30+ years sitting worldwide. Prefer long-term and tropical. Reliable, capable, likeable, very clean, organized (make my bed each morning). Single. Canadian. Animals like me (dogs/cats). Member many housesitting sites. AirBnB since 2017. Speak 4 languages

About this sitter

Why consider me...

Reliability. When I commit, you can count on me.
Communication. Want daily, short, quick, updates? No problem.

Excellent people/animal skills...

Animals like me. Don't know why. Maybe because I care. And treat them like I would a friend. Try to understand them.

Willing and able to take care of your home and loved pets.


Personality...

Prefer towns/villages to large cities.
Prefer animals to people.
Rarely eat in restaurants.
Rarely attend parties or celebrations.

Make my bed each morning. No dishes left unwashed.

Very clean (shower twice daily). Bedding changed weekly.

Friendly. Polite. Good manners.

Positive attitude. Good listener. Good communicator.

Excellent guest (so I've been told).

Prefer using brain than brawn.

Avoid negative people.


Bit of a health fanatic...

Don't smoke.
Rarely drink alcohol. Never to excess. (Drunk once. Swore never again. Never have.)
No medication.
No recreational drugs.
No disabilities (physical or mental).

Healthy eater. Mostly organic.

Excellent health.


Bit reclusive by choice...

Don't watch TV. Don't play music.

Not political or religious.

Enjoy good conversation.

Prefer silence.


To keep physically and mentally active...

Walk/jog 10 to 15km daily. Don't own a car or bicycle.

Stair climbing.

Swim laps (you get bonus points if you have a pool).

Play most sports (bonus points if you have a treadmill or Concept 2 rower).

Play sudoku online.


Enjoy teaching/consulting on...
Enhancing people skills.
Making businesses more profitable.
Getting/staying healthy.


What I can't do...

Zero tradesman skills. If you want a handyman or gardener, sorry, that's not me.

Things done reasonably well...
English, French, Spanish and Italian. Bits and pieces of a few other languages.
Familiar with many cultures and customs. (Taught/teach how to get along.)

Sailed 53' ketch with a partner from San Francisco to Coff's Harbour, Australia.

Learnt to fly in Invercargill, NZ.
Learnt hanggliding and parachuting in Hawaii.
Learnt paragliding in Vancouver, Canada,

Excellent swimmer.
Excellent driving skills.

No criminal record.


How long a stay interests me?

Prefer 2 months to a year. Would consider longer.

(Only interested in less than 1 month if already sitting close by. Or if
you cover all travelling expenses.)

Remote places and islands are welcome. So are boats/yachts (bigger is better).


Rarely interested in...

Cold, winter places. China. War zones.

Why they want to house sit

Why I house-sit?

Extreme traveler.

Excellent way to experience the world on a budget.

Many skills allows for a nomadic lifestyle.

Quasi-retired.

Enjoy meeting new people. Animals. Experiencing unknowns.

Opportunity to evolve as a human.

Raised in the tropics. Prefer anywhere tropical.

Visited over 77 countries. Like experiencing life.

Their experience

What I do/did to survive...

Owned several businesses in 7 countries.

Write (non-fiction). Copywriter.

Consultant (various skills).

Managed resorts (Caribbean and South Pacific).

Gift for improving business success. Exceptionally creative.


For pleasure...

Read, write, communicate, and self-educate.

Enjoy solving problems.

Curious about all things (especially life-form behaviour).


What I can't do...

Zero tradesman skills. If you want a handyman or gardener, sorry, that's not me.


Things done reasonably well...

Speak English, French, Spanish and Italian. Bits and pieces of a few other languages.

Familiar with many cultures and customs. (Taught/teach how to get along.)

Sailed 53' ketch with a partner from San Francisco to Coff's Harbour, Australia.

Learnt to fly in Invercargill, NZ.
Learnt hanggliding and parachuting in Hawaii.
Learnt paragliding in Vancouver, Canada,

Excellent swimmer.
Excellent driving skills.

No criminal record.

What can they bring to the assignment

References...

Air-bnb member 6 years. 14 reviews. 13 excellent. 1 not so good.

Housecarers - member since 2007.

Mind-My-House - member since 2020

Caretaker Gazette - first joined in 2006

In the past, most sits were by referral (word-of-mouth). Or, if you liked a place and knew you wanted to stay a while, you placed a small ad with big letters "Experienced house sitter available. Loves pets. Call XXX." on local bulletin boards. And mentioned it around.

If you have a pleasant personality, and just ask, it's easy to get a sit.

One thing I never did was... ask for testimonials. Didn't need to.

Fortunately, I know my way around the world. Am adaptable. Reliable. And, like a chameleon, comfortable anywhere.