Eleven days in…

I’m feeling a little more settled every day – I’m still dealing with boxes and unpacking but making progress. I think I’m going to like this place a lot once I get used to the changes in my life.

Trying to create a new routine for the dogs is proving a bit of a challenge. I’m not a person who likes to appear in public looking like I’ve just stepped out of bed, the dogs are having to learn patience while I prepare to face the world. I’m doing my best not to make them wait too long in the morning but vanity does come with a price. I pay my share by foregoing coffee until after they have been sufficiently walked and they pay their portion by crossing their legs until I’ve pulled myself together.  

Living with dogs in a condo complex is proving tricky.  I bought them new beds the other day – they’ve been spending a lot of time in time-out recently and I thought they should at least be comfortable while they’re doing so. While this is a dog friendly complex the dogs are having a tough time reciprocating.  I’m working on the barking problem but neither of them is a quick study – one sets the other off and then both woofers go crazy – stereo barking, music to no one’s ears.  Disciplining is a balancing act – leave them locked up too long and they’ve forgotten why they were in trouble, not long enough is like I’ve admitted I made a mistake sending them to jail. I’m spending much of my day dealing with the dogs and the changes in their lives too.

Some of the changes are a lot of fun.  It turns out living by the beach is very conducive to happy hour.  While I have done next to no cooking in my brand new kitchen I’ve managed to burn through over a case of wine and a couple dozen beers in less than two weeks. I can whip up ‘happy-appy-snackies’ on moment’s notice. I have discovered I really enjoy a nice happy hour!

Between dealing with the dogs and doing happy hour with friends there has been little time for writing or blogging or even for unpacking. I am fairly certain the novelty of all this happy houring and dog nonsense will wear off as we find our new rhythm and eventually I will get organized.  For now I’m feeling less inclined to rush things – the actual move is behind us, we are figuring this new normal out and we have time to do just that.