Having sold all In 2011, everything else I owned condensed down into two bags and I left NZ to travel full time. As a self-employed illustrator/designer I can work anywhere and it's a breeze to be able to do the important things in life, for me that means I can spend several months of the year volunteering my business service anywhere around the world and work remotely to be self-sustaining. Being a house sitter became an ideal lifestyle choice for me.
But home is where the heart is, mainly as my 26-year-old daughter, Sofia, is studying music at Waikato Uni and my parents now live in Hawkes Bay.
Throughout 2016 Sofia joined me for a full year of house sitting while we road tripped up and down the coast of the Pacific side of the United States. Sofia normally joins me on Christmas/Summer house sits, and sometimes, whil on break she’ll visit me.
A FUN FACT:
Sofia and I left home on the same day! In the beginning, she often told people she was the only child whose mother left home the same time she did! It always got a laugh, but it is, in fact, very true. Within days of her moving out of our family home in Christchurch and into her first flatting situation in Invercargil to begin studying at SIT at 18; I had given her my car and took a bus to Auckland airport and flew to Thailand for a year. Who does that?! Well, I do apparently, and although it reads either funny or stupid - depending on your point of view - I'm rather organized and would not have left without all our duckies in a row. Off course, that was then and this is now.
WHAT WE BRING TO THE ASSIGNMENT/RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
I've taken care of and loved a gaggle of furs and feathers - they've seemed to love me too, except that horse one time in my 2nd house sit, she kept giving me her back, and that was after I had lost a herd of cattle in my 1st house sit, but found them 30 agonizing minutes later when they popped their heads up from below a rise - I was such a townie!
I've learned a few delightful things - that puppies are little antidepressants, bunnies have a very clear way in talking to you and billy goats like girls!
I was raised on a healthy dose of cats and when Sofia was small, we raised rabbits - I say that loosely, as although we tried to get him to sire his pedigree into a little lesson on earning money that an 8-year-old could understand, would he produce any offspring?! In a word. No. But we adored him for 9 years.
I've taken care of the needs of dogs (both blind and deaf, and one was both of those), cats (with a special love of the elderly), birds (singles and aviaries), fish, frogs (not very loving), goats (yes even the rude ones), possums (!), chooks, cattle, horses and baby alpacas - insert awww factor.
STORY: I've become an animal-whisperer, which was proven recently (2016) when looking after an 11 yr old chocolate lab in Olympia, Washington USA. Diego let out a stressed howl and I found him on one of the bedrooms. Tail wagging and yet rather anxious, I ask him what the matter was while rubbing him down making sure he hadn't hurt himself - he 'spoke' to me and in my mind I'm hearing the word 'carpet, carpet'. The hall runner had been removed that day as the owners were packing up the house to move (an unexpected quick sale). After reassuring and staying with him, Diego came out of the room gingerly with me not fully realising I was being 'told' the issue until later when retelling his parents. They amazed me in saying "Oh yes, he doesn't like walking on the wooden floor without carpet", a fact they hadn't mentioned before leaving on their holiday 3 weeks earlier! I've come to realise this happens quite often with the pets I look after.
I've also bathed and exfoliated the hide of an elephant, rubbed the tummy of a real tiger, hugged monkeys and been up close and personal with a bear, should you happen to own a circus, I'm your girl!
I'm best known as your pet's favourite Aunt.
WHY HOUSE SIT?
I enjoy slow travel, spending a lengthy amount of time in one place appeals more than quick visits. I love having a 'Clayton's' home where I can set my own routine. I started out looking for sits between volunteering gigs, then it developed into a full-time lifestyle choice. Being a digital nomad means I can work from anywhere and house-sitting is an ideal arrangement. All I need is a good internet connection, a desk/table space, and a pet to cuddle and talk with.
To date, I have taken care of homes in New Zealand, Australia, USA, and Canada so far.
I'm very communicative should you like updates on homes and, more importantly, from your furs & feathers, I'm happy to email you their 'miss you' messages while you're away. You'll find me to be very accommodating, easy going, authentic and friendly as well as respectful of your home. Finally, working from 'home' is a great piece of mind if your pet(s) are used to having their, or a, human around.
SOME FACTS ABOUT ME/US:
I am passionate about my business, networking and traveling to collect difference experiences, feel I was made for this lifestyle and the purposefulness of where my business is taking me.
As alluded to, during the Christmas season my daughter and parents, who are all experienced house sitters in their own right, join me for our 'Annual Family House sit'. 2019 will be our 11th year doing this together! My folks often visit me while I housesit around the North Island of NZ in their 7mt bus, which they sleep in for a number of weeks, this is always discussed with a potential house owner.
I have a cleared police check
Collectively we are non-smokers
I have an international drivers license
The video on my profile was created in Feb 2016, hope it gives you a feel of who Sofia and I are as if we were in a conversation with you.
Off course you can learn more and get to know me here in my house sitting FB page where you can view my latest photos, watch more of my fun videos, read through my house sitting references as well as keep updated on my happenings and whereabouts - poke about and felt a feel for what I’d be like as your housesitter, remember to ‘like’ and ‘share’ /YourFriendlyHousesitter with your friends and then pop over on my business page to see what I'm up creatively to: DrawerFullofGiants
Looking forward in hearing from you :)
Tania
