House Sitting Magazine: Issue 33 October 2020

You'll find extra news, reviews and snippets throughout the magazine!

The on-going challenges of living a freedom lifestyle Ian Usher

Is house sitting changing for full time sitters?

Vanessa Anderson

Pandemic sitting across Europe Jenni Flett

Grow your bookings stronger Anastasia Tyler

House sitting with anxious dogs Louise Wood

Life lessons learned from the animals we care for Vicky Jo Varner

Embracing the chaos of Vietnam Sarah Wanden

Words to guide me Victoria Lanier

How house sitters are staying flexible Collaboration

Friendship and community during times of Covid Sandy Ball

Finding a home when the world closed down Jill Stafford

Is the world no longer designed for us?

June Spindloe

Not all in the garden is always rosy An anonymous house sitter

In the next issue...

THE ON-GOING CHALLENGES OF LIVING A FREEDOM LIFESTYLE

by Ian Usher I’m sure you’ve had a more challenging year than you ever imagined lay ahead as you celebrated New Years’ Eve 2019, and the calendar changed to 2020.   

What changed for you this year?

What challenges have you faced?

What difficult choices have you had to make?

As we’ve mentioned before, our plans for the early part of 2020 changed significantly, and instead of heading for the USA and then the Caribbean, we rented a small cottage in the south west of the UK. We lived there for almost four months while the country went through various stages of lockdown.

Over the summer, as freedom to travel began to open up, we managed to make a tentative return to house sitting, successfully completing half a dozen sits over a period of three months, still based in the UK.

Those sits were often subject to changes and alterations, and four sits had to be cancelled as home owners were unable to follow through with plans they had made.

We saw that flexibility and adaptability was going to be key to moving forward into this newly chaotic house sitting environment, and decided to bring forward one of our plans that we’d been considering for a while.

We bought a big white van, and began the process of converting it into a campervan.

Our thinking was that as there are fewer sits being listed in general, and competition for those listed can be quite stiff, we are going to have less opportunity to pick those which really appeal, and fit our timeline exactly. This means our schedule is likely to have many more gaps, and a van we could live in between sits would be the ideal solution.

We could enjoy small travel adventures, all in the relative safety of our own home on wheels.

An additional benefit would be that we could offer home owners the option of a socially distanced hand over the day before the sits begins, and sleep overnight in the van, moving into the house as the owners departed.

So in early July we made our purchase, a 2016 Peugeot Boxer van. They come in 4 different lengths, and 3 different heights, and we bought the biggest model available, an L4H3. A couple of our main criteria for the build were 1.

2.

3.

4.

a full size bed which didn’t have to be dismantled and assembled every day room to carry 2 bicycles hidden inside the van, not on a rack on the back a “stealthy” appearance, so we could overnight pretty-much anywhere off-grid potential, so we didn’t need to pay to be in a campsite each night

We were fortunate that the homes we were looking after over the 3 months of summer were all spacious enough to fit the van, as well as offer the opportunity to work on the conversion with the homeowner’s permission.

While Vanessa did most of the pet care, house work, magazine and Facebook upkeep, cooking, cleaning and providing endless cups of tea, I spent an almost solid three months working on the van.

I loved the challenges of the creative process, figuring out how to make the various systems solar power, batteries, wiring, lighting, heating and a water system - work together. I also had to figure out how to fit everything into a very limited space.

As I worked through those months a word kept surfacing in my mind which captured what it was I felt we were working towards together – resilience. Our goal was to build more resilience into our life, so whatever challenges the future might hold, we’d be in a stronger position to be able to adapt and cope.

I worked with a strong sense of urgency, knowing that perhaps autumn and the onset of winter held the potential for a second wave of the virus, and the possibility for a lot of plan changes and new challenges.

At one point over the summer we found that our schedule looking ahead was completely empty for the whole month of October, and thought that might be a great opportunity to give the van its initial test run.

Where could we go? Perhaps a trip around the Highlands of Scotland on the iconic NC500 route? So we added this to the calendar, hoping to return south for house sits booked for November and December.

As the end of September approached I worked frantically to complete the last few tasks on the van. At this point I hadn’t yet filled the water tanks to test for leaks, and we didn’t have a gas tank, so the cooking and heating systems were still untested.

At the same time as I worked on the van Vanessa was keeping an eye on Covid development in the UK, as it was starting to look like more lockdowns might be coming, particularly in Scotland, which has tougher rules generally than England.

As the end of our final house sit drew close our plans were still vague, and a last minute discussion led to a dramatic change of plans. We’d make a quick dash north to visit family (all with appropriate social distancing, of course) before potential restrictions came into place there. Then, instead of heading further north, we’d return south, and cross the English Channel to France.

It was beginning to look like our November and December house sits may be forced to cancel their trips, so we chose an option that would make it easy to return if these sits did happen, but also offer the potential to head to a warmer climate for winter should all of our assignments fall through.

So we headed south! The ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe took about 4 hours, and was only about 20% full. Once through customs we made our way to our first planned overnight stop – a free campsite for motorhomes on a clifftop above a small town to the west of Dieppe.

Since that first night at the beginning of October we’ve stayed in lots of different towns, usually in an area provided by the local council, set aside for motorhomes. Most are free, some have a small fee, particularly those by the coast, or near heavily trafficked tourist destinations.

We’ve explored the historic Normandy coast where the D-Day landings took place in 1944, and

are now heading further west into Brittany, all the time travelling safely, wearing masks and adhering to local regulations. We don’t eat or drink outside the van and are keeping ourselves to ourselves in our small home bubble.

Over the three weeks we have been here all our UK sits have confirmed their need to cancel their own travel plans, so it looks like we made a great decision to make our way across the channel.

We’ve actually managed to secure three short sits here in France for early November, and hope they will go ahead as planned. Although as I write this it looks like France is considering further restrictions on movement, which again may impact our home owners’ plans.

There is also the possibility that these travel restrictions may impact our freedom to roam too.

We’re keeping a close eye on developments, and looking at alternate routes, locations and possibilities. The offer of a second home to use as a base in Burgundy will provide a winter destination while we wait to see how things pan out across Europe.

As I said, going forward into this new, ever-changing travel landscape is going to require a great degree of resilience.

We hope you’re plans aren’t being too badly impacted right now, and we hope you’re managing to find ways to cope with the challenges you face.

Best wishes, Ian and Vanessa (currently heading west across Brittany, France)

IS HOUSE SITTING CHANGING FOR FULLTIME SITTERS?

by Vanessa Anderson As full time house sitters approach the winter months in the northern hemisphere, we are all perhaps a little nervous of what the future holds for the travel and house sitting communities.

Many of us spent the spring months in lock-down, emerging cautiously in July to tip-toe back to the world of house sitting - mostly domestic sits and within local government guidelines.

Staycations became all the rage, and the prices of campervans and motorhomes sky-rocketed.

The more adventurous holiday makers threw caution to the wind and flew off to experience summer as normally as possible, throughout Europe, in countries keen to give their failing tourist businesses a much needed boost.

Other house sitters found themselves permanently stationed in countries away from home, competing for the few sits that popped up from second home owners, intrepid travellers, and homeowners who themselves hadn’t made it back to their permanent homes.

So to some it may look like house sitting has returned to a more normal state.

But is that really the case?

We don't think so, no. Our active Facebook Support Group says otherwise. And that’s primarily because travel hasn’t returned to normal. As winter descends across Europe, so the cases of Covid are increasing again, and the number of house sits is diminishing.

House sitters all over the world are reporting cancellations, revised dates, a lack of opportunities and an urgent need to be more flexible and adaptable than ever.

And it’s no wonder, because the travellers we offer our services to are in just as much chaos with local lockdowns, curfews, changes to flights, cancellations and changes to quarantine regulations.

Nothing has any certainty anymore and this is important to understand if you are thinking of house sitting during the coming year.

Whether you are new to house sitting or a seasoned pro sitter or home owner, the chances are you will be affected in some way by the Covid pandemic as it continues to wreak havoc around the world.

Keeping house sitting alive But for those of us able, we are doing our best to try and keep house sitting a viable option in our lives.

We have managed to maintain back-to-back house sits since July with only two small breaks, one of 3 days and one of 4. Happily these gaps gave rise to family visits after a long time of not being able to visit.

But during this time we also had 4 short notice cancellations. Despite hope, and no lack in determination from the home owners, each of the sits we had scheduled for summer before Covid, were withdrawn. Some because of flight and quarantine issues and others because of safety concerns.

No blame can be apportioned – it is what it is… a shit-show of uncertainty, upheaval, and the prospect of short-notice change. All coupled with the prospect of having nowhere to stay if a sit gets cancelled.

If we want to remain nomadic, continue to house sit and hope for occasional domestic travel adventures then it’s something we are going to have to get used to.

We’ll need to adapt even more and risk-assess the future of house sitting and travel… prepare ourselves for a new way of achieving our lifestyle choices.

So what might this look like?

Backup Plans We’ve always advocated that you shouldn’t really be considering house sitting if you haven’t got a Plan B. Well now, I’m afraid that extends to needing a Plan C and possibly a Plan D and beyond.

You'll also need back-up funds.

This isn’t the time to be setting out on a house sitting lifestyle just BECAUSE you need free accommodation - because you are homeless or jobless. You may think, “no-one would do that” but honestly, we get emails regularly from homeless people asking how they can start house sitting. My heart goes out to anyone struggling, but the uncertainty of house sits following through to completion is likely to cause you more problems than you will be able to financially cope with.

Options for house sitters without sits What could you consider as a backup plan if your house sit is cancelled? a.

Staying with friends and family. This used to be an obvious and welcome solution for occasional gaps – a way to fill short term accommodation needs and catch up with those you love. But how often can you do this without feeling like you are a hindrance? What if local lockdowns or limitations on groups or households living in the same space, may prevent this from happening. We have to consider also whether the person we are visiting is considered vulnerable.

b. Airbnb – this has always been a popular option for travellers between sits or while on travel adventures. Airbnb has adapted well to Covid in terms of implemented safety measures.

