Even when I am traveling the world by pet sitting, I have down times. They don't come on because I am frustrated with travel stuff or disappointed with a place or situation. They generally just happen and I become restless and bored. It seems illogical that this would happen when I am surrounded by everything new, and wonderful and… Continue reading The Downs & Ups of Traveling by Pet Sitting
Posts
An Elephant’s Smooch
A Valentine's Story I was sprawled out on the paper thin bed mattress. Not in luxury, but in an effort to avoid any flesh from touching any other flesh in the afternoon heat and humidity that is Thailand. My four limbs spread to the four corners of the earth to maximize the surface area in… Continue reading An Elephant’s Smooch
2 Saboteurs That Will Clutter Up Your Suitcase
I like clothes almost as much as John does, but we were reinventing our lives and daily musing over what to wear each day is not on the daily agenda. Instead, we have to make all our clothing decisions at once and there is no going back. Cue doom music. In 2016 we began the process… Continue reading 2 Saboteurs That Will Clutter Up Your Suitcase
All Things Slithery
“Pusa, whatcha doing there? Pusa?” She meowed back to me over her shoulder keeping one eye on the prize. I hoped she would lose interest in the prize behind the credenza so I could continue my relaxing afternoon. Cats are not known to be particularly considerate, this was no exception. I was deeply involved in… Continue reading All Things Slithery
Pizza Surprise
"You can't judge a book by its cover"...we know that. And it's been confirmed over and over again as we travel the world. Sometimes you just need a pizza. We were traveling in Florida for a couple of months. It was during the Covid era and people were hesitant to travel, so we had very… Continue reading Pizza Surprise
OMG I am Pet Sitting and I Lost the Dog!
I was on a the first two-days of a two-week pet sit in Hampstead Norreys England (through Trusted House Sitters) for two dogs, Zula and Domino, and two big beautiful kunekune pigs, Hamish and Greta. John was finishing up a lovely pet sit we had in Swanick, England, just outside of Southampton. He was about… Continue reading OMG I am Pet Sitting and I Lost the Dog!
2021 Summer in Colorado
Colorado: the land for famous ski slopes, epic views, and mountain air. The most famous of Colorado towns include Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge. Many people have heard of these places and may secretly desire to visit them, if not to live there. But how many of us have heard of Frisco? No, not the Frisco… Continue reading 2021 Summer in Colorado
We’re Back and More Excited Than Ever: Traveling After the Pandemic Lockdown
It has been a while since we last updated you on our journey. The truth is we have been having so much fun exploring Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; a lot of Florida (especially the Everglades and Cedar Key); Big Canoe, Georgia (again); Nashville & Memphis, Tennessee taking and editing a zillion photos, there has… Continue reading We’re Back and More Excited Than Ever: Traveling After the Pandemic Lockdown
Christmas on the Road, 2015-2020 John’s reflections
When we first set out on our On The Road Journey, our mission was to learn what it was like to actually live in other cultures, rather than just visit. We wanted to become travelers, not just tourists. We wanted to assimilate and absorb, not just exist and borrow. At the start, we could not… Continue reading Christmas on the Road, 2015-2020 John’s reflections
Big Surprise in Big Canoe
We had heard from friends Pam and Robert Cardone, formerly of Georgia, that Big Canoe was very nice. Little did we know that "very nice" did not even begin to describe this lovely community. Big Canoe is a paradise built on 8000 acres of mountainside in Northern Georgia. Big Canoe is a little over an… Continue reading Big Surprise in Big Canoe
A New Love Affair for Bev and John
Bev and I have fallen in love... again! The last time was thirty one years ago and we renewed our commitment to each other in Paris in 2018. What we mean is that we have fallen head over heels in love with Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston has been on our "Bucket List" for as long… Continue reading A New Love Affair for Bev and John
