep anywhere, but needs pitch black if possible. 

Typical Saturday night: At home, sat by an easel with paints and a paintbrush in hand. 

Most used word or phrase?: Awesome

What is home like (messy, neat, sparse): Fairly messy, but not dirty. Just lots of painting stuff lying around. 

What does their bed look like? (bed sheets, lots of cushions, king or queen): small double, with lots of pillows and plushies, a blanket and quilt because she likes to snuggle.

What are you likely to find in their purse/bag/backpack/wallet?: pencils, sketchpad, maybe some loose change. 

What about their fridge?: whatever food she can afford

Medicine cabinet?: there’s a few types of painkillers, some bandages, but there’s not a lot in it. 

Glove compartment?: she doesn’t have a car, but no doubt it would be full of cds. 

Nightstand?: a few books. 

If they wanted to hide something, where would they hide it?: in the trunk she uses to store her old art projects.

[starlingsrps]

cora collins dev.

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Name: cora rebecca collins

Nickname: no.

Birthday: march 1

Age: thirty two

Gender: female

Place of birth: perth, scotland

Places lived since: london; new york; chicago

Parents: roy and sheila collins

Siblings: harris, 30; mia, 23

Relationship with family: not close at all. cora's decision to make music her career was not a popular one and while she'll email, she doesn't go out of her way to do so.

Children of her/his own?: lord god no.

PHYSICAL

Height: 5'4

Build: small

Complexion: fair with a few freckles

Distinguishing features: wideset, elfin features

Hair color: dark blonde

Usual hair style: lob

Eye color: brown

Glasses? Contacts?: both - glasses for when the contacts come out.

Style of dress/typical outfit(s): jeans or black pants, shirt. never without a sweater because practice rooms are either freezing or frying.

Typical style of shoes: boots

Health: sturdy.

Grooming: clean and scrubbed with makeup for performances.

Jewelry? Tattoos? Piercings?: nah/nah/ears

Accent?: scottish af

Unique mannerisms/physical habits: she's forever using her hands to gesture or just moving them about.

Athletic?: ehhhh she does gym it up but mostly to maintain stamina and core strength for performing.

INTELLECT

Level of education: a degree in music performance from the london college of music

Level of self esteem: good!

Gifts/talents: cello, sight reading. she's also got a wicked sense of humor and can be a genuinely warm person when she so desires.

Shortcomings: cora is two things: stubborn and cheap. she doesn't give in very easily and she doesn't care to spend money if she doesn't have to. catch cora living in a studio even though she can afford a proper apartment.

Style of speech: clipped and to the point.

Artistic?: musical!

Mathematical?: enough.

Makes decisions based mostly on emotions, or on logic?: logic

Neuroses: her haaaaands. god don't let anything ever happen to her hands.

Religious stance: atheist

Cautious or daring?: daring

Most sensitive about/vulnerable to: her musical ability. she's good and knows she's good but she still gets sour about bad reviews.

Optimist or pessimist?: realist.

Extrovert or introvert?: somewhere between the two. she can schmooze but she's also good on her own.

Level of comfort with technology: nah. she can work her phone. that’ll do.

RELATIONSHIPS

Current marital/relationship status: ??????

Sexual orientation: bisexual

Past relationships: several, none notable. her life has always been her career.

A social person?: when she must be.

Most comfortable around: ethan. weird.

Oldest friend: nah.

How does she think others perceive her?: she doesn't care.

How do others actually perceive her?: talented, if a bit prickly.

VOCATION

Profession: assistant principal cellist, cso

Past occupations: cello teacher? does that count?

Attitude towards current job: she loveloveloveloves it

Attitude towards current coworkers, bosses, employees: they're aight. 

Salary: enough.

SECRETS

Dreams: principal cellist.

Greatest fears: breaking a hand. arthritis. being hit by a bus.

Hobbies: needlepoint.

Past sexual transgressions: nah.

Crimes committed: nah.

What she most wants to change about her current life: she's good.

What she most wants to change about her physical appearance: nah.

DETAILS/QUIRKS

Daily routine: up, practice, putter about, teach for a bit (she does private lessons and some mentoring at conservatory), putter some more, perform or hang out.

Night owl or early bird?: night owl.

Light or heavy sleeper?: heavy.

Favorite food: chocolate covered pretzels

Favorite book: cora loves her a bodice ripper.