Guidelines for cleaning have been adopted and in many cases you can enter and leave a rental property without having to meet the owners. Long term discounts are possible, and will likely increase in availability as we head towards winter in northern hemisphere. c.

Long Term Rentals – back in March, we negotiated a long term monthly renewable rental including all utilities in Cornwall. We approached holiday home owners who were going to lose income during lockdown. I know many other sitters benefited from similar

arrangements. There are numerous rental agencies online, both regional and national, and lots of Facebook groups too. Static caravan parks are another good source of longer term accommodation and winter lets. d. Volunteering and workaway – Maybe this is something you’ve always wanted to do… now might be a good time if you lose a sit or can’t find house sits. Many charitable organizations need ongoing staff to stay viable right now. And these opportunities also provide great references for your house sitting profile, especially if you are only just getting started. e.

Second home owners – We’ve had offers from some of the home owners we’ve sat for regularly, of accommodation in their second home. The generosity we’ve seen through this pandemic is exceptional. By providing basic maintenance and garden services you are helping them at a time when maybe they can’t of don’t want to travel to their alternative home.

f.

Buy a campervan – This has been our choice. Rather than buy a ready made van, we have recently completed the conversion of a Peugeot Boxer van to meet our specific living requirements. This will provide us with independent, off-grid accommodation if sits are cancelled or unavailable.

g.

Take a break from house sitting – It might not be your first choice, but it might be your only one in some cases. If you can’t sustain regular sits, it might be more cost effective to take a break and rent, or move back into your primary home.

I think the key thing to see is that most options will involve having funds to pay for accommodation. If you are thinking that house sitting is your route to free accommodation at a time of financial difficulty, it might end up costing you more than you expected, and you’ll be totally disillusioned.

It's not all doom and gloom. There are some countries like Thailand, New Zealand and areas of Australia where they have the virus more under control and domestic travel is thriving. If you are fortunate enough to find yourself in one of these places, then house sitting will still be a viable option for maintaining your "new normal" lifestyle.

We'd love to hear more from you about how your life has been affected either positively or negatively... drop us an email to let us know!

Vanessa & her partner Ian are full-time British travelers and house sitters who have published the online publication House Sitting Magazine since 2016. They provide numerous resources for the community as they continue their explorations and slow travel adventures across the globe. You can find out more about their house sitting lifestyle here or at LongTermHouseSitters.com

PANDEMIC SITTING ACROSS EUROPE

by Jenni Flett It’s morning and a message pings into our inbox.

"I'm sorry, but we don't think we'll be able to travel anymore, so we, unfortunately, have to cancel the sit."

In the afternoon, another message comes through - the same news.

Our next two house sits, both only just arranged a few weeks prior, are gone. We're only three weeks away from finishing our long-term summer sit in Bulgaria, and we have nowhere to go.

One day of travel restriction announcements from various governments across Europe dismantle our plans. We frantically set up search alerts and start applying. Fortunately, within a week we have our first rescheduled sit setup in Switzerland.

All we have to rely on is Switzerland keeping Bulgaria off their quarantine list.

New plans come into fruition The last three weeks consist of early mornings and late nights, checking alerts and various sites for sits within Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Countries might be adding more and more

countries to their lists, but they are trying their best to keep borders open, so we decide this is the safest way to plan.

Somehow our manic applying lands us three back-to-back sits from Interlaken to Germany's Black Forest region. We now only have three weeks of the year left to cover – a feat we thought impossible when the competition for sits is so tight.

We book our flights and leave Bulgaria. To lessen our chances of picking up the virus, we arm ourselves with masks, antibacterial hand gel and wipes. We make a socially distanced dash to the train and travel straight to Interlaken.

The odd ones out Our hostel seems to be taking every precaution to keep people distanced and safe, but we soon realise outside of public transport and paid accommodation, nobody seems to be overly bothered about the ongoing pandemic.

For context, we spent the summer in a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of Sofia and had been limiting ourselves to going out one day a week. We wore masks and were especially careful everywhere we went, from shops to the occasional cafĂŠ or museum.

Our house had the benefit of a huge garden, so we had fresh air, a menagerie of animals to keep us entertained and we threw ourselves into work.

Now you can argue that this is a small Alpine town, but it's a touristy one, and our biggest fear isn't so much catching the virus but spreading it. While nobody here wears masks indoors, we continue to do so even if we get odd stares. On the other hand, Hen does have a bright blue beard, so staring is to be expected.

Where it all began Rewinding to March, we hesitantly leave Norway and return to the UK and our year ahead looks to be in tatters. Then, by chance, we we’re able to fly to Bulgaria to do the three months sit we had organised in September last year.

The only catch? A two-week quarantine with the homeowners.

For the first two weeks, it feels much like a Workaway or similar experience. We help with cooking, learn the routine, partake in gardening and have long debates over coffee in between.

It has its moments of, "I just need some space", but overall, they leave happy in the knowledge that we know how to do everything!

The second wave As we get ready to leave, we're apprehensive about doing handovers, especially as a second wave seems to be gripping Europe again. Our next sits aren't long-term; they're one to two weeks long. Fortunately, they're all within a short train journey from each other.

We figure airports and cities are high risks, so we try to avoid both, and instead go for rural or village sits. But what about the handover?

The new normal for house sitters includes the way we do handovers. We hear from friends in the UK who are doing virtual handovers or socially distanced ones. Yes, people are a bit more careful, but not much has changed in terms of the process.

We arrive a day early, get to know each other and go over the pet routine. As a bit of a hugger, this is something I (Jen) have to reign in, and of course, we're careful, but the handover experience isn't quite as strict as we imagined it would be.

Why did we choose this lifestyle?

Before any whisper of a global pandemic, we had a whole year mapped out. We were to travel to Europe to look after new furry friends, and this was a unique way to learn all kinds of skills.

Our future dream is to have a sustainable homestead. House sitting affords us several opportunities to look after chickens, learn about vegetable gardens, how to make goats cheese, beekeeping and befriend interesting people, while simultaneously helping to keep their pets safe and happy.

Home is Scotland, but having lived for three years abroad as teachers, hotel managers and au pairs, we don't have a house. That was to be rectified this year. We were to invest in a home to rent out, but alas that has been significantly delayed.

Instead, we find ourselves stuck in a peculiar limbo, with no home to return to and family who are high-risk. For these reasons, we've decided to stay in Europe and not go back to the UK.

What happens next?

As we edge closer to the end of the year, we have managed to secure sits to take us to January, although this can all collapse at any point if the situation suddenly changes.

That uncertainty is scary. There is this constant anxiety we can't shift.

The story of the year has been as follows: Sit cancels, panic, organise new plans, panic again as they fall through, organise again – it goes in circles.

This year has been a test of our ability to be super flexible, we’ve had to change our behavior, and think about how we travel. It has also brought into question our life decisions.

Had it not been for the pandemic, we would have a little more security.

Suddenly we're faced with a moral dilemma. Do we continue to house sit abroad and travel? Is that selfish, risky or both?

To us, it's been essential because of our circumstance, but we've also taken all steps necessary to be as careful as possible and changed our plans to lessen the risk. We've cancelled trips to see family and friends; we're not travelling in between sits and choosing sits where we can spend most of our time working from home with pet cuddles.

No big city breaks, no trips to overcrowded places and staying distanced.

To the brink and back If we had a house to hunker down in, yes, we probably would have stayed at home. We were incredibly lucky our long-term summer sit went ahead; otherwise, this would be a different story. That one sit meant we could avoid blowing our savings on a 6-month rental at home.

We know that everyone has had very different experiences this year. This community stepped up in offering temporary accommodation and supporting each other.

Honestly, we felt so lost in the beginning. We've lost a family member to the virus; our mental health has been pushed to the brink, and sometimes all we want is to come home.

What's kept us going is knowing we have friends and a community who support us, an understanding family and pets who still need us.

We started this year thinking we'd walk away with a host of new skills and pet pals, and ultimately that has happened, just not in the way we imagined.

A full-time pet sitting couple from Edinburgh and Brighton respectively with a love for sustainable and slow travel. Jen is a writer, and Hen is the photographer behind the scenes.

Follow our wee adventures on Instagram where we talk frankly and openly about our life on the road.

Get 15% OFF your membership on all companies in the AussieHouseSitter Group with code: HSMAG15

GROW YOUR BOOKINGS STRONGER

by A K Tyler

“And then Covid hit.”

Everyone has a story that ends with that phrase. It echoes the disappointments, dashed hopes and broken wishes that have hurt us all.

Like many house sitters I had more than a year of advanced bookings, mostly international, that collapsed. Unfortunately, I had rented out my home, so without a house sit I am homeless. I’m not going to lie, I was terrified. I was facing destitution square in the eye.

I set out on my house-sitting venture in August 2019, back when the sky was blue, travel was freedom, and the future looked rosy. Between sits I went on bucket list adventures. There was an an epic road trip across Australia and a South African safari holiday . . . and then Covid hit.

This article is about how I managed to keep a roof over my head and re-build my house-sitting bookings. Hopefully my experience can help you.

You’re no trapeze star - have a safety-net Look, there is always a tent, but it makes for a hard life. I managed to avoid tent-living after realising that Airbnb hosts would be facing the flip side of my dilemma. That is, a property with

no guest, or money coming in. I decided the geographical area I would focus on, then penned a message offering hosts caretaking services in exchange for cheap rent. I had determined I could afford $250 per week for three months.

After sending this message to hosts of suitable properties, I was contacted by several and secured a solid roof over the old noggin for said months with an option to extend. In the end the arrangement was win-win all round, just like house sitting.

Even now, with some restrictions easing I think it is safest to have at least one back-up plan up your sleeve because if 2020 has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected.

