Here’s a quiz to see how well long time readers have been paying attention. What activity do I hate more than anything else in the universe?

Moving. If you doubt this I suggest you check the archives for August – October 2008 to remind yourself of the level of whining I can work up to when I’m facing a move. Hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it!

Now imagine an equilateral triangle. We live at the top point of the triangle. The SO works at the bottom left corner and I work at the bottom right corner of the triangle. It is a large triangle. An hour drive on each side in fact. It would make logical sense to push down the top point of the triangle so it was closer to the bottom two corners. So, we decided that we should move. Let the cussing begin anew!

We are just at the looking around stage. I got excited about an updated house. The one we live in was built in 1890 which means it was retrofitted for newfangled stuff like plumbing and electric. As a person who once picked a house design to build based solely on the fact that it had a soaking tub, I had some reservations about moving in here. It has character – and no counter space and no closets etc. The SO had always wanted to redo an old house and was telling everyone that he had it out of his system now. So what was his mantra while looking at ads? “That house is too new.” Turns out to our shock and amazement that he might not have it out of his system.

We found our perfect house in the town I work in. It is in our price range which must mean that it is leaning 45 degrees to the left or something else horrible like that. It is in the historic district of that town on a corner lot. That’s just like where we live here. It is almost the same style as this house but seriously updated. Amenity #1 listed? Soaking tub. It also has had the attic (which we can’t even access here) renovated to a “recreation room.” I already yelled DIBS on that for a sewing room before he realized what he was looking at. We have a request in to see it to see what is wrong with it that the pictures don’t show. I’m hoping it is just that most people have the sense not to want to live in a house built in 1900 (Yay! A whole decade newer!)

As much as I hate moving, I love looking at houses. I’m the person that real estate agents hate. I’d be happy taking one night a week to check out cool houses that I have no intention of buying. (I don’t because I’m not that mean.) So house shopping makes me happy. House buying freaks me out. Moving makes me cuss. But the SO apparently feels that hiring movers in a necessity. I’ve always moved myself. This may change my attitude entirely!

_________

Guess what else I’ve said “never” about lately? Getting another dog. I like dogs. But for ease of operation there is nothing like having pet cats. I’ve said for years that after Snowball dies I don’t want another dog. It has been two days. I’m waffling already. I love to see puppies at work but if I was going to get another dog I would want an adult. Yep.

I told the SO that we needed a firm dog plan. In my line of work dogs appear needing homes on a regular basis. Leave a dog sized hole in your house and they will be rushing to fill it. The ability to say no because _______ (fill in predetermined set-in-stone reason) saves trouble. Besides the SO and I while agreeing on a few fantasy dog characteristics had definite differences of opinion that needed worked out.

Agree:
Bigger dog that would go on walk/hikes with us. Even when Snowball wasn’t elderly and less inclined to walk, she had very short legs. You didn’t cover much distance with her.
Preferably less hair. Nothing like a white Pomeranian to put you off long haired dogs for a while.

My goals:
Gentle. I work with too many mean dogs to want to deal with that at home especially with kids running around.
Couch potato tendencies/I’m not a terrier person – I don’t want super high energy.
Love Golden Retrievers but there is the hair issue.
Always wanted a Greyhound but the requirement to never be off lead and short life span/horrible diseases they seem to get make me worry.
I’ve always been a ‘big dog’ person but it was nice being able to pick up a Pomeranian and go in a crowded car without worrying where the dog would sit.

The SO:
Wants a protective dog
Loves German Shepherds and Giant Schnauzers (some of the meanest breeds I see at work)

So I was satisfied that we weren’t going to figure out a compromise to that anytime soon. Then last night he looks at me and says, “Standard Poodle.”
I responded in the way that I always do when suddenly faced with profound truth. “Shit.”

Standard Poodles:
Big enough to walk but smaller than other breeds we were looking at.
Low shedding. Needs groomed but I just take it to work one day and he gets groomed for free as long as I keep the lavish grooming team Christmas presents coming and examine their dogs whenever needed.
Not super high energy.
Smart and gentle but some can be protective if his people are threatened.
Fairly healthy breed

But I hardly see any at work. That must mean that there aren’t many around here, right? Too bad. I googled them. Then I fell in love with a picture of a brown and white male puppy. He’ll be ready to go in July. Double shit. I’ve slept on it. I still want the puppy. I’m starting to justify it to myself. Riley is afraid of big dogs so starting with a puppy would help that transition. Riley is beating up Powder more since he no longer divides his attention between her and the dog so a puppy would help Powder out short term while eventually getting big enough to put Riley in his place. House breaking wouldn’t be bad since he could go to work with me where one of the techs has a new puppy to be his friend.

I’m hoping the SO comes home tonight and very firmly reminds me that we are planning on waiting to get a dog. If he waffles it will be all over.