Vi...

...burnum. The super-scented variety, which I absolutely love. There are three bushes growing alongside Paradise Gully Road, where Bean and I had a walk today. The scent wafts across the air in streams, so that I catch a smell every few steps. Unless of course I go and stick my nose deep into the flowers, which I did after taking this photo. Aaah, heavenly aroma.

My neighbours, over the road, are away this week. And because I have declined their invitation to ever again look after their dogs, chooks, horses, sheep, steers and pigs (as a result of my good nature being prevailed upon several times too often up until four months ago), they advertised - successfully - for a house-sitter. 

She works locally and is staying to look after everything until they get home, and 'to deal with any problems' I was assured.

Except...

Yesterday I got home from being out with Bean to be greeted by their sheep wandering about on the road. I put Bean behind our gate, then hoozled the animals back up their drive, through the garden and into a wide open gate into their paddock. The house-sitter had apparently forgotten to close said gate.

This morning I was alerted to something amiss by Tilda-dog (Bean's bestie) barking on and on and on, fit to bust. When I went over I found her in terrible distress and desperate to be let out of her tiny kennel. She had been sick in there, and was sick again. Then she spent 20 minutes evacuating her very watery and bloody bowels. Poor Tilda. 

I phoned her Mum who clearly expected me to take her to the vet, 30km away. I declined that suggestion and asked about the house-sitter's availability. No response. 

So I have been going over the road every 40 minutes or so to let Tilda out of her kennel to download more of her contents, and sending reports to her Mum. I have had a reply letting me know the vet is happy for the house-sitter to keep an eye on her overnight. 

This strikes me as a somewhat inadequate response to the situation. 

But given the history of being utterly taken for granted by my neighbour I am only allowing myself to get involved as I absolutely feel necessary. It goes without saying that if Tilda deteriorates I shall find a way to get her to the vet. 

It also goes without saying that if Bean was experiencing the same symptoms, she would already have seen the vet.

As lizzie_birkett so eloquently said the other day; I'm raging.