How I went to Santa Cruz to look for a house and ended up acquiring a dog too.

Well, we actually found the dog first.

We have stayed at the same hotel, Casa de Campo, every time we've visited Santa Cruz. The owners have been fantastic, the rooms are amazingly comfortable, and the breakfast is incredible. We've actually taken to calling the place "home" and have considered how much it would cost if we rented out a room for oh, maybe a year or so.

I digress.

On Friday when we arrived at the hotel, a very skinny black dog came right up to me and placed her head on my stomach so she was looking vertically up at my face as we were both standing. She was very cute. Then she started "hugging" me. You know wrapping her legs around me, but very gentle. Very sweet.

Boyfriend asked the hotel owner who the dog belonged to. He said "to you." We looked at each other, shrugged our heads and said ok, as long as he could care for her until August when we move. He said it wouldn't be a problem.

There is no way to know if the dog will actually be there and/or alive by the time we arrive in August, but if she is, she is totally ours.

So, we went to Santa Cruz to find a house and we found a dog first. Isn't she cute though? I named her Bella.



Ok, in this picture she looks a little scraggly. We have some fattening up and cleaning to do.



Brace yourself. This story has an even happier ending.

We also found a house!!! We would have preferred something more in the country with a little more land and maybe a little more space, but this house is going to be a fantastic place to live. It's in a very cute neighborhood only a few blocks from the center of Santa Cruz. It has a small yard, a parking area, access to Internet, and parquet wood floors! It has a great location for me to teach from as well and a room that I can use as a classroom. The owners are an old couple who are incredibly nice and seemed very happy to have us as renters.

Exhibit A:

Nice old lady: Do you like the house?
Allie: Yes, I like it very much.
Nice old lady: Ohhh! We like you too!!! (said as she squeezed Allie's arm with a big smile on her face)

(This dialog was then repeated about 2 minutes later)

Having chickens there might be a challenge, especially considering that we now have a dog and already had two cats, but if we are creative we may be able to work something out. If not, my long time dream of having a few chickens of my own will have to wait. At least I have a dog!



Besitos,
Allie