Karen

Hi. I have 'owned' cats myself (do we own them, or they own us?) for the last 15 years and my sons cockerpoo Klaus and whippet Nugget often come to stay too. I love walking, so 'walkies' are a pleasure (I can tire them out before they do me!) and we have great fun together. I think they love me because I believe it is THEIR walk as well as mine so I try to get the balance right and go at a pace that works for both dog and human, and let them stop and explore if that's what they want. Walkies are definitely my specialty, but cuddles in front of a tv come a close second.
Personality-wise: I am easy-going and flexible, tidy, quiet and travel lightly through the world. I don't eat animals and I don't smoke (addendum: I have recently discovered the vice of vaping, but that can be done outside if my host wishes). I like to be outdoors. Indoors I like to hunker-down on a cozy settee with a good book or my laptop and a hot cup of tea.
Background and motivation: I've travelled, and lived in Europe a lot. That changed in 2020 with COVID and, since then, I've enjoyed exploring England and Wales. I have three adult children near Manchester and Birmingham and so travel between those places regularly. I am now of an age where I'm thinking of moving to live somewhere nearer to them. So whenever I visit places I'm often thinking "what would it feel like to live here?". House-sitting is a good way of getting a little taste of exactly that, whilst at the same time helping someone else. I'm a practical kind of person. Win-win it seems to me!
As a teacher, now working part-time in both a boy's school and a men's prison, I have more time to do this sort of thing but I am constrained by term times. Do contact me if I can help.