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Dibley Pet Services +, Orange (2025)

13/02/2025

Lunar New Year Lanterns marking the 12 Zodiac Animals:

Richard is an Ox
While I am a Monkey

But I'm so pleased my favourite animals (Horse and Dog) are there.

It's the year of the Snake, they have a security guard minding the plastic sculpture as children (and adults) climb all over it. We had a good laugh with her.

And Richard got to eat dumplings (was suppose to chose the type that looked like money bags to represent 'wealth') and long noodles (to represent 'longevity).

It was just yum 😋

09/02/2025

For the limited time we are 'home', it's really nice to catch up with family and friends locally.

Cathy came up from Melbourne and brought Grace and Aunty Mabel down from Nyngan. Think they were glad to have a reprieve from the oppressive heat up there 🥵.

Liz (and Maisey) with Eve (and Maggie) came for a walk/run/swim with Fly. The pups enjoyed getting together as much as us.

Rosy instigated a get together with Michelle and it was lovely to see them and Malcom and Frank. These guys are so blunt it's hillarious.

Then it was back to Sydney on our way to a petsit in Newcastle.

We dropped in on Aunty Elaine in Bathurst. She is so lovely and made us laugh.

Was great to have Michelle and Uncle Vincent visit Dad on Chinese New Year. Ryan came down from Brisbane to play Mah Jong, so Richard and I went into the city to check out the Chinese Lanterns (and have some time together ❤️)

04/02/2025

It was lovely to be asked to mind Fly and Odie again (and the 2 chookies).

Odie is such a relaxed cat, even when Fly harasses him and grabs him (Fly sometimes gets a mouthful of loose cat fur 😳). Odie only boxes her ears with retracted claws 😻. He's not a cuddly cat but very affectionate when he wants a bit of cheese 😋 😆😺. And he was only marginally impressed with my cat toys...😔

Fly loves her ball and fetched it for us as a welcoming gift 😊. However, when she sees the lead, there is definitely a preference for walkies.

We went to the library where she cooled herself in the fountain 😄.

And met lots of dogs and people at the Australia Day Celebrations in Cook Park.

It was only a short sit but we had a great time reacquainting ourselves with the fur-kids. The feathered ones were pretty self-sufficient in the Hen Palace 🐔🐔🥰

29/01/2025

I do love my time with Dad. But it is a long drive and I miss Richard. He misses me too - until I get back 😆.

So Brian (singer) was the entertainment on the day I arrived. Dad's favourite song is Frank Sinatra's "My Way", so Mum & I requested it.

It brought me to tears seeing how happy he was singing along. It was wonderful seeing him transported to such a happy place 🥰.

But then when he's insisting on either returning home or Mum moving in, the tension can be unbearable. Then we have the request for an electric blanket (we are currently in the middle of summer!). I can strangle him!! But thankfully, he forgets the next day 😊 or even 10 mins after 😕.

We do have a fun time and we make each other laugh 😆. We went to physio together and he was back on the bike 🤗. I'm forcing him to be social by taking him to see other residents, but it usually ends up with me being social and Dad nodding off to sleep 😴😆.

And there are lots of tidying up jobs at Mum's unit... Atleast I don't have to kick my way through the boxes in the spare room to get to the cupboard now 🤗

Another highlight was seeing Cheryl and Steve. About the only time I had to sit, talk, relax 🥰 and not think about what jobs were yet to be done... 🤔 😊.

24/01/2025

We just love being able to see Teddy. Her wonderul family brings her over to say hi sometimes.

So it's only recently that I heard about brushing dogs' teeth - we certainly didn't brush Jess, Sasha or Shep's 😬.

So Teddy being so placid, happy and no trouble with nail clipping, was the first doggy I tried it on 🐶🥰.

Another success story with Teddy. She is such a wonder dog 🤩🐕❤️

20/01/2025

It has been 16 years since we last went to the Elvis Festival at Parkes, boy it has grown! Not quite as big as the Tamworth Country Music Festival though, but we did have a fabulous time meeting very happy, friendly people and lots of young and old Elvises 🕺- and Priscillas 💃.

