Sixteen days of house-sitting

Well, with the rain now pouring down outside, I decided to rattle off another blog entry, whilst listening to the groovy sounds of Luscious Jackson. (Very sleek and sexy all-woman US combo with some gorgeous harmonies and sweet, soulful tunes.)

January, I must say, has been a very eventful month, and there is yet more to come. On Thursday (Jan 26th), I'll be venturing down to Blaxland in order to get a lift across to Can Con in Canberra. (Well, I'll be dropped off at Goulburn along the way seeing that's where I am staying for the duration of the tournament.) The original plan, however, was to go down on Wednesday, with Babs, the co-author of Feudball. However, the gent whose place I'm staying at, will not be home until Thursday afternoon. (Actually, no one will be at home, seeing his family are away on holidays and he's working in Canberra.) My “ride” was adamant that he had to travel on Wednesday, so I didn't even bother to ask if he could change his plans. (I know him too well.)

Grumble, grumble.

A little panicking, then a few SMS/PMs/Phone Calls later, and the problem had been solved, with a back-up plan (rail) just in case. I'll be traveling down to the biggest gaming convention in the country with some gaming acquaintances from the Blue Mountains, in, from what I've heard, a small convoy of vehicles.

Of course, with me being of a nervous disposition, you can imagine that alarm bells were ringing in my head quite loudly, causing me to stress out quite a bit. However, now, I'm quite relaxed, and not only have my gaming bag packed for the trip down, but have maps of how to find this gent's place in Goulburn, as well as what trains to catch. I'll pack the clothes tomorrow, not that I'll be needing much.

Next year, if all goes well, I think I'll train it down. This way, I'm not reliant on anybody providing transport except City Rail. (The concession one way to Goulburn is only $4.10. Quite cheap actually for a trip of nearly 300 kms.)

What else? Let's see? Doctor appointment on Monday, to pick up my new mental health plan, find out what my blood results were like (a bit too much Xmas cheer apparently... ), get a health certificate for my next Job Capacity Assessment with C/Link, and see if there is anything I can take for my sleeping problems that won't affect my medication. (Or vice versa.) I now start my next lot of sessions with the psychologist on Feb 8th. Registrations for soccer are now due for the 2012 season, and in the week after Can Con, I'll be having the JCA and do a little job hunting with my case manager from CRS. I believe I'm at a point now where I can handle a few hours a week. Whether I get some paid work or not is a different matter.

Having mow been home a total of three full days after the house-sitting sojourn, I decided to copy and re-order the posts I made on the book of faces site, and present them here. JT is my sister, SW is my aunt whose place I was minding, LW is a cousin (my aunt's youngest daughter, who also lives there), and the rest are people that I know (or I'm related to).


Yay! Off on my holiday today! 3 January at 08:44
JT mmm didn’t know... where u going? 3 January at 10:15
Me Ummm, Aunty S's... 3 January at 11:55
SW Hope its a holiday for you!! 3 January at 12:25
Me It is now that I have i/net access! :) 3 January at 20:49

Oh dear, expected top of 39 degrees today in the Shire... 4 January at 09:30
MK Oh bugger :( 4 January at 18:12
Me Actually, it wasn't too bad. My aunt's place has air-con! :)
However, around 3pm I decided to have a nap, and missed Clarke & Hussey going to town on the Indian bowling! 4 January at 20:37

House-sitting Day 1:
3 loads of laundry done and dried
2 little yellow puddles to clean up in the kitchen
1 very hot and sweaty me
LW ‎3 puddles so far.... 4 January at 18:27
Me Ah well, I suppose it can't be helped, she is an old doggie. :) 4 January at 20:43
LW We've thought about some kind of dog diaper. 4 January at 21:12
Me Funny you should mention that... http://www.tinkletrousers.com/

House-sitting day 3:
Walked into town around lunch-time, a good twenty minute walk each way, up and down hills, and with groceries on the way
back. Had a blood test, shopped, had lunch, picked up my pills (not in that exact order) then went back to the Aunt's place.
Big surprise in that there were no surprises waiting for me on the kitchen floor.... :) 6 January at 16:52
Me Too good to be true though. Wandering out to the lounge room to watch a DVD a couple of hours ago... 6 January at 23:26

