The Caretaker Gazette

Make Your Travel Dreams a Reality on a Budget

2014-04-03T19:38:00.002-07:00

Make Your Travel Dreams a Reality on a Budget

Caribbean Castaways: Julie and Gregory

2014-01-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

With thirty two years in the hospitality industry in both the U.K. and the U.S., a penchant for world travel, and over thirty-five countries under our belts, caretaking in a foreign country had always been our dream and was a natural next step for us after forced semi-retirement. To be able to combine a lengthy stay in a new country in trade for property and/or animal caretaking was not only a good fit for us but also an excellent opportunity to live as ‘locals’ in a foreign land and experience their culture for an extended amount of time without incurring huge living expenses. After meeting a lady on a remote beach in Mexico who was doing just that we started subscribing to The Caretaker Gazette seven years ago and would drool over the possibilities but the timing just never seemed to be quite right with family, business, and several remodeled rental properties we needed to tend to. With the downturn in the economy, an unexpected lay off, the quick sale of our beach house in California, and our youngest child going off to college all of the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together and it was the perfect time to start a new ‘career’ caretaking the properties of others. We felt as if we were at the ideal juncture in our lives – the children were gone and our parents are still in good health – it’s now or never!

The opportunity to live in the West Indies for three months during the summer also presented us with the ideal time to vacate Palm Desert, California where we currently reside since it sees summer temperatures in the 110 degree range. The assignment checked all of our boxes – the right time of year, a temperate climate, and an island that we had never been to – Grenada. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice" due to the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. The Grenada resort owners close down the small, boutique, resort property every year during the hurricane season and our ‘job’ was to be an extra set of eyes on the property, start the generator once a fortnight and most importantly take care of the beloved hotel dog in their absence. Since we love animals and have handyman skills it was a good fit for both parties.

Caretaking is the gateway to another way of life and through living in a foreign country as ‘locals’ we are able to appreciate the beauty of the country and its people at a much slower pace than if we were simply tourists over for a two week holiday. We gladly perform the minimal amount of chores and thoroughly enjoy taking care of the dog who we take with us on long walks along deserted, sand beaches and on many lovely, wooded trails and rainforest adventures. In exchange for this we get very basic but comfortable housing, the use of a four wheel drive vehicle (a must in these parts), and an idyllic setting to live in while we explore the island and everything that it has to offer. As in most things in life there are also trade-offs: living without air-conditioning in a very warm, humid climate and since the eco friendly resort offers no TV we have had to adapt to getting our news through the internet, and check the weather and track tropical storms that may be headed our way on our laptop. A small price to pay for living in Paradise and experiencing a new way of life!

Other challenges have been the erratic driving practices on very narrow roads often with sheer drops on one side, the abundance of stray dogs everywhere, and a rather nasty mosquito problem at dusk and dawn but we've managed to overcome all of those things despite our initial ‘what have we gotten ourselves into’ thoughts that we shared. Most of the local men carry machetes which we also found a little intimidating at first but over time it becomes the norm and you just learn to accept and adapt accordingly – we even carry our own machete now especially on trails in the rain forest that quickly disappear with rapidly growing undergrowth.

We've also enjoyed the peace and quiet and the escape from the rat race and have been able to indulge ourselves with hours of reading and endless games of Scrabble and afternoon naps in hammocks, all things that we rarely afforded ourselves at home where one tends to be swept up in the daily rush of a sometimes frenetic life. Our relationship has also flourished since we have had to rely totally on one another to improvise and overcome ‘life in a foreign country’ obstacles together and truly work as a team. Unexpectedly we have learned a lot about each other and ourselves – an unexpected bonus! There is a lot of trust involved on both sides when accepting a caretaking position but if a good match is made it is also very beneficial to all parties. We encourage everyone to try it and could never have made this dream happen without The Caretaker Gazette. As soon as we get home we will be looking for our next adventure in a moderately warm climate overseas that will both stimulate and invigorate all of our senses just as we have experienced here. Cheers!

Boomer Broad: Adventurous boomers will like the Caretaker Gazett...

2013-10-01T16:16:00.001-07:00

Boomer Broad: Adventurous boomers will like the Caretaker Gazett...: Adventurous boomers will like the Caretaker Gazette www.caretaker.org where for over 30 years they have advertised opportunities for house ...

Retirement, a whole new adventure - Gary and Candy Spaid

2013-09-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

Gary and Candy spent most of their vacation time and their money traveling the world during their working life. Gary decided to sell his registered investment adviser business and retire in 2010. The couple got the idea to have a career as property caretakers from The Caretaker Gazette which they had subscribed to for several years before retiring. They want to see the world before old age embraces them. Before retirement, the longest trip they could take was three weeks. Now they accept assignments up to three months. They explain, “It is so much more fun to immerse yourself in the country by shopping locally, eating the local food, and learning how to communicate when your foreign language skills are limited. (Tip: Be sure to check how long you may stay in a country before you take the job)."

Their present assignment is taking care of two cats (Bela and Sassy) in Bangkok, Thailand in the Silom district. Everything they could possible need is within walking distance. The street food is so good there is no need to cook. Gary's bread pan (which he carries around the world) will stay in storage in the luggage until they get to New Zealand, their next assignment. People typically ask Candy and Gary how they can live out of two suitcases. They reply, “It's actually very easy. One suitcase is for winter clothes and the other is for summer. The Czech Republic assignment was below freezing and Bangkok is in the 90's.” They carry only two pairs of shoes: hiking boots and walking shoes. In order to simplify their life, Gary and Candy sold their six bedroom McMansion and have no regrets. They say, “Sure, we miss our wine cellar, movie theater, and gourmet kitchen, but our life is so much richer now that we are caretakers. As our quote infers, each day has its challenges but that is what makes life interesting.”

Here is their hint for responding to Caretaker Gazette requests: Be brutally honest on what you can do. Gary and Candy admit, “While we can take care of most horses, we have no experience with draft animals. Also, Gary is too old for thoroughbreds.” Stating that upfront saves both sides a lot of time, “We accepted an assignment in New Zealand for a place that runs on solar. We admitted we have no experience with solar. The owner knew we usually arrive a few days early to learn the ropes and said he would teach us everything we needed to know.” They try to respond to assignments that take them heading east around the world. However, they have backtracked many times and never regretted seeing areas that were not on their list. For Gary and Candy, it's all about being flexible. For example, they backtracked to Lugano, Switzerland to care for a dog and two cats for two weeks, “We really did not know much about the area and were delighted to take the dog on numerous hikes and do general sightseeing. As we are avid Geocachers, we found many hidden treasures in the Lugano area.”

