Retired teacher dog/cat/garden lover

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I have recently retired from teaching English Language and Business Studies, a career which allowed me to live and work in the Middle East and Far East before returning to the UK to care for my elderly mother. At present, I am mostly working as an online proof reader for PhD students.

My beloved King Charles Spaniel passed away at Easter and I have had to return the cockatiels and Conure parrot I had been fostering while their owner was hospitalised so while I am missing the presence of pets, I am not yet ready to take on another one of my own with such a recent loss.

Having looked after friends' houses, pets and gardens informally over the years, (references available) they have suggested that I should take up house/pet-sitting full time as a retirement 'project', which is why I am now registering with 'mindahome'.

As an animal-lover, I have owned a wide variety of pets, not only cats and dogs, but also birds (cockatiels and parrots) and tropical fish. Most of my dogs have been 'rescue' dogs, some of whom have had complex health and temperament issues, but I believe they finally experienced 'a good home' with me and I would have no problem with pets that need special care.

Another hobby of mine is gardening and I would be happy to maintain and look after a garden during my stay as well as indoor plants.

I am a fit and active person, a non-smoker, with a positive and pragmatic personality and friends would describe me as kind and caring, reliable and trustworthy.

As regards my personal status, I am a widow and parent of one son aged 20, currently at university in Bristol. Having been registered as a home stay family with local language schools to care for children aged 11 to 18 I have a DBS certificate. I am a home owner/car owner.

I am basically available from Autumn 2017, but do have a pre-Christmas booking for a dog-owning friend from 10-23rd December in Bournemouth which is my current base.

My preferred location would be the South-West, but was born in London and have lived and worked in the city before so would be happy to house-sit there too.