Housekeeping? Housekeeping.

After waffling back and forth about whether or not to archive my old blog and start a new one (it felt like throwing away a lot of memories), stop blogging altogether (but I have sooo much material waiting to be loosed upon the world), or do "something" with my existing site to make it fun for me again (it felt so clunky forever and I had gotten in the habit of heading over to Twitter or Tumblr when I have something to say), I picked door number three.

This is my toe in, re-introduction, new beginning, the opening of the floodgates (I like that one the best). It's been three years since I've blogged on a regular basis, and I want to thank my friends Angie Mizzell, Aleigh Acerni, Doretha Walker and all of the blogs in my reader (so many) for inspiring me and inspiring me and inspiring me once more. I've been testing the waters for a long time and I'm ready to get my hair wet (and if you know me well, you understand that this is kind of a big deal because me getting my hair wet in a chlorinated kiddie pool is equal to most other people diving from a high cliff into the ocean).

If you're reading this post in a reader, you are probably confused. Click over to my blog and see the "something" I did with my site. I'd love your feedback, even if you just want to throw out the spirit fingers (Angie). And since the actual work on my part was choosing a designer, let me add that Carrie of CarrieLovesDesign.com is responsible for all of sexiness up in here.

So with renewed vigor and enthusiasm, let the navel-gazing commence! 

New family member?

Now that I'm working from home again, this might be the perfect time to get a puppy. I've checked with all the local shelters, and while some of them have puppies, none have small breeds (puppy or otherwise) and I really can't handle a dog larger than 10lbs.

I had considering getting a kitten, which would be cat #2 (and I wrote about getting a kitty as a pet for Miss Kitty a while back), but after a couple of vet visits (I go to Cats Only in Mt P) this summer, I realized that she hates other cats. However, she loves dogs. My former roommate had a beagle when I got Nina as a baby and she liked him. I had an upstairs neighbor last year who had a Maltese named Barkley or Barker or something like that and she LOVED him. She used to hear him in the entryway and I let her out to greet him a few times. After neighbor and dog went back upstairs, Nina would sit at the front door and cry for hours.

So my new family member might be a dog. I've been researching breeds, and would love a flat-faced dog to match my flat-faced kitty. I don't think I could deal with a Pekinese (yippy and nasal issues), Yorkie (neurotic as hell...my sister has one), or a French bulldog (gorgeous, but expensive). So I've narrowed it down to Pomeranian (you have to get them when they're babies because they are spoiled easily, according to the dog whisperer); Maltese (just so stinking cute), or Brussels Griffon (the dog from As Good As It Gets). Pure bred Brussels run upwards of $2,000 and I'm not spending that on a dog. I'd much rather adopt, but am also open to paying a small fee for a non-registered mix.

I have calls in to some breeders, trying to weed out the puppy farms (will not buy from puppy farm) and have found a few. One is selling a Pom Maltese mix for $500, which I think is a little pricey for a dog that isn't pure bred. In fact, I've found pure bred Pomeranians for less than that, papers included. But if you know anyone with Maltese, Pomeranian, Brussels Griffon, or any mix of these in puppy form that might be selling or putting up for adoption, put me in touch!