I can almost hear the cat purring from here! Thanks for that @Candide! You made my morning.
Sitters well-being is actually a topic well worth discussing.
I have only started pet-sitting at the end of July this year, but quickly realised that, unless you make a serious efforts to reach out to other people (from your family back home, and existing friends to neighbours in the new place you are sitting at), for solo sitters it can be a very lonely experience. If you add to that some issues sitters may come across (cleanliness, for example), sitting can become a really difficult experience.
So, fellow solo sitters, what do you do, if you start feeling sad, upset, disappointed, overwhelmed while on a sit? Do you have a routine that you apply on every sit (for example, regular messaging with family/ friends) that keeps you connected with your close ones and grounded?
I feel this deep in my soul! I have been constantly sitting since July this year as well, and I will be on sits until mid January. One thing I was able to do is have my adult daughter or my sister-in-law come visit me for a few days. But, when that wasn’t possible, I found a local art class and visited local sandwich shops or coffee shops often enough to be a regular. That was something I looked forward to. I’m not comfortable doing that, but when I force myself, It does help a lot with the loneliness.
I chat on my phone with friends a lot. I play Words With Friends and chat with people on there who have played for years - no one new… they are icky.
My daughter suggested the friends part of Bumble. I signed up for that but haven’t connected yet. I also tried to join local neighborhood Facebook groups and I did meet some neighbors through there.
Just thoughts. I’d be happy to add you as a chat buddy if you would like that.
That would be lovely @MelanieB , yes please. I ll DM you.
Welcome to the forum and thank you for a few good suggestions, I should try FB, haven’t thought about that, and friend bumble too.
Hi @Anywhere.Local & @MelanieB this lifestyle is by it’s very nature transient for many and yes it can be lonely, even is you don’t travel alone of course the pets are our most powerful and endearing company but some of us do need human connections to.
While we can connect virtually, here on the Forum for instance, there is no substitute for meeting in person and that is where meetups are so valuable, even if you just meet one other member.
We are such a unique community connecting, sharing and exchanging lives can bring about new and lasting friendships. I’ve had members come to me at meetups and say this has. been wonderful, now we know we are not alone.
When a sit is a longer one there are opportunities to connect with the local communities. I know of one sitter within two days of arriving at a sit and walking the dog to a local cafe was invited to a local bridge game. … she has been back to the village regularly since.
(Her new best friend was a very elderly dog and rather than leave her at home took her to the game, she just lay under the table for the duration)
needed that emotional support!