This past June 2023, was my 5th year home and pet sitting anniversary. I became nomadic by choice in April that very year when I made the very spontaneous decision to retire, yes, I was beyond burned out. I was fried, toasted, disillusioned and over it. I just wanted it all to STOP.

I wandered throughout my home state alone relaxing, adapting to the newly found freedom for about two months before I decided to try pet sitting. I did not believe it was for me or that anyone would want me. I had also never thought about what life would be like without “work”. It had been so much a part of who I was, I thought.

In the first 2 months of sitting, I tested and stayed local, doing many repeat sits for a woman who travelled to Italy every few weeks. Her home had a huge outdoor living space with sofa, television, dining table, a screened in pool, all facing a 5 canal waterway. The two gorgeous cats, brother and sister, and I would often sleep outside in this wonderful delightful slice of paradise. In truth, I stayed there most of the time and rarely took off my bathing suit, if I wore one :woman_shrugging:.
The pool itself had rainbow colored lights and the entire outdoor area had strings of lights that sparked and danced on the waters.
During the day, I’d watch boats, manatees and dolphins playing.
It was at that time for me the best medicine, the most healing beginning of my new life.
Since then I have done over a hundred sits, countless cats, a few very loved dogs, birds, ducks, chickens and even learned how to tend to sheep. I still do many if not mostly repeat sits in various countries, places I enjoy being in. I am not a tourist, not at all.
I simply love the serenity and joy I have found meeting, talking, listening to the most extraordinary interesting people, who were nothing like the people I had known before. The things I have learned from them, not just the HO but strangers I have met on the way are priceless. Kindness and compassion I never knew. The animals and plants, well they generated tremendous joy and satisfaction, still caring and helping, just different.

Back in the day, whenever I put my stethoscope on, I would feel myself transform into this role I associated so much of myself with.
Now my it’s my walking stick and my backpack.
I have had more thrilling highs than lows. I am human. I have been disappointed, lost more times than I remember. The highs make the lows disappear, usually getting through a bad moment is the high! That moment you realize what you just got through or when someone out of nowhere shows up and offers the right words, directions, a smile…
My own personal pursuit of happiness is exciting and I never imagined for one moment the unbelievable and truly incredible things that have happened to me. I have now been to 10 countries, have dual residency in two. I have friends across the world.
I can’t wait to see and feel what comes next.

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