I love my dog.

Why write a post to my dog? Because sometimes when I'm driving and he looks at me in the rearview mirror, I am overcome with love. Because his audible yawns in the morning provide the most gentle alarm clock a girl could have. Because he gets 'helicopter' tail when he's at his happiest. Because he is a rumpled mess of fur and dreadlocks, but he thinks he looks great. Because he hates the rain and stepping in puddles, but LOVES to get toweled off. Because he is lying on the floor next to me even though we have multiple rooms where he could be. Because he gets so excited when my husband comes home that he wags his tail uncontrollably knocking things off every surface. Because he loves me so much that I find my discarded socks, bras, t-shirts and pajamas in his bed. Because he still has the capacity to surprise me, even though he is so predictable. Because he gives kisses on command. Because he sits at the vet office and doesn't freak out when an errant bulldog tries to bite him. Because his paws smell like popcorn. Because he thinks squeaking toys are the most amazing thing a person could give him. Because he somehow knows to be gentle with babies and old people. Because he loves my dad and my brother, even though men make him a little nervous. Because his bark is big enough, his stature imposing enough to be our alarm system/theft prevention device. Because he tries to sit on my lap, even though he is 103 pounds. Because he never allows me to feel lonely.

Porter has been the single best addition to our lives since our wedding on 10/14/06. Even on a day like today (rain on top of snow forming slushy puddles the size of swimming pools) he makes me get outside to walk and breathe fresh air. His uncompromising desire to smell every little rock makes me pause to observe the world around me. Despite the plethora of furballs, the chewed shoes from puppyhood, the responsibility of owning him, I am so grateful for his life, his quirks, his funny personality.

Porter, we love you so much. I just wanted to let you know. I hope we tell you enough.

The day we adopted our little "Bumpers"

I spent every morning of his first 4 weeks at our house holding a bully stick for him to chew.

His first bed.

Snuggles with Mom.

Porter helps Jon with tile removal during our first home renovation.

17 weeks old.

Fall in the Pioneer Valley, our new home.

Porter loves the snow.

Our 2010 Christmas Photo

Showing off his Capt'n Hook whiskers. Porter love to snuggle. And so does Jon.

Looking rather regal with the Holyoke Range behind him.

Working for the Weekend

It's 10:53 a.m. as I start to write this blog and I'm counting the minutes before I'm able to leave my desk for the last time this week. When you squeeze all the things you want to do plus all the life maintenance activities into 2 days/week, it's easy to plan too much!

To do:

1. Strip at least 1 more window frame (likely to take 4 hours).
2. Vacuum a week's worth of Porter fur from kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and tv room (30 minutes).
3. Attend Colby Men's Lacrosse game vs. Bates tonight (3 hours + with travel time). Go Mules!
4. Attend Seize the Mic Karaoke Contest at the Waterville Opera House on Saturday night (4 hours + with travel time).
5. Attend excellent auction in Gardiner (most of Saturday!)
6. Walk on the Kennebec River Rail Trail with my friend, Beth.
7. Possibly drive somewhere in New England on Sunday for the Colby Men's Lacrosse NESCAC Tournament Game (lots of hours).
8. Walk Porter multiple times (3 hours).
9. Read the May issue of House Beautiful magazine (1 hour +)
10. Create a mood board (a la Young House Love) for my living room.
11. Clean up our study.
12. Cook a yummy spring Sunday dinner with fiddleheads and fresh seafood.
13. Squeeze in a margarita or two!

14. FurMINATE Porter (see the photo from last summer....excuse the moving mess.) I'm trying to teach him how to vacuum.

Enjoy your weekend!

Introducing Porter...Public Enemy #1 to floors and a fur-free existance

I forgot to mention yesterday that my husband and I have an 110 pound Bernese Mountain Dog named Porter. He is such a love and I really can't imagine life without him. That being said...he poses a major design challenge to anything that we might want to do to our house. 

In addition to the ungodly amount of fur he sheds, the 11o pounds of dog carried on four huge paws with a total of 20 claws can do some serious damage to gorgeous old pine floors.

The house has a nice entryway with a curved stairway going to the second floor. The stairs are in beautiful condition. How in the world will we keep them that way with Porter's travel up and down? While I'd love to keep the stairs free of any carpet, I think it will be absolutely necessary if we are to protect the wood from our monster dog. 

I've started researching carpet runners for the stairs, but I'm really not a fan of the normal, run of the mill, oriental-looking runners that you see on most stairs. Because the stairs in our new house have such a gorgeous curve, we'll need something that brings out the architecture, but allows for the curve. (And conceals dirt...)

After scouring Apartment Therapy for stair runners I found a comment listing Thomas Paul as a resource. Some of the patterns are too contemporary, but I love the colors. Here's one that I love:

 

Unfortunately I don't think it comes in the colors I would need, i.e. dark enough to hide black fur. Also, it's most likely way out of my price range. The search continues.