Thanksgiving Road Trip Through Texas
We love Texas. No one is more surprised than Bev and I that we would like Texas. We expected to not like it at all. With the exception of a couple of short business trips, we had spent very little time in Texas. Nevertheless, we had developed a strong negative opinion. Maybe because so many… Continue reading Thanksgiving Road Trip Through Texas
Horse Grooming for the Fun of it
As you know, we have been volunteering at Hunkapi Farms since Covid-19 shut our travel plans down. Our interest in volunteering was primarily being around the horses. "Princess" courtesy of Hunkapi Farms Website Hunkapi Farms is a equine therapy center in Scottsdale, Arizona that helps individuals with emotional and psychological wellness through interaction with horses.… Continue reading Horse Grooming for the Fun of it
Great Pyrenees Puppies Graduation
All of Peony's Pyrenees puppies are all spoken for and have joined their new forever homes this weekend. The Great Pyrenees Puppies have brought tremendous love and cuteness to Hunkapi and every person that has been touched by them will miss each one. In the true spirit of Hunkapi, we celebrated these babies yesterday during… Continue reading Great Pyrenees Puppies Graduation
Santa Fe — A Break From the Arizona Heat
If you are a sun worshiper, come to Arizona. But, fair warning, Arizona summer sun is like nothing you may have experienced before. Thus far, the Arizona summer heat has set several records, most notably, The Most Consecutive Days Over 110 Degrees -- 45 consecutive days over 110 as of August 20. We like warm… Continue reading Santa Fe — A Break From the Arizona Heat
Farm Fit and Fun With Fur Babies
Volunteering at Hunkapi Farms, an equine therapy center, during Covid-19 has been a joy and a life-saver. While many of our friends stay stuck in their homes, away from any risk of contracting this dreaded pandemic, we get to go to do meaningful work with animals outdoors. At Hunkapi we work with the horses, practice… Continue reading Farm Fit and Fun With Fur Babies
The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Hardly Affected Us…How?
As many of you know, we have been full-time Traveling Pet Sitters for the past four years. We have happily done 30+ 5 Star pet sits in 5+ countries and traveled to 5+ other countries in between sits. This is a great gig! Along the way, we learned a few things about ourselves, what we… Continue reading The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Hardly Affected Us…How?
Covid 19, Locked Down in Arizona
Covid-19, for us it could be a lot worse. People all across America, heck, all over the world, have been stuck in their homes, hiding from the Coronavirus. The threat of getting sick or getting others sick can make it difficult to enjoy a life with any semblance of normalcy for months. We are aware… Continue reading Covid 19, Locked Down in Arizona
Arizona Snowy White Egrets in Spring
As serious as John is about photography, we both know that "shooting" birds has not been his strong suit. He says, "the little buggers just won't stay still"! We recently went to the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona for a walk, a bit of fresh spring Arizona air, and yet another… Continue reading Arizona Snowy White Egrets in Spring
Cherry Blossoms in Bloom
While maintaining proper social distancing, we drove into DC to see the Cherry Blossoms for the first time. We had been told that it is normally so crowded that it is difficult to see anything. On this day in DC it was like a ghost town. There were so few people that we parked near… Continue reading Cherry Blossoms in Bloom
Spring Colors of Arizona
Some people tell us they don't enjoy Arizona because they prefer "seasons" and Arizona does"n have seasons. Oh really? We were fortunate to return to our home in Fountain Hills, Arizona (just outside Scottsdale) in time for the Covid-19 Quarantine and in time to capture the majesty of one of our seasons, spring. The color… Continue reading Spring Colors of Arizona
Best Street Art in San Miguel de Allende
The street art in San Miguel is some of the best we have ever seen. Here are a few examples from a walking tour we took on our last day. See you on the road, Bev and John ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information about us and to follow us on our travel journey please… Continue reading Best Street Art in San Miguel de Allende
