The social side of house sitting

The past weekend highlighted one of the great joys of house sitting, particularly with friendly Australians.

Our homeowners returned Friday afternoon, and that evening we sat down to a beautiful Thai green curry prepared by the homeowners.

We said goodbye to Ollie, who
has such a beautiful temperament

We'd been anxiously awaiting their return as we'd worked extensively on their landscaping, without getting the usual clarification and approval for every step. They'd asked for a no-device vacation, other than for an emergency, and so we respected that. She had said they had little time to tend to the gardens, so we certainly filled that gap. We both worked most mornings and the improvement was noticeable. Thankfully they were thrilled with what we'd done, and somewhat amazed by how much work we'd put in. Phew, more satisfied customers! 

We enjoyed catching up on their travels, sharing stories of our time while they were away, and generally getting to know each other better. We're amazed by how quickly we get so comfortable with each of the homeowners. With many we've built up a relationship over time before we arrive, with emails and perhaps a Skype chat, but that wasn't the case with this sit as it was done on short notice. Nevertheless, we had a great time.

The next day we went for a nice walk at the lake with them, followed by lunch at an outdoor restaurant. That evening they took us to the bus station, so that we could travel to our next sit. They were thoughtful enough to give us a bottle of wine from a winery in Canberra, which we appreciated.

We're happy to be back near the ocean again

A 3-hour coach ride took us easterly from Canberra to the coast of New South Wales, about an hour south of Sydney. Our homeowners were waiting for us at the bus stop. This sit was booked many months ago, and so we'd built up a relationship with them in advance. We were originally to sit for their elderly dog, but unfortunately she passed away two months ago. However, they said they were looking forward to meeting us and hoped we'd stay with the plans and just take care of their home. We'll be here for five weeks while they travel.

A pretty tree in our front yard

On Sunday our latest homeowners made us breakfast, took us on a tour of the area, and then made us lunch. Their daughter and granddaughter came for an afternoon visit and we spent time answering questions and sharing stories of our travels. People seem genuinely interested in hearing all about house sitting. The homeowners made us a lovely supper, and then early next morning were on their way.

A closeup of the flowers on that tree

Both of these house sit families agreed to make a vehicle available to us for these sits. This helps keep down our travel costs, and we really appreciate it. Greg was able to do some repairs on the first car, which she really appreciated. Those who know Greg will have experienced how well he also details cars, so they come home to shiny cars, inside and out.

We are truly grateful for the life we're living as we house sit. It's true that in volunteering, the more you give of yourself, the more life gives you back. Now if only someone could stop the rain following us around!