Linda
Friendly, practical, trustworthy and professional Canadian woman.
About Linda
Hi there,
I am a retired teacher and administrator who has worked in the UK, Canada and China and I have loved to travel since my hippie days! I am bilingual, with a degree in French, and I speak reasonable Spanish and German. My two children are following their own life journeys now here in BC, with no grandchildren yet, so I am living the dre...
Hi there,
I am a retired teacher and administrator who has worked in the UK, Canada and China and I have loved to travel since my hippie days! I am bilingual, with a degree in French, and I speak reasonable Spanish and German. My two children are following their own life journeys now here in BC, with no grandchildren yet, so I am living the dream. Life is good and I am grateful. I return to Europe every year to visit family and friends, have spent the last few winters in Thailand, Bali and Malaysia, and will be in Mexico and Central America this coming winter.
I have Ministry of Education contracts to fulfill in BC from time to time, and I volunteer in Ottawa sometimes with a youth organisation, but basically I am free to go wherever I choose, and the whole idea of house sitting appeals to my sense of adventure. My own house is in a resort on the coast of Vancouver Island so whenever I leave for any length of time, the downstairs floor goes into the rental pool for holiday visitors and I store my stuff securely upstairs. I know exactly what goes into preparing for people to live in your home and what is required, expected and deserved. I find I get restless now, after years of constantly returning to the UK to visit my aging parents who have now passed on, so Trusted Housesitters can open up new challenges and opportunities for me.
One of the most important things about me is that I love animals and grew up with dogs and cats, so I miss them, now that my lifestyle involves so much moving around. I also walk at least an hour, rain or shine, on the beach trail by my home; I often go for bike rides, and practice yoga and meditation regularly, so I am in in good shape and have lots of energy. I love being outside in nature and am a non-smoker who eats healthily and lives a quiet lifestyle. I prefer reading to watching TV, and I love cooking, music, writing, photography, theatre, visiting galleries and exploring local markets.
When I first came to BC as a single teacher, I built a house on the beach in Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) with help from local carpenters of course; there was a view of Alaska on the horizon from the living room window, and I lived there for many happy years, at first with no electricity and only a sand point from which to pump water, so I do know about living in an isolated community, about loving the wilderness, about being self-reliant and about making do with less. Eventually I married and had children there and the house was modernized and expanded, but those years made me who I am.
When I retired from teaching I was offered a two year contract to work supporting BC teachers in various international schools in China, and I jumped at the chance. It was a challenge in so many ways, and an amazing experience; Europe felt familiar to me, but China was a whole different way of living, a different way of seeing the world. I learned so much.
Lastly, I am organized and meticulous, to the point where I can drive my kids crazy! I am a neat freak, and love cleaning house…weird I know. It gives me immense satisfaction, and I learned it from my Mum. In my working career I had to schedule and direct staff, conduct meetings and see that goals were met, so I have the ability to get things done on a practical level. I also had to be a good communicator my entire life, so Skype, FaceTime, letters, e-mails would all be great ways for me not only to meet you, but also to send regular updates and bulletins about your pets and home. I love to write.
From March until June of 2014 I did two house sitting assignments in Europe, Wales and France. Then I returned to North America for the summer months but came back to Europe for September and October, to house sit in France again and then in Brighton. Later in the year, after a few weeks back in Canada, I travelled in Asia, mainly Thailand, Bali and Malaysia for three months.
But I was back in Europe for around three to four months again from July 2015 onwards to take on a couple of house sits during that time. As for summer 2016, I did house and pet sitting in Italy and in Portugal and had a wonderful time. I was in France, Holland, Belgium and Tenerife for the first two months of 2017, and will next return to Europe in July of 2017; I am actively looking for positions throughout the summer, and have been engaged for two weeks in Portugal, followed immediately by the first week of September in Ariège, France. The rest of that month and October are free. The earlier I know where I might be needed, the easier it will be for me to make plans.
I love my life!