Know your place - geographical strategy Given the recent topsy-turvy border restrictions I have decided to stay local, near friends and family and Airbnb salvation. Our time for further travel will come, but in the meantime let’s rediscover our community and help the local businesses as much as we can.

Apply like a demon In this new climate we need to cast our net far wider than before. Many house sitters used to use one or two sites to find their sit-gigs, but with so few sits available, this could cause destitution issues. I recommend you join at least three sites and apply for more assignments and consider types of sits that you may have previously avoided. I even applied for a sit that required the bottoms of the four cats to be wiped after toileting. Thankfully, that’s one sit I didn’t get.

We also need to protect ourselves from wobbly bookings. Before you click the apply button double check the listing for clues about the assignment and its security. Avoid applying for any

sit associated with international travel, a cruise, and even some interstate travel. The most secure sits I have found are for those folks with caravans. Not only are they secure, they become repeat bookings.

Be the early bird Not only do we have to apply more widely, but we must outpace our competitors too. I have missed out on loads of recent sits just because I was operating at my usual pace. Often sits would be assigned within just a couple of hours of the ad publication.

I found the best way to speed up the application process is to create and save application/s master template that you can copy and paste within seconds of finding a sit you would like.

You could even develop a few for specific types of sits and pets.

Reinvent like Apple Even after making the short list for assignments I was getting pipped at the post. I realised I needed to upgrade myself, much like Apple products keep developing to maintain the competitive edge. In the new marketplace we need to provide our HO’s with good reasons to choose us over the other 150 applicants. It is a buyer’s market.

Rather than rely on the experience and a few reviews I usually include in my application, I supercharged my profile. I paid for a National Police check. I undertook two pet care courses: an RSPCA approved course through Australian pet sitting network Pet Cloud for $75 AUS and another free course through Madpaws. An animal first-aid course is another highly regarded qualification.

Then I reviewed services I could provide HO’s as well as the service experience I provide, including forms, checklists, interview questions and updates from home options. I also developed a Covid safety plan, outlining limiting personal community contact and property cleanliness procedures.

Market like a Kardashian This is where the sparkle happens. You’ve got your course certificates, police checks, reviews, list of skills and services you can provide and pictures of happy animals looking at you adoringly, but how do you get all of that across to a potential client without boring them with a feature length essay?

There’s no doubt, this requires thought and some people find it the trickiest part, branding, profile, photos, website.

Branding is how you create the personality of your business and should be true to who you are.

Choose three qualities that would most be admired by potential homeowners and use them to inform every decision you make about your marketing. This includes pictures, captions, profile title, content and profile vocabulary. For example, if you are a young, single student your best qualities could be your high energy, your ability to stay home with the pets while you study online and potential to become a regular sitter while you save for your first home. On the other hand, if you are a working professional, you could accentuate your home/ pet care experience, reliability and calm confidence.

I recommend going a step further than your profile. Building a website creates a portfolio for you to include certificates, reviews, bios and a photo gallery, to give HO’s the ability to easily get a better idea of my skills, experience and personality. Just include the link to your website in your application. There are many free website platforms to chose from.

As we navigate the rest of this turbulent journey, we should remember to see opportunities rather than threats and strengths rather than weaknesses. We will prevail and be all the better for our fortitude.

Anastasia Tyler has recently re-fashioned herself from High School teacher to a digital nomad, renting out her home and taking to the road. She works as a freelance writer and photographer as she and her husband wander the world. Find out more at Cool Footing.

HOUSE SITTING WITH ANXIOUS DOGS

by Louise Wood If you are due to house sit for a friend or relative, or via a house sitting platform such as TrustedHousesitters, you may be told that a dog you’ll be caring for, suffers from anxiety. If this is the case, you may be feeling nervous about this yourself.

Perhaps you don’t know how to deal with this type of behaviour in animals and feel like the experience is going to be quite stressful.

Well, it doesn’t need to be.

Here’s how to house sit for an anxious dog and make it easier for you both:

Before the house sit In the weeks and days leading up to your house sit, it’s a good idea to visit the owner and the dog you’ll be caring for.

Let the dog get used to you and try to spend some time together on your own. Start doing this for a short period of time and then build it up - including taking them on a walk. In certain circumstances it might be possible to even stay over for a night or two to really let the dog get used to you being around for long periods of time.

If the dog's issue is separation anxiety and they are going to struggle being apart from their owner, you’ll show that you are a safe person for them to be left with. This will help them start to feel comfortable around you and see that you’ve been accepted by the owners.

Likewise, it’s a good idea to speak to the dog’s owner about their routine. When do they get into their dog bed and what does their night time routine involve? What time do they eat and what do they eat? Which is their favourite toy? Dogs are creatures of habit and keeping their routine as similar to normal as possible will really help.

Maintaining pet routines is an important aspect of a house sitter’s duties. Changing routines can create anxiety in pets who might not have displayed nervousness ever before. You should always make sure that the pet’s routines come before your own. If you aren’t able to maintain the existing daily pattern, reconsider taking the sit, especially where you know beforehand that anxiety is an issue.

Finally, don’t forget to ask if there is anything that helps when the dog is feeling anxious. Some may wear “thunder jackets” to help calm their mood, while others may take medication. The owner could also leave a blanket or item of clothing that smells like them as dogs often find this comforting.

You also need to know the signs to look out for, the behaviours the animal may display when he or she is feeling anxious.

Anxiety behaviours to watch for when house sitting dogs:        

Panting Continuous barking Trembling Dribbling urine Urinating in the house Destructive chewing Pacing Constant yawning or scratching

5 TIPS - to help anxious dogs on a house sit 1. Take them on a long walk: Anxiety can cause a build up of energy, so a long walk will help with that. Exercise will relieve some of the stress and tire the dog, which will in turn help him/her to relax upon returning to the house. Walking is also a great way for the two of you to bond.

2. Don’t make a fuss when leaving or returning: This doesn’t only involve leaving the house, but could be when leaving and returning to the room they are in for most of the day. If you have to pop out for something, or when you put them to bed or get them up in the morning, it’s very tempting to make a fuss and tell them everything is going to be ok. But, they don’t understand and you’ll actually turn their anxiousness into a much bigger issue for them. It’s better to carry out these actions without interacting with them at all.

3. Keep them stimulated: If a dog is anxious then the owner will probably have a number of toys that will keep them stimulated. Make sure you use these – it might be a treat filled Kong or a puzzle toy - something that will keep them busy and focused for a while.

4. Offer distractions: Besides toys, sounds can help anxious dogs. There is DogTV channel which has specific colours that attract the dog’s attention. On YouTube you’ll find playlists specifically created for anxious dogs. You could also try My Dog’s Favourite Podcast on Spotify which is designed to reassure and soothe dogs. Check with the owners to see if they leave a particular radio station or TV channel on if they do leave the dog on its own. Find out what their procedure is for leaving the house too and stick to the same routine.

5. Keep calm and be patient: This most important thing is to have patience with an anxious dog. This includes staying calm and ignoring bad behaviour, while rewarding good behaviour.

Hopefully this has relieved some of your worries and you can look forward to caring for an anxious dog, rather than worrying about it and creating further anxiety for yourself.

This article was brought to you by freelance writer Louise Wood, who is an experienced journalist and blogger with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for writing.

LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ANIMALS WE CARE FOR

by Vicky Jo Varner My husband and I have been pet sitting abroad for almost two years all around Europe and the UK. We had some trepidation when we started, but it has been more fun than we ever dreamed of.

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t that much of a pet lover before I started sitting. But nearly every animal we’ve cared for has won my heart and become like extended family. Even more significantly, these animals have taught me some terrific life lessons.

Let me tell you what I learned from a few of them.

LESSON 1 - Optimism In Spain we cared for a rescue dog named Peggy for 5 months while her “daddy” was away for work. Peggy’s history was tragic. Apparently she was pregnant but emaciated from starvation when she arrived at a pet shelter. It was so bad that she lost her puppies. But her new owner could see how smart she was and brought her home.

One lesson I learned from Peggy is that you can bounce back from calamity and still have a great life. The other lesson I learned is to be cheerful and uncomplaining. I admit that some days I slept in and didn’t wander out to feed her until a later hour than she deserved. But she always greeted me with a grin, wagging her tail mightily, delighted to see me.

She never barked. In fact, she barked only once in the entire 5 months we were there, and it was at a little dog who stole her ball and she wanted it back. For that reason, I noticed I wanted to do more for her than was expected.

For example, we researched to find her a “dog beach” to visit in Spain because we knew she loved water. We had to drive about an hour to get her there, but she was so happy in the ocean (she’d never experienced that before!) that we took her an average of once a week, sometimes more.

It was her optimistic, cheerful attitude that made us want to go the extra mile and make her happy, and I’m grateful to her for teaching me this lesson.

LESSON 2 - Focus and passion In Bristol, England, we had two lovely dogs for a couple of weeks -- Oso and Kaiser. Both won our hearts, but it was Kaiser who taught me some important lessons. Once again, both dogs were rescues who came from difficult circumstances. Their owner was close to them, like handin-glove, and we aspired to match her attentiveness.

We soon learned that Kaiser liked balls. He was totally ball-focused. He was all about the ball.

Even though he was a dog, I suspect he spent nearly every waking moment thinking about balls.

And he had a big collection.

Sometimes he would bring you a ball and pester you to play with him. I learned a lot about focus from Kaiser. He showed me how to keep my eye on the ball. Attention was vital. I might

get distracted and fall into “shiny object syndrome” with my work, but Kaiser would remind me again to focus on the ball. He was the ultimate embodiment of that mantra.

His home had two stories, and Kaiser would often bring a ball upstairs and join us on the bed together. Eventually we discovered that we could take the ball he brought us and lob it gently out into the hallway where it would fall down the stairs to the ground floor.

