In case you were wondering how I am spending my day – I am house hunting.

The place my sister is living is fine for one person but it is a bit off the beaten track and significantly far from any of the junior colleges. Since she is working full time, I am learning about what you get for how much a month here in Phoenix.

And, as you might have guessed – it is almost all about location. Not completely – it is also about A/C, pools and flooring. Carpet, when you have dogs is simply a collection place for hair, dirt and little critters. Tile costs a lot more. Community pools very so much in their sanitation standards (yes, there are inspections but that does nothing to control the people who use them) that I don’t blame the dynamic duo here from not likely the idea. Plus, community pools don’t allow dogs.

Having heard from a number of you who have family in AZ, or have lived in AZ, or got married in AZ I do understand it is hot. I have done deserts. I am ok with heat. What I am not ok with is the 4 million people who live here. Way too many and you are completely car dependent unless you live in a few limited areas. Add to that the fact that airfare out of here is not cheap and Phoenix is not in my retirement plans. (I can see my husband breathing a huge sigh of relief although I am not sure that he would hate Phoenix more than South Florida which is the current threat on the table).

Anyway – I am searching for a better place for them to live – the sister, my son, the dog, the two bird cages and ….five fish tanks?