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.

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

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

https://victoriahousesits.wixsite.com/housesitter