Mature, responsible, animal loving people enjoying life exploring new horizons!

About this sitter

We have been partners for 34 years and work well as a team.

Gerry is a retired engineer technician who has also worked for three government departments, all with high security clearance. Most of his working life since leaving the Navy has been self-employed in various ventures, including building maintenance and retail as an owner. He is particularly interested in exploring small estate management/caretaking assignments, preferably around the developed world. He is handy with tools and familiar with mechanical equipment. He likes to keep abreast of world affairs, keeps fit playing tennis, enjoys writing and has recently embarked on learning to play the guitar.

Hazel's working background is in admin. Before her most recent employment as a legal assistant she spent 10 years managing the offices of an architecture practice in Hereford, specialising in large sustainable building projects. She enjoys handicrafts, cooking, dance and walking.

Both of us enjoy reading and music (from classical to rock!) and are creative.

We are clean, tidy people and have looked after all manner of properties, from old farmhouses to modern townhouses. The summer of 2016 was spent at Spanish villa with swimming pool in the country which needed resourceful management. December of 2016 saw us caring for a property powered by sun and wind in a tranquil woodland setting in South West France, with January, February and March of 2017 being shared between spells high in the mountains of Spain's Andalucia and in the genteel Cotswolds of the UK.

On then to the Caribbean to start 8 months of living in a traditional Belizean house on pillars in 5 acres next to the beautiful Mopan River, following which we wintered in the South of France on the Côte d'Azur high on a hill overlooking the whole of the Bay of Nice.

In 2018, after enjoying caretaking a sympathetically renovated set of old French farm buildings and swimming pool near Royan, we moved on to an apartment overlooking a small Bavarian town where the pretty cat didn't mind us not speaking German at all! Then came a short break in Switzerland caring for a comical Cairn Terrier and a beautiful four storey house on the edge of a town near Geneva.

Back then to UK spending an enjoyable few autumnal weeks in the lively town of Congleton near the canal and woodlands. For seven months over the winter we were immersed in caring for a large, traditional French chateau and coach house in 22 acres at Auty, with its extremely lovable resident cat, and then settled in a beautiful designer home with no pets but wild rabbits and birds to feed in Ashdown Forest in the south east of England. Prior to the pandemic we were in the Spanish Ronda near Gibraltar caring for a truly beautiful house, horses, dogs, cats and hens. Though it must be said there was little for us to do other than enjoy the animals, extensive grounds, pool and terraces as all the hard work was covered by visiting workers.

After many months of lockdown our house sitting schedule quickly became booked up until the end of 2023. Starting with a fun few days in Xávia being entertained by two little Bichon fluff balls and their elderly Tekel companion who oozed gravitas, until it was time for walking when he completely regressed to joyful, energetic puppyhood! We experienced Marbella in Spain with three Wheaten Terriers, a large modern house in Cannock Chase, England with two cats, one a beautiful princess and the other a little demon! Denia, Spain next where we had our own house in the grounds, with a lovable big doggie and the best mouser of a cat that we've ever come across! We returned there for the last assignment of 2023 but before then had a hectic schedule in France, Spain and UK necessitating travelling direct from one house sit to the next! By choice 2024 was much quieter but the pace picked up again last year with an enjoyable return visit to Denia and a wonderful six weeks near the beautiful town of Leominster in Herefordshire with much fun and amusement being provided by the resident pets!

From this diversity you will see it is difficult for us to be precise about what we are looking for in a house sit - some listings appeal without the reasons being obviously apparent!

We are both in good health and do not smoke. Our three sons are now in their mid 40’s and Hazel has two perfect young granddaughters and an elderly, very active mother, all are amazingly proficient with a tablet and keep in regular contact by video calling.

As we do not charge for house sitting services we do not expect to pay for utilities but will consider contributing, depending upon the circumstances.

To sum up in a few words, we are enthusiastic, calm, efficient, reliable and resourceful. Still learning, still keen!

Why they want to house sit

Since retiring and without the constraints work, we are able to fulfil our ambition to travel, explore other areas, meet people and enjoy new cultures. We do not have any pets but enjoy the company of animals and are very content to "borrow" other people's to love. House sitting is therefore the ideal occupation for us!

Their experience

Hazel retired from working full time in 2016 and we had previously taken assignments within striking distance of her place of work, so after over ten years of looking after pets and homes we now consider ourselves experienced house sitters and pet carers.

What can they bring to the assignment

We are quiet, calm people with a fair share of common sense, as well as being clean, tidy and organised. We like to give any pets in our care loads of attention, keeping to their established routine, but with plenty of cuddles, fun and games!

Home owners are kept updated regularly by whatever method they prefer.