Luna and Cousin Keto help pack for the move.

Luna and Cousin Keto help pack for the move.

Over a month ago, Luna, my boyfriend, and I began packing to move into a townhouse that would give us much more room than our previous apartments had. This house also has a fenced in backyard and is walking distance to a DC Metro station, which is great for commuting and meeting up with friends. We thought we had things under control. We had our moving trucks all lined up, started packing entirely too early, reached out to friends and family for help, and even got access to our new home a few days early. Luna spent three very fun and tiring days at a new doggie day care facility called Healthy Hound Playground during the move to keep her stress-free and prevent any escape artist acts.

Unfortunately, that move is still going on.

First, we slowly came to realize that the previous tenants (a group of three bachelors) had not taken great care of the home, so there were a lot of small issues like dirt, trash, and loose nails. It was disappointing to not move into a “move-in ready” home, but all of these issues were manageable or dealt with by our landlord.

Luna relaxes our futon. She loves the couch/bed combination!

Luna relaxes our futon. She loves the couch/bed combination!

Then, our washer and dryer broke. The dryer was so full of lint that the it could no longer dry… and it was a major safety hazard. The washer’s transmission was also shot. Fortunately, our landlord has all the appliances under a home warranty. Unfortunately that meant we had to wait two weeks for someone to come to fix them.

When someone finally came, they found mold. A lot of mold. Now before you jump up and down and yell at me to get the heck out of there, we have thought about it. We have thought about how terrible it would be to move again right after we just moved, especially in the middle of a very humid summer. Plus, we would still have to find somewhere else to live, which is a challenge in itself. Our landlord is replacing the air conditioning unit, fan, and furnace. He is also hiring a company to remove all traces of the mold and clean out the air ducts. They will also be bringing in an industrial hygienist who will test the air quality after the cleaning. In the end, it will be almost like a new house… almost. So for now we are sticking around to see how things are once all the repairs are done.

Actually, we are technically crashing in my boyfriend’s old apartment. Our couch is our bed. Whoever thought the futon I was going to make him sell would come in handy? We have no microwave and are cooking with a single pot. We do have air conditioning and in the humid, 90+ degree Washington DC weather, that really matters.

Luna and I celebrate my 23rd Birthday at Barrel Oak Winery.

Luna and I celebrate my 23rd Birthday at Barrel Oak Winery.

The past few weeks have been rough, but at least we have been together. Last Thursday (yes, July 4th) was my 23rd birthday. While we had to cancel my Birthday/Housewarming/July 4th party, I was still able to spend the weekend with friends and family. I had multiple delicious brunches (my favorite meal of the day) and we went to two pet friendly wineries, Barrel Oak Winery (BOW) and 868 Estate Vineyards. Check back on Wednesday for a not so Wordless Wednesday post about our winery adventures!

Luna has been so good. She has only eaten an entire bag of treats once. What came out the other end was the bigger problem. The stress is definitely a factor for her too. We have been trying to keep things consistent and stress-free. I really think the long weekend helped a lot. I will post more about what we have learned once it is all said and done.

Things will turn around soon. Even with everything I have on my plate right now, Beagles and Bargains is still kicking. I’ll do my best to keep you updated and post regularly.

Jessica Shipman
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