And on the other side of things hubby and I were renters for years because we didn't make enough money to put a down payment on a house in Toronto's very expensive market. We took exceptional care of the properties we occupied and always contacted the landlords the minute something needed to be addressed. Hubby did a lot of small repairs himself and I even bought appliances on behalf of one landlord. I also planted and tended gardens in both rental properties that had backyards. Not all renters are evil people trying to cheat their landlord or damage the property. Like everything in life there are good and bad people out there.

Dagmar

Yes, there are good renters. When I was renting, I was one. I did a lot of improvements--even installed a garage door opener in one property. The landlord paid for the machine and bought me a power drill, which I still have.

I hope you didn't take the "bad renter" stories personally, Dagmar. We all know that there are good people and bad people.

The loss of a house to renter damage, however, was not a good experience for my parents. We were not rich people, we were working class. My dad thought that rental property was a path to more money, but it mostly just meant a second full-time job for him at lower pay. Oh, and once that house was condemned, we lost any possible rental income from it, but there were still expenses like property tax to be paid.

I didn't take it personally JayEll. I just wanted to point out that there are two sides to renting. I rented the ground floor of a house a long time ago and the tenant in the basement was pretty awful. Our landlord, who had the second floor of the house, was able to do very little to evict her. When she finally did leave he had a lot of damage to fix before he was able to rent the apartment out again. There have also been accounts of renters who go out of their way to defraud landlords and again there's very little that the landlord can do about it in Ontario. I have also lived in houses where all the tenants were responsible ones. One rarely hears about them.

Dagmar

Off to my first lengthy dog sit since winter 2019. It's a beautiful house on the Scarborough bluffs. I can sit in the living room and have a gorgeous view of the lake and sky. Kinda like going to the cottage without the 4 hour drive. The pets are "easy" older ones. I will miss my pets - 2 cats at the sit so Holly can't come along - but I really need a break from my household.

The pandemic taught me to enjoy each day as it comes. I will not drink at the pet sit - a tradition of mine that's gone now - so I won't have any "down" days due to lack of sleep. I also plan to not overindulge in cookies, which have been my go-to to cope with stress and anxiety during the pandemic.

16 days. I can do this.

Dagmar

Dagmar, I really like how you sound in this post! You seem to have a very solid frame of mind. It sounds like a lovely, relaxing venue!

I know exactly what you mean by needing a break from your household I feel that way when I'm craving a pet-free backpacking trip. It's hard though. We know our animals miss us, even though our spouse takes good care of them. I've been doing daily training sessions with the big GSD x Malinois that we found a year ago April. He's the one I feel most guilty about leaving, because DH just can't give him the same amount of attention I do, and he needs human interaction more than anything. He's finally coming around with the R+ training and he's so much more attentive. When left in his yard, he chases his tail whenever he gets excited. He can't be loose in the house because of the cats.

I did my longest hike of the year yesterday, about 14 miles. My new knee did great but my foot was very sore at the end and talked to me during the 2 hour drive home, despite ibuprofen I think the long downhill on the return hike made the scarred tendon work too hard. I'm going to ask the foot doctor about trying laser therapy.

Not doing so well at the pet sit re snacking in the evening. Frustration mostly. I have a very functional house and I can never understand why people with a great deal of money don't get things fixed or replaced when they are broken.

Dagmar

Ouch for the snacking issue, Dagmar, it's a challenge.

I do hope you got a chance to see the pictures from the new Webb telescope; they're just unbelievable.

And, as a Canadian poster on our Beck thread reminded us, they're seen through "Canadian Eyes" because the Canadian Space Agency built the instruments that record the incoming light. So, please accept my gratitude to Canada for such stellar work.

Bill, I am just in awe of the Webb images!! I know it was a nerve-wracking process to get the telescope up there in working order. I kept my fingers crossed for days! I'm so delighted that it is a success!!!!

Dagmar, sending some determination your way! Snacking is a hard habit to control because it does relieve stress.

DH has Covid. We have avoided it until now. He rode with his friend 2 hours each way on Sunday to play golf in Ventura, and the friend was positive on Monday night. So far I'm still okay (DH's symptoms started Tuesday night). It's such a pain to have to mask in my own house! Fortunately, I can hang out in our new building It's my dog training studio and workshop, and I'd rather not have to spend most of my time there, but it's better than Covid! DH got Paxlovid which he started taking an hour ago. I told him it was recommended he stop taking his cholesterol meds while on Paxlovid. He said "Well, the doctor didn't tell me that, and I'm not going to do it just on your say-so!" So I showed him in the tiny print on the drug leaflet, and I showed him on a drug interaction site. And I said "You have too much faith that your doctor knows about the drug interactions." This is the same doctor that didn't notice how high DH's A1C was for THREE YEARS despite blood work every 6 months! A PA finally noticed at one appt.