Favorite movie: titanic

Favorite song: cello concerto in a minor, op. 33

Coffee or tea?: tea that looks like coffee.

Type of car she drives: no.

Lefty or righty?: righty

Favorite color: blue

Cusser?: like a sailor

Smoker? Drinker? Drug user?: sometimes/yes/no

Pets?: a cat named angus

[lonniecartwrighting-blog]

tea

[a vignette] by Lonnie Cartwright

To tell the truth, I always thought that would be us, up there. Standing in front of a minister, maybe a dark wooden altar. Outside or inside, I’m not really sure, but either way, I could see it.

I look down at my tea, still steaming in its cardboard cup, the lid on the bench beside me. I was hoping this would help it cool off more quickly, but it’s looking like my wishes are not being granted today. I sigh and swirl my stirstick around aimlessly.

Sometimes I actually thought I never really could see it, you and me. Maybe I told myself I could see it just because I knew it would hurt to say goodbye. I knew it would hurt, and it did hurt when it eventually happened.

It hurt.

But the great thing is that I didn’t have to make any compromises. I didn’t have to give up the city or get a pet cat. You ended up with the good side of the straw or something, too, because you didn’t have to settle for the suburbs near the mountains or feed my snake when I went away for work. That’s what college-aged neighbors were for anyway, right, and I had plenty of those, just a couple stops away from campus.

Maybe my tea is cool now. I dip just the tip of my pinky in the cup and convince myself it won’t burn my tongue.

I take a sip. I’m wrong.

It hurts.

I put the cup back down and wish I had gone for that Smartwater in the café. I know I’m trying to avoid using that plastic and everything, but now my tongue is burnt and I’m thirsty and I just really don’t have the patience to wait for my tea to cool.

I cross my arms and look back at the little wedding across the park. Lots of pastel dresses, white flower garlands.

Patience was another part of it, probably. I didn’t want to wait for both of us to get our feet on the ground enough to afford a house or even just a townhome. I didn’t want to wait and see what teaching positions would open up in the city to see if I could convince you to come with me.

I didn’t want to wait until we lived in a small town long enough for me to make the case that it was fair now for us to live where I wanted to live.

I didn’t want to wait too long to ask you if you wanted kids, because I didn’t, but I didn’t know how long to wait.

I also didn’t want to wait to marry you. To start the life I always saw us living together. I never knew how I saw it playing out, but I knew I saw it.

A bee buzzes around my tea. Shocking, really, because apparently there was only one packet of honey left in the whole café and no, miss barista, I didn’t want lavender sweetener instead because I just like my tea the way I like it, no alternative options. I shoo the bee away as the bride and groom finally kiss and everyone claps politely.

Maybe I never really did see a future with you. Maybe I’m thinking that now, looking back on the whole thing, because I can see how badly I didn’t want to compromise. If you really see it with somebody I think you’re not supposed to mind the idea of compromises, of alternative options. If they want to live in Seattle but you want to live in Baltimore, you start looking at what jobs you could find in your field in Seattle, but they’ve been doing the same thing with Baltimore all along, it turns out, so neither one of you would mind living in either place in the end, or you could meet in the middle because you’re both drawn to Chicago or Denver, anyway.

I minded the thought of giving up something, anything, really, for you, and I think you minded it for me.

That’s why I think now that I never really saw it, the whole future thing, with you. Normally I brushed all these thoughts off, but not today.

Normally they made my eyes sting and my throat feel tight, but not today.

Everyone is laughing and chattering and hugging the bride and groom now. I think I can make them out…more hugging and I can’t see them anymore. There are two violin players and a cellist who sound beautiful, even as everyone talks over them and starts to walk away, off to the reception, I’m sure.

Two teenaged guests linger near the back of the wedding crowd and look around. They seem to be making sure no one is watching them, because they look back at each other and hold hands. It’s hard to tell who moved first but they’re smiling at each other now.

I remember my tea. Short one honey. I’m still dehydrated, since it was too hot.

It’s cold now.

