Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Nedi's Birthday was Sunday

I completely forgot that this past Sunday was Nedi's second birthday.  He's  such a quiet, undemanding guy, and he's fitted in to both my and Lovey's lives, that it's hard to realize he's only lived with us for 22 months.  He and Lovey chase each other, play tag, make kamikaze and sneak attacks - and they are just delightful company.  I'm sure that Lovey  occasionally misses Banichi, as I do; but Nedi has been a wonderful companion since he chose me at the Humane Society.  I need to find  my camera, so I can take some photos of my now adult "little man."
  The tornadoes that tore through Dallas yesterday, and the resulting destruction, along with the video of tractor-trailers being tossed in the air like flower petals, were awe inspiring.  My heart goes out to anyone and everyone who has/had a home or property in that area. 
   And I made my first (and, I hope, only) mistake in my pet-sitting business earlier this week.  I developed a migraine as the owner and I untwisted where things went wrong yesterday afternoon and evening.  In the original contact regarding this period of care, the owner specified certain beginning and ending times of care.  That's what I put on my "booking calendar"; the owner kept sending several, "... oh, by the way, I just thought of..." e-mails.  I read them and replied, and filed them.  The day before the owner left, I received four e-mails, mostly telling me things previously covered.  But, in one, she re-wrote her times and days; and the return day and time had changed from the original.  I did not notice, see, or "catch" this change.  The return date and time added on 57 hours of extra care and I did not notice it.  Luckily, as I walked by I realized that no-one was yet at home the first evening, and I fed and watered, and walked the dogs and let them out before bed-time.  The next day, early in the morning, there were vehicles in the drive, and movement, and the dogs were in the yard.  I assumed the owners had returned.  Then, yesterday, I got an e-mail (from the owner) requesting an update on the dogs, whom I hadn't seen in 36 hours.  Luckily, the maintenance man had been there three to five times each day, and he had watered the dogs and let them out in the yard with each visit.  However, that meant that the dogs were not fed for 36 hours, and that one of them had missed 3 doses of thyroid medication.  I felt terrible about that, both then and now.
  I notified my other clients, and then double-checked the dates and times I have on the calendar  for each of the other homes I care for.  I am happy to say that all of those dates and times were correct.... but I still goofed.  And some one's beloved furry friends had to do without food, exercise, medication, and love and comfort for 36 hours...  I will not let it happen again.

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