Candy and Gary use the internet extensively to keep up with their next assignments. They also book all travel arrangements online. Both Skype and their Skype phone number have really helped their nomadic lifestyle. Prospective employers and family can easily stay in touch. They have only had one caretaking assignment that was cancelled. A German family had to reschedule their vacation due to problems at work. Fortunately, the Spaids were able to stay in an off-season ski chalet for a really low price. Transportation is their biggest hurdle. Gary doesn't like driving a car, (especially on the left side of the road), so driving on foreign roads is something they try to avoid. That means taking local transportation. They research public transportation options and obtain information from the locals. They carry a laptop, "an invaluable tool", with them everywhere they go. They are not party-goers. They copied all of their DVDs to a removable hard drive and watch a movie each night. Candy explains, “That is important if all of the TV stations are in an incomprehensible language. TV is not a big draw for us. We prefer more intelligent choices. We also listen to books on the computer. I sew while Gary cooks. It's a great arrangement.”

What's next for the Spaids? “When our job after New Zealand and Australia ends we will be scouring The Caretaker Gazette for other short term jobs in Australia until our 90 days are up. Our best guess is that we will be in South America from December until April as we have not done much traveling there and we are really looking forward to those countries and improving our Spanish. After that, who knows? Most folks do not like to kennel their pets so we will always have places to live. We may end up back in the U.S. in a year to see the states we haven't visited yet or stay in the states that we love.”

Jackie: Traveler, Adventurer...now Caretaker

2013-08-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

Interests: Hiking, kayaking, ice skating, horseback riding, etc., travel, multicultural places, people and music, and studying alternative health science. My dream is to help homeless children; volunteering, adopting, and/or starting an orphanage.

Quote: “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

When I moved to New England, in the rural Boston area, I found a place to rent from a family who was going to be out of the country for two years. And, I fell in love with their home. It was warm, open, large, and comfortable with a beautiful yard that had plentiful flowers to pick from for bouquets. I found myself caring for the home and yard, and giving it the time and attention it needed. It was then I got the idea that maybe I could take care of someone’s home for them; help a homeowner who needed an extra hand, who is too busy and doesn’t have the time, or needs to be out of the area for a while, and have it benefit me. I could love someone’s home for them.

After that idea, I started looking and came across The Caretaker Gazette. When I read about all the great jobs available across the world I instinctively knew it was the right move for me. I found a Caretaker Gazette ad for a caretaking position in the area, responded, met the owners for an interview, and very shortly after was moving into a new home as a caretaker. The situation was, and still is, taking care of a primary home for a busy couple; a 10,000 square foot perfectly restored, historic New England mansion. The arrangement is to be at the home when the owners can’t be - to turn on the lights at dusk, etc., to clean the home once a week, and to take care of the two terriers, in exchange for the fourth floor apartment.

I have now been at this historic home for two years, near Boston, Massachusetts, tending and caring for the historic mansion, and the dogs. I also work a full-time job in the same town, one mile from the house. It has been a perfect arrangement at the perfect time.

My daily routine looks like this:

Between 6 and 7am I get up and dress appropriately for the weather conditions, while the dogs go crazy, because they know they’re getting breakfast and get to go for a walk. After our 15 minute walk, I pick up the newspaper, and bring them back inside where they settle into the kitchen for the morning. Then I straighten up the kitchen, load or unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, etc.

After that, I get ready for work, go to work, and come back at lunchtime to feed and walk the dogs. Before I return to work, I help them settle onto their beds with their toys in the kitchen again. Between 5 and 6pm I come home from work, turn on the outside lights and the few inside lights, pick up the mail and walk the dogs. They love to be walked, and they are always so happy to go outside. Sometimes I walk them longer during this time, especially if it is nice weather, or if there are new Christmas lights to discover. At first this was an odd routine to get used to, but now I enjoy it, especially if one is not apt to going out in certain kinds of weather. I get to experience more… thanks to dogs. Then I have free time until 10pm, when I’ll walk the dogs again, and then bring them upstairs to my room, where they’ll play, then settle down in their beds for the night. I also take them to the vet when needed, for check-ups, and to renew any medication.

On one of my days off I clean the house. This takes around five hours. Most of the home is like a historic time piece, is truly a work of art, and is not often used, so it gets vacuumed, dusted, polished and shined. The common areas are furnished in a different design, modern contemporary, and will also look immaculate after the weekly cleaning.

The historic home is currently for sale, although it is not expected to sell immediately. As a subscriber to The Caretaker Gazette I am planning ahead, and looking at other possible caretaking opportunities. I am ready to travel and explore again. I recently visited Montreal which I enjoyed very much. It is a ‘perfect place,’ full of culture and outdoor activities. I also have an interest in western Montana, to participate in all the outdoor activities, and since it is seasonal possibly travel a month or two a year. I would like to visit parts of Europe, and have an interest in Turkey too.

I am so grateful to be able to use The Caretaker Gazette to enhance my lifestyle. My true love is children and my ultimate dream is to help homeless children. I want to create a home for those in need, but I’m also interested in volunteering in a place that is already established to do so. I recently discovered an orphanage in Mexico that adopted 27 children, who were the least likely to be adopted. I have been corresponding with them via email to possibly volunteer at their school to teach English as a second language. At this stage of life, giving back seems to be more of a priority than anything. Thanks to The Caretaker Gazette for letting me share my experiences and my story. My outlook on life has expanded in so many wonderful ways thanks to the caretaker lifestyle.

From Corporate Life to the Life of Caretaking

2013-07-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

When they first met in Las Vegas, both Rome and Rebecca were aggressively climbing the corporate ladder. Rome recalls, “At that time, each of us was no stranger to hard work.” Rebecca and her three siblings were raised by a single mother and Rome, at the age of sixteen, applied for emancipation and began to live independently. Each acquired a strong work ethic at a young age. Separately they both aspired to fulfill their desire for a corner office on the upper floor of some faceless high rise office building. Neither of them was expecting to fall in love.

Rome’s story starts out in a small, rural Indiana county surrounded by dairy farms, corn fields and a variety of four- and two-legged animals. Rome worked alongside his father, yet he yearned for the big city and the big job. He earned a scholarship to Columbus College for Art and Design. In addition to his skills in art and design and in the culinary arts, Rome mastered the essentials of construction under the tutelage of a master. Eager to join the ranks of corporate America, Rome left for the booming city of Las Vegas. Rebecca’s story begins in sunny California where she spent most of her time on her Uncle Jack’s horse ranch. She easily developed a love of all animals. After a move to Las Vegas Rebecca initially pursued the field of veterinary medicine, but the call of the white collar corporate lifestyle led her to switch careers. Rebecca soon found herself in the position of lead paralegal for one of Nevada’s largest law firms.

