I’m currently on a sit in Southern Spain an area famous for its arid land and sunny climes. We have had a couple of weeks of heavy storm weather and power cuts. I lost power in the home for 24 hours but it meant no heat no lights or cooking possibilities, no internet and I couldn’t recharge the phone to communicate locally… then I discovered the electric gates the only exit here, didn’t work either. The manual option wasn’t possible as the key hole cover was jammed.
Imprisoned and stranded !
Luckily the pets didn’t want to go out and there was plenty of food for them in the cupboards…
locally storm damage has cost millions in flooding towns and villages and ruining agricultural production.
This sit was rescued by a call out for an electrician to sort it by a local dog walker I was introduced to.
Sometimes all the planning in the world falls short.
Anyone else had some close shaves on sits to share?
I had just arrived at a sit in a beautiful hillside setting, only an hour from home, when a wildfire raged through the area. On the drive home, I called my husband to ask if he could meet me in the garage to help unload the dog, two cats, ten chickens, and two goats from my car.
@Highfive where are you in Spain? We are in Bédar, Almería province, and the rain has been relentless too here for a week! That should be the end of it now, thank God.
The winding little streets were like rivers so we had ‘fun’ walking the dogs! There are a few minor leaks in the roof, so somebody will come and fix them next week.
Nothing more serious thankfully
I’m in Arboleas near Albox. I haven’t been out in the car to explore anywhere. I’m sitting tight till I get relieved on Thursday! Trouble is I live up near Madrid and the weather there is as bad. Added to which snow melt in the mountains is helping to fill the rivers and reservoirs to very high levels.
I’m hoping to find a new sit in the sunshine somewhere in Spain lol!
Hope your situation improves.
Best wishes
From
Next door! I’m 36 mins away apparently!
Tuesday looks like a sunny day! Let’s hope it really is!
Wow that’s a scary experience! Maybe flooding isn’t so bad after all!
Well done for rescuing the menagerie!
I’ve just got two dogs to deal with here and they are pretty easy going until we spot some rabbits or cats!
I was in western Ireland in January. Firstly there was a blizzard - 16" 40cm of snow; the biggest snowfall in living memory. Great for the local kids who had a blast, less so for the poor Irish trees which had never experienced this. No power - no heat - for 3 days and the Irish snow removal capacity is nonexistent so the roads were impassable. I am. probably one of the few people in the whole county who had experience in driving in snowy conditions.
To top it off, less than two weeks later there was a cyclonic wind event. Record winds hit the west coast 114mph - 184kph in Galway; more like 75 mph where I was. With all the cracked limbs from the snow earlier, and uprooted trees the power was out for another 2 1/2 days for me, up to two weeks in some smaller villages.
As the curse says: May you live in interesting times.
My wife is basking in 17 degrees and blue skies in London at the moment and she said Ireland was enjoying similar weather ! Well you certainly went through some challenges, John! Well done for keeping going!
We finally have some sunshine this morning so I’ve walked the dogs who chased a fox crossing our path so they got lots of exercise today at least!
Best wishes,
Mark
Our last pet sit was in Los Angeles In Pacific Palisades. We sat for the loveliest cat and 80 year-old woman who was an incredible artist. She had her work all over including a life-size statue of her beloved late husband. One week later the Los Angeles fires struck and her home was completely destroyed, her entire neighborhood is gone. We are so devastated for her, she and her cat are safe but she lost everything. And I am just devastated for all the wildlife and pets that were killed as well.
ClovesC
What a terrible tragedy that has been for so many in California! How very traumatic for those who survived the devastation and are facing homelessness and financial ruin!
I was teaching in Chile when an earthquake occurred and the school had to shut owing to structural damage above and below ground. We made up the time lost later in the school year. I was impressed how quickly the Chileans just dusted themselves off and started work on re building… They’ve never shown the film Earthquake in Chile. I guess it’s too close to the bone.
I hope the 80 year old artist and her pet are now safely rehomed.
That’s a disaster that is overwhelming on a grand scale.
Thanks for sharing your experience of it.
When California dreaming turns into a nightmare!
We just got through Cyclone Alfred this week during a dogsit. We took as many steps as possible to keep everyone safe and have our preps in order. I don’t want to experience a hurricane 
ever again.
So glad you’re all safe @IHeartAnimals. I know @Crookie has kept in touch with you. You’ll certainly remember your experiences in Oz!!!
I have no idea how I missed your comment @temba , but thank you for your post. 
I guess these natural disasters and weather issues are part of sitting unfortunately. I remember doing a sit in Crete when the week before there was a major earthquake warning and although it missed the HO’s apartment they did get aftershocks. The first thing the HO did was explain the procedure if the earthquake alarm went off. Thankfully I didn’t need to grab the cat, put in cat carrier and run out of the building from the 2nd floor.
Well I’m back in the South of Spain and my earlier post of a tough time with torrential rain in Albox, has come up for me to read! Things are pretty grim for many in the Costa del Sol (strong irony alert) and heading over much of Andalusia! At the start of December I had a beautiful week in Ronda but lately they have swollen rivers and roads cut off owing to snow and torrential rain. The same in many places , it seems lots of winter weather alerts! Santa and The Three Kings have surely had their work cut out!
I’m in Javea, near Alicante, and the locals are really shocked and dismayed by the current storms.. no sooner do we get through one another is heading our way. Wetness overload but a great skiing opportunity in the sierras!
At first, on this sit,I felt sorry for the indoor cats no outdoor exercise.. now I think I envy them! There’s a balcony here on the second floor flat and the cats briefly wander on to it and quickly head back into the warmth and dry! The dog judges whether it’s worth going down in the lift and out for a quick trot! Luckily tv reception is great and we have brought books with us !
Sunshine is on its way, this is Spain, after all!
Viva España!
@Highfive my father lived in Javea for 15 years until a few years ago and was chatting to friends there who can’t believe the current weather they’re getting. No help to you I’m afraid.
BTW I visited him in Javea around Christmas time a few times and daytime temps could be changeable but usually they would hit 17-18c. Rainy days didn’t last.
Well @richten1 , I never packed any shorts ! I did bring a good coat and woolly hat but next time gloves and a scarf! The temperature has dropped a great deal although some blue skies and sunshine are making a comeback! Just as well I’m not comparing it to the good old hot days! The resident dog is definitely put out too!
I’ve gone from rain in Spain to RAIN in Spain! The Costa del Sol has evacuated 7,000 people now from flood struck places or places where imminent problems are likely! The area with the highest rainfall in the whole of Spain has broken all records. The whole village has been evacuated to safer ground.
Tragically a woman rescuing her dog in a river in flood in Malaga Province has not been able to avoid being swept away. Police believe they have now recovered her body. So far 11 deaths have resulted in Portugal owing to the succession of storms.
Spain has received the most water in precipitation in the whole of Europe. Exceptionally wet here.
Mother nature showing us who’s boss. My god Spain is copping it lately. Interesting times indeed. Stay safe.
