Professional, active couple: authors and publishers
- Raymond (55) and Penelope (54)
- Writer/Editor and Publisher/Writer
- Couple
- Parua Bay, New Zealand
- Reference Score
(8)- Charges for House & Pet Sitting
- No
- Previous house sitting experience?
- Yes
- Animal care experience?
- Poultry, Horse(s), Cat(s), Dog(s), Honey bees, goats, rats and mice.
- Police check?
- Yes
- Available to housesit when?
- July 11, 2013 and Jan. 31, 2014
- Available to housesit where?
- Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Afghanistan, Show more Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Afghanistan, Aland, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroun, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Congo (Rep.), Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroes, Fiji, Finland, French Guyana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Authority, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tchad, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Show less
Introduction
Raymond and I (Penelope) write, edit and publish from home. We've been home owners for 30 years and have enjoyed a variety of pets.
Raymond trained as a gardener and teacher and I as a nurse, but we are now fully involved in writing and publishing (Rosa Mira Books). My books include a travel memoir (Digging For Spain) and Raymond's are children's books (Sting, Wings).
Why I want to housesit
Now that our children have left we've left our home of 17 years in Dunedin, New Zealand, for some free time. We love travel that gives us a feel for authentic local life rather than just tourist grooves. The creative benefits of travel for our writing and publishing are immense. We love the company of animals and getting our hands dirty in the garden. We'd also like some house sits in Auckland where our first grandchild has arrived.
What I bring to the assignment / relevant experience
We have always lived with and loved animals - for many years, Biddy the cat and Polly, a delightful half-Bichon - but we've had a wide array of animals in our lives, from horses, honey bees, budgies and hens, to rabbits, sheep and goats. We're fit and eager dog-walkers, and know we'll enjoy your animals as much as they'll find us warm, understanding company. Recently we've minded a Ridgeback-cross, a spaniel pup, a Tonkinese cat, an ailing moggie, and ducks.
We've owned several homes and always kept an extensive vegetable garden, fruit trees and flowers. Raymond has horticultural training.
We have traveled extensively (Europe, US, South America, Philippines, Australia). Penelope speaks some French.
We are tidy and resourceful - if the plums are ripe we'll pick and freeze them for you!
We're reliable, non-smokers, and good communicators.
References
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TrustedHousesitters.com Homeowner Reference
pam mundell
Raymond and Penelope looked after our dog and house for several weeks. They kept in touch with us throughout, and left the house immaculate and the dog happy. We were delighted.
- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
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TrustedHousesitters.com Homeowner Reference
Sue Farrant
Raymond and his wife Penelope are simply delightful. They not only treated our home with care and attention, leaving it in a spotless condition they integrated into our small community with the result that they are now accepted as part of the neighbourhood.
- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
-
TrustedHousesitters.com Homeowner Reference
Mary Harris
Raymond & Penelope were excellent house sitters, and we would highly recommend. The house was spotless when we arrived home and both house & graden and pets had been very well looked after.
Communication was prompt and we felt very happy leaving our house in their capable hands.
thanks for a great job.- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
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House / Pet sitting Reference
Marianne Tissi
Penelope and Raymond looked after our house for a week while we were away on holiday.
We do have an 18 year old cat who needs to take medication twice daily.. They came to see the vet before our departure to be instructed on how to administer it. Penelope and Raymond looked after the cat as if it was their own. On our return, we found the animal in better shape than when we left; it had gained some weight which was fantastic. Penelope and Richard not only put up with the antics of the cat, but with the old house as well. It was touching to return to our home and be received with home-baked cookies, a special book Raymond had found in a second hand shop, even a drawing of the cat... Needless to say that the place was cleaner than on our departure.
We would have this lovely couple housesit here again any time and can warmly recommend them to anyone looking for someone caring and honest to look after their place/animals.
Marianne & Benno Tissi- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
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Character Reference
Pam Morrison
I've known Penelope Todd and Raymond Huber for 20 years, and am very happy to provide a character reference for them. They are completely reliable, organised and tidy, and take excellent care of their own home and beautifully tended large section. They are keen gardeners, and have a vegetable garden, numerous fruit trees and a beehive, which yields enough honey to share. They have a dog and a cat - both now elderly - and have provided a great home for their animals. The dog, Polly, is a settled and happy canine, who is regularly walked. I have no hesitation in giving my full endorsement of their suitability for house sitting, including the care of animals and property.
- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Organised
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House / Pet sitting Reference
Jane Bissell
Penelope and Raymond looked after my Whangaparaoa home and my two cats for six weeks while I was away in the USA over the period 1 April until mid-May 2011. I would certainly recommend them to anyone requiring short or long term house sitters. They looked after the house, plants, lawns and my two cats with great care and attended to some other matters I asked of them, for example, I asked Penelope if she would keep track of and pay certain bills that were due while I was away and she did so with no problems. The care of
much loved pets is always high on my list while I am away and Penelope and Raymond looked after my two cats very well indeed. One is older and needs a bit more attention but Penelope gave him some extra care and emailed me with regular updates on both of the cats and the house in general which I appreciated. I have no hesitation in recommending them to you and am happy to provide a verbal reference if required.
Jane Bissell- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
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House / Pet sitting Reference
Barbie Bates
I have been friends with Penelope Todd and Raymond Huber for over 15 years. They are a highly responsible and trustworthy couple who would make ideal house sitters. They have stayed in my rental property and home several times and have always left them cleaner and tidier than they were when they arrived; were very security conscious; and communicated any problems to me immediately. Added bonuses? They are great in the garden and with pets.
- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
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House / Pet sitting Reference
Lesley Kennedy
My husband and I were in the United States from mid-April to mid-May 2012, and were very impressed by the application to housesit from Penelope and Raymond. We treasure our animals and are quite particular about our house and garden,and could not speak more highly of the way both were looked after. On our return we were delighted to find the animals fit and happy, and our house and surrounds immaculate.Penelope and Raymond made themselves known to our neighbours, who were also impressed by the obvious quality of care maintained in our absence. We would be delighted to recommend or have the services of Penelope and Raymond at any time.
Lesley and Geoff- Organised
- Reliable
- Self-sufficient
- Tidy
- Pet care
- Organised