[moys16]

A Guide On Buying The Best Labradoodle Chicago

By Martha Hall

Buying the best dog requires more than just browsing through a few online listings. You need to carefully plan and do lots of research if you must find the right pet for you. Learn how you can find the best labradoodle Chicago can offer you from the read that follows. Look into accommodation needs. Start by ascertaining your ability to offer the dog you want to purchase a befitting living environment. Here, you will need to look into several factors including the size of your home. Find out whether your pup will have enough space for its sleeping, exercising and playing needs. If you have a backyard, ascertain that it is big enough and pet proofed. Check if you can afford a canine. Most people think that buying a dog only requires having enough to meets its purchase price. That could not be any further from the truth. Remember, as an additional family member, the pet you buy will also come with additional needs. For instance, you should be financially stable enough to meets its diet requirements and training needs. You should also plan for its health care needs. Consider your availability. It is highly recommended that you allocate enough time to spend with your Labradoodle. Socialization is the most important thing your puppy will require after proper food and accommodation. Therefore, find out whether you will be available to train it and take it on daily walks. You will also need to groom it about 4 times every week. As a result, buy a canine only if you are not too busy. When looking for a good canine to purchase, identifying the best breeder is perhaps the first thing to do. It is crucial that you choose a seller who is reputable and responsible too. Such a professional is generally capable of producing properly socialized puppies that are not only healthy, but also strong. Responsible pet breeding experts usually take into account lots of issues with regards to their animals including their temperament, genetic screening and teeth structure. There are many ways through which you can find a seller of good purebreds around. For instance, you can obtain referrals from other people who own labradoodles around. They could be your relatives or associates and their referrals can help you hasten your search. Still, you can get valuable recommendations from the internet, especially through the websites of relevant breeder clubs. Before deciding on the breeding expert to get you dog from, it is vital that you research them thoroughly. Begin by checking their credentials, experience and reputation. It is vital that you work with someone with valid permits from relevant animal agencies. Also, they should possess vast experience in breeding labradoodles apart from having a good reputation. Inspect your puppy. Never take home a dog that you have not inspected reasonably. Therefore, visit the breeding facility you have selected to identify and inspect the canine you want to acquire. Look at its coat, eyes, ears and mouth for any signs of infection. Additionally, go through its previous veterinary records. A reputable breeder will also want to interview you to ascertain that they are making the best placement decision. Also, they will educate you on living with your labradoodle apart from offering you its ownership papers.

About the Author:

When you are searching for information about a Labradoodle Chicago residents can come to our web pages today. More details are available at https://ift.tt/1sdZsC6 now.

A Guide On Buying The Best Labradoodle Chicago via best4dogs https://ift.tt/2PgghzE

[acuppellarp]

Welcome to A Cup-pella, Jeanne! We’re excited to have you and Harmony Pearce in the game! Please go through the checklist to make sure you’re ready to go and send in your account within the next 24 hours. 

OOC INFO

Name + pronouns: Jeanne, She/Her Age: 24 Timezone: EST Ships: /chemistry Anti-Ships: /forced

IC INFO

Full Name: Harmony Estelle Pearce Face Claim: Lindsay Pearce Age/Birthday: 23; December 19th, 1993 Occupation: Waitress, actress for the Untitled Abrams Project Personality: Passionate, driven, talkative, obnoxious, egocentric, eager, pushy Hometown: Chicago, IL Bio:

Harmony Pearce’s first arts and crafts project was a miniature Tony award. No, seriously; she crafted it out of super glue, popsicle sticks, and a very heavy-handed pair of safety scissors, and then stood up in her little plastic chair to proclaim her masterpiece and acceptance speech to the entirety of her preschool class. It’s still sitting on the mantle of her mother���s fireplace to this day, acting as a reminder of what Harmony has been gearing up for since before she was even born. Estelle Pearce was an actress herself, or at least an attempted one. She’d moved from Chicago to LA in her young 20s to try and garner a career, only to return home with nothing more than a few roles as an extra, and a pregnancy she had never planned for. As such, it should come as no surprise that she opted to live out her own failed dreams vicariously through her child. Estelle knew her daughter was going to be famous — it’s why she submitted a copy of Harmony’s ultrasound to appear on Murder, She Wrote, and effectively scored her unborn child’s first acting role.

It only went up from there, with Harmony gaining more roles for her resume before she could walk, including (what she’s dubbed) the honor of having her baby picture plastered on glass jars as the Gerber baby. As she grew older, she was enrolled in as many classes as her mother could afford: voice, ballet, tap, piano… nothing was too much for her and Harmony took to performing like a fish to water. With never having known her father and Estelle quickly taking on the part of manager before mother, Harmony’s entire life has been groomed for one thing: Broadway.

