The Job Begins!

The boys have arrived! I actually phoned my mother for some motherly advice! I never had to do that at Sandy Pines! Sure did this week!

One week into being a nanny, and I know about 75% of what there is to know, but the other 25%....

I have no clue!

Still, I feel that after one week I'm starting to get into the routine! I'm learning how to manage my energy around the children, and discipline them when necessary. They are adorable little boys, but also pretty wild! I nicknamed them my little vikings! The youngest and I have bonded very well! He calls me mommy! He says, "I have two mommy!" I tried to tell him no, but his real mother said its okay if he thinks like that! 

We went to a Raptors game with the boys this week! We also got to meet the Lithuanian player!

 As for life in the city, I detest it more and more each day! It's really not my thing! There is not one moment during the day where I don't hear some kind of city noise, except, (here is some exciting news!)

I got accepted as a volunteer at the.........

I'm not doing as much rehab here, since I'm only a volunteer, but I still get to work with the animals! The TWC has two locations. The main center where all the admissions, and very sick patients stay. Then they have another location, which is just outside the city on an old farm. It is for the outdoor patients, and those almost ready to be released! 

The outdoor location

I have positions at both! At the main center I work in the nursery with the baby animals. At the outdoor one, all the animals! Opossums, raccoons, squirrels, etc! I really enjoy the outdoor one, because I finally get out of the city, and get to enjoy the outdoors! Nursery season hasn't really started yet, so I can't say much about it. If it is anything like Sandy Pines, I should enjoy it! They mentioned I might be able to do more in the nursery too, since I have had experience! 

 If you want to learn more about wildlife rehabilitation check out my old blog!  http://intothewildsandypines.blogspot.ca/

After my shift at the outdoor center, I tend to go explore the forest around it, trying to take some time away from city life!

I usually camp beside the river, and have a picnic!

  Anyhow, in two weeks I go home for Easter! I will be very happy to get out of the city and visit old friends!

I really miss getting up every morning and doing this! I can't wait to see Linda and the horses again!

 

 

And Family!

One Month Down!

I have survived living in the city for one month! I'm pretty impressed with myself! I've got the TTC figured out, as well as even finding short cuts to the gym! The city is strange though! People are strange! They never seem to take notice of you, or anyone else, and most of them look super grumpy! 

Sun setting through the subway window.

As for my life with this new family, it is going very well! They treat me so well! Always offering to do things for me, buying me food, saying thank you A LOT! To think I get paid right now to do odd jobs here and there! I know when the boys get here, the pace will pick up a lot! I will like that though, since I find I have more energy when there is lots to do! For now though, I am enjoying this basically paid vacation! 

One of my jobs was to paint these signs to go over the boy's beds!

As for the dogs, we have bonded very well! I am particularly fond of the older one, Dulche! She tries to hog my attention constantly!

"I'm not walking a step further!" she says!

"No! This is my mitten now!"

"Scratch my belly!" face!

Tank is also a ball of fun, but he is harder to handle. He is so protective of his owners! When I try to take him for a walk, he won't go any further then the corner, because he doesn't want the house out of his sight! I'm not sure how to fix this! I've tried treats, his ball, but he still won't go!

As for my spare time, I have been working on my novel, which may or may not be good!  I finally sent chapters to my parents, and I've had good comments and some critique. I'm trying to stay hopeful about it, but I think I am experiencing some writer's self doubt at the moment. 

A drawing I did of the main character in my book.

I have also been doing some art in my spare time! They had some old doors left from the renovations, so I have decided to try and paint them for fun!

A work in progress!

 As for the renovations, they are almost done! They are just on the most gruelling step of the job right now, which is the floors! So, it is very loud, dusty, and smelly!

Newly sanded floors!

The parents leave in a few days to go get the boys! Soon my job really begins!

Lost in Scarborough

Yeah, so I got lost in the city.....which was bound to happen! I lack city navigation skills! I found my  way home though! (3 hours later!)

So, I was going down this beautiful trail near their house, that led right down to Lake Ontario! I walked down to the water, took some pretty pictures, then decided to head home. 

Well, I don't really like following trails, and there was this cliff along the path. I thought, "Oh cool! I bet the view is amazing!" So I proceeded to climb up this cliff. Now it never occurred to me that the soil might be unstable, and that since the snow was melting it would all turn to mud. It was very muddy, and slippy climb, but I just grabbed onto trees, and pulled myself up. The view at the top was amazing, and I took a little break to enjoy it!

