Return trips, new arrivals, more running, negotiating

When I got the office this morning I realized I had left my computer at home. So I have spent the last two hours driving to and from the office; not the way I had planned on spending the morning. I got to the office the first time at about a quarter to 6. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to make the round trip to home and back to the office. It really makes the need to be closer that much more obvious –and since, at our new place, we do not lose on privacy or quiet it is a big win for me and Mama.

Mama called me almost at the same time I got back to the office to tell me that Allie has had her pups – four of them. Two are the silver dapple and two are black. It is interesting how it worked out because I let her out to go potty at just after 5 a.m. and was a little worried about getting her back into the apartment. To my relief, she was almost immediately ready to be let back in – I could see her looking into the apartment through the front door.

Since the outside temperature was about 23®F this morning she was not interested in lingering out there. So somewhere in between my original trip to the office and my return to the office after getting my computer, Allie had all her pups. Mama and Victoria are relieved and very excited.

Mama has been trying to soften me up and talk me into keeping one of the pups. I already have three inside dog and two large outside dogs. I do not need or want another dog. I have a hard time getting Mama to remember that we plan to travel and having this kind of menagerie to take care of only complicates the issues that normally arise when away from home. Time will tell – but if Allie is a pre-replacement for Rosie, what will the reasoning be for adding a new dog to the list of moochers I am already supporting?

There is a possibility that Grandpa and Mama will go to Dallas tomorrow to pick up an order I am making for Amsoil and to purchase a gas range we have been shopping for to be installed in the Chico house. We have not completely settled on the timing but if it has to wait on me to do the running it will not get done until Saturday at the earliest.

We have also found a wood burning stove I can use as an insert into the fireplace at the Chico house so we can heat the house with the abundance of wood we have available at the new property. Grandpa and I have identified ten dead or nearly dead oak trees that can be used as firewood this year and there are twelve or so trees near the house that need to be removed – all of which can be firewood for many winters to come. I think we would be justified in getting a decent insert for that use.

We are no closer to having the closing date moved up but Mama and I are working with the bank to get that done. I think Mama is okay with the idea of not having Thanksgiving at the new house, but it would be her strong preference to do so.

For me, the sooner the better.