@Crookie Very smart wellies! We had navy with red spots on ours for the winter there in 2019/20. We left them with friends thinking we’d use them again in 2020 but that didn’t happen! We were re-united with them this year in summer but donated them to the charity shop as had no further need for them.
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Also @toml if you are able to leave the pets for around 8 hours, or if you get another opportunity, I can highly recommended a day tour to The Pinnacles north of Perth. We did an evening tour & it was absolutely amazing. It looks like a moonscape. Also gives you a feel for the outback. I always say to tourists, if you want to see the real Australia, get 2-3 hours out of the cities.
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I’m currently sitting 3 blind kitties. My first time looking after blind cats but won’t be the last. They really are amazing (well apart from attacking each other!!). 
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@richten1 we have (separately) looked after a deaf dog, a deaf cat and a very elderly blind and deaf cat.
The deaf cat was amazing at putting the dog in his place! It was fascinating to see the blind and deaf cat get her bearings after being lifted down from the window ledge where the food was (out of reach of the dogs). She would walk in gradually expanding circles until her whiskers made contact with something and then follow it along until she worked out where it was. She could also navigate the area of garden nearest the cat flap. She was also extremely loud and could summon attention from anywhere in the house!
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@Crookie Im glad you are having a good time. Your post really made me smile & reflect on the way we all have different outlooks and how wonderful it is that everyone here takes such pleasure in their sitting travels. I say this because you are sitting in an area where I lived & worked for more than 20 years and I can’t quite describe how quirky and amusing it is to hear someone enthuse over places where I did my supermarket shopping or used the station to get the train to work. When you get to Guildford you will be in the area I grew up.
It just goes to show that there is amazingness everywhere and simple joy to be had all around.
I think I’ve been reading too much @Amparo 
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Yes you are right they seem to find their way round the house just fine. They will occasionally cry if they want to know which room i’m in! They are quite clever jumping on a favourite window ledge. They put a paw out to feel for the wall and then move along it to find the radiator they use as leverage to jump onto the window ledge.
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Thanks, I found the tour and am looking at going later this week.
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Thank you @Saltrams
Now you made me smile.
There is enough everywhere of everything in the world. We can choose where we wish to place the energy of our focus and attention and nurture that. 
Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if we realized where we are is someone else’s dream? But at the same time, someone else’s nightmare? 
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Well, I’m on a sit by myself this weekend, without hubby. Everything with the sit is fine, although the dog took a bit longer to warm up to me than I’m used to. But now we’re best buds. However, I’m having other issues! I can only share it with you lovely bunch, as you might understand, or at least get a feeling of when our great nomadic life hits a snag, especially when my mood is not, how shall I say this, as contagious as @Amparo’s at the moment!
-On Friday afternoon I took a drive to an ancient little neighbouring village (Silves, Portugal). It was pouring rain as I got there. Didn’t know the layout, just wanted to browse a bit, get a feel for the town. Ended up driving into the old town by accident as I couldn’t find a parking spot and just kept driving. Big mistake! The streets got narrower and narrower, until I couldn’t move my car forward anymore and got completely flustered and lost! I’m talking about one of those tiny old-town mazes. After trying to turn around with a 100-point turn when I couldn’t go forward anymore, in the rain, I did it. I scraped my car against a wall 
Luckily just the paint, but your heart sinks. I stopped there. I actually just stopped the car all panicky. Got out. Luckily another lady was parking (trying!) and I went up to her and said: “PLEASE can you help me get out of this maze?” Lovely lady. She said she needed 2 minutes to drop something off, and then I could follow her out. After a few painfully slow turns around the tightest corners you can imagine, some requiring reversing to make the angle, it worked! But I was so rattled, I just drove straight home. No exploring this little town for me, I just wanted to go home!
-The doggy I’m minding is a rescue, and although he is much better around other dogs after 3 years of very dedicated training, he is still a growler with some dogs he meet on the street. Hard to tell which dogs, and the owners distract him with treats when another dog approaches. It mostly works. This morning, when we had a lovely walk, and he was so good. Until we were in a type of alley where I couldn’t really cross the road or turn a street corner, and from the front came a man and his unleashed Alsatian (my dog was leashed). I tried distracting my dog, and the man could see I was flustered. But he did not put his dog on a leash, he just kept coming and said ‘It’s okay’. Well, just after the Alsation passed my dog, the Alsatian stopped behind my dog to give him a sniff 
, and then of course there was a small kerfuffel. Would you believe it? The guy started shouting at me: “GO HOME. GET A BIRD, IN A CAGE, OR A FISH, AND STAY HOME.” WTF???
