Middle Age Mortgage 2

So, I grew up with dogs. I wasn't raised by them or anything, it's just we always had dogs when I was a kid. Maybe too many (I'm not sure what happened to several of them). So, anyway, I'm a dog person. My wife, not a dog person. Her mother didn't care for dogs, so that trait was passed on. But here's the thing, my kids always wanted a dog. Or rather, "puppy." I mean, my oldest put down "puppy" on her Christmas list every year from the moment she learned to spell "puppy." She was twelve. Ha!

Alas, we lived in an apartment, and it was pretty tight, especially when we started filling it up with kids. But at one time or another they all would ask us for a dog. My wife was adamant about it; no dog. I was resigned. There was no practical way to do it. My youngest girl kind of understood this and waited until our oldest left for college, saying we could now get a dog because we had extra room now.

After so many years of pressure, my wife came up with a standard reply: "When we get a house, you can get a dog." And that was that.

Now a few years later, both my older girls are home from college and we get a house for us all to move into. There were floors to finish, carpets to replace, new furniture to situate and rooms to paint. Finally, we moved in. Then, several months later, one of my daughters suddenly points out: "Hey, didn't you say that if we got a house, we could get a dog?" This they remember. Not where they put their iPod wire. Not that we told them to clean their room. Not that they had better improve their marks. None of that. But the whole house/dog thing? That they remember.

So, instantly my wife says, "No." She cites her reasons; new floor, carpets and furniture. She rightfully points out that she'll be the one home all day with it and have to take care of it. She states that she doesn't know anything about dogs. Then she asks me if I want a dog. What could I say? "Of course, I've always wanted a dog."

So she's all annoyed asking why I never said I wanted a dog before. It wouldn't be practical! What was I supposed to do, whine about it for 20 years?

But a promise is a promise. And, hey we have a house to protect now. Who's going to do it? Not me, I'm a coward. Long story short; we got a dog. It's a good dog most of the time. And my wife? Turns out not only was she a closet dog person, she's now the dog's best friend. So that makes three things she didn't like until she met me, including Chinese food and "Star Trek." But he's the only one that licks her face.