Her childhood and teen years were spent auditioning for as many local shows as she could manage while still going to school, adding more and more credits for her (and Estelle, who eventually insisted on Harmony calling her by her first name) to brag about. Her title in high school was “that one annoying choir girl”, which made friendships difficult, but Estelle assured her that those sort of things would only get in the way of her ultimate goal. Still, being a teenage girl who spent most of her time with her mother  and on stage lead to obvious loneliness, which in turn helped bring about Harmony’s rather… for lack of a better word, obnoxious personality. She’d be loud and boisterous in an attempt to gain people’s attention so that they would like her, a trait that’s carried over into her adulthood and went over well with her theatre friends, but in high school? Not so much.

Moving to New York wasn’t so much an achievement as it was an expectation, with her mother selling their home in Illinois almost as soon as Harmony graduated high school. For Estelle, it was one step closer to her daughter’s name being displayed on Broadway marquees. For Harmony, it was a chance to start over. New York was the city of dreams, and while her top dream was, and always has been, to be a leading lady, moving seemed like it was finally a chance for her to live a life of her own. This wasn’t as easy as she’d hoped, since it felt like every time she may had been able to reach out and get to know the city on a personal level, her mother was dragging her to yet another audition. She received a bit extra part here and there in off- and off-off-broadway shows, but most of Harmony’s time was spent working as a waitress to save up money of her own.

When she was finally able to move out from under Estelle’s roof (though not from underneath her mother’s over-bearing presence and constant voicemails and calls about possible auditions), Harmony truly felt free. She found an apartment, a roommate, and even found herself with a regular acting gig. Admittedly, it’s on YouTube and she’s only a supporting role, but that’s not the point. The point is that she did it all on her own, and Harmony has now shifted her goal: to make it big, but to do it on her own terms. With her talent, motivation, and, shall we say, exuberant personality, Harmony knows she’ll make herself proud one day. In the meantime, she’ll stay loving her life and the people in it, in all her loud-mouthed, optimistic glory.

Pets: One very grump tabby cat, affectionately named Catti LuPurrne. Catti LuPurrne lost an eye in an alley fight before Harmony adopted her, making her look even meaner, but Harmony will literally sing praises about how much a sweetheart she is. Really, she just doesn’t trust most people and spends her days primarily on Harmony’s bed, but if she likes you she’ll let you scratch behind her ears — okay, that’s enough ear scratching human, you may leave now.

Relationships:

The Untitled Abrams Project

Harmony is still working to get a feel for her fellow show-mates, having only recently joined the cast as Sylvia Allen, but she has high hopes! She never really had many friends growing up, so she’s kept her fingers crossed that she can win them over one by one. If that happens to be in the form of bringing freshly (bought) baked goods for every read and recording, well then… Harmony isn’t above that tasty form of bribery.

Blair Anderson

Admittedly, meeting one of your neighbors via impromptu duets performed through the walls of your back-to-back showers isn’t really conventional, but Harmony isn’t at all what people would call conventional in the first place. When they met properly under the guise of Harmony needing to borrow a cup of sugar, it was game over in terms of her clinginess. Harmony considers Blair to be one of her first genuine friends, and will gladly drop everything (save for the mic. sound equipment is not a toy!) to spend time with her

EXTRA INFO

twitter name/twitter url/description: Mini Bernadette Peters / @harmonyinrepose / life’s too short to not love glitter

Five latest tweets:

@harmonyinrepose: JASON MRAZ TO JOIN CAST OF WAITRESS. REPEAT, JASON MRAZ. WAITRESS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. #CACHMEATTICKETMASTERHOWBOUTDAH @harmonyinrepose: A little girl came up to me at the park today and asked if I was a Disney Princess. I hope she enjoyed the medley she got as a thank you!! @harmonyinrepose: fun fact: my alarm is the theme song to Fame #wakeupwithapurpose #remembermyname @harmonyinrepose: half my paycheck is going towards BBW fall-themed candles and I’m not ashamed @harmonyinrepose: i’m sorry NY, you have my heart but Chicago has my stomach #deepdishallday

[judicadman3191-blog]