The Talavera of Dolores Hidalgo
A short drive from San Miguel de Allende is the town of Dolores Hidalgo. Known as the place where the Mexican Revolution began, it is also known throughout Mexico and the world as the home of Mexican Talavera. These stunning (and often quite humorous) pieces of pottery add vibrancy and whimsy to homes throughout the… Continue reading The Talavera of Dolores Hidalgo
The Streets of San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is such a vibrant city. The color, the art, the music, theater, and the food are magical. But, what makes this city truly stand out is its people. John recently participated in a three day Street Photography course. The images speak volumes about the variety and vibrancy of San Miguel. A… Continue reading The Streets of San Miguel de Allende
Street Art in San Miguel’s Guadalupe Neighborhood
Mexico is known for its color -- homes, clothing, murals, fiesta costumes, ceramics, food, .. the list could go on and on. San Miguel de Allende elevates this art of color while it's neighborhood of Guadalupe takes it to an entirely different level. Street Art in Guadalupe is more professional than we have seen in… Continue reading Street Art in San Miguel’s Guadalupe Neighborhood
Feeding The Hungry in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
We are truly blessed in so many ways: We get to travel the world while caring for other peoples pets. We stay in some really beautiful places and homes. We learn new languages. We learn about different cultures and food. We make new friends. Our current pet sitting assignment has taken all of the above… Continue reading Feeding The Hungry in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
San Miguel de Allende – For The Love of Dogs, People, and Food
You all probably know by now that we love pretty much everything about food. Shopping for it, preparing it, and of course, eating it is one of our go-to pastimes. So, when our friend Donald, who lives with his wife Kate and adopted pup, Pee Wee, here in San Miguel de Allende, invited us to… Continue reading San Miguel de Allende – For The Love of Dogs, People, and Food
Christmas Magic in San Miguel de Allende
Saturday was one of those magical days that we have learned to expect since being on the road. When we began our travel journey, we greeted acts of genuine kindness and hospitality with suspicion. We were certain that perfect strangers never (or rarely, at best) invited another stranger into their home. Things like that just… Continue reading Christmas Magic in San Miguel de Allende
A Place of Peace and Color
San Miguel de Allende is nothing if not colorful. The people, homes, streets, restaurants, and cafe's, are more vibrant than most of the places we have ever visited. The color combined with the friendliness makes San Miguel de Allende magical. This journey has helped us notice color more than ever. We have discovered how vibrant… Continue reading A Place of Peace and Color
Living Our Zany Chosen Life…
Thanksgiving is over, can you believe it? Nevertheless, we continue to think about just how grateful we are for so, so many blessings. Our continued good health. Two beautiful. strong, and independent daughters who are amazing Moms to 5 smart, funny, beautiful, awesome grandchildren, each with their own strengths and talents. Family members and friends… Continue reading Living Our Zany Chosen Life…
A Visit With A Few Furry Four Legged Friends
You may know by now that Bev and I love horses. Everything about them is majestic, to us. They are pretty big, huge in some cases, yet their eyes are usually gentle. They move with such grace while starting and stopping on a dime. We find everything about them beautiful. We are blessed to have… Continue reading A Visit With A Few Furry Four Legged Friends
Who Said John Wouldn’t Enjoy This Journey?
From the very beginning of our traveling adventure, many of our friends and followers wondered “How is John about this?” Close friends thought, and some actually said, “he’ll be back in six months”. This public display of skepticism is my fault. On many occasions (more than I care to admit) you would hear me say… Continue reading Who Said John Wouldn’t Enjoy This Journey?