It was a last minute decision as the temperature had dropped. And the predicted storm gave Murphy a great wash on the way home 🤗. But it also highlighted a leak in the dashboard 😬. Just a small one, enough to be a tad annoying - not enough to replace him - yet... 😔

It was a great day and Richard and I had fun dancing in the street 🥰.

16/01/2025

Sometimes I wonder how we are able to have such great friends, the absolute best 🤩.

Michelle was so thoughtful when she heard about my Dad that she came over with some "cheer-up cherries" 😋 🥰. Her and Frank grow the biggest, yummiest cherries and we are now cherry snobs 😆.

We ended 2024 on a high when Hel and Stu visited from Victoria. They were our first friends in Orange and we were sad when they moved, but so lovely to see them both 🥰.

We dropped in on Margo and Lester after a 'meet and greet' for a dog visiting job. Their lovely relos, Rona and Ivan, were there also. Lots of laughs as usual. 😆

Diedre is always up for a chat so we love it when she drops in with Leigh 🥰.

Of course there are multiple catch-ups with Lizzy & Maisey 🐶. She's great company for Liz 😍

And we had the best day with Tom, Gail, David, Fumie, Jack and Chris. Our annual get together is always super fun, and the day just flies! We didn't try clipping Alice's nails this year, Tom & Gail must still be traumatised from last year's efforts 🤯

Whilst checking out the new bike-path we ended up at Norma & Ric's. Ric served us home-made lemonade - made with lemons 😆 and love ❤️. We could certainly taste the love 😋. It's always fun catching up with this couple 🥰

12/01/2025

Maggie is a young, energetic and happy Border Collie. She is smart and willing to please so training was easy as she is loves her food.

She also loves her frisbee and ball so it was great we eventually taught her to 'give' - but it does require a treat in exchange 😋. Unless she is too tired, then she won't 'fetch' 😮.

She loves her evening walks in the paddocks next door, and when she's on a scent there is nothing stopping her. She eventually comes back happy & exhausted.

She had a lovely time with Maisey 🐕. She enjoyed the new smells at our place and was fascinated by the windmill blades.

We scatter feed her biscuits as she would hoover them down. It makes her use her nose and slows her eating.

She's a good girl and we had a lovely time getting to know her. I had a shadow at night following me, which is very sweet 🥰, and sometimes when we are fast asleep she would sneak into the bedroom and sleep on the floor beside us 😆.

Thanks for your wonderful company, Maggie 🐶.

04/01/2025

Wishing our family, friends and fur-kids a wonderful 2025!!

We've had another great year of house-sitting, pet-minding and travelling. Infact, we've had several years of this and so grateful for the adventures.

Thank you to everyone following our trips and liking our posts. We look forward to spending time making memories with family and friends so hoping to catch up with you - wherever that may be 😊.

And our posts will continue to showcase the wonderful pets we mind this year when we aren't camping 🌞.

So we may be coming to a town near you! 🤞With Murphy 🚙. But we won't park him in your driveway 😬. Just incase 😆.

Our favourite pet pics for 2024 are attached, reminders of just how lucky we are 🥰.

Happy New Year everyone 🎆 🎉🥳

31/12/2024

We looove Dacshunds and these 2 just increased our love for the breed.

They are both friendly and happy, but had such different personalities. Snags just wanted attention and cuddles whilst Chippy wanted the ball.

Chippy would fetch all day and engage you to throw her toys. We even hid them in the bedding to watch her hunt for it - she's got such a great nose. Snags would lie beside you and roll over for a belly rub - that's after she has bounced all over you and licked your face 🤣😝

The only thing they prefer is their food 😆, so dinner is certainly their most favourite time of the day 😋.

They were great company and made us laugh. Such delightful pups and so happy to have spent time with them 🥰

28/12/2024

So whilst I was minding Dad 🥰, Richard visited his Mum, clipped Percy and walked a couple of dogs 🐕🐕, Digby & Donks to be exact.

These boys are very energetic. Digby’s exuberance never wained as a pup, but 2 hours of sniffs and playing in the dogpark settled them right down. Digby isn’t as active now, but Donk’s youth keeps him going.

They are happy boys and it was nice to see them again 🐶🐶

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas 🎄

Richard minding Maggie in Orange while I have a quick trip to Sydney ❤️

Hope everyone is having a fabulous day 🐕😍😊

21/12/2024

Dad moved into Arcare Oatlands and I left him after 1.5 weeks there 🥺. I have been there so long and made so many friends that some residents think I stay overnight 😆.

