I’m guessing you knew that considering that the last time I posted anything was over two years ago. Let me back up a little but… say, maybe two years.

June 2016 we’d just gotten a new puppy to go along with out 12 and 16 year old dogs (as I posted–I think my post). To say it was a challenge is the understatement of 2016. The puppy LOVED the older dogs. The older dogs not so much. It became a game of sectioning off the house throughout the day so the older ones had access to food and outside at various times and then same for the pup. We could not put them together. She was just too rambunctious (one time literally launching herself off of something onto the back of one of them).

In July the hubby decided it was time to move. I had decided this six months earlier as the neighbors were having weekly parties every Fri/Sat night but as the hubby worked out of town for those six months he was never home until July. Then he got the full brunt of it and decided it was time. So July 3rd we went on the hunt for a new place to let our pups poop. We found a wonderful neighborhood under development and put our deposit down. Super scary since we’d been in our current house for SEVENTEEN years. It was going to be several months so we had time to get our house ready to sell. Time to paint and get 17 years of literal wear and tear in order.

In August, our older dog unfortunately suffered a stroke and passed away. It was traumatic for all, especially the youngest kiddo who was 3 years younger than her. He’d never know a day w/o her. It put a damper on the excitement getting ready for the new house. But we pushed through. Month after month. It was dicey trying to time when to put the house on the market to when the new house would be finished, but we trusted those in the know. February 2017 rolled around and I got to pack me and the 13 year old and 11 month old dogs in the car for hours at a time while the relator showed the house to prospective buyers. I cannot tell you how much that sucked! But in only 10 days we had an offer (for 5 K over) on our house YAY!

I could not believe how long it took me to settle six people into a new home. It was months and months. I think I finally felt truly settled about Christmastime 2017. Of course, until it was time to take all the decorations down. And then just after Christmas our 13 year old pup became ill. She ended up up going down hill fast and we lost her.

Everything on top of everything else tended to tamp down the creativity every little bit at a time. I did manage to finish a new book somehow in amongst all that, but I think it was because I’d started it before this all started. Starting something now however….UGH! Does not seem to want to happen. But I’m going to make it happen. Eventually!

Wow…I didn’t want this to sound so Wah-wah-wah … just an explanation. There are reasons people don’t write. I guess some could have used writing as a buckled-down and use the writing as a diversion. I tend to use life as the writing diversion. I need to work on that!

On an up note. We have a new puppy. She’s actually a sister to the other puppy…same dad, different mom. They’re so different personality-wise but both a handful of fun!

(and yes, that little brown puppy from 2 years ago turned into the big white dog–they are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers)