Shasta: April 11, 2005–July 10, 2018

In the spring of 2016, the vet told us that Shasta had two potentially lethal conditions -  thrombocytopenia (a blood/platelet disorder)and degenerative myelopathy (weakness and possible eventual paralysis in the rear legs). She wasn’t expected to live for more than six months.

But boy, did she live – for more than two years past that diagnosis!

What eventually did sweet Shasta in was a brain tumor, which caused increasingly frequent seizures and slowly stole her ability to get around, to play, and to be the happy, tennis-ball-obsessed doggie she was.  

Once the seizures began last spring, we didn’t think Shasta would live long enough to make the move with us to Gig Harbor. But she did make the move, and she LOVED her new home!

Her legs often gave out under her, but she was happy. It was not time yet.

When it was time, she let us know. On the morning of July 10th, we called Suzanne, a vet who does compassionate euthanasia at home and asked her to come that evening.

Then we spent the day loving on Shasta.

Quinn seemed to know. And she seemed to accept what was happening. Maybe animals are better at that than we are.

Thanks to Suzanne’s compassion and care, Shasta’s departure was peaceful.

We miss Shasta so much! But we know that she stayed as long as she could.

Quinn is adjusting well and actually seems to like being the spoiled only child. We take her with us to restaurants, to community events, and to the park, and she is reveling in it all.

Another puppy? No, thank you. Not now or anytime soon. I think we’ll just continue to spoil the one we have.

Gig Harbor: We’ve settled in and have fallen in love!

The last time I blogged was on April 7th, as we were packing up our Woodinville house, preparing to move to our dream home in Gig Harbor. The closing had been delayed and we were beginning to wonder whether this home, which we had both fallen in love with, would ever actually be ours.

As it turns out, we closed and moved on the same day – April 16th. Tom had retired at the end of March and we couldn’t wait to begin our new lives in our new Gig Harbor home.

One of our agreements when we decided to move was that the inside of the home had to be finished – or very close to it. We had been remodeling houses since the early 90s and I was done with constant construction in our living spaces. Tom absolutely needs projects, especially in retirement, though, so the perfect home would be one that was just right inside, but had plenty of beckoning projects outside. This home almost met that criteria. The floors were… well, awful!

We expected that, over our first year in the house, we’d install hardwood and tile in place of the (wrinkled) carpet and the linoleum, and that Tom would do the work. To save money, we planned to install hardwood downstairs and likely cork upstairs. It wasn’t the best solution, but we’d really stretched to buy the house and it was the best we could do.

Then our Woodinville house went on the market. It sold in two days, with multiple offers and, suffice it to say that it allowed us to have someone else install the floors right away – all hardwood, upstairs and downstairs. Behold some befores (professional photos) and afters (NOT professional photos)! 

We just love our new floors! The weeks of total disruption and constant furniture moving were no fun, but the results are worth it.

After the floors went in, Tom installed a new closet system in the master closet.

Yes, that is, in fact, my craft table in the closet! Hey, why not?!

We feel so very comfortable in our new home and are so glad that all the moving and craziness are behind us and we can settle in. I walked around the house (followed by two cats and a dog) in a very “ahhhhhh…” moment yesterday and just snapped away. Like it?

That shower? In order to be considered a remodel in 1997, when the previous owners (a builder and his wife) decided to upgrade the tiny cabin on the property, at least one wall had to remain. That wall would be the brick wall behind the pot-belly stove in what was the livingroom. Now that wall is part of the guest room shower!

One more small inside project to go: the built-ins. Tom and I will each have them in our offices. His next honey-do is to build the encased bookshelves above the cabinets. Then… DONE!

Our plan is to rent the cottage on AirBnB and VRBO. We’ve completely furnished it, but there are still some to-dos there, so it will likely be a few months before we actually see that income. I’m so looking forward to being an innkeeper!

By early 2019, we’ll be ready to take reservations. We’re calling it the Garden Cottage at Gig Harbor because, well…

And this town! Oh, how we love Gig Harbor! What a wonderful community and beautiful place to call home!