Murphy will be 13 on the 24th. And I need to buy a carpet cleaner.

And yes, these two topics are related.

The Murphinator is getting old, people.  Last night he politely refused to join Sophie and me in the Big Bed, and snuggled down on his blankie in the living room. I knew what that meant.  I'd wake up to a new pee spot.  Yup. This despised carpet is truly nasty now. 

At least half the blame belongs to the carpet. I am really good at cleaning carpet (Lymphangiectasia has given me some mad skills)  and this carpet is just some nasty damn substance that holds dirt and resists cleaning, and though it is not fuzzy looking, is also made of some sort of extremely fuzzy fuzziness that FILLS the Dyson every single time I vacuum. I've had the Dyson for a few years now, and this is the first place that I've seen this.  I pull so much dusty gray, nasty, dusty, fuzzy stuff out of the carpet EVERY time I use it, it freaks me out. One pass through this 1400 sq. foot condo and the damn thing is so full I have to empty it.  It's actually kinda creepy. I have to wonder if I'm inhaling fiber and dirt every day.

So, the carpet looks like hell, and I'm about to start a "gone all day" job again on Monday.  I will almost certainly be able to pop home at lunch for a midday relief trip after I have things figured out, but Mr. Iron Bladder Control ain't what he used to be.  Part of it is aging dog issues, part of it is that he's had to be on steroids off and on (we use them as little as possible) for nearly four years.  I think his kidneys are going bad.  Last night he drained the water dish before peeing on the floor.  I am not bothered by it.  I love him and I clean it up and accept it, but this nasty-ass carpet is extremely unforgiving about everything that touches it. 

I realized in the last week or two that it makes zero sense to replace this carpet in the next year.  I hate to be so coldly practical about it, but the bottom line is I need to keep this nasty damn carpet until Murphy passes, or I decide to sell this place and move (and I have no plans to move).  I have figured out my priorities for this year, and carpet isn't on the list.   A new stove and new microwave, paying down debts and replenishing savings, yes.  Carpet can and should wait, so I'm going to buy a carpet cleaning machine tomorrow, and tackle the nasty carpet every couple of weeks.  We'll get by.

Don't fret about him. He's getting old, but he's still himself.  I have a futon sofa in my guest room/office, and since I moved here, it has been Sophie's spot. Today, Murphy walked in, eyed it, and jumped onto it all by his ownself.   First time!  They are sleeping side by side there now.

First time in almost a year and a half that the old man has jumped up and claimed his nap spot.  He's getting old in style.

The carpet, not so much. But a carpet cleaner will fix that.