Dishes Dinner Platter Arrangements For Formal Affairs May be An Actually Classy

Carrie asked me if I would certainly create much more concerning it when I pointed out on my blog site exactly how a lot I appreciated our brand new congregation's Dinner For Six course. I am actually thrilled to do so. Our experts had a great little lunch time - splitting a good fresh assiette crudites and also a chawarma pita grill, with three exceptional dressings from the squirt compartments at the table, rounded off through a FIFTY clist Israeli rosé, and all pretty charming. This would certainly be easy to do - there are various methods to take pleasure in turkey (featuring a little, frequent and jumbo chicken dinner along with the mendings) as well as farm (beef), sea (self explanatory), pasta, sandwich, tossed salad as well as soup/chowder possibilities. A great supper with your wife or a fishing expedition with your colleagues ought to be actually marked as necessary" so you'll possess the power to complete your service opportunity and also await one thing excellent as a benefit for a job properly performed in the office. For example, a black footrest can be a splendid selection listed below which provides you the certainly not just the convenience to add seatsing to the common space yet likewise can simply function as a sofa when pressed from the wall surface and pillows included in this. Off above, even a few of Brussels' grandest monuments are actually reduced to small portions, along with the Royal Royal residence looking additional like an elegant doll house and also the abundant eco-friendly Cambre rainforest - web site from an upcoming Supper overhead occasion - appearing more like a mountain range of cabbage on the horizon. While the wedding celebration practice session dinner has actually generally been actually a tiny close event from close friends and also loved ones of the bride and groom, more and more typically nowadays pairs are actually preferring to expand their practice session dinner guest list yet. A week in a gorgeous property and changed barn in mouse click the next web site middle of the French countryside, instructing a handful from trainees which were there to enjoy on their own, attractive food items, holiday accommodation and pet dogs and also kitties as well as a turtle. I digress, after you have absorbed the comfy pub allure of the joint, order a drink from a wonderful listing of draft beer on tap in addition to a great option from nice wine that is sure to choose a number of their food selection selections. I personally swore off tasting food selections after 6 hrs and also 20 training courses at Moto in Chicago, which wound up in among my supper partners going thus loopy that when she was presented along with a syringe of something chocolatey in the end of the meal, the materials found yourself in my ear instead of in her mouth. Some exciting activities that have proven productive as fund raisers are: a bingo night; fine art raffles; bowling, bake sales; a charitable organization golf event; a karaoke evening; a spaghetti supper fundraiser; a dance marathon; a hot cake breakfast; and also a lip sync charity event. Matching Layers, it definitely does look pleasant to possess a matching collection- I am certainly not recommending you go as well as get a whole brand new set yet keep this plain as well as straightforward- if you possess airplane white layers- utilize all white colored, that way if you need any type of additional layers for added individuals, you may acquire low-cost spares at an affordable.

[cutshawsnidowoa]

Say Hello to House Calls

The post Say Hello to House Calls by Mary Schwager appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Danielle Rothman’s beloved cat, Petey, has never traveled well. The day her family got him, they had an unexpected kitty extra-cat-ion (or just go with extrication) on their car ride home.

“My mom decided to hold him in her lap,” Danielle says. “But he crawled into the door of the car and got stuck. We had to take the car to the mechanic, and they took the door off to get the cat out.”

They laugh about it now, but they learned their lesson: Petey prefers to stay in one place. So, when he needs vet care, Danielle arranges for a house call.

“This seemed like the kinder approach,” Danielle says. “He’s the classic definition of a scaredy-cat.” And the visiting vet wasn’t fazed by Petey’s aversion to strangers. “My husband had to catch him and put a towel over him to calm him down. The vet put him in the bathroom sink,” Danielle says. “The vet was really knowledgeable, answered all our questions and got down to business.”

Related: Mobile Vet Care — 4 Advantages and 1 Drawback

Photo: kali9 | Getty Images

A house-call comeback

Mobile pet professionals are a growing trend. The house calls of 2020 are hip, in some cases high tech, and many say that they are affordable.

You can book appointments online or via an app. A medical clinic on wheels offering minor surgeries and X-rays may roll up your driveway. And when it comes to cats, house calls are usually win-win.

“If you have ever taken a cat to the veterinarian, it is noticeable how stressed they are. In their home, the cats are relaxed,” says Dr. Karie Johnson, veterinarian and co-founder of the mobile clinic VIP Vet Visit in the south Chicago suburbs.

