Not on a sit right now, but surrounded by cats nonetheless. Cats, cats, cats. Wherever you look, there are cats. I wonder if Jeddah doesn’t beat Istanbul in its cat population.
According to the statistics that I managed to dig out:
Istanbul: Estimated 125,000 to 750,000 stray cats.
Jeddah: While there isn’t an official census, some local animal welfare groups estimate the numbers are in the hundreds of thousands, largely due to the year-round warm weather, which allows for more breeding cycles.
I’m sitting a cat and a dog in Estepona on a big golf complex. Rain has definitely stopped play, apart from the odd super resilient players! The cat rarely ventures out now. Her favourite spot in the house? On the opposite sofa under two sun chair cushions( these haven’t been outside very much at all in my two weeks’sit here). The dog meanwhile is loving our outside trips. This is for two reasons : there are puddles aplenty to wade through and we have the buggy routes to ourselves. If we aren’t out dodging showers or worse( Monday had warning of a tornado up the road in Cadiz) she loves to be hand dried with a bath towel whilst sprawled on the sofa next to me.. I’ve got a feeling these animals are survivors of whatever the weather throws at them.. As for me I’m enjoying an amazing option of tv I wouldn’t have at Home and my two companions happen to be so relaxed and affectionate that we are going with the flow… some flows are getting faster by the minute. Tomorrow all schools in Andalusia are shut and a deluge is forecast! Fortunately we have good drainage here and are far from the artificial lagoons and rivers that run through the estate. The port is only six minutes away I’m told… just need to get a boat organized !
The pets are no problem. My main challenge is keeping the home clean. Of course the beds have white bedding and the sofas and rugs are cream! This place was immaculate before I arrived with five storms in tow! The Home Owners are already planning my next stay !
You folks are getting a rough time from Mother Nature, unfortunately. A friend says he might end up postponing his trip there, in hopes of better weather.
So when I thought things couldn’t get worse ! Winnie went out and explored the neighbours’ garden with a nice pool! The water level has been deliberately dropped to accommodate tomorrow’s downpour! Winnie jumped down into the garden then couldn’t get out again! So she ran around getting totally soaked - and yelping for help! So yes I had to get boots and waterproofs on and retrieve her from next door ( luckily they are away ) but there’s a big muddy boot print that the worst detective in the world would spot! Meanwhile wet Winnie is running around inside the living room where everything is cream coloured! Yikes! Luckily she headed for the kitchen, no doubt believing her behaviour treat worthy!
Meanwhile I struggle up the muddy bank (once I’ve scaled the garden wall), clutching on the wet shrubbery to get some purchase! First thing I do is get my muddy boots off and into a carrier bag! Then I tackle Winnie with the no longer white bath towel. I’m wondering what my hourly rate should really be! I’m clutching on the Home Owner’s last message to me. Hoping she really meant it!
“ Mark, don’t worry about how clean things are. We are so pleased with your care of our girls. Tomorrow looks very scary. The twin’s nursery just contacted me to say don’t bring them tomorrow.”
Oh Mark, I can just picture you scaling the garden wall! Winnie sounds like a loveable handful, like a few dogs we have cared for. Take care of yourself and stay safe through the forecast storm.
Thanks, Debbie! Well we have survived the night .. it’s also given us a good night’s sleep. Some 3,000 people have been evacuated from the areas most likely to be hardest hit.. I’m counting my blessings. Airports in the area are struggling to maintain their regular services.
I’ve moved all the garden furniture to the covered patio area.. Hoping the strong winds forecasted pass us quickly by. There is going to be rain all day which is going to make the dog frustrated. My Home Owners couldn’t be more appreciative and the pets are so loving too. I’m glad to be able to take care of things here. Many homes down here are holiday homes and empty at present. People have been alerted to the dangers and told not to be foolhardy. The emergency services are being proactive. My teaching friends in the region can stay home and deliver their lessons on line.
No one fancies going outside at present! Some videos of flooded areas and streets full of water are already circulating.
The week ahead looks very wet here too. I’m leaving on Monday, maybe by boat!
I am on day 3 of a 16 day sit in Ontario, Canada. I sat for them while they were with THS and continue to do so. It is a rural sit with much wildlife to watch. Plenty of blue jays, chickadees and the occasional cardinal at the feeder. The squirrels get fed too. One is rather, ahem, rotund so I suspect more squirrels are on the way.
Stuart the Dacshund has difficulty walking in the snow because of his tiny legs. Before the HOs left on vacation they plowed a snow trench around the perimeter of their rural property. Works perfectly for him.
