Hanging out with the critters

Yes I am petsitting... For a dog, cat and guinea pig. It's been interesting to say the least. However I love animals and it's nice to have them in my life again even for just a short time. I did petsitting for nearly five years - I started six weeks after I lost my beloved doggie in 2005. The first gig was rather sad as I kept calling the dog by my dog's name and then getting all teary....but I've looked after some great animals and well some not so great....or should I word it nicely and just say unforgettable! I think I could write a book on that chapter of my life! When I gave up my car it made pet sitting a bit more difficult and then when I started working temporary full time it just made it almost impossible. The two year break has been good and not sure I am keen to pursue the local petsitting thing on a regular basis...

The long term plan is to do some "long distance" petsitting. I am hoping to take care of a friend's dog in Chicago this fall...a way to see my friends before and after their trip, hang out with a very sweet dog and also explore Chicago at my leisure. I sure hope it works out. I am hoping with my network of friends worldwide to get into this more and more and hopefully for longer stretches of time once I finally stop working. (whenever that will be...) A way of hanging out with animals and experiencing North America and hopefully Europe/England like a native...

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A walk from Westminster to St Paul's Cathedral

I have decided to put the Thames Path on hold until I am back in London next month and we have more Spring like weather...I will be going into a more rural area that is prone to flooding as well. I am staying at about five miles maximum a day as well...my knees and feet have been giving me major grief so I am not pushing myself. However that doesn't mean I don't want to walk. One of my favourite British Walking Federation walks is one that starts at Westminster tube station and covers 10km to St Katherines Docks just east of the Tower of London. Yesterday I walked as far as St Paul's and will do the rest of the walk in the next couple of days. Normally I do this entire 10 km walk my first day in London but not this time... So here are some of the highlights along the way....what a gorgeous day it was. A different view of Big Ben Can you believe this was my first time on Parliament Square Another hero on Parliament Square Classic ...

The Colourful houses of Mazatlan, Mexico

Well this isn't even Throwback Thursday and I am reminiscing about my (all too short) week in Mazatlan, Mexcico in January of 2010. It was one of my best holidays EVER. I stayed in a delightful little hotel called La Siesta which was on the waterfront in the central part of town.(known as centro) overlooking the ocean. I walked around the town photographing buildings, ocean views, dogs....visited the Mercado, attended a fantastic Flamenco dance performance in the restored Teatro (theatre), toasted the sunset with a beer from my balcony every evening and ate at some wonderful restaurants. I also took a couple of day trips which were okay but my time in Mazatlan overshadowed anything else I did. My one foray into the Gold (tourist) Zone left me horrified and scampering back to my beloved Centro. And did I mention I did this as a solo trip? Mexico has had a lot of bad press lately and while there ARE bad things going on there I still believe the average...

Cowboys and Outlaws in the Big Muddy of Saskatchewan

One of the (very) few advantages of being stuck at home during this pandemic has been an opportunity to see more of my home province of Saskatchewan. Last summer and fall not only did I do a couple of day trips with friends but I took four day tours with Engelheim transport, a local Regina company. I have to admit my favourite day out was the "Big Muddy Valley and Outlaws" tour. While I had been to the Big Muddy previously many years back I was eager to revisit and learn more of its history. So in early October, I hopped on board and off we went. The bus is only booked to half capacity so it was easy to social distance, hand gel was a must each time we boarded the bus, masks were required when you got on and off the bus and in any buildings we visited. I felt totally safe and oh my, it was so good to have an adventure!! Despite the name the Big Muddy isn't a big huge puddle of mud but a valley of badlands that were formed from a glac...

Restless Prairie Girl

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