No Knit Weekend at Animal House

I don’t usually post about personal stuff, but this weekend has turned out to be so unusual that I’m making an exception. No knitting this weekend. Too busy sitting. Baby sitting. Cat sitting. Dog sitting. And bird sitting.

It all started last Sunday when our daughter left for Eleuthera for a week’s vacation. She owns two gorgeous Siamese kitties, Sophie and Sergie, who need feeding twice a day and company-keeping. I love cats, so this is no hardship, although they live 12 miles away. My husband and I share this duty. I enjoy visiting with them because they curl up with me on the couch and sit and purr while I read undisturbed for a peaceful hour or so. Erica returns tomorrow evening, so this interlude is nearly over.

Thursday night  I got a  surprise “if you can’t do this, it’s OK, I know it’s last minute” phone call from a co worker at one of my museums. Her son is spending the weekend in New Hampshire and needed someone towatch Chewy. Chewy is a lovely white cockatiel named after Chewbacca, and it’s rumored that he can whistle the theme from Star Wars, but although we’ve spent time together before, I’ve never heard him do that. He does whistle though. Chewy is absolutely no trouble. Sometimes I place his little home on a shady table outdoors, but other than making sure he has food and water and whistling back every once in a while, birdsitting is quite an undemanding occupation. Chewy is due to return home tomorrow.

Things got a bit more complicated Friday. My son called. He and his wife wanted to drive to Boston with friends for the Sox game Saturday. Could we take care of adorable our 15 month old grand-daughter Ri ? But of course! What could be more fun? One of the surprises of my life is the joy I takein grandma-ing. And, there’s one more thing….would we mind if Wags (left) and Boo, their Jack Russell terriers, came along?

Did I mention that we have 3 cats of our own? Yes, we do, by the names of Troodles, Mr Oh, and Fuzzy. And they are afraid of Wags and Boo. And the baby.

This is how it all played out…..  Our kitties stayed outside all day. Tony and I played with baby Ri, and Boo and Wags were model doggies, although they are active. One look at Chewy and the barking commenced, never to end until Chewy, shaking on his perch, was taken to a sheltering private room on the second floor. With a door that latches securely.

In the evening, we took Ri on a little adventure, to feed her auntie’s felines. Sophie hid – Ri can be quite enthusiastic about cats, which she refers to as dogs – but Sergie was terrific with her, allowing himself to be followed and petted.

When we returned to Animal House, we let the dogs out and the cats in. The cats ate the dogs’ food, then escaped into the basement, where they  spent the night. The dogs came in and ate the cats’ food, and then some of Ri’s. I stayed up, reading, to await Ri’s mom and dad, with the dogs curled up by my side on the couch. They got back around midnight, the dogs went up to their room with them, and we all settled down for a long summer’s nap.

6:30 this morning. Ri wakes up. The dogs wake up. I wake up. (No, that is not my usual wake up time.) Ri downstairs and changed, dogs outside. Cats up from the basement to eat, then out through the garage door. Dogs in through the back door, and finish the cat food.

It is now 1:00 PM. Ri, her parents, and her dogs, have just departed for their own home. Tony is off to tend the DD’s cats. I brought Chewy downstairs, gave him some fresh seed and water and changed his cage liner. My own 3 terrorized cats ( who pay very little heed to Chewy, by the way), are free to resume their normal routines.

Think I’ll find a shady spot for Chewy and take a little nap. Maybe this evening I can get back to a little knitting.