Why I want to house sit
As I said above, I love to travel but have never been on an all-inclusive holiday or an organised coach tour in my life. I love discovering places to go myself, hearing about them from other travellers, or researching on the net. I enjoy home stays, small family hotels or renting a room long term. For me the joy comes from mingling with the local people, meeting others in a new community, becoming part of street and village life, even if only for a few days. I always choose to get somewhere and then to stay, immersing myself in that world, so house sitting is a perfect chance for me to do this.
I have also been awed by the kindness, generosity and friendliness of people I have met everywhere, ever since I hitchhiked through the States, Mexico and Central America in the '70's, those hippy days again. Karma…what you put out comes back. My delight is to meet people and to win their trust, and I see house-sitting as an opportunity to gain your trust. It is a privilege to be given the chance to care for someone's lovely home and to look after their beloved animals, and I do not take the responsibility lightly. I take this job very seriously; it demands integrity and a strong ethical sense, and I am well aware of this.
My experience
I have mentioned that I regularly rent out my own home and have done this for years, so I have experience of being in the situation of a homeowner like you. I also wrote about my practical skills, coping skills, the foundations for which were laid in those early years in Haida Gwaii. I neglected to say that I love to garden, both flowers and vegetables, and that I maintained a hot tub/jacuzzi in our family home for many years. I drive all the time when I am home, and would rent a car if it were needed; I have a current International Drivers' License. Although the Trusted website does not allow me to post my Criminal Record Check, I would need to purchase one through them, I had one done in April 2017 for contract work I have taken on for the federal government. So basically, I am at the Enhanced level in terms of verifications. I have done pet and house-sitting in England, Wales, Greece, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and Canada for various families, caring for dogs, cats, fish and rabbits of varying ages, sizes and needs; those homeowner reviews and references are available for you to read on this profile. Several of those agreements have been for three weeks, and a longer stay is no problem for me. I will always be keen to take on any assignments that include pet sitting, and I am always respectful of property and possessions. I will live in your home as though it were my own, keeping it clean, tidy and well maintained. I take pride in leaving homes that are fresh, clean and welcoming at the end of my stay, and pets that have been loved and cuddled a lot! I understand the worries and doubts that can arise when considering leaving your home and beloved pets with a stranger, so I would like to end by reassuring you that we can work together to make this an enjoyable experience for us all. I look forward to meeting you.
Reviews (8)
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Gillian - Lavelanet, France
31 August - 08 September 2017
Linda house sat for us in September. She arrived a couple of days early as arranged and spent the time before we left getting to know our cats and their little idiosyncrasies. She was also keen to learn about the local area and the amenities. She had hired a car and we spent some time getting to ...
Linda house sat for us in September. She arrived a couple of days early as arranged and spent the time before we left getting to know our cats and their little idiosyncrasies. She was also keen to learn about the local area and the amenities. She had hired a car and we spent some time getting to know the geography. Linda is a copious note taker and I was confident that she would miss any details of the cats care, including daily medication for one.
Linda is a lovely lady and we got on straight away. We arrived home to a clean and tidy home and more importantly contented pets.- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Pamela - Leiria, Portugal
12 August - 27 August 2017
After first being in contact with Linda over a year before she came to housesit for us in August. She is a lovely lady and we had no worries about leaving her to look after our home and the dogs and cat.
We returned home to find everything was well and the animals very happy. We have a young pu...After first being in contact with Linda over a year before she came to housesit for us in August. She is a lovely lady and we had no worries about leaving her to look after our home and the dogs and cat.
We returned home to find everything was well and the animals very happy. We have a young puppy but Linda took it all in her stride. I can recommend Linda to look after your home and animals well.- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
-
- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Jennifer - Los Montesinos, Spain
20 September - 30 September 2017
Linda was very organised and we came home to a lovely tidy home and very happy cats .
It was a pleasure to have her stay and we will be keeping in touch .
