Just found out Sir David Hockney was deaf..but he loved Daschunds and made one or two immortal!
Moved to another thread…
Feeding time at the zoo? Well these four all like to wolf down their food! Cats have a Spanish measuring cup but the irony is lost on them for sure..” savouring life can’t be rushed!”
The dog has a chipped measuring mug that isn’t a thing of beauty. His “ dish “ resembles the back of a dinosaur to slow him down.
Two lessons that I should take on board when I serve my own food on a plate..
Hot weather here means meals are early and late at the coolest parts of the day.
Cold soup for me and biscuits with smoked cheese from Tenerife - a gift of the Home Owner that is very much appreciated and savoured with raspberry jam - another thoughtful gift!
( I must have a hungry look, lean isn’t an adjective that springs to mind on first acquaintance with me!)
On a house sit in rural Ontario, about 100 km from Toronto. Cat sit. And rainy. All good since there are many ticks. As the owner was showing me the plants to water, she got a tick on her. She felt it on her torso, ran upstairs to get help from her husband, instead of just stepping out the door and brush it off. It jumped off on the way upstairs so now I have a tick in the house. I asked them what happens if the tick gets on the cat? They had not considered that…It is going to be rainy the next few days, so I will just stay in. No need to water outside.
I managed to get one on my body last year, and seriously considered giving up pet sitting at the time. I was quite traumatised as it was on my back and I could not reach to remove it. GP surgery wouldn’t help, chemist wouldn’t help, I had to go to the hospital minor injuries dept.
Finising up a week in Port Ludlow on the Kitsap peninsula of Washington state.
Luna is a 2 yo GSD x. Only been with these folks for about 2 months and although I was warned that she can be rambunctious and a handful, for me she’s been very well mannered.
She does have lots of toys and likes to take them all out at once.
A mini-aquarium in Poulsbo, specializing in local sea-life in Puget Sound and the surrouding rivers and ocean.
A giant Pacific octopus - all along the North Pacific - grow to 20 feet in length and 100 lbs.
The octopus shared the tank with leather starfish. They grow to a foot across and smell like garlic.
Leaving Wed for a 2 week repeat sit with a pair of cats in Sonoma, CA.
My housesit is turning into a CAT astrophe!
So I’ve been doing my usual, up early feed the cats and dog and get the dog out before the cats realize we are going through the main entrance way.( they’d love to explore with us! )
Tired the dog and myself out with a mixture of walks, beach time and park time and swims in the sea or in a fountain pool or two. All goes swimmingly and I watch some tv before bed at 10.30pm.
I am deaf so I place my hearing aids in the recharging unit for overnight recharge last thing.
At 3.00 am I am woken by neighbours banging on the front door, also screaming at me through my bedroom window and I realize finally this isn’t a housesitter’s nightmare I’m dreaming but a living one! I finally realize there is blaring music also accompanying this pandemonium that has also set the nervous Britany Spaniel off too! I clamber out of bed and find the tv is on and blaring out music… it’s 3.00 am now!
How has this happened? (There are several people wanting to know the answer to this one! )
The only explanation is the black cat on medication! All the contents of the coffee table are now on the floor and the handset for the tv too. He must have activated it inadvertently in the playful boxing ritual he enjoys at all hours!
Well the neighbours evaporate as the noise suddenly subsides.. back to bed for all.
I WhatsApp the owner in the North of Spain and explain what has occurred… I don’t expect a reply at this hour of the morning.. I gratefully go back to bed.
Up early after 4 more hours’ sleep to take the dog out. I’m on the 4 th and top floor no lift but lots of marble stairs to negotiate. I get down to the front door entrance. The dog decides it can hold it no longer and pees! So up the four flights, get the dog in and get my old bath towel to soak up the offending liquid before the neighbours get to it. Back up the 4 flights and in to put the washing on and add my towel and get the dog out again ( without the cats) and out before any more problems arise.. the nearby park is open and things are finally looking up.
Free holiday anyone? Yeah, right!
I send a cheery reply to the home owner who says it’s never happened to her before but understands and reassured me the neighbours will realize what has happened too. So I feel a bit jocular. “ Do you have a bullet proof vest by any chance? “
Sometimes being a stranger and visiting for only two weeks has its advantages!
I spend some time on my own admiring wonderful church interiors and praying that my neighbours are forgiving and merciful.
I guess I’ve met the neighbours now.
I think they will welcome the Home Owner back with open arms when I leave!
I’m reminded about my conversation at the start with the Home Owner.
“ so what quality do you look for in your chosen pet sitter? “
“ Bravery, mainly!”
“ well you’re clearly brilliant with animals; would you consider being a pet sitter at all?”