30 Years and Getting Stronger
Yesterday was our 30 Anniversary. Why we have been telling everyone it was number 31 is anyone's guess. John keeps telling people that he knew his career in banking would be short-lived because he couldn't add. Oh, well, we think thirty pretty great. Hover your cursor over the image to read the caption. Anniversaries are… Continue reading 30 Years and Getting Stronger
A Day at the Races
On the recommendation of our neighbor, Diana, we drove over to the Montague Inn, to check it out for our 31st anniversary lunch. Luckily we met the owner, Sean O'Callahan. Not only did he make sure we were "properly" cared for, but he invited us to be his guests at the races at the Wincanton… Continue reading A Day at the Races
A Step Back in Time at The Blackmore Vale Hunt
Saturday, October 20 we woke early and found a wonderful email invitation from our neighbor in Henstridge, England to attend the inaugural Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. Since we love horses so much, and since it was a beautiful sunny, dry day (a very rare thing on this trip to England) we jumped on the… Continue reading A Step Back in Time at The Blackmore Vale Hunt
A Piece of Our Hearts Will Remain On The Road
It is the end of week 4 in North Curry, England and, as usual, we are beginning to have some mixed emotions. We are looking forward to visiting Bradford-on-Avon and Bath for a few days. A walking tour, Instagram photography workshop and probably a cooking class are on the agenda. Then we are off to… Continue reading A Piece of Our Hearts Will Remain On The Road
Todays Walk, Routine or Enchanted?
Today we went on a walk with Pilot, Nancy and Angus, a beautiful black Labrador, owned by the son of our new friends, Andrew and Susan Meehan. Our dogs had never met Angus before. We were understandably a bit cautious as, our dogs, especially Nancy, can be a tad territorial at times. Not today! Everything was… Continue reading Todays Walk, Routine or Enchanted?
Evening Dog Walk Over The North Curry Countryside
It happens everyday, our walk (or walks) with the dogs through the beautiful North Curry, England countryside. Last evening it was especially beautiful, and fun. Place your cursor over the image to read the caption. It is Saturday afternoon and we are going for a long 2-3 hour walk with the dogs and some neighbors.… Continue reading Evening Dog Walk Over The North Curry Countryside
Serendipity On The Road With Bev & John
We had been In North Curry, England for exactly one week when a truly amazing event happened. It was a gorgeous Saturday morning at the monthly market in North Curry, England, and we were quietly enjoying a cup of coffee surrounded by strangers in a foreign country. We had already come to love this small… Continue reading Serendipity On The Road With Bev & John
Hello North Curry, England
North Curry -- Cornfields and Hay fields as far as you can see in just about any direction with cattle and sheep grazing, surrounded by a small village, filled with warm, friendly, and helpful people, and a couple of funny, cuddly dogs and a cat. This is what we love most about House and Pet… Continue reading Hello North Curry, England
Ireland- How We Loved 40 Shades of Green, Bold Heather, Thick Fog, and lots of Rain.
Our first trip to Ireland was full of excitement, anticipation, beauty, 40 shades of green and history. Oh, yes, and plenty of laughing. We asked friends for advice on how to best attack this storied land. Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Adare, Dingle, Killarney, and Cork received the most votes. So we decided to spend four days… Continue reading Ireland- How We Loved 40 Shades of Green, Bold Heather, Thick Fog, and lots of Rain.