House-sitting Day 4:
Dogs are acting a bit weirder than usual. The Shadow Inquisitor (Timmee), seems to dislike a certain pillow in the lounge room, whilst the Bewildered Hoover (ET), has taken to occasionally licking the couches... 7 January at 17:16
PC they sound as weird as my dog..... 7 January at 18:38
Me Quite possibly. I think ET is an older version of Kia... :) 8 January at 00:13

House-sitting Day 5:
Had a lovely lunch today with Cousin C & W, and talked family history (both current and past) for an hour or so.
Perhaps there is a book or two there... 8 January at 16:01

House-sitting Day 6:
Things that the Bewildered Hoover has walked in to over the last couple of days...
* the door
* two chairs
* my foot (whilst I was lying on the floor)
* a bucket
* the door frame
* a couch
She also does an impersonation of Katie Featherston from Paranormal Activity where she stands for a few minutes looking at nothing in particular. :) 9 January at 15:57
SW The dog updates are making me laugh so much- especially the nick names- so apt!! 9 January at 19:22
Me She walked into the fan in the study last night as well! :) Yeah, I'd thought you'd appreciate my new labels for them! 10 January at 09:14
LW Haha 10 January at 20:50
Me She's getting really good at the Katie Featherston impersonation. :) 10 January at 22:37

House-sitting Day 6:
Problem number one - how the hell am I going to shift that huge branch from the tree in the corner of the yard that was blown down during the storm last night?
And if I do move it, where am I going to put it?
On a lighter note the Bewildered Hoover appears to have doggy dementia. She's rolling around the floor on her back thinking she's a puppy again. :) 9 January at 10:05
DM Love to help you but I been busy mowing :-) 9 January at 15:05
Me I've separated it from the tree, and will chop it up into sections and put it in the green waste bin when the weather is a bit cooler. 9 January at 15:52

House-sitting Day 7:
Strange. Returned home after touring the area's shopping centers with Rod, but not to a frenzied barking from Shadow Inquisitor, but to silence! The pair of them had flaked out on my bed and didn't even move until we had both entered the room.
The Bewildered Hoover has now taken to kipping on the small table in the lounge room. You'd think it would be rather uncomfortable for her, but apparently not. The pair of them still hover around me every time I'm near the sink, the fridge, or the stove. I was buttering bread and BH insisted on finding out what I was doing. I put some margarine on my index finger and showed her. She licked it, then grabbed it with her teeth and tried to pull me along! :) 10 January at 22:36
SW Hi - having trouble sending you messages on fb so thought I'd try your wall. Don’t worry about the branch - the owner can get rid of that. Hope that the dogs arnt stressing you out too much. We are going up north tomorrow to Nisa's (my aunt's daughter-in-law) home town - not sure how internet access will be up north. Looking forward to seeing all the sights!!
JT enjoy aunty s.. he'll work it out!!! hahaha 9 January at 21:28
Me Me & R will probably get stuck into the yard work early next week. He reckons it won't take long to do the yard.
The branch we will try and get rid of as well. Between the two of us we should be able to carve it up! :) 10 January at 22:29
SW Thank you - you are going above and beyond- so appreciated!!! 10 January at 23:37
JT on fire!!! lol just joking aunty s 11 January at 13:35
Me In the zone now, especially with cleaning up ET's messes... 11 January at 17:37

House-sitting Day 8:
The Bewildered Hoover's worst day yet. So far (today) she has managed to pee in three rooms in the house (the music room, S's room, and the kitchen), plus throw up a whole pile of undigested dog biscuits all over the kitchen floor. (I wasn't quick enough to get her outside... ) I won't add what she did after she threw up... She has also walked into two doors and a wall, and gave my left foot a good licking.
The Shadow Inquisitor has been, strangely, better behaved than normal. Perhaps he's planning something.... 11 January at 17:43
RA Sounds like there is a need for DAP spray. Available from vets for doggy anxiety.... 12 January at 07:04
Me Ah, thanks R! :) Strangely enough, they have been very well behaved today! 12 January at 13:35

House-sitting Day 9:
Dogs are very well-behaved today. Woke up this morning around 7am to find no doggy messes in the house anywhere. Went for a walk into town around midday to grab a couple of things, and returned home to find the place was as I left it. Very surprised, and pleased at the same time! :)
Both doggies were summarily rewarded and have been allowed back into the my room (the music room).
12 January at 13:53

House-sitting Day 9 (extra):
Ahhh! Appreciating my aunt's CD collection and stereo! Enjoying listening to Moby.
It's true what they say - music seems to soothe the savage beast. Both dogs are chillin' out. Took a pic of them yesterday but my mate hasn't sent it to me yet from his mobile... 12 January at 14:50

