Valerie returned home last night after more than a week away.
Here’s how my dog, Gej, looked a few days after she left:
![Before Grooming Sad Gej](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6683654367_5c52d0f80b_z.jpg)
Now, personally, I really like the shaggy look, particularly the way you can’t quite see his eyes.
But… his fur does tend to get matted.
Then there’s the problem that tiny aliens — who just happen to look like twigs and burrs — from a generation-ship that crash-landed in the yard have been using their canine-specific mind-control beams to trick Gej into helping them gain access to the house. Once inside, they direct him to travel from room to room, then leap off him and attempt to colonize. It’s insidious!
So before Valerie returned I made arrangements to take him to the groomer for “the works” and here is the result:
![After Grooming Sad Gej](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6683654591_f0fd191986_z.jpg)
He’s always a little bit surly and unhappy right when he comes back from the groomer, but some quality time with belly rubs will put him back in good spirits.
Now I just have to vacuum up the last of those alien invaders.