“ Oh God, NO ! Way too much responsibility!”
Maybe she’s right? But I still come back for more.. fatal attraction comes to mind.
Tried to speak to the neighbours but the Home Owner has whatsapped everyone and explained.. apparently the tv was on from midnight! I suppose some are watching World football matches at all hours.. Game Over!
What a nightmare. A great reminder that pet sitting comes with its responsibilities and challenges. It’s not always plain sailing.
Good to see you have retained your sense of humour.
Hopefully all will go smoothly from now on 
Finishing off a sit - another useless vacuum cleaner and limited cleaning products.
They have a cleaner but if the hosts had to use the equipment they would soon upgrade it.
Some days I wonder why I bother. Rant over.
It’s so true ! To deliver the best sit results I need to feel part of a team with great equipment! If the cleaning stuff is paltry and the Hoover not good it makes it so much tougher- unnecessarily so!
Here the owner knows I need to give medication but has already frozen each dosage in a tasty treat cube so it’s very easy to keep track of. What a difference some practical thoughtfulness makes!
I’m hoping to be invited back already!
Yikes. Hope the rest of your sit goes much more smoothly.
You’re a hardier sitter than I am. I avoid sits with dogs who don’t live in a house, because I want them to have quick access to the outdoors, without shared stairs or elevators that I would have to clean up if they made a mess.
Well it’s true this sit has its challenges but the flat is very centrally located and this city has a treasure trove of things to see and experience. There is so much culture here.
Roman through to Madrid capital being displaced here during Napoleonic occupation! I can honestly say I feel lucky to be chosen. The owner herself is worth the trip here - a Spanish oceanographer who is widely travelled and highly educated.
I’m loving the pets too and the city will be so much fun exploring and sharing with my wife who arrives on Thursday till Monday. I’m getting all the info together so she gets to enjoy it too.
I suppose I’m not your typical sitter? But I feel I’m learning so much and meeting new people too. It’s a huge port with lots of cruise ships passing along as well as the interesting local mix. It’s a university city so lots of interesting events and activities available. I’ve discovered the university library has excellent air conditioning, good lighting and a great space for reading. Sometimes I need to detach from the flat and the pets. I hope also to reduce the Home Owner’s electricity bill by being out too!
Temperatures are rising again this week. My wife can get some refreshment away from the flat which won’t cost us to be made comfortable!
I know I’m going to be sorry when this one ends.
I suppose this shows “a good fit” is not “off the peg” as it were.
Yes it’s had a couple of dips but I don’t want to get off this roller coaster just yet! Ha ha!
This Home Owner has some lovely people living around her. Tolerant, caring and wishing me the best. It’s been humbling and I feel very privileged to be given this chance.
One exhibition I visited this morning I enjoyed so much I thanked the manager who then pointed out other places and things not to miss. I’m so glad I followed her advice.
It shows how revisiting large cities is never a waste of time.
I’ve also met some lovely pets enjoying what Cadiz provides for all to share. Hot dogs abound!
The first photo is part of an art exhibition. No chair was damaged in this photo!
) but here’s a hi 
from handsome Tom of Büyükada 
just for now
DRAMA on my rural non-THS sit..
Last evening I let Stuart the Dacshund out for a suppertime wee and he ran straight for 2 baby skunks that were lingering at the bottom of the patio steps. He turned away from them and started rubbing his mouth on the grass. I snatched him up, ran into the shower and rinsed his mouth out with copious amounts of water (lucky for me that he has only a few teeth) followed by a quick shampoo.
Called non-emergency police number because one of the skunks was still loitering and appeared ‘wobbly’. I was transferred to animal rescue who came and got the skunk. They said Stuart may have gotten just a ‘poof’ of skunk spray in his mouth from the baby skunk. Also made text contact with the Vet’s office who confirmed that Stuart was up to date with his rabies and distemper vaccines and should be fine. In the middle of this, the HO texted ‘Hi, how is it going?’ because she had been without any wifi for a day.
Whoosh. All was settled down by 7pm. Stuart will be going out on leash only for the duration of my stay.
Hey!! It’s my forum-versary!!
I feel for you. A situation can change in seconds.
Just finished a sit with two cockapoos who live in a rural setting by a large pond.
The wildlife was abundant (no skunks fortunately) but plenty of hares, rabbits, waterfowl and a couple of herons. Whenever I let them out I alway went out first and made plenty of noise to give a warning to the wildlife. Despite that they cornered the heron a couple of times and it was quite stressful.
Hope the rest of your sit goes well.
Good strategy. I usually leash him and make noise when I take him out late at night and early morning. But this was 5pm and I let my guard down.