Kaiser would charge downstairs, retrieve his ball, and run back up the stairs to do it again. We didn’t even have to get off our butts! We’d get the ball from him and pitch it out the door to fall downstairs again. Over and over he would do this.

Now dogs often like to play, and can be tireless, but what impressed me about Kaiser was that he didn’t just run DOWN the stairs to get the ball... he also ran UP the stairs (every time!) to bring the ball back. I could hear his little feet pounding the stairs down and pounding the stairs up again.

He was unflagging. So along with effort, Kaiser taught me how to keep enthusiasm alive even on the back-end of a job and not just the front-end. Passion is contagious, and Kaiser proved that every time we played ball. I thank Kaiser for teaching me vital lessons about focus and passion.

One lesson I learned from so many animals we cared for was the attitude of expectation. Just ask for what you want, and “expect” to get it! Now practically every animal we’ve cared for whether it be hamsters, chickens, cats, or dogs - demonstrate how to ask for what they want, whether that be a treat, a pat, a game, or a walk. Some of them can be downright bossy about it! But it’s the second part that Charlie Brown and Billy taught me about.

LESSON 3 - Expectation This was a sit in Preston, UK, with two little rescue dogs. Billy’s demeanour reminded me a lot of Kaiser, described above. He was also a go-getter. But Billy was also a little bit nervous, if not somewhat neurotic, perhaps from being poorly treated by his former owners.

His constant companion was our other pet charge, Charlie Brown. To this day I’m not sure we weren’t deceived by the home-owners, because Charlie seemed more like a cuddly teddy bear than a dog - and his fur was downy-soft like a furry toy animal - not at all like a dog. I’m still suspicious!

But the big difference between Charlie and Billy is that while both would ask for what they wanted, Charlie “expected” he would get it. If he wanted to cuddle, he would just come over and snuggle up. If he wanted to be petted, he would just push his wet little nose under my hand, even if I was typing rapidly on a keyboard (kind of like right now).

Charlie just assumed you would accede to his wishes. Not Billy. Billy would sit on the other side of the couch and glare at the attention Charlie was getting. He was jealous! But Billy wouldn’t come and snuggle with me the way Charlie would. He didn’t presume he was loved.

I realized at one point that, even though I would go out of my way to give Billy equal treatment, and I would earnestly invite him to come cuddle with me, it would never be enough. He was perpetually anxious and seemed to believe he was permanently one-down compared to his sibling. This realization broke my heart. Jealousy is not a good look on anybody, whether you’re a dog or a human.

And so what I learned from Billy and Charlie is the importance of asking for what you want AND expecting you'll get it.

It makes a big difference when you enter a roomful of strangers expecting them to like you and treat you well versus entering a roomful of strangers being afraid they won’t like you and won’t help you. Attitude truly is everything.

I thank Billy and Charlie Brown for teaching me this lesson.

It’s possible that I’m anthropomorphizing and projecting human qualities onto these animals.

Yet, even if I am, I can still learn something from them. Furthermore, they may have inborn temperaments and traits commensurate with their breed that cannot easily be changed. But as a human being, I CAN change.

Observing the positive (and negative) impact their behaviour had on me and how it affected my opinion of them, gives that much more authority to these lessons they taught me. Their effect on us was palpable! I would be foolish not to try incorporating these positive attributes into my own way of being in the world. It is in my own best interest to grow and do better.

And now I must go, because it’s time to feed the dogs!

Happy pet-sitting.

After completing her PhD, Vicky Jo celebrated by touring Europe with her husband Robin. To keep it economical, they tried their hand at pet sitting. Since accruing 22 months of almost non-stop sits, they still enjoy the nomadic lifestyle and have fallen in love with many creatures.

Vicky Jo conducts professional type discovery with coaching clients and teaches various courses over Zoom, sometimes whilst wearing silly hats. Follow Vicky Jo and Robin at their website.

EMBRACING THE CHAOS OF VIETNAM

by Sarah Wanden With just my tent, I had just circumnavigated Australia for three months and was looking forward to finding somewhere to stay with a proper roof for a while.

Without any particular plan I logged onto Trusted Housesitters and began looking for an interesting house sit within the southern hemisphere.

Vietnam was coming up trumps so that’s where I focused my efforts.

I make contact with Aiden and Susana in Lam Dong Province, Da Lat, Vietnam - yup I've no idea where that is either. I see pictures of Toby the dog, seems small and cute, and we start chatting on WhatsApp. Aiden seems fun and sends me heaps of info. I do a little research and discover a good flight price, from Melbourne (where I am) to Bali then Ho Chi Minh City and on to Da Lat.

Getting there takes patience Very soon I am on the first flight and realise I've left my air-pods at the money exchange desk inside the airport. Dammit… I begin to think I’ll not see them again! I LOVE my air-pods... podcasts and Ted Talks keep me sane on flights!

I'm told I can leave the plane and go and find them if I'm fast. Christ, here goes, I run off the plane and back into the terminal. I'm aware I may look quite dodgy charging through the middle of the airport like a mad woman, but I'm on a mission. Arriving at the money change desk I explain my predicament and before I reach the end of the sentence the lady passes me my airpods. I smile and dash back to see the whole plane is seated and ready to leave. Gosh I've now become THAT passenger, the one holding everyone up. Meekly I return to my seat.

I make it to Bali intact of mind and arrive in the familiar and fragrant Denpasar airport. Having been here before it brought back some good memories. But I’m here just long enough to navigate immigration, leave arrivals and head quickly back into departures for my flight to Vietnam.

It’s about 38 degrees and I'm running late. I check in, dump my backpack and proceed through security. I grab a takeaway vegan bowl and arrive just in time to board my flight. Wow… who booked this schedule... oh yes it was me!

The flight to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) goes smoothly but by this stage I've no idea what the local time is and choose not to worry. Arriving in Ho Chi Minh is an experience of its own. Huge crowds of people all travelling with so much luggage, boxes wrapped in string, strange looking packages containing who knows what.

Just enough time to get the visa sorted I know I've got three hours until my flight to Da Lat, but I still can’t relax – it’s time to sort out my visa. I had managed to get a pre-visa letter online before travelling, meaning I've been “prechecked”. So in essence it should be a breeze, but experience tells me not to count my chickens.

I arrive at the visa area where it’s heaving with only three people serving. In many countries I’ve found people don't queue politely like we do in the UK, and here it's kind of slightly less polite carnage.

I join a messy queue and wait.

Shortly I reach the front and approach an official, showing him my letter. He in turn sends me to a corner on the left and says “photo”. With no idea what I've to do, I ask those around me, and it appears I need a passport sized photo.

No problem! I have an old one in my purse, knowing I’d need it one day. I rejoin the back of the ever growing queue. I reach the front again and triumphantly show my photo. This time it’s taken and attached to my form. Next I’m asked for my pre-approval letter which I show him on my phone.

Not good enough. He points me to a computer, instructs me to log in to gmail and print it. Huff!

I do as requested although it takes several attempts… I mean who knows their gmail password?

Now I'm getting nervous, it's 7.10pm and my flight it at 7.45, I've still not collected my luggage, checked in or been through immigration. So I grow a pair and go straight to the front of the queue, strangely no one bats an eyelid, I can imagine it being quite an issue at home.

Finally I’m asked to take a seat on the other side of the room. By now I’m resigned to missing my flight and spending the night on the airport floor. I watch as everyone on my side of the room is called up in turn, and after a payment they get their passport and visa. I listen intently and fifteen minutes later I hear my name. $30 dollars later and I’ve got my visa and once again find myself running through the airport. Fortunately my flight was delayed by 40 minutes so I can breathe again on arriving at the gate!

We take off from Ho Chih Minh City but after just ten minutes we start our descent. It was actually a 20 min flight, the shortest I’ve ever taken. Had I known I would have taken a train!!

Happy times with Toby When I arrived in Da Lat, Luc the taxi driver was waiting. His English wasn't great but we made small talk for the hour journey to Lam Dong. Arriving at 10.30pm, I said hello to Aiden who was struggling to stay awake, met Toby, who seemed delightful, and hit the hay.

I’ve stayed in non-touristy places in different countries before. This however is a fairly new kind of experience. Firstly, I’ve got sole responsibility of a dog, that’s a first. Lucky as I am, Toby the Bichon Frisée is as calm as you like, never begs, sleeps all night and is generally more easy-going than most humans.

Secondly, I am super remote, literally haven’t seen any other westerners apart from the owners since I arrived.

Aiden took me to the bigger town before he and Susana left for their holidays. Da Lat is about 11km away - there is a supermarket there and a large night market so I picked up a few things and he helped me to sort a local SIM, super cheap and quite easy.

It’s now a week later and I’m getting low on food so I venture out to the nearest village. There’s no supermarket as such, just a series of small wooden, corrugated buildings selling locally grown produce, baby milk, crisps, snacks and pop. There are very few other groceries.

Mainly it’s all veggies which I enjoy, including some I’ve never seen before but there are carrots, broccoli, cabbage, and lots of leaves. I can’t find mushrooms or lemons, and apples are super expensive. You can however get a big bagful of seasonal stuff for about £2!

If I want more choice I have to venture into Da Lat but I’m not overly bothered. It’s nice living so simply.

The house I’m staying in is huge with five bedrooms. It’s tiled everywhere, has very big doors and tall cowlings - again simple not palatial. No curtains, no hot water apart from one small electric shower in a bathroom in the kitchen (?)

In the kitchen there’s no oven but there is a two burner gas job (large gas bottle underneath), a sink with a cold tap and a kettle, microwave and fridge freezer.

I’m living quite comfortably with these basic amenities and it makes me realise just how much extra “stuff” we have in the west. One thing I would swap is the mattress... it’s as hard as rock!

I’ve come across this before in Asia, I wonder what they would think of our softer versions! My body is slowly getting used to it.

