Housesits always have the same effect on us regardless of how long we are staying. The first day is all about moving in, unpacking, and generally getting our bearings but we settle very quickly and are always completely at home from then onwards. It always feels as if we have lived there for ages until the last couple of days when time suddenly starts to race by and before we realise it we are packing ready to leave. Just a like a regular holiday I guess.
Housesitting in Cheriton
This sit in Cheriton has been exactly the same. Once Tessa and Nigel left we settled in and it has felt like our house for the past two weeks with a definite routine for looking after Wispa and Bloomer that we adapted to very quickly. Time seems to have drifted by very slowly around lazy breakfasts, morning walks, relaxed trips to local towns, occasional muddy afternoon walks, lots of reading, healthy dinners, and evenings of easy-watch TV. All interspersed with lots of time playing and sitting with our two new best friends. Lovely house and garden too.
But suddenly with a day to go time has caught up and is giving us a serious slap around the face! With picking up our hosts from Heathrow, packing for our onward journey, tidying and cleaning the house, and still dog walking, it all feels extremely busy. It’s always the same (apart from the airport pickup of course) but the final mornings always feel a little weird. Because it has felt like our home and we do miss the pets so there is always a sadness to leaving.
Wispa and Bloomer
Our two little friends here in Cheriton have been a delight to look after. Full of life and occasionally a handful but great fun to play with and very easy to walk. They follow us around from room to room and appear to enjoy just being with us which is lovely.
Festival of Steam
On our last couple of days we headed into Alresford to pick up a few things and to get my obligatory haircut. I’ve had haircuts in so many different places over the past four years that I almost feel I should have taken photos of the barbers/hairdressers and done a blog post on them (or maybe not). The big event in Alresford was the Festival of Steam at the Watercress Line. Lots of steam trains and carriages puffing in and out and even more men of a certain age obsessing about steam engines and taking shedloads of photos. Amusing but the trains were actually pretty impressive.
Hinton Ampner National Trust
Our last full day so we decided to get out there and do a long walk all around the local National Trust property at Hinton Ampner. Accompanied by beautiful blue skies we walked and talked our way all around the perimeter of the house and gardens. Maybe worth a proper visit if we come back to this part of the world again but great to enjoy such a lovely walk on our last day.
Trains, trains and more trains
As we travel everywhere by rail we always try and book our train tickets well in advance. Most tickets can be booked around 12 weeks prior to travel so we have to be organised and plan our journeys long before that. Using the Train Split websites save us an absolute fortune (How to save money on train travel) but it does mean that I have to often pick up several sets of tickets from those station ticket machines which occasionally winds other passengers up. Everyone else is just buying one ticket and the number of dodgy looks I get when I am picking up six sets of multiple tickets is often a bit unsettling. Can’t be helped though.
What’s next?
After saying a heartfelt goodbye to our two little friends Wispa and Bloomer we’re leaving Cheriton and heading up to Gatwick Airport for the night before an early flight. Planning on seeing our youngest son Ryan before we leave so really looking forward to that, then jetting off on a little adventure which we’ll tell you all about next time.
So a final goodbye to the terriers ….
10/03 -13/03/2019
JWalking 
Cheriton looks like a pretty place to have spent a few weeks. I love travelling by train. If only there was a train line across the Pacific to the rest of the world!
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Slight problem isn’t it but I guess it does help in keeping the rest of the world out too.
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It’s amazing how other people’s pets adapt so easily to a new carer. We loved the couple of house sits we did and became quite attached to the two dogs we stayed with for swven weeks. Looking forward to reading your next chapter.
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Dogs are so adaptable, in fact within a day or so every one we’ve looked after has become ‘our dog’. Thanks so much for following Chris.
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I love your blog, it’s a pleasure to share your adventures.
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Always difficult to say goodbye, especially to those two gorgeous creatures.
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So tough but hopefully we’ll be back looking after them again very soon.
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I don’t know how you say goodbye to these two! Where is your next adventure?
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Very very difficult, they were so cute. Currently in Malta having a wonderful time with loads to write about when we get back.
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Malta was the first ‘abroad’ for me as a young adult apart from a couple of school trips. So fond memories. Where are you staying?
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We’re up in a hotel in Qawra.
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Very cute, they look adorable xx
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Me and Jo? Or did you mean the dogs?
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Looks like a fabulous place to be and to have a steam railway too! Whilst not a ‘train spotter’ I do see the draw and fascination of steam trains. The smell, sight and sounds of yesteryear!
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There’s definitely something about it. Great to see occasionally.
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That picture of the memorial in Cheriton looks a lot like Saltwood near Hythe. You’re very lucky with the animals. Would be a nightmare if they didn’t like you. Even the cats have liked you!
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So lucky with all the pets, they’ve all been great.
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Again, like so many places you visit, I’ve never heard of Cheriton. It looks nice though! I too would feel sad leaving those two dogs, they look lovely. Six years ago we spent a month in Crete on a workaways project helping out at a hotel getting it ready to open for the season. There was a lovely dog there who I quickly made friends with. She was a young stray dog who had arrived at the hotel and the owners decided to let her stay. She followed me everywhere and I use to let her sleep in our room. No matter where she was in the hotel, she always knew when I was back in the room and she would head butt the door, so I would open it and let her in. I was heartbroken when I left her and never forgot her and never will. I often wonder how she is doing. You have a friend for life with a dog and they will never forget you!
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We were never really ‘doggie’ people but some of the lovely pooches that we have looked after have really stolen our hearts. Like you say they often follow you about and seem to get a real attachment. It’s often very hard to say goodbye.
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You can’t possibly envy me the sunshine when you’re in Malta! 🙂 🙂 I have to say, those were the cutest dogs!
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Ha okay I may give you that one, good point.
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Thanks goodness your hairstyle isn’t overly complex!
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Can’t afford for it to be anything too complex.
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