Dog Days of Summer Done and Dog sitting,

The pools are closed.  Isn't Labor Day the end of summer?  Isn't that when the pools are supposed to close?  August 13 and the pools are closed.  I am not into this Omaha start school in August thing.  My mindset is still summer and I am having a hard time transistioning.  I will be grateful for the cooler temperatures.  My power bill was $350 for the month of July!  I thought June was a new high.  Little did I know how much it could go up.  I have asked around and it appears my power bill is on average with others in the area so it is not just me.  I didn't even turn on the a/c yesterday.  It remained a balmy 80 degrees.  Who thought 80 would be balmy?  In the morning when it was 70 degrees my kids had jackets and hats on to take the dog we were dog sitting for a walk.  In Idaho they would have had shorts on at 70 degrees and asking if they could go swimming. 

We did dog sit.  Brynna's birthday is coming up.  She dearly misses her aunt's dog.  Our neighbors just moved who had a dog.  They often let us "borrow" their dog.  It was very nice.  She thinks she wants a pet for her birthday.  We do not have a good dog history.  I thought, "Maybe a small dog will be different."  She was a very good dog.  But she still got in the garbage, barked, and "did her numbers" in inappropriate places.  I didn't enjoy being tied down to a dog.  I don't think a dog is going to happen.  We need another pet idea.  My kids loved having the dog here and it was fine.  But I am glad it was short term.  She woke up barking at 2am 2 out of the 5 days.  The other days she was still up early barking to be let out.  Any suggestions would be welcomed.