The Nanny

Austin is a special place....oh, for many reasons, of course, but the once I'm thinking of is the great number of people with advanced degrees who are working as house cleaners, waiters and waitresses, astrologers, and nannies. (It always amazes me when I meet people in well positions who would never, by any stretch of the imagination, be the brightest crayon in the box.)

Well, you'd think that it would not require a whole lot of intelligence to be a cat sitter, wouldn't you? Even with cats as smart as mine, it shouldn't be a problem....should it?

The problem was my logic. I thought that someone who had raised her children to responsible adulthood, who had herself had pets all her life, and who was, in fact, a professional pet sitter who also held a responsible day job would be smart enough to be left with responsibility for my cats and home. It works until there is an emergency. Because of the incompetency of my cat/house sitter, my week away last year was a week from hell.

And, so it came to pass that I had to find someone else. I can't say that I've done this any better....references are not truthful!....but, I've done it differently. Rather than thinking about this person as a "cat sitter", I am thinking of her, and calling her, A Cat Nanny. (And, by extension, she is also my home's Nanny!). I am hoping by doing so I have impressed on the person her responsibility for the emotional and physical welfare of my fur children when I go to Africa for two weeks.

I interviewed several people and, as much as I hated my indecision, I just didn't feel like I could say "yes" of them. They were all likable people, but something was "lacking".

And, then someone responded whose response sounded sane and friendly...not too short and not too long, no extraneous information. Consistent.

I had her come here to interview and my 3 boys approved. Issey curled up in her lap, Rudy kissed the back of her neck, and Santino wove in and out of her legs. I watched her melt . She does not have an advanced degree like some of the other applicants, but I'll think she'll work out. :-) After all, it's the boys who really hired her.