That Time I decided It Was Time

  This is the first post and typically you'd expect a Hi, hey there this is who I am this is what I do... I put that on the About Me page so we can get to the good part.  The Why I began...

  Why do I drive hundreds of miles in vehicles packed to the gills with dogs, coolers, kennels and tools.... Why do I sleep on the side of the road at truck stops and rest stops and eat questionable food?

  I decided one day it was time.

  I began my career at PetSmart and had googled one or another thing while I was in academy and had stumbled upon the answer on The Groomer's Lounge, www.groomers.net.  Facebook really wasn't a thing yet, most groomers belonged to one or many of the "online chat rooms". The "GL" was with me from almost the first day of my career; the ladies there helped me early on, answering any questions I had about grooming, and offered critiques of any grooms I posted.  

  That first December I was grooming, the GL held an essay contest. The grand prize was an all expenses paid trip to the Atlanta Pet Fair.  I thought why not give it a go and  I wrote an essay about why I became a groomer. 

  I didn't win the top prize, but I did win a special secondary prize, a weekend class pass.  So I went, and I met the girls from the lounge in person for the first time; I even roomed with one. 

I honestly didn't watch much of the competitions.  Maybe just judging and awards, instead I attended the classes and the parties, Stayed up way too late, and ate way too many crab legs at Spondivits.

But that first show sealed grooming shows in my heart forever.  I have attended Atlanta Pet Fair every year since; and so it's no wonder it is where I first thought about competing.

One of The Many Shenanigans we got into over the Years at APF

  One of the most prominent members on the Groomer's Lounge was Nicole Kallish.  Nicole helped me early on with so many of my newbie questions, and was just like the coolest person ever in real life.  Laid back, and a straight shooter, and she knew everyone at the shows.  One year at Atlanta Ann Stafford decided they were going to do a class called "Rescue Rodeo".  50 contestants, 10 prizes, everyone grooming a random shelter dog.  It was an amazing never been done before thing, and Nicole entered.

Nicole ended up with this cute little Westie and placed third or fifth, but her transformation was beautiful, and even though it was just a shelter dog, it was in my eyes just the greatest westie clip ever and I told her I wanted to do that one day.

 So eventually I did...

My First Rescue Round- Up, I wanted to adopt this guy but it wasn't meant to be

I was hooked (on Competing and Bichons), a month later I actually brought home my first Bichon , and in the fall of 2013, at Hershey Groom Expo I entered my first real competition... and the rest... well, we'll get to that.