End of an Era

Thirty-five years ago we purchased our first house in Glenrock, Wyoming.  We lived in the house for 10 years.  Awesome house - lots of room.  Lots of memories.  Lots of improvements.  We always thought of the house as our 'backup plan' just in case things didn't pan out in other places.

Fast forward 25 years.  After suffering through one renter without a property manager....the Oh, so Christian Hollingsworth family who still owe us rent money and didn't maintain the property....we hired a property manager, Glenrock Realty, and rented the house to the Wirth family.  The joke was on us....the property manager either lied about the rents in the area or didn't have a clue and was in la-la-land when it came to how well the Wirth family was maintaining the property.

Of course we didn't find out the property manager was clueless until we decided to sell the property this year.  My personal take is that the property manager should return every dime we paid her because she was so deficient in her job.  Not only was the rent half the market value, but the property wasn't maintained properly.  Not sure who she was scamming the most -us because the house wasn't maintained or the renters who lived with non or partially operational items in the house.

The renters get some of our angst....they always said they thought of the house as their own and intended to purchase it.  Can't imagine allowing a dog to destroy woodwork and piss all over the carpeting (that was new when they moved in) if I thought of a house as my own. 

We listed the house on August 19th - and it was under contract on October 19th.  We closed on November 12th.

We thought this would be an emotional time, but not so.  Guess we can thank the useless property manager and scummy renters for that.  It wasn't our 'home' when we sold it...it was simply a house ready for other people to live in and raise a family.

Shadow - One Year Old

When Jo and I went to 'look' at the puppies in Sacramento in December we thought Shadow was SO cute.

 

However, I have to say that as she has  matured she has gotten even cuter!

It took a while, but now she is  close to being the perfect dog!  

 

I would highly recommend a shih-poo mix as a pet...just don't expect them to be totally potty trained until they are close to a year old.

 

Shadow loves everyone.  I am happy to say that she has learned to be wary of larger dogs!  For a while there I was afraid she would be too friendly for her own good.

  

She ignores cats - such a smart dog!  

 

She is a good watch dog - don't expect to sneak into the house when she's around.

 

She talks.  Seriously!  She kind of grumbles some times.  She has a shrill bark when she REALLY wants something.  She TELLS you when she needs to go out.  She whines when she wants 'lap time'.  She often sounds like she is a balloon loosing air.

 

Loren has taught her that 'What's that?' is cause to bark and look for what it is.  He also has a doorbell 'app' on his phone that he teases her with, but I think she is on to him.

So well behaved.  You tell her to stay - and wonder of wonders, she does!  She tell her something is 'mine' and she doesn't mess with it.

 

Spiders and creepy crawlies aren't safe around her.

Napkins and pencils are at risk.  Loves to shred both.  If she had her way she would also chew through her harness.

 

We have almost always had dogs, but in the past the smallest was a miniature Schnauzer.  We loved them all, but this one has wormed her way into our hearts in ways the others never did.

As Larry says to her, "Stay healthy!"