Toby and I walk around the small village a couple of times a day and sometimes go further afield to visit temples or to town to the large supermarket. To my relief he’s fine in a taxi too. I appear to be the only western person in the area and get stared at often. I guess I’m that strange tall woman with the white dog, but you quickly become used to this and ignore it.

Toby is a four year old a small white dog and Da Lat is dry hot and dusty, which means every now and then he takes on the brown orange hue of the local dust, so I bath him. The first time I did this he ran outside and rolled in more dust. Damn my inexperience! But then I got wise and shut all the doors! I brushed him and groomed him and loved him and we had a nice time exploring and walking his little legs off.

With all the time I had and a good internet connection I attempt to teach myself yoga, with mixed and humorous results, and also manage to watch the whole series of Breaking Bad (yes I'm ashamed that I became a total couch spud for a while!)

Christmas came and passed unnoticed by myself and Toby (just how I like it, not a big fan) and soon it was time to move on, next stop Thailand for some sun and sea!

Sarah Wanden is a traveller who uses house sitting and Workaway to circumnavigate the world. She’s been on the road since 2018, and her travels have taken her from the UK to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, America, South East Asia.

She's currently escaped the British winter by driving her campervan down to Spain taking house sits along the way. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

WORDS TO GUIDE ME

by Victoria Lanier “Bless not only the road but the bumps on the road. They are all part of the higher journey.”

Julia Cameron The reality of this global pandemic hit when lockdowns in my hometown started in March 2020 and international borders closed. The impact on my house-sitting life this year was the cancellation of five house sitting assignments for 2020, three in my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia USA, as well as a new booking on Costa del Sol in Spain, and a repeat sit at a small but charming B&B in Salles-Lavalette, France.

As I consider this strange environment and what is next for me as a solo house sitter, I look back at the true spontaneity that drove me to start house sitting in 2014.

This spirit of spontaneity is still within me, but the reality of travel is altogether something new.

A much more cautious approach is the new normal now for me as somewhat of a part-time nomadic solo woman who wants to explore new places in the world. Spontaneity is not so easy now, but I do love the philosophy inherent in this quote “To change one’s life, start immediately, do it flamboyantly, no exceptions.”

William James

Starting out as a solo sitter in Mexico Six years ago I embarked on my first solo house sit. It consisted of 30 adventurous days in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Having visited Mexico many times before, I left home without a doubt that this was the right thing for me to do - to return there to take a house sit for the first time.

I enjoyed the beautiful, historic cities of Colonial Mexico which I had previously visited, and found the lifestyle so very relaxing. I loved that I could walk everywhere, even to the center of town instead of just driving and sitting in the traffic of Atlanta!

While daydreaming about leaving home and traveling, I had come across a Mexico Craigslist ad for a qualified pet sitter to house sit at a classic villa for an American couple with 2 dogs and 3 cats just steps off the main plaza. That summer in Mexico I spent many hours online researching house sitting since I now realized that I could house sit anywhere in the world.

For more information on house sitting in Mexico, check out House Sitting Magazine's comprehensive guide here When I wasn’t out walking around beautiful San Miguel de Allende and exploring markets, shops, cafes, galleries and museums, I discovered Trusted Housesitters on Google and joined immediately. I began to study international maps and have wild dreams of traveling the world, starting with Europe.

That summer in Mexico I also started my marketing plan and created my own website. The following year I created my Facebook business page, and then a travel group, Victoria’s Nomad Dream on Facebook.

I was clearly in the daydreaming phase, but with an eye toward figuring out if this would work!

And it did.

Between 2016 and 2019 I travelled annually to France, England and Italy for multiple house sit assignments for 2 to 4 month stays each time. I even enjoyed a 2-month trip exploring Ecuador where I was a solo house sitter for 2 weeks in 2017.

The now - Atlanta, Georgia I am fortunate to be currently house and pet sitting in Atlanta. As I write, I am staying with a cute Bichon Poodle mix for the 4th time. I continue to enjoy a few sits here in Atlanta, in an affluent area of town with quite large, magnificent homes complete with housekeepers and landscapers, and sometimes swimming pools!

I do a lot of neighborhood networking in Atlanta and attract new homeowners and referrals by word of mouth.

The future It is not likely that I will return to Europe, Mexico or South America until 2022. There’s a small chance this might be brought forward to the end of 2021, depending on the actual opening of international borders and how the pandemic plays out.

Right after lockdown started in Atlanta, a wonderful French couple for whom I had completed two sits, asked me if I would come again to stay with their French Bulldog for 6 months in November 2021 through until June 2022, but I declined.

With so much uncertainty right now, and with their plans so far into the future, it just did not feel right for me to commit during this global crisis. I am healthy and want to stay that way!

I am considering house sitting in Canada once it is safe, and I will certainly travel around the USA to do more house sitting.

P.A.U.S.E. It’s me on “pause” and it is just a matter of taking some deep breaths and focusing on the present.

P for patience A for acceptance U for unique S for spirit E for enthusiasm

I have the confidence and resilience in me to continue to be creative and resourceful as I pursue some projects at home.

I start a new weekend sitting assignment this Friday in Atlanta with a frisky 6-month-old Shepherd puppy named Dooley and sweet mixed breed 75 pound 9-year-old, Bella!

Over the coming months, I will revise my website and focus more on blogging about travel, highlighting some of my house sitting adventures from the past 6 years.

My spirit and vision are still all about wanderlust and hope!

Vicki Lanier retired from being a sales and marketing professional in 2014 and began international house sitting around the world. She’s since completed over 35 sits with TrustedHousesitters - see her profile here.

You can follow her travel and house sitting experiences at her website and on Facebook

HOW HOUSE SITTERS ARE STAYING FLEXIBLE Collaboration post It's not easy being a full time house sitter at the moment as uncertainty follows like a dark shadow, threatening to change plans and keep us permanently on our toes.

But it's made us much stronger too. More resilient, creative, able to quickly adapt, and where possible make the most of what is presented to us. Often these offers come as acts of kindness or recommendation from other sitters or home owners. The house sitting family has supported so many through these times and it's certainly made us appreciate the strength of our community.

Here are four stories of how sitters have survived the first wave of Covid and how they are adapting to deal with the future.

OUR VERSION OF STABILITY

by Carol-Ann Itel You can follow Carol-Ann on Facebook House sitting is all about connections... to self, to homeowners, to community. My husband and I have been blessed to live this wonderful lifestyle for 10 years with the last four of those years, full time.

We were in San Carlos, Mexico and had the next year of sits all organized, including skiing in Kelowna BC, Rural Alberta, Phoenix and Mexico. Then CV-19 hit and our one year plan changed due to cancellations, border closures, and no Covid travel insurance coverage.

This lifestyle is about flexibility – that's for sure. Short term sits get exhausting and longer term sits are challenging to find. It's always uncertain where and when our next sit will be. Covid or no, it is imperative that we continue working our connections to find gigs at all times. And to be willing to PIVOT when things change.

When we had to leave Mexico early due to CV-19, an amazing client gifted us the use of their Lake home in Ontario. With the borders closed, it meant a 5 day drive in the winter through Northern Ontario. Unexpected BUT Beautiful.

This lifestyle asks us to shift our thinking of what “stability” looks like. Stability for me is not about a “place”. It is about staying connected to people important to me. This keeps me grounded. It is about being able to share this adventure with my husband of 35 years.

This lifestyle is also about the adventure of life. Exploring new areas and experiences. CV-19 has also changed this for us. In the beginning much was closed altogether and the weather was not great, so doing a drive or hike was about it for fun. Now, other exploring is open to us, but the “vibe” is different. And we often have to ask ourselves if it is worth the risk. Many things are, but some are not.

For me, it really comes down to it being about CONNECTION. Meeting new people and then sharing time with them exploring or socializing. I have found that the people we have met along this journey have been AMAZING. Our usual way to meet people is through pickleball, where we have found people to be exceptionally inviting.

This stay has been different. I am sure people here are friendly (we are Canadian after all), but CV-19 has changed how we interact with one another. The first few months there was no play, and now it is mostly played in “bubbles” with only minor open play. People are friendly during play but for the first time in all our travels, we have not been invited to socialize. Thank goodness we have family just three hours away, so at least we get some social.

So... back to self-connection. During this rather unique and trying time, we are offered an opportunity to reflect on what is important to us. To decide if this “lifestyle” still suits us and what we are prepared to do to maintain it. To decide if this non-traditional “journey” still inspires us. To ask ourselves the BIG QUESTIONS...

HIDDEN GEMS THAT MAINTAIN OUR LIFE ADVENTURES

by Chris & Suze Follow them at Chris & Suze Go Walkies When the UK went into lockdown we were fortunate enough to have arrived at a remote twoweek workaway in Norfolk a few days earlier, where we volunteered to help out a family on their small-holding. As a result of the pandemic we were invited to stay for three months!

Then we moved into a family member’s home, taking a break from house sitting until late July, when we took on our first house sit since lockdown. It was one we’d completed several times before, so we felt safe doing so. We’d built up a friendship with the homeowners, knew they

had been sensible during lockdown, and we were able to socially distance from them when we arrived.

We’ve completed a handful of house sits over the past few months and have had super positive experiences at each one! We’ve socially distanced from owners upon arrival, arranged to leave each sit before the owners return, and have executed a deep clean on our departure as they have done for us before our arrival.

We’re yet to have any sits cancelled, but this may be because we’re having to book them quite last minute. With fewer homeowners travelling and a wealth of sitters looking for stays, the competition is fiercer than ever! There have been more rejections that usual purely because of the sheer number of applicants applying for the sits.

Although we’ve now set up alerts on the house sitting websites to notify us when our available dates have new sits, so we can be one of the first applicants, that is sometimes still not enough!

We feel very fortunate when we do confirm a sit, and right now we’ve got just one sit planned next month to care for a parrot, which will be a new experience for us.

