After leaving North Bay, the past week seemed to be one crisis after another. Our initial plan involved visiting friends in southern Ontario, but the blizzard brought that idea to a screeching halt. Our next course of action was to drive to Peterborough so we'd be close to our next housesitting gig, but that changed as well when we got stranded in Gravenhurst due to the white out conditions and highway closures.
Once we arrived at the farm we imagined the remainder of the week would be smooth sailing, but even that changed as we had to make yet another quick trip to south-western Ontario. We arrived back at the farm Friday afternoon, exhausted from all the driving and turmoil, but since then things seem to have settled down. Yay!
Sunday we met with the homeowners for a tour of their home. They also introduced us to their neighbors, a lovely couple, Pete and Lorraine, who own property in Elliot Lake! Talk about a small world. We felt an immediate connection and soon learned we have mutual friends who belong to the Coureur de Bois hiking group. And while this shouldn't come as a shock, John and Pete have already arranged to go kayaking on Ten Mile Lake next summer.
Me thinks I just met Paddle Boy #2!
After a delightful afternoon and delicious lunch we returned to the farm to spend one last evening with our friends. Then, on Monday afternoon our hosts drove to the airport and we began our next house and pet sitting assignment. Before we even got settled in I checked my email and was thrilled to receive this lovely testimonial from our North Bay hosts.
"I had heard about housesitting services from a client of mine but never thought it would be something I would consider. Our new puppy had put a hitch in our travelling so we decided to give it a try. Dianne and John agreed to a weekend test run to help put my anxiety at ease. Everything went great so back they came for 6 weeks while my husband and I gallivanted around Mexico.
Dianne's blog updates with photos of Keegan, and email correspondence reinforced we'd made the right choice. They collected our mail, snow blowed our long drive way, and kept the house just as I had left it. Most important they treated our dog like a little prince, with loving care. So much so that he moped around and hardly ate for 2 days after they left. I think he was depressed. It's wonderful how strangers come into your lives through unusual ways and become great friends.
If you want a stress free getaway and need help at home, Dianne and John are perfect for the job!"
Deborah W, Ontario
Deborah W, Ontario
Thanks, Deb. Your kind words and support mean the world!
So, what's on for the next couple of weeks? Well, we'll do a little exploring around the Havelock area. We'll also get together again with Pete and Lorraine, but mainly we'll stay close to home with Holly and Maya.
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| Maya, the beagle, and Holly, chilling out together. |
The home is situated on the Crowe River and John's already spotted four deer when he took the dogs for a walk late yesterday afternoon.
We'd been told Maya might want to sleep on our bed, but we didn't expect Holly to jump up between us! She wasn't there very long, however, and Maya never once bothered to enter the bedroom. I think Holly was just a little anxious (she's a rescue dog), and I'm certain we'll get the sleeping arrangements all sorted out in a day or two.
Anyway, we're quickly settling into our Havelock home, and enjoying the peace and serenity, as well as the warmer temperatures.
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