Taking the easy way out(long)
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive May 2007:
Taking the easy way out(long)
If you didnt want to do something, would you just avoid it, or speak your mind?
Here is my dilema, ok..well I have already decided to look for other options.
I have 2 dogs. I am going on vacation in 3 weeks. I use to have a wonderful friend who took care of my dogs, but she has since moved away.
Boarding my dogs at a kennel is NOT an option.The other problem is that my one dog can jump a short fence, so I have to consider this on where she stays.
I have a doggie customer who I met about 1 1/2 yrs ago. The lady adopted a dog from our rescue group, and she was looking at my foster and another, decided on another. I got to know this lady, told her what I did(petsitting). In the last yr I have watched her dog about 4-5 times when she travels for business. She is a 51 yr old single lady(I think divorced). She is mostly deaf, wears a hearing aid. She has told me she takes it out when she is at home. She does not have an answering machine or voice mail. She has this red light thing on the wall that I suppoes flashes when the phone rings or doorbell rings.
Sometime in Mid april I watched her dog. I asked her if she would be interested in watching my two dogs. She said she would. The only thing she asked if they were housetrained, I said completely. I told her I would be in touch. Well I misplaced her phone number. I emailed her and asked her for her number. I told her that I was grateful that she wanted to watch them. When we first talked I asked if it would be ok if I brought them over for a sorta playdate so my dogs would know where they would be going ahead of time. She said that was fine. So she returns my email a few days later, gives me her phone number, and tells me how she would like the doggie playdate to be in May sometime(this was April)that she was doing some yard work and needed to repair some fence panels. I wrote back and said I would be in touch in May.
Well I called her for the first time on Thursday, no answer. I called again On Friday and Saturday. Normally I never call somebody that much, but she has no answering machine and no cell phone. I do not know if she has caller ID. I even emailed her asking if she was ok. Well it was a holiday weekend, so should "could"of been out of town. Then I think, if she was, why didnt she ask me to watch her dog? I know she has an aunt here, and that they have doggie playdates with the aunts dog.
The doubting part of me feels she is just not wanting to do it. I can completely understand that. It can be overwhelming to go from one dog to 3. But, why didnt she just tell me that. When I emailed her, it would of been so easy to say she changed her mind, she would not even have to talk to me.On Saturday me and my daughter drove to her house(She only lives about 3-4 miles away). Her car was there, yet nobody answered the door. I didnt even hear the dog bark. She said the dog doesnt bark much. I am not sure if she was home,a nd just avoiding me. All things point to avoidance.
I am normally a good judge of character,and I dont ask many people to take care of my dogs.
She is a 51 yr old lady who dresses nice. She has a job. She always calls weeks in advance to make reservations for her dog. She is right on the dot with time when dropping off and picking up her dog.
When she came to the doggie adoption show, she came with a list of questions to ask. When she met the two dogs she was interested in, she made up a list of pros and cons of each dog and characteristics. She takes excellent care of her dog. Yet.. I cant figure out why she would avoid me? She does not come across as unreasonable or unreliable.
Yet, all things point to her just avoiding me. I have other options I can look into for people to watch my dog. I guess it just hurts my feelings that she would not give me the respect of telling me upfront. Now with less then 3 weeks to go, I have to scramble and find other care for my dogs.
I just dont get it, in this day and age of email, it makes things easier then having to talk to somebody face to face.I am not mad, just disappointed. I really have enjoyed talking to this lady and she has always been kind and polite to me and my family.
There is the small percentage she was out of town this weekend, I just dont know.
My guess is that she was out of town. Perhaps she went with someone else and that person drove, which is why her car was in her driveway. Perhaps her dog died and that's why she didn't ask you to pet-sit. Or maybe she took her dog with her since it was probably a quick vacation and not a business trip.
I bet you find an email soon as she catches up upon her return.
Life tends to happen.. Did you think to leave a note on her door, asking to make contact? I would give making contact with her one more try and then look into someone else or you may end up cutting things way to close to your leave date if you don't.
Bobbie, I did leave a handwritten note(I stuck it between the screendoor), with my home phone and cell phone number on it.I am giving it until tomorrow afternoon(In case traveling is involved). I know life gets in the way. I am not an unreasonable person by any means. I just like to know upfront about things. I an a planner, and when I dont have my ducks ina row, I tend to get anxiety over it.
I am a planner so I understand your anxiety. I would start on a back-up plan immediately. If nothing else, it will ease your mind.
Good news.. just got an email from her. Said she was away on the Outer Banks for the long weekend and got home late last night. She asked if I would like to do the doggie playdate on Thursday. I am so relieved now, I have anxiety over this for days now.
Great to hear that all is resolved!
Good news.. Hope it goes well..
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