Rome recalls, “Rebecca and I met at an orientation for a large California corporation that was expanding into the thriving markets of Las Vegas. We both had desires to reach the top of our fields, neither of us had any interest in slowing down, neither of us had any interest in falling in love.” Fall in love they did. From the very first meeting it was love and, according to the couple, “A match made in the heavens.” Rebecca will tell you, “I knew from that day I was going to marry Rome.” Rome says, “The wedding, on the Las Vegas Strip was corporate sponsored. We said our vows underwater, in a 1,000 gallon fish tank, wearing wet suits. In true corporate fashion the event crossed with a restaurant opening promotion and made newspapers in over 30 cities from coast to coast.”

During the early years of their marriage both Rome and Rebecca pursued their careers and made great strides in the corporate world. Rebecca was the top paralegal of her law firm. Rome was an upcoming star and the youngest project manager on the Las Vegas Strip. They even had time to start an international business importing building materials. Earning great money but working long hours and weekends, the couple hardly saw each other. In 2008 the housing bubble burst in Las Vegas. Rome and Rebecca had to make a tough decision: “Should we stay or should we go?” They decided to pull up stakes and move to the beaches of the East Coast. One day Rebecca came across an article in The New York Times about caretaking and The Caretaker Gazette. Rome was dubious, but Rebecca convinced her husband to look into it. They subscribed to The Caretaker Gazette and responded to a few ads: they received three job offers. Montana, Idaho, and Georgia were calling but the couple still had some reservations. With halting curiosity they decided to drive out to the country to meet the owners of a 60+ acre horse ranch.

Halfway through their first meeting with the owners, Rome and Rebecca knew they would be happy there. Although they told the owners that they would have to discuss the opportunity between themselves, they knew before they got back home that was what they wanted to do and where they wanted to be. Rome could easily manage the daily care of horses and light maintenance of the property; a commitment of 20 hours a week. In return, the couple would live in a two bedroom, two bathroom cottage and earn a small stipend.

Caretaking on the ranch is a seven-day-a-week commitment. In Rome’s and Rebecca’s situation they have a fairly informal arrangement with the property owners. Rome routinely starts his days early, just before the horses’ feeding time. After a golf cart ride with the dogs to the pond to feed the ducks, Rome is off to do his chores. Prioritizing the needs of the ranch and being a self-starter are important attributes. The work week normally includes light maintenance and simple tasks. Mending fences, clearing the riding trails, grooming and other horse care, cutting the grass around the main house, and gardening are standard. Rebecca helps out twice a week at the main house with the vacuuming, dusting, light cleaning, and will occasionally assist the owners with computers and letter writing.

According to Rome, “Rebecca and I both will tell you that caretaking is a simple and stress-free life that comes with many valuable benefits. Our recommendation to anyone who is interested in caretaking as a career is to understand there are many different types of positions available. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the wide variety. Get to know the potential employers and ask questions to make sure you understand what will be expected of you.” Three years after abandoning corporate America, Rome and Rebecca have forgotten any reason to strive to climb the corporate ladder. The couple is still in love and loves the caretaking lifestyle. Although other opportunities still exist, they find themselves quite content to be in the life of caretaking. The only complaint you will hear from Rome is, “Rebecca, Why didn’t you make me do this years ago?”

La Casa de Botellas Ecológica (Ecological Bottle House)

2012-09-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

The original Casa de Botellas. Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina

Situated within lush gardens at the edge of the jungle in Argentina’s Misiones Province, not far from the magnificent Iguazu Falls, are several structures that appear to have been constructed from crystal glass. The simple yet artistically creative homes reflect the the strong and prolific sunlight of the region and are in harmony with their peaceful and natural environment. Even in the middle of a southern hemisphere winter, the gardens surrounding these remarkable buildings are alive with the colors of tropical flowers, the songs of jungle birds, and the fluttering of hummingbird and butterfly wings. These “crystal” buildings, including a garden palapa, that grace this lush refuge are not glass but are are actually constructed with hundreds of discarded plastic bottles.

Alfredo in front of his latest project: a spacious environmentally-friendly home that will be constructed out of 24,000 recycled glass bottles.

La Casa de Botellas (The Ecological Bottle House) and the surrounding structures are the creations of Alfredo Santa Cruz - creations born out of necessity and ingenuity. As with so many other Argentineans, in the early 2000’s, Alfredo and his family suffered financially as a result of the severe economic crisis in Argentina. Lacking the resources to provide for his family, Alfredo began to collect trash and turn it into usable items. He found that by putting discarded plastic bottles together in a certain way he could create a building material that was strong, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly. He explains, “We are convinced we can find social solutions for the poor that are also ecological. Like removing trash from the streets and thus preventing the planet from being transformed in a huge trash yard. At the same time, this is a technique that can be easily learned by anyone.”

Alfredo explains his inexpensive environmentally-friendly self-invented casting technology.

A view of the gardens and the bottle homes on the Santa Cruz family property.

Construction on Alfredo's largest bottle home continues as he has refined his building technique to make his homes more resistant to the elements.

Alfredo, greeting guests in his bottle house, shares and describes some of the products that he has designed and created using recycled plastic and aluminum, including reusable shopping bags and containers woven with plastic packing strips.

A generous, kind, and patient man, during The Caretaker Gazette's recent visit Alfredo enthusiastically and carefully explained, in detail, how he designs and creates the glass bottle buildings using what he describes as “a self-invented casting technology that keeps the bottles fused together without obstructing the visual symmetry.” The bottle homes, including their exterior and interior walls and supporting columns, as well as their furnishings (couches, beds, coffee tables, end tables, and shelves), are all constructed from discarded plastic drink bottles. The structures have strong roofs that are created using the silver reflective inside of recycled Tetra Paks. Recycled and repurposed CD jewel cases are used for the doors and windows. Alfredo used the following items to construct the original bottle house: 1,200 plastic bottles were used to build the walls, 1,300 milk and wine Tetra Pak containers were used to construct the roof, 140 compact disc crystal cases were used for the doors and windows. Within the house, 120 plastic bottles were used to create the couches and 200 plastic bottles for the bed. In addition to the buildings and furniture, the family has also designed and created a variety of useful and decorative objects using discarded glass, plastic, aluminum containers, PET plastic bottles, and Tetra Pak containers

Palm tree sun shade constructed from green plastic bottles.

