The Menagerie

In my quest for affordable lodging near Dad’s retirement village, I have an arrangement with a lovely couple who run a pesticide-free farm (they also teach surfing). They went to Mexico to chase the perfect wave and I’m now on rent-free duty for 8 days, watching the house and pet-sitting the following: 7 chickens, 2 chihuahuas, 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 1 cockatiel, 1 chinchilla and a duck. Kind of like an organic Noah’s Ark. My tutorial had extensive instructions:

• Let the chickens out daily to wander the yard, eat bugs, and then corral them into their coop by sunset. If they resist, yell at them in German – “achtung!” (attention!), “runta!” (come down from the tree!) Do not disturb the mother hens who are sitting on their newborns, give them extra protein snacks. Toss all fruit and uneaten food into the coop along with organic chicken pellets.
• Guide the duck with a broom and refresh all the water he ruins when tracking in mud (very messy duck).
• Wash the dogs in the bathroom sink with Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap to kill fleas. They enjoy it.
• Make sure the boy rabbit and girl rabbit don’t mix (for obvious reasons). Give them fresh bale straw if they look bored.
• Feed grass to the guinea pigs for extra Vitamin C, and filtered water to the bird.
• I can eat and drink whatever I like, but if I leave it out on the table, it will disappear within seconds.

Taking care of my father suddenly seems really easy.