Page Forty-Nine.
The most taxing experience I ever had house-sitting was in the late-90's. It was summertime and I was staying in a large, Tudor, 1920's, regal Shaker Heights mansion. I'd been the house-sitter/dog-sitter for a few years. They had one dog, a Portuguese Water Dog named Captain and a little, grey, fur-ball kitty named Smokey. They were very pleasant animals and I enjoyed them very much.
I was there for two weeks and during the course of those fourteen days, the dryer broke, the alarm system broke and the brand new high-end CD changer broke. I just couldn't believe it. I called the dryer repair guy and he came out and explained, "these things happen". It was a belt or something along those lines. The alarm system broke in the off position, thank heaven's for little things. The homeowners took care of that when they got home. The entire system needed to be replaced as it broke down simply because it got old. Who knew that those things deteriorate and need replacement just like anything else? And, as it turned out, the homeowners insisted that the CD changer was fine, they thought that I simply pressed a wrong button. It worked great for them when they got home.
I still watch that home. I think it's been nineteen years, I should ask them. Neither Captain nor Smokey are still with us. Now, it's two different Portuguese Water Dogs: Xerxes and Valentine and no kitty. Recently, they purchased a winter home down south. So, for the last couple of years, I've also been the winter care-taker, visiting the home regularly and making sure it's still standing. (I sometimes fantasize that I'm Jack Nicholson in The Shining when I'm there.) But, whenever family vacation time comes around, I move in and hope to God that nothing major (or minor) breaks down. They already have me booked for spring 2014.
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