Alfredo is a self-taught inventor, artist, designer, architect, and a dedicated environmental steward of the earth with a passion for frugal living and protecting the environment. His creation, using discarded plastic bottles to build homes and other structures, should be of special interest to the many subscribers to The Caretaker Gazette who have asked us for creative ways to live frugally on vacant land. La Casa de Botellas attracts visitors from around the world. According to Alfredo, “Visitors who, like us, believe that it is possible to live in harmony with nature, have spread the word about our project and convinced fellow travelers to come and discover, in this one-of-a-kind place, how we can all live in harmony with nature in our big house, Planet Earth.” Alfredo and his family provide free courses in home building to interested people throughout Latin America. If you’re interested in making a donation, you may do so via their La Casa de Botellas PayPal Account.

Gary Dunn, Publisher of The Caretaker Gazette with Alfredo Santa Cruz, Community Artist, Inventor, Architect, and Environmentalist. Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina

House Sitting in France

2012-04-29T14:33:00.001-07:00

Phoenix Hocking: Housesitting Adventures in Alamos

2012-04-23T12:28:00.001-07:00

My husband had passed away and I had retired, so I was ready for some travel and adventure. I placed a Situations-Wanted ad in The Caretaker Gazette, looking for a caretaking, housesitting or travel companion position and another Gazette subscriber, a retiree named Doris, answered it. She was going to her home in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico for the winter and wanted me to come with her. We met and seemed to get along fine, so a new chapter in my life was about to begin! Alamos, Sonora, Mexico is located about 400 miles south of the border. Originally a silver mining town, today it is a bustling little village that boasts some of the best bird watching opportunities anywhere, as well as an annual music festival that attracts talent worldwide.
From the time I began housesitting in Alamos, I started writing about interesting daily occurrences in my journal. Here are some of my journal highlights:

A few nights ago we bought some marlin from a street vendor who came to the gate. I had my reservations, (the word ptomaine comes to mind), but it was actually quite good and I am none the worse for wear. A little girl comes by in the afternoons selling lovely homemade breads that are quite delicious. The vendors on the alameda sell a little of everything.

Food here is different. The chicken pieces are in a big tub by the butcher's counter. Today I got two leg quarters and have them in the crock-pot for tonight. So far, Montezuma seems to not be taking his revenge out on me, fingers crossed and knocking wood. Of course, we only use bottled water, and I'm being pretty careful. It’s chilly first thing in the morning; I throw on my robe and head for the kitchen to put the coffee on. Roosters are crowing in the neighbor’s yard and traffic has already begun outside my window. Work gets started early here.

I check my email, drink my coffee, and take a shower. I walk across the dusty arroyo to where a vendor has set up shop, cooking traditional Mexican soups in huge caldrons. There are two kinds of soup - barbacoa and cabeza (both made from the parts of the head of a cow). The barbacoa is spicy, but not overly so, with a rich, full flavor and huge chunks of meat and potatoes. On the way back to the house I pass a woman sitting on the sidewalk, breast feeding her baby.

After my walk, I check my email, and then head back out to the alameda for lunch. Doris usually eats here at the house, but I like to sample the local fare, and try something new each day if I can. So far the hotdog vendor puts out a mean weenie, and I like the shrimp tacos as well. But today I’ve decided I’m brave enough to try the fresh fruit. Why brave? Because the fruit cups are positively crawling with bees! Now, if they were crawling with flies, I wouldn’t touch it, but I am assured that the fruit is safe and the bees don’t do any harm. I purchase my fruit cup and sit down on a bench to enjoy my treat. All is going well until I put my hand in the cup and almost come up with a handful of bees! I shoo them away and continue my lunch. One gets used to such things here. I stop at the local store to bring home some ice cream. Doris likes vanilla.

Sometimes it is easier to walk in the street here rather than on the sidewalk. The sidewalks change elevation three, four or five times in a blocks’ span. Sometimes they are quite high - two or three feet higher than the street. I cut through the Mercado, which is a wondrous sight to behold. Vendors here sell everything from fruits and vegetables to meat to fabric. Time for a small siesta. I stake out a claim on the chaise lounge and snooze for a bit.

Alamos is a bustling little town. Everybody and his brother has a business of some sort, it seems. And the Mexican people are very kind, helpful and nice, even when you have no idea how to ask for what you want, or understand the answer when they give it you! I’m pretty good at “Cuanto dinero?” (How much money?) And if I see the answer written down, I’m OK. If not, I figure it out, and in a pinch I just hold out a handful of coin and let them take what they want. If I give too much, they give me back the excess. People here seem very honest, and oh my...very industrious! Everybody works. Even the bag boy at the market is only about eight or nine years old. From the vendors on the alameda to the little girl who sells homemade breads door-to-door, nobody is sitting around waiting for a handout.

My typical week goes like this: Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Zumba class. Tuesday - Writer’s group. Thursday - History club. Wednesday and Saturday - Spanish class. Sunday - Church.

I could go on and on, but I only have so much time left here. I can only say that this has been a wonderful experience, and I can hardly wait for my next adventure through the pages of The Caretaker Gazette!

David Knight - Lights, Camera, Caretaker...

2012-01-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

There is no question that the life of a Caretaker is an odd one. This prompts the following dialogue on occasion:

Curious Individual - “What do the owners do for a living?”
Seasoned Caretaker – “I’m not sure”
Curious Individual – “Are they famous?”
Seasoned Caretaker – “You know, I think everyone is famous in their own way, it’s what makes us all unique, don’t you think?”
Curious Individual – “What’s a place like this cost?”
Seasoned Caretaker – “Couldn’t even guess, but If I don’t get back to work, it won’t stay this nice very long …”

And so it goes… It’s been my experience that discretion, accuracy, organization and the ability to be effective and almost invisible when the owners are in residence are some key launching points to do this sometimes very odd occupation.

But getting to this place of ten acres on the water in Chesapeake Bay was a long journey.

I started out in this business of caretaking and property management some 12 years ago after a divorce, a mid-life awakening, and a very strong desire to return to a much simpler life with less stress. Before heading to Maryland to begin my very first job as a caretaker on a 250 acre waterfront farm, I was managing a theater in North Carolina handling the technical set up of touring theater groups, and before that, several years as a television producer director as well as a framing carpenter and cabinet maker in Virginia. There were even several courses in basic boat construction at the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine. The hands on method is the life for me, always has been. Looking back, it is easy to see now that those seemingly disjointed paths I had chosen have somehow folded into this varied skill set that is a pretty good fit for the life of a beginning caretaker, and now property manager.