Bill and Alice, I LOVE the images coming back from Webb! Just amazing!

Dagmar, I hope your snacking is getting back under control. As for the broken things at the house sit--it could be that some people who seem to have money are actually broke. Or, maybe they are working so much they have no time. I don't know, of course. Our dishwasher broke right as the pandemic shutdown was starting, and there was no way to get a replacement. Took us two years to deal with it! Meanwhile, it turns out we knew how to do the dishes by hand.

Alice, so sorry that your DH has the virus. Does he often play the "doctor card" when you try to tell him stuff about health? I hope he gets better soon and you can forego the mask.

The days when doctors knew all about someone's health history, medications, and test results are pretty much gone. I find that I have to review things at every appointment. I can assume nothing. I always take a folder with my most recent test results because sometimes the information just did not get passed along to my doc!

Alice I hope your husband has a mild case with no complications or after effects and that you can avoid getting it all together.

Bill I accept your thanks for the Webb on behalf of Canada.

We got some not so good news last night in our household. I was rubbing Holly's tummy and felt a lump. Given her late spay and having had litters of pups and the location of the lump I'm pretty apprehensive about a mammary tumour. Can't do anything but fret until tomorrow and then call the vet and go from there.

Holly seems quite undisturbed and was frollicking around with her new bestie on our nature walk this morning. I managed to go back to the pet sit last night and NOT eat and drink my face off. I did have a good cry - confused the heck out of the pets at the sit - and then went to bed.

Trixie survived her tumour and we had 5 great years with her after her surgery. Hoping for the same for Holly if she also has cancer.

Dagmar

Dagmar, I'm sorry you have the anxiety of Holly's lump :-( And I'm sending all my benign vibes to you and her! The one female I had with mammary tumors lived a long time after diagnosis, but it's always better to not have that!

Still really hot here (where isn't it??), But I got up to high elevation yesterday and had a nice hike with my new pickleball/hiking friend. I discovered that she's more of a tourist-style hiker than I am, and afraid of trails that I consider super easy. For instance a narrow trail with a couple of rocks to step up made her freeze in terror and we had to turn back. But she's my age, in good shape, and delightful company, so I'll invite her again when I want to hike an easy main trail to someplace.

My DH is getting better, although he still tested positive Tues night. I am still negative. But I think Covid is coming for all of us.

"But I think Covid is coming for all of us". Very ominous phrase Alice.

I think I had a big panic attack about what is going to be nothing re Holly's lump. Pretty sure it's her "keyhole spay" scar. Taking her in on Monday - pet sit finally ends Sunday - to make sure and getting the vet to look at a couple of other issues she came with that should be fixed in the future.

This is the first pet sit ever in 26 years where I have not had any alcohol at all. I never get wailed but usually I do have a couple of beers on one of the weekend nights. Not any more. I've found a really good non-alcoholic beer that comes in several flavours and I have been having one of those after work when I sit and cool down/gather myself for dinner prep.

I'm not sleeping well at the sit - cat on my head explains a lot - so not having the alcohol further disrupt things seemed like a good plan.

Dagmar

Dagmar, I'm glad you thought of a simple and happier explanation for Holly's lump! I'll still be keeping my fingers crossed!!

What, a cat on your head doesn't help you sleep?? I don't drink, so it isn't a factor in my sleep, but I applaud you for abstaining during your pet sit! I know people who say they can't sleep without a drink to relax, but I have read that overall it has a negative effect on sleeping well. I was having a problem with foot pain keeping me awake, but I've resumed my daily anti-inflammatory and it solved the problem. I sure was hoping to get off the medicine but until my foot decides to cooperate with the plan, I'm resigned to needing it.

We are finally covid-free in the household again. I never got it, amazingly. I think it's because we directed all the air through the "covid room" (bedroom) and out the open window in that room. If we had air-conditioning instead of the big evaporative cooler on the roof, it probably wouldn't have worked as well. The big roof fan blows air in and pressurizes the house. All other windows were closed, and a couple of additional fans directing the air through the bedroom door did the trick! I also wore a mask.

Yay for COVID free by controlling air flow. Good to be reminded that common sense works even in epidemics.

Just got pinged by the news that the WHO declares monkeypox is now a global health emergency. Just keeps coming.

Ingenious! I don't know of anyone using evaporative coolers here- A/C is the norm - because of the humidity. I did look them up and I can totally see how they would be very effective in desert climate. Thank you Alice. I just learned something new. I also read about how A/C works. It was another "magic box" until now.

Dagmar