Breaking into the sex while housesitting discussion to mention that I performed my first dance showcase in costume (gold is so NOT my color, but the costume itself was nice). I stunned my children (always good) and after the performance had a lovely older lady approach my teacher and me to ask if we were instructors.

Seeing as I was nearly swallowing my tongue, my instructor fielded that question. *snicker*

I had to ask my last housesitter to not smoke pot at my place.

We have a "no smoking" rule in the apt. and I had to bust one roommate on it a few months ago. Personally I could care less about a little weed, but since the rule isn't "no smoking except occasional weed" I figured I'd just keep things simple.

I always wash the sheets and the towels. Doesn't everyone?

Yep! That just makes good sense.

I don't, but that's honestly because the basement is the pit of hell, and I don't want to ask the housesitter to go down there if he doesn't need to. Also, I like washing sheets and towels and folding them when they're dry. I'm a freak.

ION, my back is tweak-y from WAY too much housecleaning yesterday and today. Like, scrubbing behind the toilet on my hands and knees, etc. But we're leaving for vacation Friday and our usual level of housekeeping is revolting, so we clean like there's a gun to our heads when we know the housesitter will be here.

We *could* just, y'know, actually adhere to a regular schedule of cleaning so that the once-a-year freakout baseboard-scrubbing, wall-scrubbing, behind-the-toilet-scrubbing frenzy didn't have to occur. But we are lazy slatterns.

Anyway, tweak-y back. Thank goodness for leftover flexiril.

I always wash the sheets and the towels. Doesn't everyone?

I know not everyone does, but I always will. I don't want to leave my sleep sweat on someone's sheets! Ew.

In terms of housesitting, so long as my house is clean and smells no worse than it normally does when I get home, I would rather live in blissful ignorance about anything else that has gone on in my absence. (Like drunk Wii Fitness, for example, though I was only bummed about the fact I wasn't THERE for that.)

Congratulations, Barb! I hope there were pictures. And that you'll share.

Yes, sj, that's what I meant--sometimes I forget you're not all in my head and don't follow my verbal shortcuts. "Wrap the mattress in one of those plastic covers" came out "plastic wrap the mattress," sorry. Should have been clearer.

Like drunk Wii Fitness, for example, though I was only bummed about the fact I wasn't THERE for that.

Well, yeah. I'm bummed myself, now, and it wasn't even my Wii (or my home).

I'd rather people didn't wash my sheets and towels. While it would be all kinds of nice for them to offer, I like having the washing and drying done my way. It's one of the side effects of living alone for 11 years.

Any house guests who wanted to dust the baseboards, however, would be handed a duster and thanked with a gin and tonic afterwards.

Heh, Steph, we are the same. Leaving on a trip always involves desperate last ditch cleaning, such as was not done since the last time we left on a trip. I am always elbow deep in dishes as the last thing we do before we go.

But I have to say it is worth it to have a housesitter, and to not have to worry about it. The first year we left our brand new house, the boy who came to cut the grass caught that the power was out and saved us a bunch of headache. So ever since then I've been happier to have someone keeping a close eye on the place. And of course this year I'm happy to have been able to make it available to the evacuees. (Who I think have been able to go home now, incidentally.)

So yeah, mild anxiety about what the housesitter might be getting up to vs. severe anxiety about whether or not the house is still standing, totally worth it.

Yes, sj, that's what I meant--sometimes I forget you're not all in my head and don't follow my verbal shortcuts. "Wrap the mattress in one of those plastic covers" came out "plastic wrap the mattress," sorry. Should have been clearer.

Happy to help. I love the plastic covers because they're also helpful in keeping dust out of the mattress. The plastic covers can just be wiped down. Also good when you move as often as I do to keep the mattress from getting wet in the rain, etc.

We *could* just, y'know, actually adhere to a regular schedule of cleaning so that the once-a-year freakout baseboard-scrubbing, wall-scrubbing, behind-the-toilet-scrubbing frenzy didn't have to occur. But we are lazy slatterns.

P'shaw. Housekeeper once a month. It's changed this lazy slattern's life!

Srsly, I only did it because of the "three roommates/one place" thing to avoid squabbling about who has done what... but it has spoiled me and I don't know if I could ever go back. Ever. She does the kitchen and the bathroom and the livingroom floor. In what's left of the three hours she does a "project"... the fridge, windowsills, garbage cans, whatev. I suppose in a house it would have to be four hours instead of three.

"Why don't you do this yourself, Trudy?" an entirely sane and reasonable person might ask? See above re: Lazy Slattern.

I always strip the sheets when I leave someone's house. It's been a while since that has been re: nookie, but I figure its a good policy in general.

But I have to say it is worth it to have a housesitter, and to not have to worry about it.

Yeah, on a short trip I'll use a dogwalker but more than a few days and someone stays here. I come home to a MUCH more relaxed pup after 10 days of housesitter than even 3 or 4 days of dogwalker. My new rule may be 4 days, actually -- I think it stresses her out more now that she's older.

ION, I woke up this morning with the strangest sensation. It wasn't unpleasant, just something was weeeeird. I realized I was lying flat on my back AND breathing. Last night I was bemoaning EVER feeling better and today I... am. ::knocks wood::

Boy, my doctor wasn't kidding when she said "You take the z pack for 5 days bit it takes 10 to work". This isn't modern medicine, this is Hogwarts shit. Day 9, still feel like ass. Day 10, wake up all frikkin better. Tired, but all better. ::runs around knocking wood wildly::

Happy Day Buffista Dads!