I often get asked “What exactly do you DO during the day”? My method has evolved over the years into three fairly broad categories of activity, bouncing at the needs of the owners between 1) – Direct service when owners or guests are in residence taking care of needs during the visit, 2) – Recovery of the property to a clean and ready state once they depart in prep for the next visit by the immediate family or friends, and 3) – Maintenance: I am what is termed a “Working Manager” handling organization, necessary repairs (many of which are done in-house), maintenance, (painting, plumbing, electrical improvements, boat prep and preventive work etc.). This last group is perhaps the most important beyond owner convenience and comfort as this is where I am able to stay ahead of the sometimes daunting task of keeping all the house systems working well, boats and cars at the ready, grounds tidy – the staying “ahead” is perhaps the most challenging as you need to develop an eye to spot trouble before it becomes an issue, usually at the most inconvenient time.

My current position is on a ten acre property right on the Chesapeake Bay. It includes a main house, two cottages for guests, a shop area, and newly built barn with indoor basketball court and office space adjacent to the tennis court. This is the first live out position that I have held as the others usually provided housing. While living on the property is convenient, it is important to also have an “outside life” away from the property. However, in this situation living away, it is equally important to be available to the owners when in residence in case the need arises for additional support or the odd repair that crops up. Perhaps the best feature of all this is that I am given the latitude to be totally self-directed. This is one of the best features of this position and allows for great flexibility of scheduling projects, but also affords time to become highly organized and proactive about maintenance issues at hand.

I suppose there is no typical day as there are so many things to look after. For example, I can work on interior painting or drywall repair, leave tools in place while drying and head outside to the vegetable garden and begin clearing the garden for the next growing season. I might start prepping some interior pieces on the family yacht (this is particularly fun as one of my hobbies is amateur boatbuilding and restoration). On rainy days I spend some time organizing cleaning supplies or reviewing vendor contracts so when the owners arrive, all is ready to go and all necessary things are at hand. When the owners are in residence I am always on hand to prep the family yacht, warm the diesel engine, check systems and safety gear, put the finishing touches on things like windows and galley, stock the fridge for drinks and head out for a day of fishing or take the family to dinner with guests on board. On the smaller boat, summer is filled with tubing and fishing trips to the bay with the owners’ kids. Winter will find me in the shop handling the tractor and machinery maintenance to ready the gear for spring, and there was a bit of time to build some needed shelving and custom drawers for the work bench built just last year. Some interesting opportunities also arise like when we had to remove a large oak tree, and instead of cutting it for firewood, hired a local gentleman with a band mill to saw the logs into lumber for a boathouse project.

Through it all, there is a quiet and gentleness about the day that adds to the pleasure of the job. Being able to enjoy that unfolding of the day is but one of the many things that was lacking in the television and theater business. And although the scope of my position encompasses not one, but now three properties, I still totally enjoy heading out each morning, waiting for the deer to cross the road as I turn down the lane and jump into the day’s projects. It is a far cry from that first day on the farm 12 years ago as a new caretaker, but I wouldn’t trade this job for any other, and I certainly wouldn’t head back into that dark control room surrounded by the blue monitors on the wall. Thanks to The Caretaker Gazette for being that one and only guide for some really terrific opportunities in my career. For those of you who are just starting out, this is a wonderful career filled with challenges and learning possibilities sprinkled with fun – give it a try!

Sheri Lynn Wilson: The Traveling Caretaker

2011-11-29T10:25:00.001-08:00

Sheri Lynn Wilson was born and raised in a small town in Iowa. Sheri recalls, “The extent of my travel experiences as a child and young teen were family trips to our vacation home on a little lake in Nisswa, Minnesota.” Sheri's first trip out of the U.S. came much later in life when, in her early 20’s, she spent a week in Cozumel, Mexico. According to Sheri, “I was hooked! I fell in love with Mexico and knew that someday not only would I go back for another vacation, but I had dreams that I would eventually wind up living there, and so I did.”

After graduating from high school, Sheri attended cosmetology school in Norman, Oklahoma and managed a successful full service salon there. “After a decade of being in business and on almost every board in town, I was tired. I wanted a change of pace so I sold my salon, put my house on the market and spent six months with a friend on his 36-foot luxury boat in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.” Sheri learned how to read Charlie's charts and co-captain a power boat. After this experience Sheri found, “I quickly realized that I could live a lifestyle that allowed me to travel. I felt I had a lot to offer the caretaker profession, so after reading The Caretaker Gazette for the first time, I started applying for caretaking jobs.”

After responding to an ad in the The Caretaker Gazette, she accepted a caretaking position on Roatan, an island off Honduras. Sheri's responsibilities included caring for a large estate, providing security and taking care of staff. Her boating skills came in handy on Roatan as commuting to the next town, or cay, was by skiff, dodging the coral reefs. Since Sheri's stint on Roatan, she secured several other caretaking jobs thanks to the Gazette. She has been a caretaker for a remote cabin in the Arkansas Ozarks, near the White River. Sheri next secured a position with a friend on Baker's Island, a private island off the New England coast. Sheri's primary responsibility was to look after 60 privately owned cottages, keep trespassers away, and communicate with the Salem harbormaster and the Coast Guard when the Lighthouse needed renovation. Sheri was entirely off the grid there, no cars, no restaurants, or movie theaters but was just a mere boat ride away from all that. Once again her boating skills were honed as the only means of transportation was via a dinghy. She recalls that the island was magical and lush and mystical, and the cottage owners were very kind and friendly.

Sheri also was the sole caretaker for a Cerillos, New Mexico ranch that was featured on The Today Show segment about The Caretaker Gazette. Sheri took care of feeding horses, cows, a bull and several dogs and a cat. “I loved being on this ranch. I love the owners very much as they were extremely good to me and taught me so much about life and not sweating the small stuff.” Sheri remains in contact with the owners of the ranch as they were more than her employers, they became trusted friends. Sheri's most recent caretaking experiences were in Baja Mexico, caring for large estate homes located on Cabo San Lucas and the 'Riviera Corridor' between Cabo and San Jose del Cabo. “I mostly did short term house/petsits for clients on a regular basis, always maintaining a base home, which was also a caretaking job.” For four years she lived off the grid in estates on the Pacific Ocean side of Baja. She has extensive caretaking experience with homes that are solar powered and generator operated and can care for solar batteries and systems. “I am used to this way of living and love it. I am comfortable and at ease in remote settings as well as in populated areas. I have developed many skills by being a professional caretaker, always learning and adapting.”

