Issue No. 13

Housesitting and pet sitting Joys and
Responsibilities
Living like a local as a guest of the home
owner yielded insights I couldn’t have
uncovered in such a short space of time on
a normal holiday. It’s this local knowledge
that can enrich a new experience and that’s
one of the reasons I love housesitting. Ile de
France came to life for me through Susan’s
insider’s tips in a way no guide book could
have managed at such a local level.
And what of my petsitting charges, I hear
you asking? All this eating and drinking and
enjoying the scenery doesn’t get the dogs
walked or the chickens fed and watered!
Well once we were in a routine the dogs and
hens were straightforward and easy to care
for.
The hens were let out of their coop early in
the morning, fed grain and given fresh
water. And because their paddock was well
fenced and they were safely enclosed the
next time I had to worry about them was at
sunset when I needed to ensure they had all
returned and they were safely put away in
their hen house at night.
The dogs on the other hand were far more
entertaining. They loved going for a
country walk first thing. In the large
garden they chased each other, got
excited at the sound of Paris commuters
driving past the gate, or rabbits spotted in
the surroungind fields. It left me free to do
as I wished for the rest of the day!
My trip to Ile de France was brilliant and I
know that I was only able to scratch the
surface of all that was on offer. I hope to
return to this wonderful region and to
uncover more treasures, more produits de
terroir, and through housesitting meet
more wonderful friends and locals in a
way that a classic tourist visit might not
discover.
By offering my services as a house and
pet sitter I was able to live comfortably,
care for pets which made me feel more at
home and I didn’t have to pay for any
accommodation for a wonderful holiday in
a new part of France full of authentic
experiences.