Hoo-ray!!!
Marking this in my diary (lol). Jan 12th, first day of house-sitting that I DIDN'T have to clean up any little surprises! :)
13 January at 00:11
(I should add – when I went to the kitchen ten minutes later to get a drink, someone had left a present a few minutes beforehand, which is what the two following comments refer to.)
DM Surprise !!!! 13 January at 10:02
MK D'OH! 13 January at 10:43

House-sitting Day 10:
I'm wondering now if there'll be enough paper towels until the aunt gets back. The pair have been incredibly busy this morning with not one, but three puddles in the kitchen despite the fact the back door has been open since 5am. (Sigh. I suppose I can always go out and buy some more... )
On a dryer note, the Bewildered Hoover does a good impersonation of Mother Teresa as well, after I dropped a tea-towel on her whilst I was doing the dishes. 13 January at 10:56

House-sitting Day 10 (extra):
Australia well on top on day one in the third test, dogs asleep, cool breeze drifting in through the window, washing folded and put away... doesn't get much better than this! 13 January at 20:33
MM You can come and fold my washing! (someone's gotta do it) 13 January at 20:39
DM I got washing to hang out , been mowing back lawn this arvo , bourbon time 13 January at 20:43

House-sitting Day 10 (additional extra):
My aunt wasn't kidding about there being the likelihood of frogs coming into the house. Sure enough, what do I find in the kitchen as I'm going to get a drink... 13 January at 21:01
DM Gribbit :-) we had baby ducklings at the back door couple months back . 13 January at 21:25
Me Awww. I like ducks! :) 14 January at 09:58
MK Ribbet! 14 January at 11:41

House-sitting Day 11:
Bewildered Hoover wakes up, hops out of the washing basket in my aunt's bedroom (it's her regular sleeping spot - don't ask), yaps excitedly for five minutes, runs around, bounces off the linen cupboard door, goes outside, comes back inside, and is now curled up on the mattress and is asleep with the Shadow Inquisitor.
Rather gloomy outside. Headin' off to see the Mariners take on Newcastle this afternoon. Love the local derbies!
(For the record, the result was a hard fought 1 all draw.)

House-sitting Day 12:
Returned home last night after the drive up to the coast for the local derby to a decorative pattern of 1's, 2's and a 3 (don't ask), plus a quick visit from the frog, who had taken an interest in my aunt's TV set. The rain really pelted down last night, so it was good to settle down and watch the late movie on SBS, though the Bewildered Hoover made it hard by deciding to park herself right in front of my face.
Whilst BH does impersonations of people, the Shadow Inquisitor does ones of various animals. This morning, it was a Springbok.
They're both tired out. The five minutes in the backyard this morning must've been really exhausting for them... LOL 15 January at 09:51
MK Dogs are just like people... plum crazy! Lol 15 January at 09:57
Me Yup - too true! 15 January at 09:57
SW Thank you - you are doing a great job 15 January at 10:42
JT greens frogs are worth a fortune 15 January at 10:52
Me Hmm, perhaps I should catch this little sucker then? 15 January at 17:51
JT illegal 15 January at 20:30
JT but what the hell 15 January at 20:30
Me He hasn't returned. Perhaps the dogs scared him off. (Or more likely ate him... ) 16 January at 22:41

House-sitting Day 12 (additional):
Dogs and myself took it very easy today. I played a bit of BB and created some compilation CDs whilst listening to the Aussies thrash India in the third test. Then decided to start work trimming that huge branch down to size. Now it's just big ruddy log, with the green wheelie bin pretty full.
The dogs decided to come out and join me. I think it's the longest they've been outside since I've been here. Would've stayed out longer but the rain has come back and I only just got the washing in in time. 15 January at 17:56
MK Ur lucky with ur washing... mine is still dripping on the late after yesterday! Lol 15 January at 18:02
Me Ah bugger. We were spared at the Mariners match yesterday, seeing we got there early and undercover. However, as soon as the match finished, and we were walking back to my place...
It continued for most of the trip back to Baulkham Hills and then continued until midnight. 15 January at 18:06

House-sitting Day 13:
Rain, rain, go away so that we can get the lawns done tomorrow...
Still, one good thing is that the bad weather is keeping me indoors and busy with scanning family history stuff. The dogs are asleep, and I don't blame them!
Ironic - Moby's "It's raining again" has just started playing on the stereo... 16 January at 12:36