Sheri has experience supervising gardeners, maids, chefs, landscape architects, construction workers, and other household staff. She ensures that they do their intended jobs and pays them on behalf of the owners. 'My credentials are exemplary, and I take my caretaking jobs very seriously. I try to provide the utmost of care when I am on a job." Her list of references is extensive. Sheri is currently spending time with family and friends in the Oklahoma area until she secures another caretaking job. "As always, I will be perusing the trusty Caretaker Gazette in order to secure another promising opportunity. I am keeping my options wide open and the right job will come along. With my former management skills, I can tackle just about anything that comes my way. I can do off the grid living and fine estate living. I am so grateful for the The Caretaker Gazette as my lifestyle has been wonderful. I have had so many fantastic experiences thus far due to all the people that keep the Gazette published. I am open to long-term positions and short-term." Thanks for letting me share my experiences and my story. My entire outlook on life has expanded in so many wonderful ways thanks to the Caretaker lifestyle. Happy trails!"

A Caretaking Adventure in Hells Canyon

2011-08-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

During a visit with friends in northeastern Washington, John and Lynn were pleased to learn that, all over the world, property owners need caretakers. They had never really thought about the property caretaking field before this, but they soon warmed up to the idea of caretaking, and subscribed to The Caretaker Gazette. The couple immediately saw a caretaker-wanted ad in the Gazette which interested them. John and Lynn decided that they were the perfect couple to take this position since they wanted to travel and they both had the background and experience required. Lynn has a cooking background and was recently retired from the University of Washington after 20 years working in Housing and Food Services. John is retired from the Seattle Fire Department, had done pick-up work for a construction company, and attended recreational vehicle technical school. He also worked for a catalog and film production company providing technical assistance, caring for their RV, and cooking for the crews. In addition, John has also been the Maintenance Manager for Boardwalk Lodge, a 5-star fishing lodge in southeastern Alaska.

The couple responded to the ad in the Gazette by email and then followed up with a phone call to the property owner. After submitting their resumes and photos and then more phone conversations, John and Lynn were asked if they would like to see the ranch. Since they were visiting their daughter in eastern Washington, they agreed to take a look. On the day John and Lynn arrived at the ranch, they met the Ranch Manager on the Snake River and were then jet boated to the ranch which is located in Hells Canyon, 37 miles upstream from Lewiston, Idaho. John says, “We were sold immediately and decided to take the position right on the spot.” The property, located on the site of a historic ranch, is owned by The Nature Conservancy Group and is leased to a river exploration and excursion group. John's and Lynn’s duties were to take care of about 11 acres, out of the total 14,000 acres. Their area included the historic old mansion, a three-acre orchard, two log cabins, and approximately five acres of grass. The rest of the ranch is left natural and the guests may hike and explore as much as they desire.

John's and Lynn’s duties also included the care and feeding of the guests (two to eight at any one time), making sure they were fed well and ensuring they had a relaxing vacation. John and Lynn received a small stipend, room and board, plus any tips they were given by the guests staying on the property. On arrival day guests were treated to a wonderful excursion on a large jet boat through Hells Canyon followed by a country style dinner served by John and Lynn. The couple were also responsible for ensuring that all guests were comfortable with their accommodations. In the morning John and Lynn served the guests a good breakfast which included Swedish pancakes. If the guests were staying on for another night John and Lynn provided them with lunch on the ranch. For guests who were leaving that day, John and Lynn prepared a hearty sack lunch for the guests to take with them. According to John, “The most interesting part of this position was meeting the diverse array of guests from all over the world, and getting to talk with them. Learning about where they come from, their views on life, etc. It was real eye-opening!”

The couple's adventure was unique in the way that it taught them how to enjoy isolation. There was hiking and exploring near an old Chinese mine located up a trail along the Snake River and fishing for smallmouth bass, trout, salmon and steelhead in the river. John and Lynn could also just relax, read, or go swimming any time they wanted. They could even pan for some gold at various locations along the river. Gold in a very fine form comes from the Salmon River which joins the Snake River upstream and any deposits are found in the cracks and crevasses of the rocks after the spring runoff in May or June. John and Lynn also enjoyed watching the deer and wild turkeys that were always in the orchard along with owls, hawks, sparrows and other birds and animals. Lynn says, “For us this was fun, interesting and quite an adventure in an isolated part of the world, as this is. We hope all of our future caretaking positions are as pleasing.”

“'Have health and enthusiasm - will travel!” – Rory and Pete

2011-07-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

We are so very grateful that the Dunn Family has been publishing the Gazette all these years! You hung in there with us and we hung in there with you for over 12 years of subscriptions, starting in Wyoming and finally, after Postmaster's Pete's retirement last March from the US Postal Service with over 31 years, 7 months and 14 days of faithful service, we did it! We jumped in there and applied for our very first caretaking position via The Caretaker Gazette. Here is our story:

Billy in New Zealand wanted to take a much-needed vacation to France for the Rugby World Cup in France, Wales and Scotland, so he placed his ad online with The Caretaker Gazette and, as is this bibliophile's habit, I read your newsletter from cover to cover and told my husband, “Pete, it's time you see New Zealand - in fact, for 42 days!” (I had been there twice already in my youth.) Knowing the Kiwi's spring weather “down under” equates to our Southeast Alaska autumns, we discussed the possibility, prayed for guidance and Pete said, “Yes, email Billy!”

With four now-grown children, all home-educated for the past twenty-five years, we could have sat around our new, hand-built fishing cabin on Chichagof Island, Alaska waiting and hoping for grandchildren, but no! Sitting around isn't realistic. Instead, we found ourselves staring at each other over a cup of Japanese sencha tea and agreed that if we didn't meet this interesting challenge now, we never would! No excuses! We went for it. It was reminiscent of our decision to move from Colorado and Wyoming to the southeastern Alaska Inside Passage (The Panhandle), which has been our home since I (Rory) retired in 1995.

Thankfully, we made the cut! Our resumes and references were checked, e-messages and photos began flowing back and forth with our new friend, Billy in New Zealand, and his major concern was for his two male pets, Jeep and Villie, elderly Border Terriers. Billy's property was a gated private residence full of orange trees and flowers and even a potato patch. His lively pet dogs, Villie and Jeep, had room to run and we took them everywhere with us, with the exception of the neighborhood library, in Billy's Subaru green Outback. The geographic highlights were many as you can well imagine, however, Billy's place in Raglan, on the coast of the Tasmanian Sea was a wonder. He and his brothers had outfitted it in close proximity to a large workshop/garage, so my hands-on hubby really enjoyed that experience. And the views! Breathtaking! Pete loves to golf and the greens fees were much less than those back in the USA, so daily outings to the three golf courses in the area were a welcomed activity on sunny days of which there were many during our 40 days in Hamilton, NZ.

