Every time I've wailed to the Resident Fan Boy about the latest house-sitting frustration over my past nine Persephone-returns-to-Demeter summers, he has calmly responded: "At least you're miserable in Victoria."
He's right, of course. This newest house-sit has been a particular challenge. The owners have clearly never had a house-sitter before and I've been given a rather daunting list of do's and don'ts, which, although guidelines are welcome, have made me feel somewhat like an interloper. (I'm not to sleep on the husband's bed. I'm only to use the computer for emails. I'm asked to knock down any wasps' nests I see.) I'm keeping in mind that these people have had an extremely stressful year, and using my own judgment on what I will do or won't do. It's not like they're paying me to do this...
However, Hades is sweltering under a prolonged heat wave. A 44 humidex last week (that means the humidity made the temperature feel like 44 degrees Celsius). A 38 humidex this week. Tornados within 60 kilometres of Ottawa last night. This past week, the temperatures in Victoria have been hovering between highs of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. The air smells like the sea. Red-tailed hawks have been doing mating circles high above the house at sunset.
Yes, I'm stressed. It's a huge house and I'm learning how to take care of it. But I'm in Victoria. And since I'm planning to ignore the stricture about e-mails only on the computer, I hope to do a bit more blogging...
And no, I won't be knocking down any bloody wasps' nest. Sheesh...
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