Adorable Puppies

My grandparents recently adopted a puppy. I'm incredibly jealous because I desperately want a dog but can't have one while I'm renting. Fortunately my grandparents are happy to share Sammy whenever I come and visit them. Sammy is a Shih Tzu x Maltese, and is full of mischievous energy and character.

I went and saw Sammy two weeks ago, and here's some photos from a day in the life of a spoiled puppy.

After coming over to me and climbing in my lap while I was taking photos of him I was all "oh you are such a cute puppy". Then Sammy ran off and suddenly I realised I didn't have my camera case anymore. Note that my first instinct was to take a photo of him with my camera case before I rescued it :)

Sammy gets a new toy from my grandparents. I took this photo in the 30 seconds between receiving the present and then destroying the monkey.

 So cute! Sammy in a rare moment of sitting still.

 The life of a puppy is so tiring.

From camera cases to shoes, if it is banned then it is more appealing.

What 7 Years and 82,000 words gets you...

After 7 years and 82,000 words David submitted his PhD yesterday. He still has to have it examined first by the markers before it is published in its final form but we had to celebrate such an amazing achievement! Celebration = wine and cake plus dinner and presents yet to come.

There are still many more opportunities to celebrate, and there will be a graduation to attend in December this year. I get to see David wear the floppy PhD hat that looks a little silly on anyone despite the seriousness of the occassion. I think David can pull it off though ;)

All Things Travel and Real Estate

I started my blog while working at ACU last year. I loved blogging so much I always intended to continue.

Enter lots of distractions, like booking an overseas trip to the UK and now having to work out an itinerary (travellers will sympathise with me as fun and exciting as it has been, it's also time consuming). Thank goodness August isn't here yet!

Then there's the compulsion to scrapbook in my limited free time, and I can spend hours at it. Plus the hours of thinking about scrapbooking and purchasing (unnecessary but totally needed!) supplies online. Drool.....

I've also changed jobs, and I felt bittersweet about it because I did love ACU but a fractional income and trying to get ahead financially did not go together well. I now truly know the value of a regular wage, even if it means working full time and having less time for fun pursuits. It's totally worth not having so much financial stress. Fortunately in my new job I'm working with great people and I love the actual work itself so it has all worked out perfectly.

The biggest thing in my little world at the moment though is the decision to buy a house sometime in the next year. David and I have been hitting a couple of open houses but we haven't been able to do too much yet. I'm building up an idea of where I want to buy and I plan on hitting open homes with more regularity soon.

I am under no illusions that my future house will be as grand as this one, but there's no harm in daydreaming occasionally.

Oh and for anyone looking at buying (or even just for a laugh) I can't speak highly enough of this book:
The Property Diaries: A Story of Buying a House, Finding a Man and Making a Home... All on a Single Income! Antonia Magee

Seriously I was laughing out loud (my housemates probably think I have gone mad). I'd read most of it in one night (it really was that good!). Plus it gave me some good advice. As a complete novice to buying a home, my reading has been limited to real estate, property investment books or budgets. I will succeed though, and I can't wait to have pets again and be paying of a mortgage rather than dead rent money!