Amazing house/garden/pets? Let me give amazing care while you're away

About this sitter

I am…
• Single, mature, never-a-smoker, will enjoy a glass of wine every now and then.
• Have my own car (Subaru Forester, top rated for reliability)
• Retired from executive-level positions in companies you’ve heard of: American Express, Philip Morris, the NYC Transit System (that’s the subway!), Ogilvy & Mather, one of the world’s top-three advertising agencies, and Los Alamos National Laboratory (Santa Fe, NM, the place where scientists built the atom bomb – and the setting for a short-lived television series).

The skills that I bring to each house sit have been honed through work and life:
• Communications – implemented internal communications platforms for top executives – and project management – led teams, accountable for budgets, timetables, results. My reputation was built upon getting things done and performing reliably in organizations that demanded top performance.
• Home Management – As a homeowner who bought and renovated four residences, I acted as my own project manager, which meant hiring/monitoring and tracking schedules. I took great pride in my homes and creating and maintaining beautiful environments. And I did much maintenance on my own, from housekeeping to grounds maintenance to light repairs. Housework is actually enjoyable – when you’re listening to audiobooks!

Languages: Spanish, which I study every day, usually on Duolingo, on my computer. It’s been remarkably effective. I can shop and discuss food products, get directions, share opinions about the weather and living conditions with native Mexicans, amuse the policia at the checkpoints, order water, ask for help, get a haircut, and tell the clerk at Soriana that the price charged is wrong! I am traveling alone, and I get by.

Pet Parent:
Dogs. In my own home I’ve loved, played with and cared for three canines (Sparky, Sugar and Lizzie). Through another pet-service site when I lived in Santa Fe, I cared for others’ canines – feeding, walking and finding their favorite entertainments. I’ve been an active volunteer with the Humane Society, where I walked and played fetch with dogs to let them work off their energy, to let them enjoy being a dog for a few hours outside of their pens.

Cats. I’ve shared my life with two exceptional felines and enjoyed their companionship. I nursed one back to health, administering meds and shots, and saw each through their final days. Through my local Humane Society I’ve fostered kittens and elderly cats.

Why they want to house sit

I sold my house on Jan. 31, 2022, because that was a good time to sell….but a bad time to buy. So I put my household belongings in storage, packed up my SUV with the basics I thought I would need (clothing, cooking utensils, too many shoes) and on Feb. 1 drove to Mexico. Why not? There was sun, water, fresh fish to be had…and adventure.

House-sitting has been a spontaneous venture that has made a very interesting almost-two-years. I’ve experienced a variety of locations and living conditions. I am ready to find my own home again in the U.S., and I’m focusing on the South.

My goal:
To be productive. I’m more of a do-er than a tourist. House-sitting – taking care of a property, managing its day-to-day functioning, keeping everything tip-top – as well as enjoying the companionship of its pets –calls upon my organizational skills and innate desire to be useful. Which would make me very happy, and let you enjoy your travels knowing some of the most precious things in your life are in safe hands.

Their experience

I’ve cared for 30 cats and dogs since I began housesitting last May, sitting in cities in Mexico and Texas, in residences ranging from one-bedroom apartments to 3,000 sq. ft. villas on an acre+ of land.

In Lake Chapala, where I cared for two much-loved felines, as well as a very, very nice two-bedroom home, patio, jacuzzi and potted plants) while the homeowner enjoyed a month in France. The cats missed him but I did my best as a stand in, administering treats, pets, hugs (often) and brushings (frequently). I also paid the housekeeper and gardener, hauled the trash bins to the street, watered the plants, washed the linens, and sprayed nightly to keep the insects at bay.

What can they bring to the assignment

Personal qualities: honest, dedicated to the job, problem-solver, adventuresome, inquisitive, trustworthy

Character Validation: To work at Los Alamos National Laboratory, I received a Q security clearance, awarded after thorough background checks that included a government agent traveling to NYC to interview selected acquaintances, and vetting my character, and passing multiple spontaneous drug checks.

Here is what my Chapala homeowner from HouseSitMexico.com wrote about my service:
Barbara house/pet sat at my house for five weeks during May/June 2023. I had her arrive a couple of days early so that she could become acclimated to my two cats, and to my home. Her self professed love for cats was evident from the get go. She bonded with my male cat immediately, and apparently that stayed the case during the whole time here. It was still true when I returned home as I let her stay in my house an extra day until her next assignment began. My other cat is a feed me, let me outside when I want otherwise do not bother me type (she’s bonded only to me). So she let her be as she wanted.The litter box was clean, and my house was left clean as well with all items in place as I left them. She handled a maintenance issue in my kitchen by contacting a good friend of mine whose number I had left with her. I also left Barbara an emergency fund in case it was needed which was returned in full upon my return. Barbara loves Mexico as she sold her place in the U.S. and has been traveling around this country in her car with her possessions for the last six months before she took on her first assignment at my house.

From another site, TrustedHousesitters, here’s one of several: Barbara looked after my two kittens over the Thanksgiving holidays. She was communicative and shared daily updates about my kittens including photos which I much appreciated. She took really good care of my cats including feeding them, dispensing medicine and cleaning the litter box daily. I came back to happy healthy kittens and it was clear that they had a good time with Barbara. And I had the peace of mind that my babies were safe when I was away. She even left the house clean and tidy for me, washed the used sheets and wiped down the counters. It was a pleasant experience to come back to a tidy house. I highly recommend Barbara

References:
I have 21 reviews from hosts who have invited me into their homes through Airbnb. Here’s what just a few say about me:
• Barbara was a great guest! Very friendly, quiet and left the place extremely clean. Welcome back any time! Austin, Tucson, AZ
• Barbara stayed with us for a week while looking at real estate. She was very respectful of the bedroom, bathroom, and common spaces. She was clean, quiet and very communicative. Jen & Travis, St Petersburg, FL
• Barbara was a perfect guest. Great communication, very tidy and quite quiet. Sheryl, Pittsburgh
• Barbara is an excellent visitor, good conversations about information of all kinds and anecdotes to share. She knows how to adapt to the rhythm of the house as well as express her needs. She is a quiet visitor and above all very helpful, she has no hesitation in sharing her knowledge as she is an excellent professional. We have established a friendship with Barbara. Translated from Spanish Naldi Quito, Ecuador
• Barbara was a great guest and such a pleasure to have around. Barbara is a worldly woman and her knowledge will keep you entertained for hours. This is a persona that is well-versed, knowledgeable and very sociable. I’d host Barbara again any time. Dakota, Las Vegas, NV
• Barbara was a wonderful guest. We’d love to have her back again in the future! Katie, Ormond Beach, FL
• Barbara was an absolutely lovely guest! She was very communicative & had great conversation! She was clean, quiet & respectful. She is definitely welcome back any time! Shannon, Los Angeles, CA
• Barbara was an amazing guest! Clean, respectful, and always in a good mood. Definitely recommend to the airbnb community! Ofelia, Cancún, Mexico
• Meeting Barb was a good experience, she’s smart , friendly clean, and I enjoyed her company , she’s welcome here anytime. Stephen, Port Orange, FL
• It was a true pleasure to have Barbara stay in my home. She is intelligent, considerate, and fun to be around. This was my first experience hosting a person in my home and it turned out to be better than I had hoped. I learned a lot from her. Barbara would be welcome in my home again! Gerald, Orlando, FL