Housesitting

I started housesitting on Saturday, right after getting back in town from working my part time job. I only got a little over 4 hours sleep before driving 2 hours to get back to tend to the animals.  While I was so tired, I instantly became refreshed when greeted at the door by 3 dogs and 2 cats just waiting to love on me. OK, it was actually to get treats but I am going to believe it is because they have missed me and just wanted to show me how much.

I did a post a number of years ago about Julie's animals and how they truly see me.  The dogs see me as a bag of dog food, the chickens see me as scratch....  They do not see me the person, they see what goodies I bring them.

Added to Julie's menagerie of animals is a new dog.  We had severe storms one night and she showed up at Julie's house.  Vets were called, notices posted etc, no one claimed Big Girl.  She is a Great Pyrenese who is so loving.  I would say gentle but when she nudges me as I walk to go feed, she actually pushes me.  I have bruises and sore legs where she just wants to play.  I just love her.

Julie sold off some of her sheep so there is only about 10 to feed.  The catfish in the tank are ready to catch and eat.  I have been gathering 4 dozen eggs a day.  Nothing beats fresh eggs for breakfast, and these are truly fresh.  It takes about 2 hours at night to feed and water the animals, gather the eggs and then clean them.  Tonight, I will add watering the plants.  Thankfully, the watering should only take about an hour as I only need to do the small plants and the potted plants.  Years ago, when I first started housesitting for Julie, the potted and small plants alone took 2 hours.  Julie watered the orchard before she left she I will not have to do it and she has not yet planted her garden, which is a HUGE 2 hour time saver for me.

Sadly, since the last time I housesat for Julie, some of the old cats have passed away.  Lucy is a cat Julie found abandoned at her ranch in Doss.  She was about a week old and had to be bottle fed. I helped bottle feed Lucy, let her sleep on my chest and this once very hyper kitten is sleeping most of the day away.  Seriously, this kitty was running and jumping non-stop all day long and part of the night.  It breaks my heart that her time on earth is getting shorter.  I pray it comes when I am not there.

Julie does not have internet at her home which means when I go home at night, I can't take work with me.  I start another housesitting job this Friday night (overlapping with Julie's).  I will not have internet there either.  It is nice to have a reprieve from the computer.

And speaking of computers, the work I normally do on the weekends is awaiting me. I am ignoring the emails with "where are my reports".  They can just deal with it today.

Have a blessed day!