Paid Holiday House Sitting

Some weeks ago I was approached b my friend Beryl’s sister, Irene.  She had booked a family holiday in the Algarve and it looked as if the daughter, Paula, would have to stay at home because they have two dogs and two cats, and the cost of putting them in kennels and catteries for a week would be so expensive that it would make it impossible.  That was where I came in.  Irene thought it would be much cheaper, and less worry to them, if I lived in their house while they are away for a week.  They have provided all the food I need and are paying me enough to have my hair cut and permed next week.  So how could I refuse such an offer?

The dogs are 15yr and 14 yr old Mother and Son and look like a smaller version of Lassie.  They are called “Penny” and “Sandy”.  The cats are both black.  Irene’s cat has long fur and is called “Tiglet”and Paula’s cat has short fur and is called “Whicky” (originally Whiskas).  When I arrived on Saturday I was full of confidence and thought “I’ll have no problems with the cats because I am a cat person, but I’ll have to work on the dogs” ….HOWEVER, Pride comes before a fall, as they say, and in the event I had made friends with the dogs by bedtime but the two cats treated me with great suspicion and would only eat their food if I vacated the kitchen.  As soon as they saw me they ran out into the garden.  It was quite a blow to my morale, yet I should have realised this would happen because that is the nature of cats; they are very independent creatures and, in fact, it is this very part of their nature that appeals to me – they are not so easily fooled as dogs!  If you speak lovingly to a dog and give it a special titbit then it thinks you are his friend, whereas you have to earn the trust of a cat.  Needless to say, we are all getting on all right now and my self-confidence has returned on this matter.  In fact, Tiglet actually slept with me last night and woke me up at 2:15am to play!  I did ask her if she was usually allowed to do this but she was delightfully non-committal – in fact it did cross my mind she would have made a good Politician!  As Irene said she sleeps in the kitchen at night I rather doubted that she was allowed to wake people up to play in the middle of the night, but obliged her anyway.  She is so gorgeously fluffy it would have been very difficult to refuse anyway.  At the moment it is “Whicky” who is upstairs on the bed.  I saw him when I went up to fetch a notebook and pen so I guess Tiglet must have telling tales about our “escapade in the Dorm” last night.  (You can never trust a female to keep her mouth shut on such matters!).  The dogs come up as well and sleep by the side of the bed so it feels like a real home from home.

Irene and Roy took an enormous risk leaving me here like this.  Their home is a little Palace, everything looks shining bright and brand new – even though they’ve been here a few years now – so letting me loose on the place shows either a great faith in me – or, more likely, a great ignorance of me!

I shall get the hoofer and duster out and leave everything clean and tidy for when they get back on Sunday teatime.

The bathroom has been done out very nicely – tiles floor to ceiling in shaded green tiles with everything else matching.  There is even a telephone fixed to the wall over the bath!  I have had a bath every night but no one has phoned.  It would be fun to say “I am in the bath”.

*****

The holiday was a complete success at Welling, both for myself and the holidaying family. They were pleased with how the animals looked on their return that I have been given “a job for life” if I want it – so in future when I am in the company of some of my snobbish friends who are boasting of their holidays abroad I shall be able to throw into the general conversation that I shall be staying at my villa in Welling as usual this year!

This is beginning to expand slightly, and strangely without any pushing on my part.  For instance, tonight I just happened to mention to my friend Hazel at Biggin Hill, during a phone conversation, that I’d been at Welling for a week – and I only mentioned this because Hazel has a daughter living in Plumstead.  Well, the upshot was, Hazel has shown great interest in, what she mistakenly calls my enterprise, and has asked if I would like a holiday at Biggin Hill when she and the daughter lives at home go away.  I said I would like that, so am waiting now for Barbara to get her holiday dates to see if I am available at that time.  I have informed Hazel that I am already booked for the frits three weeks of September and I’m waiting to hear from Irene’s dates for her second holiday, so Hazel has said she will book me as soon as she knows the date.

If I am not careful this could develop into a small business and it would go against the grain if I were to become one of Mrs T’s successes!! It would send me into political confusion at the very least! (written with tongue in cheek!).

Hazel and Barbara are moving next year – she did tell me where, but I’ve forgotten already – it is wherever the Prudential are moving to.  Anyway, Hazel also suggested another possibility when that happens – of a holiday exchange.  Me going to stay in their new home for a week and looking after their animals whilst Hazel and Barbara stay in Sundorne looking after mine; that way she can holiday with her daughter in Plumstead, and I can travel and see the world in whatever area they move to.

Grace Russ - 9th June 1988