The Critter Sitter

Some of my closest friends will know immediately
what who I am talking about.
I'm going to tell you a story
{mainly so you'll know what the heck I'm talking about if/when I mention this in the future.}


Before I got married, I lived with my best friend Kandi. We lived in a little apartment by the beach and we loved it. One day while I was taking Lucy potty outside I look up to see this scrawny lady with long frizzy hair peering over at me. She casually makes her way over, and we have a short conversation while Lucy is running around in the grass. She tells me if I ever need a dog walker or sitter - she's my gal. With her hands jammed in her pockets she nods towards this flyer that she had pinned by the mail boxes. I squint over and see the words, The Critter Sitter.


"Oh, so you're the...critter sitter. Great, it's nice to meet you."
"Yep, that's me. You can contact me anytime."


She began to ramble on about one of her dogs clients, while I took her all in. In the sweetest way possible, she reminded me of Cousin It. She was ALL hair you guys. She couldn't have weighed more than 95 pounds, and had little round glasses that made her tiny eyes appear much larger than they were. I assured her if we ever needed her services - she would be the first person I would call. Over the next few weeks, we passed each other in the courtyard several times and said hello. Brandon asked me once who she was and I told him she was the world famous Critter Sitter. Duh.


Fast forward several months.


It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and I had washed my hair earlier that morning. I intended to blowdry it but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. I'll admit freely that my hair isn't a pleasant sight if I don't do anything to it. It isn't sure if it wants to be curly or straight - so it just ends up being big, puffy and kinky. {Do you guys see where this is headed?} Brandon comes over and wants to go get some lunch. I tell him I can't go with my hair like this. He assures me that I look fine. Believing him, I say that I have to take Lucy out to the bathroom before we leave. A few minutes later, I'm standing on the grass waiting for Lucy to do her thing when I hear a man's voice talking to someone behind me. The voice gets closer. "Now which pup is that?" I turn around and realize he's been talking to me. His face changes when he sees mine.


"Oh, I'm so sorry. I totally thought you were... someone else."
"Did...did you..think I was...the critter sitter...?" I stammer, twisting my hair into a bun trying to tame it.
"Yeah! You know her?" He looks pumped at this point that I knew who she was.


I smiled and nodded politely. Lucy and I beeline for the apartment, where I burst through the door and announce to the whole house that I got mistaken for the Critter Sitter, and that Brandon is a big fat liar if he said my hair looked fine. Kandi and Brandon think this is pretty hysterical. I'm mortified.

I did end up flat ironing my hair before we went to lunch that day. But now I have a nickname.

I am lovingly referred to as The Critter Sitter.

Mainly when I just wake up in the morning. Or when I let my hair air dry. Or around 8:45 at night when I get a burst of energy and like to chase Brandon around the house.

Anyone else have a worse nickname?

xo,