musical houses

Move one house to the right when the music stops. Or so it seems.

Two years ago we were planning a house sit www.trustedhousesitters.com with a cat, Allison and her husband in one of my favorite cities-Edinburgh. It turned into a house swap with our place in Argelès-sur-mer...but then I was diagnosed with cancer. No need for them to cancel, since my treatment would be in Geneva and the Southern France apartment, which we call The Warren, would be free.

I would have preferred Edinburgh to the chemo rooms at the hospital, but the chemo worked.

Since then, whenever they went away they told us we could use their place. Finally the dates matched and we arrived Sunday night to their extremely homey house. They are in the States but their charming son met us, and showed us where things were. We are planning on four weeks here.

Meanwhile we had thought about getting a dog and asked our friends Barbara and Don, who house sit all over the world if they would sit for us. They had planned to be in Argelès anyway. We didn't get the dog, but suggested they house sit anyway, which worked out well because the mink (red blanket) we ordered a lifetime ago and had given up on-to a point we had the credit card company back off payment-arrived.

However, Don and Barbara were coming slightly earlier, so we suggested they stay in The Nest. The studio, two doors down which I had planned for retirement. As a single person, its fine but is too small for a couple long term...fine for a romantic week or so.

They arrived, settled in The Nest for a few days then moved down to The Warren, the two bedroom flat where we live about half the year, the morning we left.

Meanwhile a friend from high school, Lee, who has been planning to visit for years said she finally had the time. It would be while we were away. She had combined a multi-week stop as part of another trip. She was slated into The Nest while we were gone. Mega disappointment because I would have loved to spend time with her.
 
Our house sitters  to the rescue. I have no worries that they will all get along famously. Since they've sit cats, dogs, chickens and horses, a friend sit would be easy. Lee doesn't need to be walked and fed is optional. She cleans up after herself.

After Lee leaves and we get back, Don and Barbara will go back to The Nest until they move on to their next house sit.

Hopefully we will all live happily ever after.

There will be a quiz on who is where when.