House-sitting Day 13 (extra):
The dogs have a routine established. Every time I go to the kitchen, they follow, to see if I'm getting/preparing food. To counter this, I show them what I have in my hand. Whilst doing the dishes after lunch, the pair were patiently standing nearby waiting for the scraps that were never going to come. I show them what I have in my hand this time, it was a frying pan. The Shadow Inquisitor sniffs it, then wanders off rather disappointed. The Bewildered Hoover on the other hand starts to lick it, thinking there's something on it. (There was - detergent.)
I have had to get tough though. Fed up with being pestered for food every time I have a main meal, I lead the dogs outside, then shut the door on them. Within 30 seconds the scratching begins. Within a minute the whining begins. When I'm finished (generally in five minutes), I open the door, usually to find BH with her front paws on the step, and SI lying down with his head on it.
SI, I've noticed, can do a reasonable impersonation of the Sphinx, if he stays still long enough. BH, for some reason, is still licking the couch...16 January at 22:40
(Missing comment from my Aunt about here)
Me Yeah. I think the hardest part was learning their routines. Once I figured that out, it's not that bad. 90% of the time they're okay (they're fast asleep, and BH snores) it's just that little 10% in the day when they proceed to really test my patience... 16 January at 22:57

House-sitting Day 14:
Yard work scheduled for this afternoon. Gorgeous day outside, look forward to getting out for a little bit.
Enjoying some tunes - a compilation CD I just made up with a variety of stuff, and more BB on the PC.
Apart from that - nothing doing! :) 17 January at 11:27

House-sitting Day 14 (extra additional):
Mark the day in the diary - Jan 17, SECOND no mess day! :) 18 January at 00:38
Me And the hairy ones are fast asleep on my mattress. Seems a shame to have to evict them soon...
18 January at 00:40

House-sitting Day 15:
The battle of wills continues. The dogs still think that anything I pull out of the cupboard/fridge can be eaten by them, so I give
them what I am eating (2 minute noodles). Both reject it. They both take the packet, but are sorely disappointed when there's nothing in it. The Bewildered Hoover even takes the sachet containing the flavouring. She doesn't like it.
If they were people, the Bewildered Hoover would be a doddering old granny, complete with zimmer frame, who constantly forgets her glasses. She would be wearing adult diapers and have dementia.
The Shadow Inquisitor is more like a junkie. He'll be full of beans for five minutes, bouncing around the place like a springbok, then has to sleep for three hours to restore his energy for the next run.
Both of them, a few minutes ago, were doing the Katie Featherston Paranormal Activity thing. It was rather amusing, yet at the same time, a little disturbing... 18 January at 12:36
MK Time to wean them off those 'special' mushrooms they might be eating from the backyard, perhaps? Lol 18 January at 12:58
SW Hi - thank you for the yard work - you deserve a cold beverage - and a pressie! Mmmm- wonder what it could be???? 18 January at 02:20 (No guesses, it was a hat, a rather funky hat!)

House-sitting Day 15 (additional):
Ten things that the dogs initially believed that they could eat, then realized that they couldn't...
1) Egg shells
2) Potato peels
3) Apple peels
4) An empty packet of 2 minute noodles
5) The flavour sachet from a packet of 2 minute noodles
6) Carrot
7) Frozen chips
8) A bottle of Pepsi
9) A packet of mixed frozen vegetables
10) A knife
Last day of house-sitting tomorrow. My how the time has flown!
MK Almost at the last turn... you can do it! you CAN do it! :P 19 January at 09:49
Me I can also add another one - one of my fingers! :) 19 January at 11:24

House-sitting Day 16:
The last day, and the flood-gates have opened! Big and little puddles everywhere... 19 January at 11:13
SW Oh Dear!! 19 January at 12:00
DM Puddle Dock 19 January at 12:11
Me Strangely enough, after the morning messes, the rest of them have been done outside. :) 19 January at 21:06

House-sitting Day 16 (additional):
Shadow Inquisitor asleep, Bewildered Hoover sort of half asleep with the glazed look in her eyes. They're so nice when they're like this.
Enjoying a quiet evening with some Moby on the stereo, after having *finally* updated my Blood Bowl blog. Might go watch some more 30 Rock a bit later. 19 January at 21:49


Well, with the rain abating just a wee bit, and the Luscious Jackson CD having just finished, it's time to wind this up, and post it.

Ciao!