Welcome!

The Critter Sitter's Blog is going to be a register of pet-sitting and wildlife sightings in and around Boulder, Colorado. I "retired" here after the death of my husband, Jeffrey, in 2003; I make my extra income by pet-sitting for folks in their homes and by researching history and genealogy for others. I currently have 25 families that I pet-sit for and usually have one or two research projects under way.
I've always had an affinity for animals, or critters. I now share my apartment with two cats - Lovey and Banichi. Lovey is a Hurricane Katrina victim; she was bottle-fed and hand-raised and somehow ended up at the Boulder Valley Humane Society. She is a 6-pound whirlwind. Banichi was left behind in my apartment by the previous tenant - the place had been empty for 10 days when I moved in. A few days after I moved in, I became aware that the cat food was disappearing at twice it's usual rate, and there seemed to be an equal amount of out-put in the litter boxes, but Lovey didn't look any plumper. A couple of times I thought I saw a movement of something grey - but Lovey is dark grey. After living here for 2 weeks, I awakened one morning to find a large warm spot on my chest; opening my eyes, I looked into a pair of pale green eyes shot with brown. I named him Banichi and took him to the Humane Society to verify that he wouldn't contaminate Lovey (even though that time was actually long past) - he is now an integral part of the family.
The east wall of my apartment is almost all glass and it opens onto my patio. There I have two hanging birdfeeders and two wicker chairs. The chairs get peanuts in the seats for the local squirrels; the feeders get a blend of seeds in one and sunflower seeds in the other. The birds and squirrels keep both the cats and I entertained.
I am recovering from a bout of pneumonia right now. It's hard to breathe, and I feel as if I'm afloat in fruit juice from drinking so much of it. But I am getting better. I'm looking into my paternal family tree to keep me busy, and have a date with Spike out in Niwot on the 6th, 7th, and 8th.
Spike, by the way, is a client, a 19-year-old guy who is diabetic - and while his family is out of town, I will feed and medicate and play and cuddle with the old guy - he's part Siamese.
Love to my readers, their families, and extended critter families!
Betts