Retired teacher & cat-lover

About this sitter

I am a retired teacher (high school: 30 years of English, social studies, & art), Master Gardener, and now the poetry & non-fiction editor for a small, regional literary & art journal. I’m in a “sweet spot” in life—still young (in my 50s); an empty nester with my 3 kids all grown & flown; and my husband still working as a small business owner. I am looking for a place to spend a little bit of quiet time for a few days at a time. Ideally, I would have a cat (or cats!) to care for, and I would also very much welcome caring for plants and/or a garden.

Why they want to house sit

I have a lot of wonderful free time, which I fill most days with gardening, caring for my 3 cats, and writing, but I can’t just stay home all the time! I have always had a little wanderlust, and am looking for a little light travel, which is why coming to care for your pet(s) and home would work so well for me—and you, too! I would likely spend a good amount of time during my stay at your home doing the quiet things I already enjoy doing: reading, writing, and taking little walks.

Their experience

I own my own home with three cats and a garden, and have also been on the other side of preparing someone for a stay for a week or two to take care of my own animals and home while I go on vacation. It has been since I was young that I took care of someone else’s house and pets (although I did this for a neighbor in my teens and for a colleague in my 20s). I am new to using MindMyHouse or any other service.

What can they bring to the assignment

I am tidy, communicative, and dependable. Having been a homeowner for 30+ years, I understand how much it means to have your animals and home well-cared for by a competent, reliable, trustworthy person when you are away. I care that animals get the attention they need and deserve when “their people” need to be away. I especially love cats, and have owned and cared for kittens who needed to be bottle fed all the way through senior kitties. I have also volunteered at my local Humane Society. In addition to this, I have been a Master Gardener (since 2024) and enjoy tending to plants and gardens.