Experienced and extremely reliable, respectful couple or single w/ no 'footprint'

About this sitter

We are an active couple in our 60s who live on a small farm in western Washington state. Rich is a fishery scientist by trade and leads a non-profit organization working on global fishery sustainability. JoAnn is a retired fisheries technician and now a print artist, gardener and horsewoman. We do not have many animals at the moment - 2 horses and a cat but over the years we have also had many horses, dogs, cats and raised sheep, chickens, geese, ducks, peacocks, guinea fowl, etc. We love nature and are active hikers, bird watchers, and gardeners. We have a special affinity for the sea and love open spaces. We cut firewood on our property as a primary heat source in the winter. We enjoy nature and have a great diversity of birds, deer, coyotes and other animals on our property of over 50 acres.

Why they want to house sit

The lure of varied scenery, new places and experiencing life elsewhere more than strictly as tourists is a definite draw. We have lived in our current home for over 30 yrs now and have very much enjoyed house sitting for a new mix of our 'away experiences'. We are widely traveled, having lived and worked in London a few years ago, and Rich travels internationally for his work. We always enjoy new experiences. We also do like animals, nature and gardens very much so if those things come with a house sit, we'll feel quite at home. We favor situations that combine the obvious requirements of caring for your house and animals with the opportunity to see and experience the local areas where you live through some day trips. Reliable internet access is important for having the option to communicate on work matters remotely.

Their experience

We have had eight house sits through this and another site - most with Rich solo and some with both of us when Jo Ann can find a sitter for her horses. We pride ourselves in providing excellent and trustworthy care. Rich also has worked away from home a good deal in the past 17 years, which has entailed both renting and sharing houses with others. In all cases this has entailed taking good care of others' homes and leaving no footprints. We lovingly have taken care of a variety of pets and animals of all ages and have experience administering medications when necessary. We frequently use Airbnb when we travel and have impeccable references for leaving places as we have found them with very little trace of having been there. We can provide further references as needed. We have a wide variety of experience caring for property and animals, including the unexpected challenges that often entails.

What can they bring to the assignment

We are very respectful, mature and caring people. We would not take on a house sit without being absolutely confident that we would be a great match to meet your needs. We would enjoy caring for your home like our own and would be very conscientious. We are excellent communicators, adaptable and responsible.

Our availability is affected mostly by COVID-related travel uncertainties. Rich works remotely when not traveling so is pretty flexible if a good wifi connection is available. Depending on circumstances, Rich often housesits alone as JoAnn has horses to care for at home unless she finds a sitter herself. Long-term house sits might be an option, but our sweet spot might be in the 2 week to 2 month range, depending on location.