Springtime in Victoria is simply magical. The skies filled with dark clouds offer a complementary backdrop to the brightly colored flowers that litter the landscape. Daffodils, crocuses, tulips, camellias, and golden yellow gorse blossoms (that smell of coconut!) are a feast for the eyes and nose. It was as if the ornamental cherry trees decided to bloom just for me; the trees, filled with light pink snowy blossoms, seemed to say “Welcome! You’re going to love it here!” And I did.
As is typical of Spring, the rain was a frequent occurrence, but it didn’t dampen my enjoyment. I spent hours everyday, rain or shine, walking my sweet temporary pet, a 10-year-old black standard poodle. She and I often meandered along one of the several beaches within walking distance of the house. Just the mention of the word “walk” caused her to leap with joy. I soon found out that many of the beaches are covered with the most beautifully colored stones which made the artist in me leap for joy too. Each rock was a miniature abstract painting just waiting to be discovered.
It was on my beach walks, searching for these tiny works of art, that I realized I had become my grandmother. For most of her life, my grandma lived in a beach town in the Pacific Northwest and spent many drizzly afternoons walking along the beach, her poodle Teddy in tow, hunting for gorgeous pebbles polished by the ocean. Not a bad way to live if you ask me!
Duties:
– Care for 1 dog (included daily walks of 3+ miles)
– Gather mail
– Try to keep a fern and 2 orchids alive… my Achilles’ green thumb!
Unexpected Benefits and/or Realizations:
– Unlike California, Victoria is much more pet friendly (and bicycle friendly!) so I was surprised at all the places I could take my poodle pal.
– Location, location, location! There were so many parks, trails, neighborhoods, near the house that we never got bored on our walks; there was always something new for me to see and for her to smell.
Unexpected Events and/or Challenges:
– It’s always hard to know how a pet will react to their owners leaving. While outwardly calm and happy, this poodle’s hidden nervousness led to a bout of nausea one afternoon. This led to a somewhat stressful day cleaning carpets, rugs, and even my bedding. Poor baby 🙁