As full-time house sitters we have had to make alternative arrangements in between bookings, but this has given us the opportunity to explore activities we just hadn’t got round to during our pre-Covid travels!

Now we’ve been camping, apple-picking, wild swimming, and kayaking. We’ve even booked a van to explore Scotland and wild camp, with stays booked on an alpaca farm as well as in a shepherd’s hut!

We don’t book these things lightly and we thoroughly check the company’s Covid procedures before we commit, but it’s really given us the opportunity to slow down and consider what we’d like our next adventure to be!

At the beginning of 2020 we had many plans to explore Europe and take our UK house sitting international. While we were initially disappointed to have to put those plans on hold, we feel we’ve made the most of a bad situation and still been able to experience incredible new opportunities on home soil!

2021 may be more of the same, but we’re determined to continue finding hidden gems to make our full time travel life the most exciting adventure it can be!

MAKING THE BEST OF IT, ANYWAY WE CAN

by Els Mahieu Follow her at My Feet Are Meant To Roam The date was marked in big bold red letters in our diary - 10th of April 2020.

It was the day we were going to start our full-time house sitting adventure, looking after doggies, cats and chickens alike all across Europe. Notices were handed in, the apartment was rented out and the countdown had started months in advance. Yes, we had it all figured out and were very eager for our new life to start.

Our first sit was going to be in the French Alps, and from there on we planned on travelling further south into Spain. We had sits lined up all the way till the end of September - 2020 was going to be our year!

In February news started spreading that a new virus was on its way. It had reached Italy by then, but surely this wouldn’t impact our new life. Or so we thought…

By mid-March our first house-sit got cancelled, the home owners were taking a trip to the USA and Trump had decided to close all borders. They didn’t really have a plan B and neither did we.

We had given up renting and the new tenant was ready to move in beginning April. On top of that, more and more European countries were starting to randomly close their borders, flights were being cancelled and getting out of Northern Ireland seemed trickier by the day.

It looked more and more like we were going to be not only stuck… but homeless.

Our luck changed when Northern Ireland went into lockdown. The new tenant wasn’t allowed to move in and we could stay, as long as we needed! Phew!

So, it was going to take a bit more time, but surely by mid-May we were going to be on our way, we thought. Wrong. Turned out this virus was more serious than anybody expected.

Borders stayed closed, house sits got cancelled, people stayed at home. And so did we.

At least it gave us the opportunity to get stuck into our online jobs. A few months earlier, I started working as a freelance content writer and translator and Trevor began teaching online, our ways to finance our new house sitting lifestyle.

April and May went by and by mid-June, there was hope, a light at the end of the Covid-tunnel.

Countries started reopening and house sits were re-advertised. By then, all our previously arranged house sits had been cancelled, so we had to start again from square one.

A lot of determination and plenty of applications later, plan B was ready! Following the news anxiously, we couldn’t believe it when finally, mid-July we were on a plane to Spain, ready for our first house sit! By the end of September we were on our 4 th house sit in Spain, ready to move towards France by mid-October.

All our house sits have gone ahead and, following the adventures from fellow house sitters, we realize that we’ve been extremely lucky! We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know that we’re going to make the utter best of it, anyway we can!

SUPPORT AND KINDNESS DURING COVID

by Francesca Baker Follow Francesca at And So She Thinks I’m not sure I would call myself a digital nomad, but I’ve certainly pitched up with my laptop and worked all around the world, from London to New York, Utrecht to Melbourne, and everywhere in between.

The benefit of being a freelance writer and marketer means that I can work from anywhere – including in any flat or home requiring a house or pet sitter. I think it’s one of the things that makes me attractive as a house sitter. I can keep myself occupied at the same time as always being there for the cat and flat. Coffee break becomes “play with kitty break”, or time away from the screen to think becomes a perfect opportunity to water the garden.

It also means that coronavirus has not had a big impact on my working day. It’s pretty much the same as usual. But I have seen a decrease in demand for house sitters, which has been sad. I’m on four of the major house sitting platforms and all have had far fewer listings than usual.

I love exploring new places and spending time with new pets, and obviously opportunities for travel have been limited for us all. I have a regular London gig to hang out with Sasha and Hashbrown in a lovely flat near Marble Arch, but my home owner (who has now become a friend), just can’t get away on holiday like she used to.

She recommended me to a pal in Notting Hill, who has also had her travel curtailed. Arthur in Fulham was fun to play with, but his owner’s second trip got cancelled. And other home and cat owners in Utrecht were also unable to get away.

But when I have been able to house sit, I have been so grateful for the support and kindness that home owners have shown. Everyone has been flexible, in case I need to cancel due to illness or virus. They have cleaned their house thoroughly before I arrive, so I feel comfortable in their space. It helps that because of my work, I can be flexible, and respond to last minute requests or date changes.

I don’t charge for my services. I know I do a good job, and have all the credentials, including a DBS check and good references. But making a profit isn’t why I do this. I’m not saying it is entirely altruistic. I love the opportunity to be in a new place, and see a different few walls, and enjoy being with different pets. But I am also glad that I am able to allow other people to get away, especially after a difficult few months, and know that their home and pets are being looked after. It feels a small offer of support in what are incredibly challenging times. But it’s something.

FRIENDSHIP & COMMUNITY DURING THE TIME OF COVID

by Sandy Ball We are Sandy & Rob and you can find us at BritsHousesitting.com. Along the way we have made some lovely friends among fellow house sitters. When we were heading to Australia in February 2020, back in the days when everything was still normal, our initial sit in the Mornington Peninsula meant we were close to, and able to meet friends, Jacqueline and Glenn, who had done this same sit before. They even came to stay with us.

As this was their local area we had some great days out sightseeing and of course got to share the pets. So now we’ve managed to meet “The Aussie Lambs”, in England, Mexico, Scotland and two states in Australia.

Whilst on this sit we also had expert local background knowledge - the best wineries, and birthday and anniversary lunches - shared from Ian and Lloyd, the “Pet Sit Boys”, who we’d met twice in the UK. More from them later.

Before Covid, we had started virtually chatting with various folk we had met around the world and had even forged a plan to stay between sits with some Aussie sitters who we had met twice in Mexico.

Then came the moment when we suddenly needed to leave our Victoria sit due to Covid. The home owners were returning early from the UK and needed to comply with quarantine restrictions. This time we were helped and supported by Sue and Dave of “Wherever Are We� and we made a quick decision to travel to their location on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and rent an apartment in the same building for lockdown.

Settling in to a new kind of normal Whilst in lockdown we were so grateful for all the support we received. We had an apartment with a fantastic view, we had great neighbours, we could still go out for exercise and we had virtual coffees and lunches.

As we began to find we had more time on our hands, we started video chats with various sitters we had met around the world, rather than just messaging. The joys of our house sitting community is that we were speaking to Brits, Scots, Europeans, Americans, and Australians some within their own country, and others still positioned outside their country of passport like us.

Within our initial Aussie bubble and as we got used to our new normal, we took part in virtual coffees and lunches and a weekly quiz, which meant we got to know a few more folk such as

Andrew and Christopher of Global Wanderers Oz. Andrew even offered online yoga classes for those feeling bendy enough to join him.

When lockdown restrictions eased we were able to have some socially distanced meet ups.

Meeting up with people you’ve followed on Facebook or Instagram, really does feel like meeting old friends. This was the case with Gail and Bruno aka “the Fraussies” and Lisa, who we’d first met at The House Sitting Conference in England the previous year. Her plans to stay in Europe long term had been scuppered by Covid. We also met up a couple of times (and even climbed a mountain on our penultimate day in Australia) with Gavin and Jill, who we’d met twice in Mexico We were very sad to have to leave that fantastic place and all those lovely people for the UK.

Here’s what Gail and Bruno aka "The Fraussies" have to say about lockdown When I think of Covid-19 the first verse of Johnny Mercer’s song, (yes, I’m that old) runs through my head!

You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between

Having said that I know we have had relatively smooth sailing through it all with living in Queensland and continue to do so, unlike some people, states and countries.

Covid first affected us in March when we had our homeowners return to Brisbane early from overseas and we thought it was only fair that they quarantined in their own apartment with their much-loved Boston Terrier. A quick search on the internet saw us book an Airbnb on the Sunshine Coast. We then stayed in another Airbnb in Wynnum, just south of Brisbane and were then able to negotiate a cheaper rate to return to the Sunshine Coast committing to a longterm stay. This obviously suited us and also the owners as any form of travel dried up quite quickly with the restrictions for the state coming into play.

During this time, we were very fortunate to be near to other sitters who had bunkered down close by in Maroochydore, Noosa and Peregian. Once restrictions were eased, we were able to meet with these sitters, some who we’d met before and others who we only knew through the internet.

It has been so nice to share time, thoughts, lunches, coffee, get togethers and a weekly online quiz with a lovely like-minded group. Just knowing they were there made a huge difference.

Travel within Queensland has been open for a while now and hopefully border restrictions will ease soon allowing interstate travel. I think Australia and perhaps New Zealand will be our go to countries for quite some time.

Next week would have seen us return from a 6 month stay in Europe – with that stay never happening. We had several sits booked and Bruno has all his family in France and Italy with two new bubs having arrived this year!

Aw oh I feel that first verse coming on!

And this from The Pet Sit Boys of "NomadicSummer.com" While we were house sitting in England during the summer of 2019 we met two British house sitters, Sandy and Rob, in Cambridge and again in Dorset. We just happened to be house sitting in the same areas twice. We connected with them through Instagram and met at National Trust tea rooms on both occasions!

We then travelled to New York on holiday in September 2019. While we were there we received a message from Sandy telling us that two of their house sitting friends were house sitting in New York at that time. So, we arranged a meeting with their friends Glenn and Jacqueline at a café in New York. We spent an afternoon sharing house sitting stories and travel experiences.