Among the New Zealand locals, fitness is a national goal. The walking and hiking clubs of the northern island are numerous and Pete was invited out for hikes and excursions from day one. I generally stayed on the city property to play with the dogs, clean, cook and visit the friendly neighbors. Billy left us an ample amount of fish he had caught from his outings, so we ate well and thought of our cabin home on the Pacific in Southeast Alaska. Their comfort and safe-keeping were Billy's priorities and soon became ours. We had fishing and travel in common with our new 'boss' and he graciously offered us his 'bach' (in New Zealand lingo, this means separate 'bachelor pad') on the Tasmanian Sea in Raglan, North Island, just about 40 km from his main house and property. His dogs were comfortable here at the coast, also, so while this haus-frau stayed to clean, cook, and read to the pets, Pete, the outdoorsman, found the sheep-grazed golf links and best fishing spots via kayak. Off we ventured on the weekends in Billy's faithful Subaru Forester and with Jeep and Villie, our new ‘grandchildren’ in tow.

Now, the Caicos Islands, Ireland and Belize beckon...one day at a time. Life is good, however, life is short! Borrowing a line from an old Broadway musical, “We've got a lot of livin' to do!” Many Thanks to all of you at The Caretaker Gazette for hanging in there with us and personally answering each and every time we had questions. As retirees and short-term overseas missionaries the past twelve years, we knew our hearts were into people and travel, learning new cultures and volunteering to build orphanages, dorms, homes, hospitals, etc., and The Caretaker Gazette has helped our vision enlarge in a simple, uncomplicated way - the desire of our remaining time together.

Property Caretaking: A Wonderful and Adventurous Lifestyle

2011-06-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

For Weston and Amy, property caretaking has been what they describe as "a wonderful and adventurous lifestyle choice." They found that caretaking provided them with the means to live a flexible, simple, and contemplative life while exploring our amazing world. During their years as caretakers, they met great people all over the United States and had countless adventures in stunning wild places. All this, while providing a valuable service to property owners who need assistance with their homes and estates. Weston and Amy explain, “We both left our jobs at a point when we felt ready for something radically different from the life we had been living, even though we weren't sure what that might look like.” Weston and Amy were looking for a practical and affordable means to develop their interests in meditation. Even with college debts to contend with, they both felt certain that they could experience life more fully, not by dropping out or running away, but by running toward their passions. It occurred to them one day that taking care of other people's homes might be the perfect solution to satisfy their relatively simple needs, fulfill their wish to travel, and employ many of their eclectic talents.

While browsing the internet one day, Weston and Amy discovered and immediately subscribed to The Caretaker Gazette. They were very inspired by the opportunities it presented. Eventually, through an ad in the Gazette, they found a job caretaking an off-the-grid yurt and two cats in the wilderness of southern New Mexico. Weston and Amy developed a wonderful and sincere friendship with the owners (as well as with their friendly neighbors). Their "amazing caretaking experience in New Mexico" deepened their interest and commitment to caretaking as a lifestyle. Once they made the decision to live as caretakers, they traveled throughout the United States, primarily in the western part of the country. When they weren't tending to someone's home, they had time to visit with their parents, friends and relatives. They say, “Much to our delight, we found that many caretaking jobs also provide a salary or some other financial compensation. We learned firsthand that caretaking is a valuable service and that many people are interested in paying well for the kind of responsible and trustworthy help that they provide.”

When people ask them about their lives, Weston and Amy say, “We mention our life as traveling caretakers. Most delight and share with us their own longing for the kind of freedom and flexibility we experienced and developed and committed to. We realized only in retrospect that simplifying our lives had been far easier than we ever thought. The largest obstacles we encountered were our own beliefs and fears." Fortunately, the caretaking lifestyle offered them exactly the kind of space and repose from which to examine and uproot those kinds of internal limitations.

Through caretaking, Amy and Weston have learned a tremendous amount about what it means to be responsible, sensitive, and receptive to the needs and concerns of the clients who invite them into their homes. Throughout all their travels, they've even managed to build an attractive caretaking resume. Although at first glance they might appear to be little more than glorified vagabonds (by virtue of the fact that they so often lived out of their little silver Hyundai hatchback), but as caretakers Weston and Amy tended to their bills, commitments, and relationships just like anyone else. They found the kind of diversity that caretaking offers provides a continuous challenge that inspires them to grow and discover more all the time.

They conclude, “Our suggestion to anyone thinking of simplifying their lives or trying out caretaking as a lifestyle is just to go for it! We've found that with a sincere interest and intention, we've been amazed at all the ways that the property caretaking lifestyle provides the means to take care of commitments and obligations, while still extending the freedom to live adventurously."

Sharon Cargill – A Private Service Professional

2011-05-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

I started my career in the private service area at about age 18, but I didn't really know it at the time: my aunt assisted two seniors at an independent living facility in Portland, Oregon. I filled in for her while she was on vacation for a couple of days. I really enjoyed the company of the seniors and feeling so helpful in the work. I felt like I was making a difference, not just making a dollar. I found my first professional service job through an agency. My first position was as a House Manager for a wonderful family in Portland. I did all of the standard cooking, cleaning, and shopping as well as shuttling the teenage children to school and events, and tutoring the family's daughter who was a sophomore at a private prep school and had Downs Syndrome. Tutoring Karen was one of the most influential jobs in my life. It was amazing the way Karen stuck with it every day, studying about 6 to 8 hours a day without complaint. It made any obstacles I might face in my daily life seem very small, and ingrained in me the notion of keeping my own troubles in perspective.

After that experience, I next built a small cabin by myself on my 27 acre property in the Ozarks, with about a month's help from a blind carpenter (but that's another story!). I enjoyed living in my “little cabin in the woods” for awhile before deciding that the “summers were too hot and humid for this west coast girl” and the low wages in Arkansas were not going to speed me along the road to paying off my bills or getting me to my goal of being able to travel and caretake or housesit around the world. By chance one day, I saw an article in the local newspaper about The Caretaker Gazette. I saved the article for more than six months before ordering a subscription. Just one issue of the Gazette was all it took! When I read about all the great jobs available, I instinctively knew it was the right move for me to get back into private service. Having done this kind of work before, and with so many job possibilities, I thought long and hard about exactly what type of work I wanted and where. I decided on household or estate management somewhere in a rural area, where it wasn't hot, and preferably in the New England states because I'd always wanted to spend some time in that area.”

I contacted several listings in the Gazette and filled out all the appropriate paperwork. After running background and reference checks on me, property owners offered me jobs in Arizona and Florida (“It's still hot there, right?”). However, I was soon contacted about an independent House Manager position on a beautiful hobby farm in southern New Hampshire. The property owner flew me up to see the estate. We had a nice discussion. He needed someone who could work without supervision since he was only there on the weekends. I was in heaven! It was a position in a rural area, where it wasn't hot, and in the New England states.”