If you want to relax and enjoy your holiday knowing your pets a day home are being looked after we highly recommend you ask Linda.Linda was very organised and we came home to a lovely tidy home and very happy cats .
It was a pleasure to have her stay and we will be keeping in touch .
If you want to relax and enjoy your holiday knowing your pets a day home are being looked after we highly recommend you ask Linda.
About Linda
Hi there,
I am a retired teacher and administrator who has worked in the UK, Canada and China and I have loved to travel since my hippie days! I am bilingual, with a degree in French, and I speak reasonable Spanish and German. My two children are following their own life journeys now here in BC, with no grandchildren yet, so I am living the dream. Life is good and I am grateful. I return to Europe every year to visit family and friends, have spent the last few winters in Thailand, Bali and Malaysia, and will be in Mexico and Central America this coming winter.
I have Ministry of Education contracts to fulfill in BC from time to time, and I volunteer in Ottawa sometimes with a youth organisation, but basically I am free to go wherever I choose, and the whole idea of house sitting appeals to my sense of adventure. My own house is in a resort on the coast of Vancouver Island so wheneve......
Hi there,
I am a retired teacher and administrator who has worked in the UK, Canada and China and I have loved to travel since my hippie days! I am bilingual, with a degree in French, and I speak reasonable Spanish and German. My two children are following their own life journeys now here in BC, with no grandchildren yet, so I am living the dream. Life is good and I am grateful. I return to Europe every year to visit family and friends, have spent the last few winters in Thailand, Bali and Malaysia, and will be in Mexico and Central America this coming winter.
I have Ministry of Education contracts to fulfill in BC from time to time, and I volunteer in Ottawa sometimes with a youth organisation, but basically I am free to go wherever I choose, and the whole idea of house sitting appeals to my sense of adventure. My own house is in a resort on the coast of Vancouver Island so whenever I leave for any length of time, the downstairs floor goes into the rental pool for holiday visitors and I store my stuff securely upstairs. I know exactly what goes into preparing for people to live in your home and what is required, expected and deserved. I find I get restless now, after years of constantly returning to the UK to visit my aging parents who have now passed on, so Trusted Housesitters can open up new challenges and opportunities for me.
One of the most important things about me is that I love animals and grew up with dogs and cats, so I miss them, now that my lifestyle involves so much moving around. I also walk at least an hour, rain or shine, on the beach trail by my home; I often go for bike rides, and practice yoga and meditation regularly, so I am in in good shape and have lots of energy. I love being outside in nature and am a non-smoker who eats healthily and lives a quiet lifestyle. I prefer reading to watching TV, and I love cooking, music, writing, photography, theatre, visiting galleries and exploring local markets.
When I first came to BC as a single teacher, I built a house on the beach in Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) with help from local carpenters of course; there was a view of Alaska on the horizon from the living room window, and I lived there for many happy years, at first with no electricity and only a sand point from which to pump water, so I do know about living in an isolated community, about loving the wilderness, about being self-reliant and about making do with less. Eventually I married and had children there and the house was modernized and expanded, but those years made me who I am.
When I retired from teaching I was offered a two year contract to work supporting BC teachers in various international schools in China, and I jumped at the chance. It was a challenge in so many ways, and an amazing experience; Europe felt familiar to me, but China was a whole different way of living, a different way of seeing the world. I learned so much.
Lastly, I am organized and meticulous, to the point where I can drive my kids crazy! I am a neat freak, and love cleaning house…weird I know. It gives me immense satisfaction, and I learned it from my Mum. In my working career I had to schedule and direct staff, conduct meetings and see that goals were met, so I have the ability to get things done on a practical level. I also had to be a good communicator my entire life, so Skype, FaceTime, letters, e-mails would all be great ways for me not only to meet you, but also to send regular updates and bulletins about your pets and home. I love to write.
