In summer they love to sit here in the sun room on the lookout!
Mr and Mrs Mitchell (that's us - the human owners of the animals) moved to the beach on the East coast some 15 months ago, and haven't looked back since! We live in a bungalow appropriately named "Escape", behind the sand dunes which protect us from the occasionally fierce North sea! The good thing about a bungalow is we can use all the rooms, the rooms multi-task serving a variety of purposes, for example what would be the smallest bedroom is actually the wardobe room and cat has his own space in there too! Escape is down a private road (read - unmadeup road with horrendous dips)with many of the houses only being used in the summer! I am "40 something" and packed in office work as a Project Manager for Vodafone some years ago - again I haven't looked back since! Albeit, taken me a long time to find a new purpose and direction...I've been through a few crisises for which a fair bit of rehabilitation was required...I have learnt so much having to change my way of thinking and learn new behaviours. Which has put me in an advantageous position to now work with dogs and their owners to enhance compatability and improve behaviour. I love writing too so will be pursuing this as well. Simon, my husband (50 something), works away down south (well south of here!) during the week leaving me home alone...well not exactly home alone...the current animal count is as follows: 13 dogs;
1 cat (a rescued cat who noone wanted as he doesn't like people and shows it! He lives in a different part of the house, his hobby is teasing dogs by sitting outside at the window and sleeping - he's supposed to be an outdoor cat but I think he's retired!);
4 Rabbitts, currently - I bought 2 in the summer to keep the grass down, was told they were both females but clearly they weren't as 3 more appeared! The dad died recently but his son is taking over but hopefully he will get to be neutered at the vets before they reproduce again;
2 guinea-pigs, definately both boys!
1 Chicken, Henny - there were more but they free-ranged too far from the house and disappeared, shan't think too much about what happened next, lets just say this is a very rural area!
An aviary with both budgies and karakeets, which keep the English setters amused!
So on an average day there's a fair few chores to do! People ask isn't this hard work and do the dogs really all live in the house? - usually followed with a disapproving look! So "YES " and "YES"....but very rewarding when you see how happy they are! Reckon the disapproving look comes from people who think we must live in an untidy dirty environment with all these animals - well I can tell you this is far from the case - as far as it could be! Firstly, I love interioir design, surrounding myself with pretty comfortable furnishing and decor. Hygene is a must - else the animals would get ill, so the house is tidy - else things would go missing cortessy of one of the dogs, organised is essential else I'd never find anything, and clean - always using anti-bacterial cleaners and sofas have washable covers! Also, strange but true, I can't stand doggie smells - so amazingly the house doesn't pong of dogs...even visitors have commented on this and they're not just being polite! There are many tricks of the trade I employ - like no carpets just specialised hard wearing vinyl flooring (looks like tiling but easier to maintain), plug-in deoderisers and of course scented candles in the evenings!! Living at the beach helps - sand everywhere but not mud! And the dogs go in the sea so they smell salty and fresh! To sum up I am house-proud, but I don't spend all my time cleaning up, chores first thing and we're set for the day! I also have a wooden coffee table which has a pattern ingrained which resembles paw prints!
Out walking is the main theme for each day during the week, with long, wide and mostly empty beaches making for an enjoyable time. With the rest of my time spent studying dog pyschology, socialisng and chilling out cuddling with the dogs. Eddie loves wathcing dogs on TV with me, no surpirse her favourite show is "The Dog Whisperer" I just say "Cesar" and she's on my knee ready to watch...really! The walks along the beach are great in most weathers - gales not so good! A bit more demanding in the summer as there are a few tourists we have to avoid!
Then it's the weekend and Simon is home, he takes over walking the big dogs and I put the terriers through their paces! He's also head chef at Escape - so food is always better at the weekends!
We have a policy of "open house" here so the dogs can always get into the gardens, except the front where the cat and smaller animals are in charge! I mean who would try to break-in with this pack of dogs! I saw a sign the other day with a Dobey on it - "I can make the gate in 5 seconds...Can You" - that's our place!
I'd have the place full of animals if I could, but I do think deciding not to get a "cute" piglet last year was a good idea - it would have grown bigger than the Gt Dane!
The only plan is to add more chickens this year - only when the front garden area is fenced and foxproof!
Currently I don't drive so this makes rural living a bit tougher, I have to be very organised and do most things out and about at weekends when Simon brings the car home. This is going to change this year in the Spring...watch out Norfolk I'll be driving! Thank goodness for the internet and home delivery I say...sometimes Simon disagrees as it's easy access to shopping!!! Albeit where we are it's not broadband...so slow...very slow!
Why is it that appliances, electrical gadgets in particular, always go wrong during the week and yet behave themselves impecably at weekends...do they know Simon is away?!!
So I don't often get a day off chores....well you don't with animals...ever tried sitting around for a day with 13 pairs of eyes starring at you wanting a walk/food...! That said, they are not out today as galeforce winds and torrential rain coinciding with high tides making it too dangerous. Have offered them the garden but that does not hold any appeal ...the fire is crowded around instead!
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