New Home Glow

Buying a new home (or an old 1924 one like I did) is a bit like getting a new puppy. It is such a wonderful day the day you get the puppy and you make big plans for how you're going to walk it everyday and train it perfectly and feed it the best food. You throw all your effort into the puppy and every spare moment is spent consumed with the puppy and the new happiness it has brought into your life. As time goes on, you still do your best to exercise it and groom it and teach it new tricks and commands, but you get busy. And before you know it, you have a middle-aged dog who has taken over half of the couch and is looking at you like, 'Could we talk about my diet and exercise regime because I have some concerns.'

Eric and I have thrown ourselves into our new house and we love it. Our social calendar is filled with trips to Home Depot and building shelves and unpacking boxes. We've made a master list of all the things we hope to do to the house in the short-term and we have some big ideas for the long-term. Our dinner discussions are filled with what needs to be fixed and what are dreams for the house are. And we are happy.

But it is funny to me to talk to those who have owned homes for a long time - especially those who have owned the same home for a long time. They are like the older dog owners who shake their heads at the new puppy owners. They say, 'Yeah, I said I was going to do that to my house too, but it's been 20 years and it's still on my to-do list,' or 'You don't have to do everything at once - it doesn't have to be perfect.' Well to them I say, 'Don't rain on my parade.'

I love working with my hands and putting the love and care into something I own. It makes me happy to make plans and have dreams and to finally be carving out a small place in the world for my family. And I'm so glad that I get to spend so much time with Eric doing it. So let me have my enthusiasm and my big ideas. We'll probably slow down eventually, but I'm in no rush to do it.

And yes, Harper, I promise I will use some of that new enthusiasm to take you on more walks. So quit looking at me like that...

Keeping Those Puppies Warm

Despite this being our fourth Minnesota winter, our dog Harper has still not adjusted to the frigid artic temperatures. To be honest, we haven't either, but we are able to hide out inside or cover our bodies in 4 layers of clothing, paired with hats, socks, gloves and good winter boots. Our poor pooch is forced to bear these freezing temperatures "naked" several times a day when he needs to relieve himself. Frequently, this ends with Harper striking a pose, frozen in mid-step, afraid that he is done for. On one ocassion, Eric even had to carry all 68 lbs of him inside. To combat this, I ordered him a pair of dog booties. We got them in the mail a couple of days ago and couldn't wait to try them out. The hysterical result is captured for your enjoyment.

P.S. I've also included a picture of what I get gussied up in to take Harper out of one of these excursions.