From March until June of 2014 I did two house sitting assignments in Europe, Wales and France. Then I returned to North America for the summer months but came back to Europe for September and October, to house sit in France again and then in Brighton. Later in the year, after a few weeks back in Canada, I travelled in Asia, mainly Thailand, Bali and Malaysia for three months.
But I was back in Europe for around three to four months again from July 2015 onwards to take on a couple of house sits during that time. As for summer 2016, I did house and pet sitting in Italy and in Portugal and had a wonderful time. I was in France, Holland, Belgium and Tenerife for the first two months of 2017, and will next return to Europe in July of 2017; I am actively looking for positions throughout the summer, and have been engaged for two weeks in Portugal, followed immediately by the first week of September in Ariège, France. The rest of that month and October are free. The earlier I know where I might be needed, the easier it will be for me to make plans.
I love my life!
Why I want to house sit
As I said above, I love to travel but have never been on an all-inclusive holiday or an organised coach tour in my life. I love discovering places to go myself, hearing about them from other travellers, or researching on the net. I enjoy home stays, small family hotels or renting a room long term. For me the joy comes from mingling with the local people, meeting others in a new community, becoming part of street and village life, even if only for a few days. I always choose to get somewhere and then to stay, immersing myself in that world, so house sitting is a perfect chance for me to do this.
I have also been awed by the kindness, generosity and friendliness of people I have met everywhere, ever since I hitchhiked through the States, Mexico and Central America in the '70's, those hippy days again. Karma…what you put out comes back. My delight is to meet people and to win their trust, and I see house-sitting as an opportunity to gain your trust. It is a privilege to be given the chance to care for someone's lovely home and to look after their beloved animals, and I do not take the responsibility lightly. I take this job very seriously; it demands integrity and a strong ethical sense, and I am well aware of this.
My experience
I have mentioned that I regularly rent out my own home and have done this for years, so I have experience of being in the situation of a homeowner like you. I also wrote about my practical skills, coping skills, the foundations for which were laid in those early years in Haida Gwaii. I neglected to say that I love to garden, both flowers and vegetables, and that I maintained a hot tub/jacuzzi in our family home for many years. I drive all the time when I am home, and would rent a car if it were needed; I have a current International Drivers' License. Although the Trusted website does not allow me to post my Criminal Record Check, I would need to purchase one through them, I had one done in April 2017 for contract work I have taken on for the federal government. So basically, I am at the Enhanced level in terms of verifications. I have done pet and house-sitting in England, Wales, Greece, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and Canada for various families, caring for dogs, cats, fish and rabbits of varying ages, sizes and needs; those homeowner reviews and references are available for you to read on this profile. Several of those agreements have been for three weeks, and a longer stay is no problem for me. I will always be keen to take on any assignments that include pet sitting, and I am always respectful of property and possessions. I will live in your home as though it were my own, keeping it clean, tidy and well maintained. I take pride in leaving homes that are fresh, clean and welcoming at the end of my stay, and pets that have been loved and cuddled a lot! I understand the worries and doubts that can arise when considering leaving your home and beloved pets with a stranger, so I would like to end by reassuring you that we can work together to make this an enjoyable experience for us all. I look forward to meeting you.
Verifications
Verification level
Standard level
Animal Care Experience
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Dogs
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Cats
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Reptiles
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Fish
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Poultry
Availability
Preferred Countries
- Algeria
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guadeloupe
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Madagascar
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Helena
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sint Maarten
- Tunisia
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Profile Details
Age
Occupation
Travelling as a
Previous house sitting experience
Member benefits
Member since
House & pet sitting timeline
Linda has done 9 house sits since 2013
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Los MontesinosSpainSep 2017 -
LavelanetFranceAug - Sep 2017 -
LeiriaPortugalAug 2017 -
LouléPortugalSep 2016 -
KolympáriGreeceNov 2015 -
Saint-Geniès-de-FonteditFranceDec 2014 -
BrightonUnited KingdomNov 2014 -
ValleiryFranceJul 2014 -
HaverfordwestUnited KingdomMar - Apr 2014