I don’t like confrontation, but boy, when provoked, I shout back. I shouted that it’s a rescue and we’re working on him. But the guy just kept shouting the same thing over and over: go home, get a fish. Get a bird, in a cage, Go home… Aargh, I was so annoyed. I would have liked to talk to him, to explain that his owners really care about this ‘failed’ dog that is doing so much better…but of course, he just walked away while shouting over his shoulder, and I wasn’t going to chase after him with the dogs feeling the excitement too! I took me a few minutes to calm down and to realise, it’s not about me, or even the dog. Or even the man. It’s just ignorance to assume all dogs should be super dogs. And not point in upsetting the owners by telling them. It happened, move on. They would probably be shattered to learn of this.
-Anyway, 3rd thing! This afternoon when I left home, there was a note on my car. A neighbour that said he needs to talk to me, please call him. Aaaargghhh. No, can’t deal with it now, will do it after my own personal walk. I was expecting the worst in this order: The dog was noisy while I was out? The TV is too loud? My car got damaged? Then I thought, hey, maybe he wants a housesitter! Maybe it’s not bad news. Well, I called him when I got back, and guess what? It had nothing to do with me!! He wanted to speak to all owners and was hoping I’m the owner. No problem, no issue!
I can feel it’s turning already - it can only get better from here! Luckily most days are very good, like most housesits 
This is Buddie…
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Oh, @botvot , sending you a virtual hug! ((((())))) You survived the car scare, and that neighbor was just ignorant. He was the one at fault as his dog should have been on a leash.
I’ve had car scares too – but while driving someone else’s car! And then there were times when I couldn’t find the pet --either the cat was hiding or the dog had wondered off – sheer panic! I found if I pay attention to the things I’m telling myself at times like this, I realize I’m catastrophizing and have to change my thoughts to be more positive and optimistic.
So glad those things turned out OK for you!
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Poor you @botvot, things will improve. But you’re still upright, so good on you! If nothing else you have a couple of funny/odd/colourful stories to look back on instead of bland vanilla ones!
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Hi @botvot and thanks for sharing. It sounds like you have had an eventful few days! Such incidents can knock your confidence and well done you for coming through it.
It is important that new sitters can see that pet sitting isn’t always an easy gig in a fantastic location. Obstacles sometimes need to be overcome and the responsibilities should never be underestimated.
I hope the rest of your sit is uneventful and enjoyable.
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We never know what we might strike when on a sit, do we? Such a shame you missed out on exploring that quaint little village @botvot but had it been me, I would have been a complete mess too wondering would I ever get out of that maze with its so narrow roads. Thank goodness that kind lady helped you.
Buddy is a lovely looking dog and his owners are obviously working on his behaviour and building his confidence. That man definitely had the problem and showed no responsibility where his dog was concerned. But it wasn’t what you needed!
At least the 3rd thing didn’t turn into anything to worry about - phew!!
It doesn’t matter how experienced we are, we can always encounter incidents that test us out. Hopefully the rest of your sit there goes smoothly!
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Thank you all for your lovely messages of encouragement @mars @Crookie @Twitcher @temba @Angela_L. I really should have kept my posting much shorter, but emotions took over! Here’s to some more uneventful sits… 
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Hi @botvot 
I commend you on multiple levels. Deliberately did not respond right away for several reasons. 1. Didn’t want to react but give some well thought out insight and 2. Was curious to see how others would respond. But since you tagged me, here goes. (Thank you BTW.)
This is a really valuable share. How it goes on sits and travels is not all cutesy, warm and cuddly. There are some moments and events that really test us and push us way beyond the edge of our comfort. You had several going on at the same time. Kind of an alignment of “beyond my normal” series of events. Being without your partner, driving in an unknown city, a pet that is still in training, and some uncompassionate probably troubled human. That’s a lot of scary stuff to handle in one day or even a week. This is the stuff that rattles us, and makes us feel like everything is going south, questions not only our sanity but our why, the reasons we do this when it could be so much “nicer.” to stay where it’s safe, known and familiar. 
aka boring 
.
But you did it! 
well done you!
Believe me I have had my share…
But this;
I can feel it’s turning already - it can only get better from here! Luckily most days are very good, like most housesits
Is the attitude that keeps us moving onward and upward,
X
PS your post is perfect, it’s real.
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We are on a sit in Spain!
Looking after:
4 sheep
1 goat
4 chickens
4 geese
2 pigs
6 peacocks
It’s actually quite nice 
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And a partridge in a pear tree! 
Just in case you think I have lost the plot - here are the lyrics …
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year one and all 
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@TravelingOutsideTheBox that sounds wonderful! My family would love to look after sheep, goats and pigs. We’ve cared for chickens, geese and ducks, dogs, cats and rabbits in one sit before. Not peacocks yet though.
We have a fairly local Christmas sit starting on Saturday. Just 2 dogs and a cat, but the next door neighbours have goats, a pig and mini horses that we are hoping to also meet!
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It’s snowing at East Grinstead. We are super excited as we don’t get snow in Queensland. It was cold walking 3 dogs in minus 6 degrees this morning but a beautiful snowfall this afternoon made up for it. The first time we have experienced a snowfall!! We couldn’t stop watching it in amazement!!
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Enjoy @Crookie 
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