MY OTHER OCCUPATION

I forgot to mention another small occupation. Other than child care work, I also do house sitting. Now, I am inclined to be a bit obsessive when I take care of other peoples goods, be it children, animals or material possessions. I pride myself on making sure that everything is in its exact place for the family when they return, and try not to leave any trace of myself, a stranger, having been in their space. However, some of the houses I have 'sat' are in such a mess when I get there, that I am not even sure where I am supposed to sleep. I am sorely tempted to clean up and tidy the whole house, but I hesitate in case the family thinks I am trying to 'make a statement', which is not my intention. I usually end up making a small space for myself and just clean the kitchen and bathroom. After all, if the family is comfortable living in chaos, which to them may be organised chaos, who am I to criticise?The people living there are generally down to earth and very happy, so maybe having a more relaxed attitude towards housekeeping is the way to go. Most homes are beautiful and well kept, usually with full time staff keeping everything in pristine condition. It is such a pleasure to be there and some families are more than generous, offering me carte blanche, to help myself to whatever I need. My prime duty is to take care of the animals, and I have attended to sick cats, bitches in heat, dogs with epilepsy, small untrained puppies and a few very uncontrollable animals who really need Cesar to come and sort them out! It is an interesting way of life, and I meet a lot of great people.