It has been fun, rewarding, happy, sad, frustrating, anxious, hopeful, scared. There has been lots of laughter and lots of tears. There has been so much time for Dad and I to strengthen our unbreakable bond and I am so grateful.

Arcare Oatlands is lovely and the staff there are mostly really, really caring, thorough and wonderful. They treat Dad really nice, hopefully because they like him (he's very likable 🥰), and not because I'm always there 😬.

I've taken him to lots of activities to socialise (his coughing is still a problem) and hope I haven't exhausted him (I probably have 😄). There were bus trips, exercise classes, high tea, bingo, cheese and wine, Christmas Party, meditation and Mass.

It was so nice to have Uncle Vincent and Michelle visit, and introduce Dad to his new community of friends. Some are soooo lovely. I think Dad's highlight was meeting Raymond from Hong Kong on the last day I was there. He really enjoyed his company. I was so happy to see him so comfortable with someone. They had a great chat.

So I left with more hope and less tears as I feel he will be OK. He is eating well, walking better and has more things to keep him engaged than ever before - hopefully he will choose to partake in them. I'm still thinking about more things I could have done before leaving though...

Mum found the best Aged Care Facility. I was a bit dubious at first since it is beautiful and more like a hotel so wondered if enough money was spent on residents' care rather than esthetic overheads. But everyone was friendly and helpful.

I do think Dad has the nicest room in the complex. His room opens out to one courtyard and his door opens into a lounge which then opens onto the other courtyard. So it seems super spacious with lots of light.

So many people have said my Dad is lucky to have such a loving daughter, but I know I am the lucky one - the luckiest ever .

Thank you everyone for all your support 🥰. It was heartening to know you were thinking of us ❤️.

16/12/2024

We first minded Chloe in 2018. She was a young, gorgeous, happy girl who just loved her walks and lots of couch cuddles.

Over the years we've minded her several times, we just adore each other ❤️. She is sooo excited whenever we go there 🐕.

Sadly she now has to take meds for a heart condition but she's still a bouncy girl who loves going out and checking the neighbourhood, we just don't go as far - or as long.

We are meeting so many new pups but it was just fabulous seeing Jett first (I was so thrilled that I didn't take a pic of the handsome fellow 🐕). He has recovered really well from his op and we are so pleased he has made such a great recovery.

There was also Morris the Staffy x,
Barry the Bloodhound pup (cute, playful and inquisitive), Monty the Spoodle and Ellie the Frenchie, Bobby the Cavoodle & Zoe the mini Schnauzer.

It's doggy heaven here! So many pups and lovely owners 🥰. Even the parrots are super friendly, especially when food is involved 😋😄.

13/12/2024

Parent-Sitting - Fun and Games with Dad😀

The 9-10 hours spent most days during Dad's hospital stay has been rewarding. He loves his private, unpaid daily nurse waiting on him hand and foot 😆. Caring for him has been a privilege and spending time together has been joyful (mostly 🤣🥴).

Dad continues to teach me Bridge (confusing me, and himself, at times 😆). We play soccer and his jubilation in scoring a goal just lights up my day. He's pretty competitive, even at arm-wrestling 🤣. He's into sharing his food (but not his ice-cream) and loves to show off his Balancing Act 😬. And I gave him a haircut - not that he has much hair now 😄. And Dad was so brave when they put a scope and camera up his nose to see him swallow. Nothing was found so his chronic coughing is probably habitual 😕.

We are 2 Peas in a Pod ❤️

It wasn't all fun and games with just Dad though 🥰. We got to catch up with my Aunty Cecilia and Michelle brought Uncle Vincent to visit (he was so funny showing me his card trick 🤣). Richard got to do his own thing (museums, exploring, tea expo) and over the 3 weeks in Sydney, we actually had a day together at the Sydney Uni Alumni Festival 🌞 🙂. And briefly caught up with Ant. Woo Hoo!!

So with lots of love and support from family and friends, we are doing OK 🙂.