Going down presented a challenge though! You see, going up I had a lot more control, but going down...well not so much. I crawled through the mud to this big tree that had fallen (Huge tree!) and thought I would use it as a support. Anyhow, long story short, I was actually in a very dangerous situation by that tree. The only solution was to go up, or seriously harm myself. So, I got to the very top of the cliff, shaking pretty badly, and there was actually a little viewing platform up there, a fence, and a sign.

"Danger! Do not climb up or down the bluffs. Unstable."

Thanks, you could have put that sign at the bottom too! 

Anyways, I wasn't going to go down there again, so I followed the platform trail, that led me to a road I'd never heard of, then to another road I never heard of, and so on. My solution was to follow the sun, because home is west, and the sun was setting. Here I was, caked in mud, strolling through some rather classy neighborhoods. I got so many stares! Eventually, by following the sun, I found a familiar road, and got home. 

So, that was my adventure of the week! Other then that, I had a very relaxed week! Did some house cleaning, renovation, and pet sitting. I did get a lovely surprise on Valentines day though!

A certain somebody, I had met at Linda's farm during the summer, sent these! I was so surprised and touched! I hadn't sent him my address, and he didn't put his name, so I spent a good half of my day trying to solve the mystery, but I did!!

Anyhow, I've learned my lesson! "DON"T CLIMB THE BLUFFS!" And I also have the lovely addition of the flowers to add to my room!

Pinching myself!

I have begun my new life in Toronto! I didn't realise, until now, how good life could get! I feel like the one adopted! They are such nice people! Not only are they super thankful, and pleasant, they spoil me! Fixed my laptop, bought me new clothes, asked me what food I wanted to eat! Built me this gorgeous, never used before bathroom!

The most comfy bed on the planet!

And a rec room with LEATHER couches! I feel so rich!

And it frightens me! I have never been this fortunate! Or spoiled to this extent! Now I will say a lot of my friend's parents spoiled me too, but this?! These people didn't even know me! I am so afraid I will turn into someone else, some higher class version of myself! Every night I have been writing in my notebook about being hungry, working long hours, scratches, all sorts of unpleasant things, just so I don't get too comfortable with this life style.

And I am getting paid! Unbelievable! I am still pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming! The boys aren't here yet, so I have basically just been doing dishes, some renovating, and pet sitting! Fairly simple, and lots of fun! Their pets are adorable! There is..

Tank, there German Shepherd

Dulche, their yellow lab, who loves to steal your shoes!

Salami, has awesome fangs, and acts like a baby!

                          

Ross, a little bossy kitty!

Besides all the fun I have been having, I have also been trying all these new and delicious Arabic foods! The father is from the middle east, and so our diet basically consists of Middle Eastern foods. Healthy, but fattening! I have been watching my stomach slightly expand, unsure of what to think of it! 

Anyhow, this new adventure of mine is going to be clearly life changing! I am nervous and excited to see who I will become!

On the Brink of Leaving!

Attempting to pack my stuff!

Three more days till I leave my small town, country life, and head off to the big city of Toronto! I am so excited for the new experience! The family I am being a nanny for, is adopting three boys from Lithuania! I get to be a part of their new lives, which is so cool! Also a bit of challenge, since they can't speak English, but I enjoy a good challenge! I also get my own room and bathroom! I stumbled on my words when they told me about the bathroom, because I had never ever imagined the possibility of having my own bathroom!

Despite all the nice things involved in this job, I am really going to miss the country! When I walk out the door for about a minute I see beautiful things like this!

I'm sure there are plenty of things in the city that I can't find here! I went to the local community called Morning Glory the other day, to hang out with one of my best friends, Sierra, and say hi to people there. When I told one of the ladies about this opportunity, she told me...

"The city is a bit of a dump, but there are diamonds everywhere. You just got to find them!"

Then the guy next to her said,

"Just like life is a dump, but you got to find the diamonds in it!"

That made me grin pretty big! I had a great time there with my friend! We did lots of art, sledding, and made the yummiest cheese cakes out of almost all homemade ingredients!!

Sun setting over a straw bale house at Morning Glory

I haven't even started my Nanny job yet, but I am still thinking about what I should do in September. I have so many options available! I could probably continue with the nanny job if they like me! I could also travel the world with the money I make! But then Sierra's step mom's house is going to be up for rent, and I could rent it! It is my ideal house! A log cabin, in the woods, set up for animals, with a large garden plot! Also maple sugar trees, an outhouse, and a water pump! I would love it! I just would like someone to live with me and share the rent!

The house my friend's Mom is renting out!

But then Linda offered to lend me a horse if I go take the performance horse handling course in Clinton Ontario!

So many hard decisions! Anyhow, for now I am packing my bags, saying goodbye to people, and trying not to get too nervous! My next post will probably be from Toronto!