House-Sitter, Critter-Sitter

I housesat for a week for friends of mine. Childhood friends who've recently moved to Calgary. Otherwise .... I'd had said no.

I was "mom" to a chocolate lab, a black cat, 10 gold fish and 2 ....

are you ready for this .... ?

2 guinea pigs.

yup. you heard me right. guinea pigs.

I was so flippin' nervous when I got there. Their gross little beady eyes looking up at me, in their little cage making those horrific noises that sounds like mice.

The first time I had to feed them was traumatic. I must say. I was shaking a little. And I was completely FREAKED out. I had to change their water which was in a tube on the outside of the cage and had a spout that poked into the inside of the cage.

And - of course, the little metal thing that held the tube fell out and I had to fiddle with it to hook it back into the rungs in the cage. Took about a year, it felt like.

And the whole time, their little noses were poking around and I was literally, whimpering and shaking.

They didn't have to be fed for a few days because there was still food in the trough. But the morning I had to, I was so nervous because I had to actually put my hand in the cage and again their noses poking around my hand ...

They were in the front room, so I didn't have to see them much, but the very essence of them kept me creeped right out and I could hear them at night.

I'm a freakshow. But I was very proud of my accomplishments (not barfing, not letting them starve, not having a nervous breakdown) though still strongly holding a phobia to furry, fast things. (please see long-ago post titled, I believe "At least it wasn't a rat")

I was gone for 7 days, and was happy to see my own house and eat my own food. They had lots of good food and I ate lots of that good food. I don't have that kind of eats in my house because ... well, I eat that kind of stuff which goes against my cellulites religion!

So cheers to overcoming the impossible (just kidding) and cheers to sleeping in my own bed and to rib night tonight (speaking of cellulite).

My friend Stacey and her bf are hosting a rib, margarita and hottub night at his house. Should be fun. Should be interesting. They're all Italian. It'll make me miss Gord and Mo. And make me wish I had two stomachs. The ribs have been marinating for two days.

Peace yo!

L.