07/12/2024

Sydney:

Dad was looking and breathing awful when I arrived so it was ring the ambulance or get him out of bed! I got him into the wheelchair for fresh air and then took him to the gym - what doesn't kill him makes him stronger - and it was great to see him look better, he always perks up when I arrive 🥰

We arrived at Ryde Hospital with a referral from Dad's GP. He's had a cough for over a month and despite antibiotics (some really strong ones too), he wasn't better 😕.

The medical staff here has been absolutely fabulous. We were immediately triaged and Dad was able to get a bed in the ED. Then we had bloods and chest x-rays and Drs seeing Dad. So as well as finding out he has bronchiectasis, a lung infection and being weak and frail, he also had decreased kidney function 😰. The Drs were very understanding and Dr Kaine assured me Dad wasn't going to die as tears streamed down my face 😭.

The next morning Mum & I gave Dad a shower, with much effort. Lucky Dr Kain arrived as we were finishing and realised we were struggling physically. Dad then got a transfer to a high dependency area until he had sufficiently recovered where a nurse watches over 4 beds 24/7. They were wonderful 🥰.

Dad was getting IV antibiotics (one of the strongest ones in the hospital) and IV fluids. They did a scan of his bladder and the lung specialist came to explain the situation. Dad also had a physio to assess his mobility. He had lovely, friendly, dedicated nurses who put Dad's comfort first. One nurse picked up that his cough may also be due to dysphagia so a speech therapist came and he was on 'moderately thick' fluids for a while. They even put a scope up his nose and a camera observed his swallowing. He was fine, so his cough is either from silent reflux or hypersensitivity (there is now alot of yelling to tell him to swallow - not cough!). A dietician was also assigned as Dad was losing weight. The cardiologist also came for a checkup (lucky he worked at Ryde Hospital!). We are just so grateful.

We also had a social worker to help us navigate the path to Aged Care. Dad's mobility has deteriorated to a point where he is a falls risk, even with all the railings and aids at home.

I am learning that Dad gets tired and it is normal. I am learning that Dementia means he can't remember and constant reminders are necessary, without the yelling. I am seeing how Dad is so patient with my frustration and how much he loves me and tries to please me. He probably does things beyond his capability just because I ask. And I ask too much because I want him back. It's been an emotional rollercoaster but it's been a blessing to have such great support from friends and family who have been on this path. Seeing Dad improve has been wonderful and somehow might make the sense of sadness/guilt/indecision more bearable knowing he will be safe and well looked after by professionals. There is relief that we found a lovely place, seems more like a hotel! We hope that he will embrace this next chapter.

I look forward to helping him transition in his first few weeks, he has been my greatest source of guidance, inspiration and unconditional love. I am so lucky to have had him to his 92nd year. I hope he with thrive at Arcare, not just survive.

06/11/2024

Winston is a lovely and loveable Labrador - and the time spent with him just flew. He's a bit subdued at the moment as he was awaiting surgery on his ACL, but he enjoyed slowly sniffing around the park and marking anything of interest (which was almost everything 😆). Initially he’d be so excited to see us and would grab his lead for walkies 🤣. Then he would enjoy hugs, pats, brushing and cuddles - we just adored him 😊.

We met Winston a few years back at the dog park. He was a big, gorgeous, active pup and we loved how he wanted to befriend every dog and everyone, he still does 🥰. We liked him (and his owner) from the start and we were so happy to meet up with them again.

We wish Winston all the best with his upcoming surgery and look forward to his jovial, happy, active self once he has fully recovered 🐶

01/11/2024

After farewelling Gracie & Percy we decided to drop in on friends on the way home.

Was great to see both Leanne and Lloyd this time. Their dog, Ruby, is a lovely pooch. She’s a young, well behaved Beagle x Cattle dog who loves fetching. Apparently she has slowed down a lot since eating rat bait 😬, but thank goodness she’s ok now 🥰.

Barry wasn’t there when we dropped in but Roger was home to greet us. He has aged but he’s still a wonderful loyal and faithful companion. He’d be over 15 now 🐶.

Ginny and Jim weren’t home so we wandered around their beautiful garden and admired their stunning roses.

We eventually had lunch at 4.45pm at the Dubbo Japanese Garden. Just driving Murphy feels like we are on holidays - although now his blinker lights are playing up 😳….

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