Winter IS Coming

OK, I'm off my football kick for the moment - but if the Broncos win again next Sunday, I'll have to do a tiny bit of celebrating.... but not a whole blog, as I did yesterday. House-sitting for folks can be pretty interesting. Lynn, who has Tessa (the gazelle dog), Lilly, Lyra and Dhisana has an interesting family. She called on Christmas day, asking me to spend that night and Sunday night at her house, as Lyra had popped her Elizabethan collar off, eaten her stitches from her spay, plus had diarrhea from drinking water with floral chemicals added to it. I was extremely surprised when I stepped into her house Saturday night, called to the kits "Aunt Betty's here! Are you ready to rumble?", and had Lynn's daughter wander out in a robe wanting to know who I was and why I was in her house. We got things straightened out, and she informed me that her brother Connor would be returning home from a party sometime between midnight and two. Oh, my. Speaking to Lynn later, I found that both kids were supposed to have spent the past several nights with their Father in Denver. I woke up when Connor and Megan arrived home at 1:30, fixed a snack in the kitchen (beside the den, where Lyra and I were) and played Monopoly in the dining room. I fell back asleep before they went to bed, having to be with Sasquatch and Tugger bright and early. I met Connor and Megan that afternoon, when they came home and rang the doorbell because they didn't have a house key. About 2 Monday morning, I was awakened by their return, but I hadn't realized they had brought a very inebriated male friend home until he opened the door into the den and came over to me on the sofa. I can tell you that (a) he was very drunk, (b) he was a Caucasian male with short dark hair on his head, and (c) he had on a very colorful pair of blue, green and white plaid boxers. He also let Lyra out of the den. He came into the den 6 times before Connor got him corralled and into bed. It was a very interesting morning, especially as I needed to be at Rosie and Remy's at 6 a.m., prior to the family's departure to Florida.

Dhisana is still receiving antibiotics for her pneumonia, and now Lyra is receiving Lomotil for her diarrhea. Poor little kits! They have been so ill since they were adopted from Ohio. But at least they have a very loving home and people who care for them. Lilly isn't happy with Dhisana allowed throughout the house; she is staying outside all day to avoid the kitten. Lyra would probably really upset Lilly, but she's still being kept quiet in the den. Rosie and Remy slept with me last night, so I had no need for covers. They seem to be happy that I'm here, taking them out three times a day, playing with them, and giving them lots of treats. Topgallant Charley is still under the impression that I wish to steal or harm his hen harem. He really loves fresh lettuce, but he just doesn't like my jeans' cuffs or my white sneakers. I wonder how long it will take to win him over... Lovey and Nedi demand attention when I get home from everyone else; they want food placed in the bowls, but once it's there, it becomes a competition to see who can get the most loving and petting from me. I do my best to keep things equal between those two.

Winter is upon us. We are expecting a high around 50 tomorrow, but then the big west coast storm will move in. The weather folks are actually forecasting 3 to 7 inches of snow on Thursday, with a high in the low 20s. The high for Friday is said to be 13, and New Years Day high might be 22. Those nights we are expecting to drop below 0. I wish I could be at home with my kits to snuggle and cuddle in the up-coming weather, but I'll be here with the Rs. - Not that they are not good snugglers; it's just that (as usual) I'd like to be home in my own place, my own chair or bed, and with my own kits when we have nasty weather. And all of those days I still need to care for the chickens, plus walk Lucy, and take care of Lynn's kits. *Sigh* It's very wonderful to be so trusted with every one's homes, mail, newspapers, trash, and pets. But sometimes I just want to crawl in a hole and cover myself. I like being helpful. I enjoy being helpful. But I occasionally wish I could just be alone.