In the past when I travelled with Holly (that was before I adopted Duffy and
began to use a petsitter for the two cats), I had a friend who would come to
the house to make it look "lived in."  I had mail held at the post office,
but he would pick up newspapers and check to make sure not mail had been
left in the box despite my paperwork.  He even put some trash out for the
weekly pickup.  Do you know anyone who might be willing to do things like
that for you?  Even without a key to the house, it helps to make sure there
are no little items outside (like a newspaper) that would give away the fact
that you are not home.

MaryL

That sucks that your brother let you down, Jill.  But I agree with the
others, with that attitude Persia and Peaches are better off at VetPets.
Do you live in a high crime area?  I feel incredibly lucky to be able to
travel as much as we do and not have to worry about anything.  We have even
gone away for 3 weeks and left the house unlocked because the maid was still
cleaning.  She locked up for us, but comes in twice a day for Vino anyway
while we're gone.
I guess Thailand is a really safe country.  I feel like I could walk down
the darkest alley at night alone in Bangkok with no worries.  Couldn't do
that back home in Vancouver!  One time I forgot my purse at a restaurant.
It had my digital camera, cell phone, house keys, wallet with ID with
address and $100 in it.  It took me 1.5 hours to realize my purse was gone
and to return to the restaurant.  They recognized me right away and handed
me my purse which was duct taped up in thick plastic.  I opened it and every
single thing was there.  It would have been so easy for some waiter or
waitress to sell my stuff on the street in Bangkok.  And so tempting,
considering they make about $150/month.  In Canada it would have been
gone...
--
Britta
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album

Before my mother moved into her apartment last fall, from her house with .8
acre partially wooded yard, (no, she didn't HAVE to move - she wanted to:
she got tired of the yardwork & gutter cleaning (she's 71) and rambling
around in a 3-bedroom house all by herself), whenever she would travel,
someone would take her to the airport (family member or a friend), leaving
her car buttoned up in the garage... but there were a couple of neighbors
that she trusted that had keys to her house, she would stop mail & newspaper
delivery (it's a small town so it's easy to remember things like that), and
to top it off, another neighbor would park his car/truck in her driveway to
give the appearance of someone being there.   And of course I had keys as
well and stopped by to check things every couple of days, and if she was
gone longer than one week, would get her car out & drive it around (last
time I did that, one of the newer neighbors that didn't know me, but knew my
mom's car, gave me some really funny looks as I drove past (I half expected
the cops to be pulling me over as I drove through town running a few
errands) - but then they were told by another neighbor who I was :)  )

Jill, I'm sure Persia and Peaches will be absolutely safe and cared for at
VetPets. And you can always call them up to check on the babies whenever you
want. Do you have a neighbor you trust who can pick up your mail/newspaper
and generally keep an eye out for your apartment/car? That might be the best
way to go.
Jazz & his mama

Do you have a "Neighborhood Watch" program in your city?  Here, we ask
our neighbor to keep an "eye" on our place if we go away.  Perhaps
your neighgor was being neighborly and wanted to help if necessary.

Hi Jill!

Well, if they are weird it isn't just your family.  I am one of 4
siblings.  We ALWAYS had animals.  Mostly dogs since one brother was
allergic to cats but also a duck, frogs, etc.  I cannot ever remember a
time when we didn't have animals.  Heck, my parents had a dog almost as
soon as they married.  Three of "us kids" as we call ourselves are
animal lovers and have/have had multiple pets.  We love to exchange pet
sitting if we were closer.  Our animals are our kids!  Then there is the
"weird one" in our family who cannot understand why the rest of us would
let an animal in our house.  Who actually asked me after my beloved
Golden Retriever died if I had enough of "this nonsense" and would cease
and desist from getting a new dog when my other dog died.  Mind you he
lives 12 hours from me and his yearly visit isn't in anyway impacted on
my having animals.  I love my brother but don't understand him at all.
I'd never leave one of my animals with him although I suspect he'd treat
it well out of fear of me.  :-)  Now his 13 year old daughter is an
animal nut who cannot wait to get out of the house so she can start her
own zoo.  Odd.  Must have skipped a generation!  :-)

You mentioned before about the taxi vs. driving yourself to the
airport...We travel a fair amount and after many years of driving
ourselves we now take a taxi or shuttle to the airport.  With all the
security (you're in the US, right?) things are just crazy with airport
parking and it will save so much time and stress just to be dropped off
at the terminal.  If it will not strain the budget, go for the taxi.

Margaret & Oliver