Then all six of us had house sits in various parts of Australia over the southern hemisphere summer of 2019/2020. As Australia went into lockdown in March 2020 we were contacted by Glenn and Jacqueline, who suggested we join a weekly Zoom quiz with other house sitters, and we happily agreed.

Another couple who joined the Zoom quiz were Bruno and Gail. They are currently living on the Sunshine Coast. We were on a house sit in Peregian Beach in July 2020 when Gail contacted us, to arrange a meet up, and so we met them and had a very nice lunch at the local Peregian Beach Hotel.

Sue Pearce of "Whereverarewe" talks about yoga classes In the early days of our strange new Covid world, a bunch of us house sitters were chatting and grumbling about the sudden shifts in our nomadic lives. By that stage we had all settled in to our “reside in place� accommodation and we were wondering how we would pass the time and stay connected while riding out the storm.

A few ideas were thrown around and, being such an easygoing bunch, we quickly agreed on a few suggestions.

Andrew Redfern is well known as a yoga guru and he very graciously offered to run Zoom classes for willing participants, 3 mornings a week. For those of us craving some other human connection those mornings were wildly anticipated and provided a terrific way to check in on how everyone was coping.

Our first challenge was to buy a yoga mat, but it seemed like everyone on the Sunshine Coast had the same idea and there was not a yoga mat to be found in any store within our 10 km allowable radius. Couldn’t even buy one online anywhere in Australia. We expected to see a lot of very fit and flexible people around when we were allowed back out again.

The classes were initially quite hilarious because many of us were staying in rented holiday accommodation and we had to create appropriate spaces between the chunky couches and cane dining settings and then put all the furniture back when the session finished.

During the class it was hard to not notice everyone’s random backgrounds and I made sure to keep any “personal effects” out of camera range.

Our yoga classes have evolved over the past 5 months with people moving on to re-join their previous busy lives, as well as some new folk coming in.

Even now that we have very few restrictions and some semblance of a “normal” life here in Queensland, I still look forward to logging in on those 3 mornings each week.

I schedule my life around the classes because the prospect of starting my day with Andrew’s welcoming and calm presence gives me feelings of restful bliss. It’s also nice that I feel the others in the class share my joy.

We hope you get some good vibes from this tale of our together/apart lockdown story and I hope you’ve managed something similar where you are. We are back in the UK and by some shuffling of the time the quiz is held, we are managing to still take part and catch up with our Ozzie friends despite the time difference.

Sandy & Rob

FINDING A HOME AS THE WORLD CLOSED DOWN

by Jill Stafford I remember when I first started hearing about COVID-19 in earnest. It was mid-February and we were on a house sit in London. To this point, we had been out and about walking our "puggle" every day and going out to restaurants and museums and shops as often as possible.

But one day things seemed to change.

I heard stories of this virus but couldn’t quite understand what was happening. “It’s like the flu” some said. Hmmm…ok, nothing to be too concerned with, I guess. But then one day I heard something that made me look at people differently. We were on the tube and this poor guy was just looking so awful. He was hunkered down in the seat and looked very pale, sweaty and generally unwell. Then he unleashed this horrific wet cough. My husband Zac and I looked at each other and were extremely grateful that we weren’t sitting next to him.

But still we thought, he has the flu or something, it’s fine.

From London to Scotland Fast forward a couple of weeks and we arrive at a friend’s house in Scotland. Within two weeks of our arrival the country went on lockdown and all our lives had changed. We were unbelievably lucky to be staying where we were. Our friend is an herbalist and a forager, living with a mycologist/forager, and we were in the countryside outside of Edinburgh. We had limited interactions with anyone other than those who we lived with for months.

Our morning conversation focused solely on COVID. How many deaths? How many ill? And what does this mean to our full-time house-sitting lifestyle?

When we left London at the beginning of March, we had a repeat house sit booked mid-May near Glasgow. We had another booked for one-month end of June through the end of July in Switzerland. We planned to pepper my time at our friend’s with little breaks for sitting here and there around Scotland. As the news and our morning conversations got more serious, we began to wonder what on earth we were going to do.

The homeowners on our sits weren’t quite ready to call it off. We texted at least once a week, if not more, with one another, but they were planning to travel as well, and uncertainty reigned for us and them. If they can’t leave, we can’t go there to sit, and perhaps we can’t leave either.

All we could do was wait to see what the governments advised.

Could we make it to Switzerland...

First, our sit near Glasgow canceled. They wouldn’t be able to travel for work as planned. That left our sit in Switzerland. We set decision points with the homeowners based on government communications. Our first decision point came and went, and we were no clearer in knowing what would happen. Our second one was the same. Finally, after the ban on Americans traveling to the EU, Zac and I understood there was no way we were going to get into Switzerland.

We had to cancel.

Our stress levels were high. We knew we could stay where we were until our visas ran out at the end of June. We were very fortunate to have that option. I looked at house sitting websites each day and found maybe one or two sits had been added. I feared our lifestyle was over.

... or back to the US? Zac and I started to make contingency plans. Few countries were open to Americans and we did not want to go back to the US. But on the other hand, that would be one place we could go where we wouldn’t have to worry about being kicked out and furthering the cycle of where to live and what to do without house sits.

Then, like magic an amazing sit showed up for LA. We applied, they accepted and then we waited. Two more sits came up for later in the year in Maine. We applied to those and were accepted to both. We were elated.

A plan was coming together.

But as we considered this plan and thought about the lengthy flight from the UK to LA and then roaming around the US for one month between sits and then needing to fly from LA to Maine, we started to worry. We were also worried because each of those house sits depended on the homeowners being allowed to travel as well – one to Spain, one to New Zealand and the last to Portugal. Things were not looking good for any of them to be able to pull this off.

As we were struggling to make a plan for our future one sort of plopped into our laps.

Wait... what about Turkey?

A long sit in Turkey showed up and we took a chance to apply. We knew this would mean canceling all our scheduled house sits, but we felt this would be the right thing for us to do. We never feel good about canceling on anyone, but felt we needed to make the right decision for us and that meant staying away from the States.

Luckily, we were accepted for the sit in Turkey and alerted each of our previous commitments.

They all understood and were feeling they probably needed to cancel as well, though were waiting until things got closer to do so. The LA sit was the only one that really stung. They were still able to travel to Spain but were super gracious and had someone else they could contact.

As all of this was playing out for us, the number of available sits slowly began to increase. Each day there were more and more available. We were able to secure and complete two shorter sits before we left the UK on our way to Turkey.

But I have to say, even though there are more sits available, it feels like it’s much more competitive out there. It also isn’t as fun to apply and dream about getting the sit. I’ve seen many sits that we just simply can’t apply for because we won’t be allowed in. And then there’s the logistics of safely managing the handover with the homeowner.

Adapting to a new normal Gone are the days of hugging and shaking hands when we first meet. We kept our masks on the entire time we met our homeowner in Turkey. We sanitized the surfaces on our first day in the house even though she mentioned she cleaned. And as we think about leaving the sit, we are thinking about when, how and what will need to be cleaned leading up to our departure.

We’re fortunate to have flexibility with the sit we’re on in Turkey. The homeowner helped us secure a year long residency here just in case we can’t leave when desired. We have another sit booked for early February back in the UK but know we may need to cancel if things get too bad or we’re unable to travel.

Our backup plan right now is to stay in Turkey until we need to go to the UK and if we’re unable to go, we will stay in Turkey until further notice. We plan to rent an apartment in that case and just stay put until we can figure things out. We’re also talking about buying a property somewhere so we can actually have somewhere to retreat to if needed and taking time off from house sitting. But we’re just not ready to do that quite yet.

We realize the scope of our world has changed. House sitting feels a bit more difficult now than it did over the past five years when we’ve been lucky enough to be part of this lifestyle. Our plan is to continue to house sit as long as possible while trying to determine what settling down could actually look like for us. We definitely feel more vulnerable and more at risk since COVID came into everyone’s lives.

There’s a need in us to find a balance between accepting these changes, honoring the new circumstances and living our lives the way we have chosen – as nomad house sitters who want to continue to respectfully travel the world while cuddling furry little beings.

Jill Stafford house sits and travels the world full-time with her husband. Just because she left the corporate world in 2015 doesn’t mean she’s not still trying to solve problems and manage various projects. An avid yoga and fiber arts student, Jill is frequently taking online and in person courses.

You can follow her at - www.visa-vis.com or on Facebook or Instagram

IS THE WORLD NO LONGER DESIGNED FOR US?

by June Spindloe Will the future be different for us? Has our House sitting lifestyle disappeared? These are the questions that have been on our minds these last six months as we have struggled through lockdown and watched the world redesign itself around Covid 19.

In the last issue of the magazine I had written about how lockdown was easier for us as our nomadic lifestyle had made us resilient and adaptable. Little did I know that by mid April, I would emotionally be at breaking point. Nor did I know that the next few months would be among the most challenging I’ve had to overcome since becoming a house sitter.

When your world falls apart It’s not often I share my personal struggles with the house sitting community, but when my younger brother became seriously ill with a rare auto immune disease called “Guillian Barre” (GBS) and within 48 hrs was paralysed and on a ventilator in ICU many miles away, my world fell apart. Isolated, confused and unable to communicate with him I hit rock-bottom.

You can read more about this on my blog - nomadicmumsie.wordpress.com The days dragged into weeks with my brother fighting for every breath on a ventilator and I experienced many sleepless nights. The announcements of ever changing travel restrictions and guidelines filled me with apprehension. I became overwhelmed by these questions:     

What would our plan B look like?

Where would we live when the holiday park closes at end of October?

What would we do when we couldn’t find back-to-back house sits anymore?

How would we finance living permanently anywhere?

What if my brother needed full time care?

We offered to move in to my brother’s house if necessary to help him when he came home. I was feeling at a loss for answers. Little did I realise that my house sitting network would provide the solution.

For years I had been a life coach helping others, but now I realised that I would have to draw on coaching myself if I was to move forward. I needed time to contemplate and practice some self compassion and to regain some clarity and calmness.

