It wasn't any exotic location in
the South Seas, not a Caribbean tropical island or a ski week in Quebec...it
was 8 days on 23-acres of gently rolling landscape in the Region of Niagara
along a paved road. The property is a 'post-card-vision' of a comfortable red
brick ranch home...a separate double garage...evergreens and deciduous
trees...all accenting the property. A
place to call 'home' with acres to roam backing on Chippewa Creek. Often deer are seen prancing
the snowy terrain. Sounds idyllic?
This is where my daughter,
son-in-law and grandson live. They are away on a group vacation with 6 other
family kin...and I'm here to 'house-sit' and be a 'Mother Hen' to 3 orange and
white tabbies, an Australian shepherd dog and an aquarium of fish. This is my 'family vacation' for a
week.
On Christmas Day, I spent with
the human family and 3 days prior to Feb. 8th, came for my
'orientation care' of house and pets. It's back to the country, akin to my
parents' farms in Brant County. Today,
there are no cows to milk...no gardens to plant or harvesting for daily
food...no gathering of eggs from the chicken coop...no horses to drive...no
tractor, binder or plough to tend the
fields.
It was a wintery day when I
arrived, wary of freezing rain, blowing winds and icy roads. Parking in the
driveway, loud barking from the house welcomed me. Wiley
greeted me with more 'barking hellos'
and soon calmed down with a milk-bone-biscuit...and we are suddenly
'buddies'! So for a week, I am enriched
with Wylie (the Australian shepherd...a herd dog). He's frequently out daily for his run and
returning with a bark at the front door to re-enter. He craves for attention
(to which I give plenty); he misses his family and like a built-in-timer,
mid-afternoon he watches through the dining room window for the school bus to
arrive with my grandson. When that doesn’t occur, he wants OUT...rolls in the
snow and then sits up facing east from where the bus should come. His eyes,
very intelligent looking and uniquely two-toned… brown on the outer sides and pale-bluish
shade on the inner. He's very observant and very gently tolerates the felines.
Watching a special on TV about
sledding in Northern Ontario with several Huskie dog teams, Wylie became most
vocally communicative, barking with these dogs...so excited he was viewing
them! Other breeds seen by him on TV, he'd aggressively bark...chasing them
away. Good Dog! During the day, he
sprawls at my feet…reclines on any chesterfield or love-seat…or sits upright at
the front door for ‘out’.
When offering him a doggie
milk-bone, he'd take it and lay down to chew upon it. Following 2 times only,
I'd asked him to sit prior to acceptance...Wiley, thereafter, automatically sat
on cue to obtain the treat...whether milk-bone or tartar-bone treat. At night,
when the lights go out, he wanders down the hall to the master bedroom awaiting
entry to find his overnight position on the carpet (usually beside my
daughter's side of the bed) or at the foot by the doorway.
If I had the energy and physical
ability, I'd be out daily for the fresh air exercise! I'm certain he'll welcome his human family
home…due on Sunday.
And now for the felines: All rescue cats, they are orange and white
tabbies and appear to represent three generations ~ grandfather Mr. Floyd, son Magic and Chevy
the grandson! I comment here that the
comparison between these four animals and having 4 human children at home is
amazing in that all have varying personalities which call for independent
attention.
Mr. Floyd: A rescue cat originally from the SPCA, he was
given to my daughter by a friend. Now 19
years old, he’s a Four-Pawed Senior Cat Citizen! A bit bony, he’s lost some of his ginger-coloured hair; his
stripes are still visible on sides, legs and tail…beautifully marked with large
white moustache and chest, a white stocking and 3 socks. He’s well preserved and happily content…walks
with dignity and determinately with each forward paw and manages to play
occasionally with the other tabbies. Sitting, he’s very regal and poses with
front legs and paws erectly together and glances around with an ‘air of wisdom’
in that cat head of his. He reminds me
of Grizabella from the musical Cats. Due
to health issues, he has four small tins per day of Purina Fancy Feast with
special meat and gravy aromas. Then he
flakes out…in sun rays on the dining area floor…a small child-size leather
armchair…on the carpet near a floor radiator…or his favourite, a deep
leopard-patterned cushion in a quiet dark corner.
Magic: Located below their
deck one day, my daughter rescued him. He’s a real recluse that claims the
basement his ‘home hangout’. He’s seldom seen with the rest of his family. Ten or 12 years old, he has a medical problem
that has caused great weight gain…often referred to as Fat Cat. I didn’t see Magic
until Wednesday evening when he waddled over to me, rubbing against my legs…his
habit is to appear in the middle of the night, climb the stairs and wander to
the dining area, leap to the table for his prescribed nibble food. Surprisingly, he hung around to play with the
other tabbies and with the red laser lights I beamed on the floor for him to
chase. Then he flopped down to rest his orange/white body. He’s a charming ‘loner’ who, to my thinking,
was being hospitable with his guest…me!
Chevy: In the Fresco parking lot of a large plaza,
my daughter and a friend discovered him late last fall wandering alone…about
the size of a 5 or 6 week old orange and white kitten. They rescued him and named him after my
daughter’s car. On Christmas Day I met
this bright-eyed ‘kitten’ with big green eyes whose fur is caramel and
ivory/white. He’s extremely playful, frisky and friendly, now about 8 or 9
months old (according to the Vet)…looking like a mature ‘teenager’. He’s
mischievous and full of discovery antics. He’ll tear paper, unwind the bathroom
tissue and play with bootlaces. He’s so
lucky to have been rescued! He gets
special ‘Kitten niblets’ for healthy growth.
Mr. Floyd and Chevy’s feeding stations are on the end of a side kitchen
counter. To assist Floyd, there’s a
soft-seated chair upon which he can first jump to reach his food and water.
To satisfy Chevy’s taste buds, he gets a small forkful of Mr. Floyd’s special diet. Chevy can be found wherever mischief will take him…playing in an open
drawer among clothing…playing with a toy attached to the scratching
post…stretched out asleep atop any chesterfield…snuggled on a person’s lap…even
a hidden niche. At night time, he’ll enjoy the privileged place between the bed
pillows of the adult bed.
The fish in the large aquarium
are the most passive…large black angel fish(?) with spreading fins and several
smaller fish swimming in tropical seawater.
I feed them mornings and at dinner time.
Chevy often sits and gleefully watches…and tries to paw-reach them as
they float through the water.
My ‘vacation days’ with this
family is high-lighted by the 'hotel-meal-menu selection’ provided me in the
refrigerator…meat sauce for spaghetti, a full chicken dinner sufficient for
two, chili-con-carne, large container of chicken soup, ham dinner, makings of
salads with dressing choices, etc. Drinks include pure pomegranate/blueberry
juice, lemonade or bottled water. For tea, I can boil water or operate their Keurig coffee machine for specialized
brews by Van Houtte.
I just need …a maitre-de…with a selection of wines!
How fortunate is this
menagerie of fins and four-footed pets!
Each a loved family
member…living in a pampered family environment.
Perhaps it’s the
quaint little quilted house labeled...“My
Home” over the entrance
…with a long corded
attached toy.
Merle Baird-Kerr…penned February 16, 2015
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