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Frustrating, time-consuming, and costly—that’s how I’d describe the mattress-buying experience, especially at a chain store. Tuft & Needle wants to change that. No more high-pressure sales tactics, no testing mattresses in person for hours and leaving empty-handed, no headaches! Instead, you can shop conveniently from the comfort of home. Worried you won’t like it? Every order comes with a 100-night sleep trial and satisfaction is guaranteed.

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This post is sponsored by PetSmart® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network. I’m being compensated for helping spread the word about PetSmart Grooming Salons, but I only share information that’s relevant to readers. PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

The energy and enthusiasm expressed by an active dog is amazing. Scooby loves being outside, taking long walks at the park and the beach. The only downside is that he often comes home covered in grass, dirt, and/or sticky sand! I’ve tried grooming him by myself, but this can be a real hassle. Dealing with a fussy, squirming, wet dog is certainly not fun! Plus, it always took way too much time.

Needing a better option, I decided to try a professional groomer. After asking around for a recommendation, PetSmart® was the clear winner. PetSmart is dedicated to making pets look and feel good everyday, providing core and add-on services like grooms, baths, nail trims/grinds and de-shedding  
treatments in a clean and safe environment. All salon associates receive annual certification and are trained in dog anatomy. They can recognize common medical problems and signs of stress. 

Appointments can be arranged online or by phone, and depending on how busy the salon is, they usually accommodate quickly. (I booked on a Monday and we went in on Thursday.)

When the big day arrived, I was a bit nervous. Scooby is skittish around new people, so I didn’t know how he’d react. I informed the salon associate as we checked in. Immediately, she put me at ease by saying that’s very common and promising that Scooby would receive special care.

Both of the groomers couldn’t have been nicer! They were so gentle and patient with Scooby while he was on the table. He received a full and thorough groom, with extra attention paid to his ears, teeth, and nails/paws which get really grimy!

When they finished, I received a text alert for pick up. See how squeaky clean and happy this smiling boy was? He also smelled great and was very calm.

I can honestly say that it was a great experience—for both of us!

Connect with PetSmart on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also Book an appointment for your dog to experience the wonderful service and results that PetSmart Grooming provides.

Whoosh…That’s me breathing a huge sigh of relief! After two weeks of pain, worry, and uncertainty, I finally had my eye doctor appointment. The verdict:  I’m going to recover!

It’s actually a miracle I even made it into the office. Here in New England, we had a very unusual spring snowstorm. This was the view I woke up to—snow, gray, freezing cold. I put a small side table outside to measure; it was about 3 inches by the time I left and coming down very hard.

Since my eye’s been acting up, I haven’t been driving. I was very, very hesitant to try it during a storm, but it’s only 3 miles away and I really needed the exam. I left early, drove super slow, and made it there in one piece, although I was pretty anxious.

My eye doctor knows what’s been happening—he’s also been treating me for a decade—so I felt like I was in good hands. We did a normal exam plus an eye x-ray. (Those machines are fairly new and for anyone who hasn’t had it, I think they’re totally worth the extra cost.) The x-ray did find some floaters, but they’re harmless and the retina is fine. A detached retina was my biggest fear with the weird symptoms I’d been having.

In a most unexpected development, I was informed that the muscle imbalance I’ve had since 2014 is actually improving, all on its own. With some vision therapy, the doctor is optimistic that it can be 100% fixed—something that would be nothing less than a miracle for my quality of life. The vision therapy can be tedious and often takes many months, but I’m looking forward to it.

Needless to say, I left his office in a wonderful mood. I guess it’s true what they say: All’s well that ends well. While I still have discomfort, I’m officially cleared to begin blogging again. Thanks to everyone for being so patient during this difficult time. I will (hopefully) be putting up lots of new posts, sharing cool things I find and hosting new giveaways.

Oh, and not to be repetitive, but my readers truly are the greatest! It feels so awesome to be sharing good news. Every prayer, encouraging comment, and kind word made a world of difference. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through it without all of you, so from the bottom of my heart, I’m saying thanks…

For all who have asked, prayed, and wished me well about my eye problem: THANK YOU! I was so touched by the outpouring of support. Knowing you guys are here to listen and actually care means so much to me. I’ve hated not being able to blog like I normally do, but I’m trying to be really careful and it seems to be working. While my eye is still not functioning properly, it’s feeling less sore and the floater is mostly gone! That’s good news and I will definitely update further when the doctor tells me what’s causing it.

Some folks have asked how I’m staying busy. Honestly, I am so bored! No books, blog, computer time, nothing… Mostly, I’ve been watching a lot of TV, cooking, cleaning, trying to organize some closets, getting my spring/summer wardrobe out of storage, and spending lots of family time at home.

I’ve also been feeling extremely tired and seem to need naps almost daily. When I say naps, I mean falling asleep on the couch, with every light on and the TV, sometimes at noon! Crazy exhaustion, but I’m not fighting it because my body is healing. My guy was so confused he actually asked me if I was pregnant. (Just for the record: nope, I’m not!)

Since I’ve been feeling pretty depressed, I decided to make a chocolate cake to cheer myself up. I thought it turned out adorably and the taste was like a little bite of heaven. Probably  a million calories, too, but sometimes you just have to live a little.

I was able to drive yesterday for the first time in a week (exciting, huh? Oh, what we take for granted). I was on the road for 15 minutes total, in the middle of the day, when visibility was almost perfect. I felt safe, but didn’t want to over do it and returned after just one quick errand.

Another bright spot during this trying time has been these cuties. All the pups have been very loving and we’ve been doing lots of snuggling. Here’s my gang visiting with some of their pals. Everybody was on their best behavior.

So, that’s what’s been happening in my little corner of the world. Hopefully, I can slowly work back up and blog a little bit every few days, then every other day, etc. Until then, just know I’ll be thinking of all of you and missing you.