Retired couple embarking on adventure

More information about this house sitter

We are a pretty fit and healthy couple in our mid 70s who have now been in retirement (again) for about 15 months.

In 2022 we did a 4 month road trip via outback NSW and Qld as far north as Lawn Hill Nat park, the Gulf towns of Bourke Town, Karumba and Cook Town.
We are currently on the tail end of a 6 month tour of the Red centre, the Kimberley and Pilbara ranges and the west coast of WA.
Just 7 yrs ago we did the Classic Inca Trail in Peru - a 5 day trek that took us to heights of over 4000 Mtrs carrying day packs and clothing to cover the quickly changing weather patterns. This was after my wife Helen had had 2 hip ops!
For the last 3 years we have been with Pawshake looking after people’s dogs while they holiday.
We have been dog owners ourselves up until late 2017 when our last dog Bonnie had to be put down.
We have down sized to the lovely Bass Coast town of Wonthaggi after sadly leaving our lovely home in Melbourne’s outer east with gardens we had developed over the previous 32 yrs surrounding the pool and house.

We have 2 daughters and their families living in Watsonia and Port Melbourne with a 3rd on the Sunshine Coast. We are both involved with the Lions Club of South Vermont and have been members for some 12 years - hence we are often coming up to Melbourne.

Much of our spare time in Wonthaggi has been developing a garden that had basically seen no improvements in its 10yr lifespan - so yes we are big garden lovers.

Back in 2018 we were asked to look after a 6 month old Boxer. In late ‘23 his owner contacted us to see whether we could look after him again. After a couple of shortish stays he is now at the end of a 6week stay and we doubt whether he wants to go home!

We do like to treat other people's homes as we would expect others to look after ours. The only downside of the Boxer is the regular vacuuming and sweeping of dog hair!

We do love our dogs though and seem to form an almost instant bond with dogs that can “smell us”. Read more...