Photo: Chalabala | Getty Images

Better for your cat?

House calls could even help keep your feline friend healthier.

“The vet office is a stressful environment that can cause anxiety for a cat, which can weaken their immune system,” Dr. Johnson says.

Veterinarian and owner of Vet At Your Door in the Portland, Maine, area, Dr. Deirdre Frey says she’s seen cats come into animal hospitals so freaked out they’ve vomited or had accidents.

Dr. Frey fears some owners, hoping to avoid that kind of agony, may put off bringing their cat to the vet.

“I do feel like people may forgo either concerning symptoms or vaccines because they’re weighing the stress it would put on the cat,” Dr. Frey says.

And the more relaxed a cat is, the better exam a vet can perform.

Former Army veterinarian Turnera Croom, who now runs Dr. Croom Mobile Veterinary Service in Southwest Michigan, gets resourceful on cat house calls.

“We ask that the owner close off any major hiding places,” she says.

Dr. Croom also uses a cat pheromone spray called Feliway. “It’s supposed to smell like the natural scent of cat contentment, and it does appear to work a lot of the time.”

Dr. Turnera Croom, who runs a mobile vet service, tends to one of her feline patients.

Time to say goodbye

Industry experts say in-home pet euthanasia is in huge demand.

Kelly Meister-Yetter says she was frustrated when her regular vets refused to come to her home to put her cat to sleep. “I didn’t want my cat’s last moments to be ones of fear.”

So she searched online and found a vet offering house calls. “I thanked her profusely, a number of times, for being a mobile vet because putting my beloved cat down in her own home was really important to me,” Kelly says.

Pet professionals on wheels

Vets aren’t the only pet professionals on the move.

Your cat can sit on the couch while Caitlin Isbister from Pet Acupuncture Works in the Boston, Massachusetts area, stops by for a home-treatment session.

“When I’m treating cats, usually, the pet dad or mom will stay with the cat during the treatment,” Caitlin says. “They also keep a hand on them to gently encourage them to sit with the needles.”

And Linda Schmoldt is one brave house-call pro.

If you live in Manhattan, she will come to your place and bathe your cat. Linda’s company, Spiffy Kitty House Call Cat Grooming, isn’t afraid of a challenge.

“Lots of groomers are scared to groom cats,” Linda says. “Cats move so fast and have seriously sharp teeth and claws. They’re beautiful beasties.”

If you’re thinking, “Do cats need to be groomed?” Linda says some breeds need their day of beauty more than others.

“Old cats can get awfully greasy and sad looking,” Linda says. “I restore them to their former glory.

And Persians, no surprise, need at a minimum to be groomed monthly, or you wind up with a knotted weirdo instead of a beauty queen. Siberians and Maine Coons and Ragdolls need help, a lot of help.”

Is in-home care for your cat?

Danielle says she is sold on house calls for Petey. “He is important to us, so we prioritize his care. It was not as expensive as you think,” Danielle says.

Top photograph: Elnur | Dreamstime.com

Read Next: Have You Ever Felt the Need to Break Up with Your Vet?

The post Say Hello to House Calls by Mary Schwager appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

from Catster https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/say-hello-to-house-calls via IFTTT

[pawcarebooking]

Explore Posh Pet Club Grooming in Chicago

Posh Pet Club, located on North Elston Avenue in Chicago, Illinois 60618, provides excellent grooming services for your pet. The experienced pet groomers are dedicated to delivering the finest possible care and pampering for your pet, ensuring they look and feel their best. From luxury baths to breed-specific pet grooming and styling, Posh Pet Club meet all of your pet's demands with experience and attention to detail. Make an appointment now for your pet's ultimate pampering experience.

[pawcarebooking]

10 Ways You Can Advocate for Animal Welfare This Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

April is observed as the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month. The objective behind this nationwide celebration is to raise awareness against animal abuse and cruelty. Pet parents or not, it is everyone's responsibility to raise awareness against animal cruelty. Here are ten ways you can work against animal abuse and promote animal welfare: Education and Awareness, Reporting Animal Abuse, Support Animal Laws, Adopting a Pet, Volunteering at Animal Shelters, Being a Responsible Pet Parent, Be Kind to Animals, Promote Cruelty-free Products, and encourage other people to show kindness and compassion to animals.