The calm of the Norfolk Broads In the first week of July the UK lockdown was eased and we decided to book a week on a boat on the Norfolk Broads. It used to be our “go to place”‘ when life was overwhelming us in Canada and now we were just a 30 minute drive from this well loved National Park. The inland waterways that would normally be packed with holidaymakers were now quieter and we could

enjoy the solitude.

It was exactly what was needed and we cruised along the waterways at 4 mph while rediscovering a sense of well-being as well as a new perspective.

I stopped responding to texts and watching TV and instead wrote in my Journal and watched the glorious sunsets and scenery from the boat.

After a few days a feeling of calm settled over me and I started to feel more like my old self.

Even though we couldn’t take any direct action right away it didn’t mean that we couldn’t explore possibilities, did it?

Taking action A week later we returned to the chalet, I started jotting down several different ideas. I contacted two of our repeat sit home owners both of whom lived close to my brother.

The first home owners were happy to hear from us and planned a month away, confirming dates in mid August. The second were so upset that they had cancelled all their trips abroad that I suggested that we do a house swap. We could look after their dog while they stayed in our chalet to enjoy well earned break.

Finally I felt as if we had a plan and that we had also fulfilled some housesit feel good factor by giving two other families a chance to get way themselves. So we packed up the van, rented out the chalet for the summer for income and headed to Hampshire.

My brother, now wheelchair bound, had been given a date to return home. He had a plan for home visits and physio was organised, but it was mid July before he was finally home and we were able to visit and help with reorganising his house.

He has made significant progress since April and is thankful he survived such a rare and often misdiagnosed illness. He is my hero and a survivor and now lives each day with a new found appreciation for life. Here’s a link if you would like more info on GBS https://gaincharity.org.uk/

House sitting is now on the back burner for awhile and we have decided to spend the winter in Portugal. We’ve rented a tiny apartment in the Algarve where will have ample time to sit back and reflect on what lies ahead for us. It feels so much better to be in control again and feel positive about our future. I’m still really homesick for Canada where my youngest daughter lives and hope to make it back in 2021.

I’m sure many of you have also felt alone and geographically isolated or completely unable to cope with anxiety when personal circumstances are difficult. But remember there are always choices you can make if you take time out and practice self care and compassion.

You can redesign your life - you just need to explore every possibility.

NOT ALL IN THE GARDEN IS ALWAYS ROSY Anonymous House Sitter Contribution We’ve focused a lot in this issue on the positivity that has risen from within the house sitting community during this pandemic. But many of us have also had moments of uncertainty, worries about the future, or for the health of our family and friends. Whilst we try and stay positive I don't think anyone can deny that we are all having to make adjustments to create our own versions of the "new normal".

For some the experience has been even less certain. It's hit some full-timers hard, especially those without a base to call home. Many travelers and nomads rent their homes out long-term and so haven't been able to return, even if they do still have a property.

It's so important to remember that we are all in different spaces that fluctuate as Covid continues to wreak havoc around the world. Supporting and having patience with each other is more important than ever.

For our final contribution, our writer would like to remain anonymous. Her time through lockdown wasn't a bed of roses, but she tells us she has come out of the other side stronger and happier. Here's her story.

Back in 2016 my (then) partner, myself and my dog, shoved our entire lives into my attic, the rest into a VW Passatt, and headed to the Valencian campo in Spain on a 6 month, off-grid house sit where we soon also acquired a cat!

Four and a half years and 49 or so house sits on, we still haven’t been home. A year here, 2 nights there, a year somewhere else, back-to-back house sitting became a way of life to us, an addiction that we just couldn’t seem to kick. I was forever seeking our next adventure on the house sitting platforms. I loved dovetailing sits together. It had become an art form that I took great pride in – as were our succession of 5 star reviews from very happy home owners.

A red herring move Brexit brought us back to the UK from Portugal bang on the deadline date in March 2019 with a loud and resounding bump. Of course, that was a red herring that needn’t have yanked us away from the life we so loved so unnecessarily soon. Regardless, we cheerfully housesat around the UK, eventually settling to a repeat sit at an out of season B&B and Glamping Site on the border between England and Wales.

The sit was booked for a month but we had a verbal agreement to stay until spring as long as we would meet and greet the occasional B&B guest. As there were no animals to care for, I decided to have a bash at setting up a little pet drop-in/house sitting service in and around the area and began drumming up a bit of interest.

It was on my final day of a 3 week house sit through my little business, that the first Covid lockdown was brought into place. I had never been so pleased to see Jack as he collected me that morning – he whizzed me out of the city in the nick of time.

The weeks to follow were so lovely. With the HO’s unable to come back as planned - we watched the grounds and forest spring to life with flora and fauna and walked or cycled the forest every day without seeing a soul. I worked on building a basic website and a friend remotely designed some banners and logos for me.

Adjusting to lockdown But then things started to change. The HO’s expectations of us began to ring alarm bells. While they were safe from the pandemic in Hampshire – they began accepting bookings for the B&B that we were expected to host. Despite the country being locked down, hotels and guest houses were allowed to host keys workers, though I’m pretty sure had an inspector seen the layout of the premises, it wouldn’t have qualified. One B&B room being right next to our room on the first floor. No-one was wearing masks back then and no health and safety measures had been put in place. Guests, mostly factory workers (though one couple had come to visit family) shared our front door, tiny lounge and narrow stairwell.

The paranoia of Covid during these early days started to get to me and my mental health began to plummet. Fight or flight anxiety attacks blighted my nights and things started to go downhill between myself and Jack.

I wanted to run... but where?

My own home in Wales has a tenant in place. I would never have been so heartless as to serve her a two month notice period.

Gradually, as lockdown was lifting for the hospitality sector, the owners announced their return. They intended to move Jack, myself, our cat and all our stuff, out of the main house into the damp camp site while they prepared the glamping site for business. I found a room on Spareroom.com, but Jack wasn’t interested in spending money on rented accommodation and stubbornly stayed put. I bought myself a little car and moved out.

The horrors of returning to shared accommodation The rent at the farmhouse was crippling. Here I was, almost 49 years old and back in shared accommodation. It was technically an unofficial "House in Multiple Occupation" (HMO) run by a neurotic control freak who monitored my every move with passive-aggressive, sticky notes.

The fridge for my use was in a cold dark cellar, which meant carrying a tray of food up two flights of stairs to prep in my make-shift lock-down-kitchen in my room. By the time I would hurry straight back down one flight to close the cellar door after me, there would be a note stuck on saying SHUT THE CELLAR DOOR. The same applied for not switching off the hot water quick enough.

My room was above hers and she didn’t like me moving around once she went to bed at 8.30 each night. The internet was really intermittent too so my hopes of online teaching were somewhat dashed.

The “shared” dining area was piled up with boxes and car-boot sale paraphernalia - so was unusable. There wasn’t a window in the lounge. By that I mean there was a gaping hole where it had been taken out by the frame for painting 4 weeks before and not yet replaced.

The hilarity of this was that at 8.30pm she bolted the front door (unless you texted her to let her know you’d be later). When this happened, I just climbed in through the window-thatwasn’t there via a ladder that was always conveniently in place and simply hopped in.

The long term lodger above the lounge didn’t tolerate any kind of noise. Ever. This meant watching TV in the lounge was not allowed. The other lodger cheerfully used to tell me about her conversations with a friend called Harold – a soldier who had died at the Somme. I began sleeping with a chair against my bedroom door.

The promise that I could bring my cat had been broken, I was paying 450 pounds pcm (which was a discounted rate as long as I mowed 2 huge lawns once a week and helped with cleaning). I decided enough was enough and, as she liked notes so much, penned her some details of my imminent departure!

Tail between my legs ...

SO, to the glampsite I returned with my tail between my legs to a damp tent, my cat and the chaos and stress that was the prep for a full on glamping season during a covid pandemic.

We were asked to stay on and run things.

Families came from far and wide. Children climbed over the outdoor dining furniture I endlessly sanitised. People sat close together around the fire and we were on call 24/7. Eventually the pressure and disorder began to take their toll. Perimenopause in full swing, along with managing a badly organised business for ethically incorrect owners, chipped away at my general well being. Wildlife crimes had been committed to make way for paying guests at this ‘Eco’ site which for me was the last straw. I felt exhausted, unsupported and unheard on so many levels. I begged Jack to leave with me but he was hooked on their promises of staying the winter again. Then came the issue of unfair pay.

As a matter of integrity, I left – AGAIN – though, rather spectacularly this time. For the first week I slept in a kid’s tent in the tiny back yard of a friend. Her disabled son was shielding so I couldn’t go inside. The weather got bad and a friend in Newport offered her empty house. It was unfurnished and though I was grateful, spent the most lonely, miserable time there,on a thin futon mattress with my broken heart. One of my oldest and closest friends nearby had tested positive for Covid, so I had to test and quarantine.

On the up again It felt nothing short of a miracle when a last minute house sit came up. My covid test had come back negative and the devastatingly beautiful drive back through my beloved Wye Valley raised my spirits so high. I also met a lovely lady through Spareroom.com who, when hearing my story, let me stay for free for a week in her beautiful cottage in the Forest of Dean in return for minding her dogs. We have become very good friends.

I have since stitched together three consecutive TrustedHousesitter sits in and around the area and some short paid gigs through my little business. All of which have been a total delight. As one 3 week sit through Pawshake cancelled – a beautiful 4 week TrustedHousesitter sit landed in my lap to take me into mid November.

House sitting on the whole picked up again but is incredibly competitive. As a newly solo sitter, it feels a lot more life or death to keep a roof over my head than a fun travel experience but I’m embracing it.

As for 2021, I have good news - my lovely tenant has put an offer on buying a house. I hope to be back in my own home well before Christmas to start all over again.

The next issue of House Sitting Magazine will be available from 15th January 2021

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