Apricots, Apricots, Everywhere! Hi
Our recent month-long pet sit in Murrieta, California was more than an adorable dog, mischievous cats, and magnificent horses. We also experienced what it is like to be surrounded by delicious Apricots. One little tree produced hundreds of yellow and orange morsels. It will come as no surprise that Bev really got into apricot mode.… Continue reading Apricots, Apricots, Everywhere! Hi
Dogs, Cats, and Horses — our stay in Murrieta, California
We live an abundant life, for sure. Because we do house & pet sitting, our life has loads of animals. As we said in another post, we have visited 12 countries and 58 cities. Perhaps more important, we have cared for: 28 Dogs, 7 Cats,m, 6 horses, 10 Chickens/hens, 3 Ducks, 2 Pigs, 3 Alpaca,… Continue reading Dogs, Cats, and Horses — our stay in Murrieta, California
Bev and John take a Break from the Joyful Rigors of Pet Sitting
Even International House & Pet Sitters need an occasional break. After all, there is stress and wear-and-tear to recover from after weeks of the rigors of walking dogs and feeding horses. During the eight months ending May 30, 2019, we visited 21 cities in 6 countries. In 2 of those countries and 8 cities we… Continue reading Bev and John take a Break from the Joyful Rigors of Pet Sitting
Let the Pet Sitting Begin – Three Months in France, wonderful pets, country, homes, and homeowners
Spring color in the village park where it was easy to imagine it to be a backdrop for painters, picnickers and general frolicking . Following a 9 hour flight from Bangkok to Paris, and a 2 + hour train, we were greeted with a touch of spring in Valence, France. With one night at a… Continue reading Let the Pet Sitting Begin – Three Months in France, wonderful pets, country, homes, and homeowners
Our Lunch With New Friends, in France, and A View of The Alps
Our homeowners, Vonny and Steve, took the time to introduce us to their friends, Frances and Pete, before leaving for Australia. Now, Frances and Pete are our friends as well. That is how house and pet sitting works. We visited them for lunch the other day. Bev had made a wonderful soup and, of course,… Continue reading Our Lunch With New Friends, in France, and A View of The Alps
A Day in Crest, France
Of all of our travels thus far, perhaps the most enjoyable includes walking the dogs we are sitting for through one of the small, old villages in the area. It is like a step back in time. Modern conveniences surrounded by old -- old buildings, old services, old ways of doing things. So we were… Continue reading A Day in Crest, France
Elephants Score 20+ on a scale of 1-10
Hello everyone. This is John and this is my take on our recent week-long experience at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It would not be an exaggeration to say that every person we know had their doubts about me attending this Elephant Sanctuary. To give it some perspective, this is an adult… Continue reading Elephants Score 20+ on a scale of 1-10
Hoi An’s Big Ah HA — Vietnamese Cooking Class About More Than Food
In case you haven't noticed, food is a vital part of our travel itinerary. We spend a great deal of time shopping for it, buying it, preparing it, cooking it, tasting it, photographing and videoing it, commenting on it, sharing it with others, pairing it with beer, wine or any other beverage and generally enjoying… Continue reading Hoi An’s Big Ah HA — Vietnamese Cooking Class About More Than Food
Hoi An Vietnam, Walking with Harry
As is our custom, day 1 in a new place usually means we arrange a walking tour. In many places, just Google "Free Walking Tour" and you'll find a marvelous adventure. Our first day in Hoi An, Vietnam we took a walking tour with Harry Vu, a local tourism pro, yoga instructor, and the most… Continue reading Hoi An Vietnam, Walking with Harry
Farewell Bali, Hello Vietnam!
Bev and John picking long beans for our lunch cooking class. For Bev and I, the "last day" in any new place is usually very emotional. On the one hand, we are looking forward to the next stop but on the other hand, we've made connections and often are not quite ready to move on.… Continue reading Farewell Bali, Hello Vietnam!
Bali and Appreciating Rice
We recently discovered that RICE, does not mean RICE. It is not just food, nutrition, health, white, brown, red or black. In Bali, and now to Bev and me, RICE means a whole lot more. Even before arriving in Bali we had read about the terraced rice fields at the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and… Continue reading Bali and Appreciating Rice
Monkeys & Luwaks: Two Joys of Ubud, Bali
There are so many things to see, do, marvel at and about, and ponder in Ubud, Bali that it is difficult to know where to begin to write about the experience. A mentor used to advise me to "just begin, my friend, one word at a time!" Monkeys Here is what we know , or… Continue reading Monkeys & Luwaks: Two Joys of Ubud, Bali
Hello Ubud, Let the Yoga Begin!
This is John. It is 7:09 PM in Ubud, Bali, quickly nearing the end of day two. Thus far, we are having loads of fun. By the way, it is Saturday evening, not Friday as it is where most of you live. Being this far east is like living in the future. We dedicated this… Continue reading Hello Ubud, Let the Yoga Begin!
Travel by Pet Sitting 