Impending Travel Crisis

Didn't get through to Bill last night, and got no call from him (yet). This means that so far, I have no sitter for next Wednesday to the following Monday. What can I do? How can I go on the trip if I don't have that arranged?

Goddess, send me help now!

Backdated Line

---

Everything before this entry has been Backdated

---

Argh!!!!!!!

I posted the following to some friends of mine and also to a few local (Newcastle) mailing lists that I'm on:

I'm meant to be going away on a trip to Perth for a week (to attend Queer Collaborations), from tomorrow, Saturday 2nd, until the following Monday the 11th, when I finally get back late at night. Now here's the problem - the person I had lined up for house sitting can't do the WHOLE period - he can only do up until Wednesday the 6th. I only found out about this late Wednesday, and I've been trying to get a 2nd house sitter since, but with no success. I tried getting through to a friend called Bill last night, but with no luck.

Can you house-sit for me? My house is in Barnsley, in the Western suburbs of Newcastle, past Edgeworth, and near the freeway. It's serviced by a private bus company, so it is a bit more isolated than the middle of the city. I have a dog, two cats, and several ducks that need to be fed (and penned nightly for the ducks) and watched while I'm away.

If you can house sit for me (between the 6th and the 11th), please
PHONE ME TODAY (Friday 1st) on (02)4955 2919.

Don't send me an e-mail, as I'm currently "no-mail" for the trip, and will be off-line for the rest of the day so I get phone calls. I leave very early tomorrow, so after today is too late. If I CAN'T get a house sitter to fill the gap, then I CAN'T go. And if I can't go, then I really don't know what I will do!

So far, there hasn't been any positive response. I've had a couple of replies (via LJ - which I wouldn't have seen while I was off-line) but I can't blame friends and associates if I live in an out-of-the-way spot which has transport problems, and especially if they have their own commitments.

I wouldn't have spotted that without having an accident out the back. I fell over on a muddy slope. Didn't get hurt, but I did get filthy and upset. And then I discovered that the drain around the side of the house was broken and not draining properly. I only discovered that I was connected to the net because my e-mail client will do that automatically if it's left on, and guess who forgot to turn off her modem?

Argh! I can't handle this!

Normal Service has been Resumed

Gasp. I guess I flipped out with the last posting. Everything was just getting to me. I phoned jenny afterwards and she managed to talk me down a lot. Also, I sent another e-mail off (and hence am on-line again) to a good friend on the Central Coast. They have their own pet (a lizard) but I really do trust this person with my pets, and the house.

But I've also made a decision. If I can't find a reliable boarder within the next six months, I will...
...get rid of the ducks; and/or
...sell this place and move

Don't get me wrong, I do love my home, but it's location has meant that I've never had the guests and visitors I'd hoped for, and has caused me major problems when my car isn't working. With someone else here, I can cope, but with no one else it's just getting a bit much for me. If I only had Pegasus and the Cats, I could put them into kennels when I travel, but with the ducks, they still have to be looked after - apparently two local wildlife reserves might take them, so it's not as if I'm sending them to the butchers.

Saved!

Hurray -- I'm going, I'm going!

I finally got a call back from Bill. He's coming up Monday or Tuesday, and can house sit until I come back. Didn't hear from him until 9pm tonight, but that's OK. Now all I have to do, is pack, catch the right connections tomorrow, and fly to Perth.

See ya -- if you want to follow what happens at Queer Collaborations, just check out qc_diary -- I'll post when I can (there's no Internet at Mum's).

DATE	LAURA	SITTER	VISITORS
Friday 1st	Picks up Watson in afternoon	WATSON arrives
Saturday 2nd	Travels to Perth, arrives afternoon	WATSON
Sunday 3rd		WATSON
Monday 4th	QC 2005	WATSON
Tuesday 5th	QC 2005	WATSON BILL
Wednesday 6th	QC 2005	WATSON leaves BILL
Thursday 7th	QC 2005	BILL
Friday 8th	QC 2005	BILL
Saturday 9th		BILL
Sunday 10th		BILL
Monday 11th	Returns to Barnsley arrives Midnight	BILL	Cathy arrives Midday
Tuesday 12th	Tarot readings at 2nd Life
Wednesday 13th			Carol arrives sometime