I have been at the property for several years. I would describe my boss as detailed - he likes everything kept ship-shape at all times - worldly, interesting, caring, tormenting, and understanding all at the same time! This is a semi-formal household. I am a part of the family, but I am also expected to treat his guests here to detailed, top-notch service. Visitors here always comment on how beautiful the farm is and how everything is so well cared for.

My assignment on this property has been a perfect match. It keeps me challenged handling the 8,000 square foot main house, a 2,500 square foot guesthouse, and a working greenhouse, all single-handedly. Most all of the household activity is limited to the weekends, so I can work at my own pace and on my own schedule, which I love. When we are busy during the week it is usually the children and grandchildren up for a few days, and everyone pitches in to help. So opposed to being more work, it is really more fun. I enjoy the house alive with activity. But it's awful nice when it gets quiet again too!

Since being at my current position, I have had to develop a whole new skill set running a greenhouse growing over 1,500 plants each season for planting in the estate landscaping. This property is known for its picturesque lawns and beautiful flower beds. I'm very proud that I can grow about 75% of the plants needed to fill these bountiful spaces. I have handled this assignment I found via The Caretaker Gazette so well that I was recently nominated for House Manager of the Year. I was extremely honored to be nominated for House Manager of the Year. I love what I do, but it is always nice for others to notice and say you do good work in such a demanding field. We all need to hear that.

Would you like a Little Caretaker Job with that Wine?

2011-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

My wife and I began our caretaker careers in South Carolina in 2004 where we moved to purchase, live aboard, and cruise a 48’ Trawler. We provided caretaking services for the people we purchased the boat from, also living at the end of their 250’ dock on the Intra-Coastal Waterway just south of Bucksport, South Carolina. We performed landscaping and house cleaning on a part-time basis, which kept our dock rent to utilities only which were very low cost in that area. Flexibility on the part of the property owners left many free days and weeks to go cruising. We also became very close friends and learned much about how to safely cruise in a 48’ vessel. After 2½ years we sold our 48’ Trawler and returned to our home state of Nevada to resume our careers there. I went back to marketing and sales, and my wife went back to purchasing. It was not very long before we realized we very much enjoyed the caretaking lifestyle, the freedom it most often provides, and the possibility to earn a great living while saving large amounts of money in the process because in most (but not all), caretaking situations your housing and utilities are included!

After being back at our old jobs for two years my wife and I decided we wanted to be full-time caretakers. After some research we found a great resource for finding this type of position via The Caretaker Gazette. We placed a Situations-Wanted ad in the Gazette and were then contacted by many great property owners who needed to hire people for their property needs, which opened many possibilities and options for the type of position we wanted. You will find everything from ranch manager, island caretaker, horse farm manager, estate manager, or like our position, a Wine Country caretaker position! We found this Wine Country position through daily reviews of email updates from The Caretaker Gazette. Keep in mind you may apply for five or even ten positions before you find the right fit and get that job offer! We applied for ten separate positions all over the country before landing this job but it was well worth the effort! One day we received an email update from the Gazette and noticed an ad regarding a position for a couple with some work inside and some outside on a Sonoma County winery property.

We responded immediately sending the owners our photo, two letters of reference, a cover letter explaining our background and why we felt we would be great for this position, and our resumes. We received an email from the owners within one day and arranged a face-to-face meeting with them at their property in Sonoma. We were in Reno which is about three hours away so we left early to be sure we would be on time and just made a day trip of it. We met with the owners for a couple of hours, walked the property, reviewed the job expectations and overall felt very good about our meeting. Within two days we received a phone call from them saying they would love for us to come and work for them.

Just as you would do for any job application, be sure to provide exactly what the property owner asks you for! If you are serious about landing an excellent caretaker position update your resume and keep it to one page, have friends and business associates write a brief letter of reference for you, develop a brief cover letter introducing you and your spouse and detailing your work history, and include a close-up photo of you. Keep these in a file together in your documents for easy access when applying for positions. If you are able and willing to work anywhere in the U.S., or even overseas your prospects will naturally be much higher! Our original Situations-Wanted ad in the Gazette stated that we preferred a coastal or island setting, but would be happy to consider any position. We also stated our backgrounds, which in our case were construction, sales, marketing, landscaping, sprinkler system installation, and purchasing. List all of your attributes. We met someone in South Carolina who had an ad stating he was proficient in both horticulture and accounting; he ended up in a caretaking position worth $80,000 per year including salary and lodging! Whatever your talents are, you can earn a decent living with them as a caretaker.

We now work for a wonderful couple on their 30 acre wine country property, which includes a winery, tasting room, main house, and the guesthouse which we live in. We have a beautiful home with a large deck with breathtaking views of vineyards and the Sonoma Valley near Glen Ellen, California, right in the heart of the wine country! We provide maintenance, cleaning, landscaping, garden care, feed the chickens, and any other chores needed for the owners. We each provide eight hours per week, which will allow me to work any full-time job on the side. For our eight hours each per week we receive our home rent-free, including utilities. If we are needed more than eight hours per week, we are each compensated at $20 dollars per hour. We will save enough in five years to fully retire should we wish! Another benefit is a ¼ acre garden, which provides artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, various spices, apples, kiwi, blackberries, and blueberries, just to name a few… and fresh eggs daily from the nearby chicken coop! As part of our benefits, we are welcome to use all we can from this large garden. Our first Saturday morning on the property I went down to the garden, dug up a large handful of fresh potatoes for hash browns and gathered five eggs for an omelet, we added some thick cut peppered bacon and what a great breakfast that was! And we also enjoy the great discounts we get on the top shelf wines here!

We could not be happier with the results from our association and advertisement with The Caretaker Gazette! We will definitely recommend them to anyone seeking a caretaker position.

Aleutian Island Housesitting Adventure

2011-03-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

David and Shelley: Retired, no pets, kids fledged, house paid for - they have time for a little adventure. A few months in the desert southwest in the dead of winter would be perfect. Small problem: no income. Solution: find a free adventure through the pages of The Caretaker Gazette. After two years of lead chasing, an ad appeared for an eight-month winter caretaker position at an isolated homestead in the Aleutian Islands wilds of Alaska, which seemed just right for them. They received a prompt email reply to their application and then a telephone interview. They asked if they could hike, cross-country ski, catch fish, shop in town, use the "fully-equipped" woodworking shop, what were their responsibilities, and were there any nearby grizzly bears.

Then a week later, they had the opportunity to call the current caretakers. Their first question, "So, what's it really like there?" The caretaker’s answer, "This place is wonderful!" David and Shelley had one conference phone call later and the deal was sealed with a verbal handshake and followed up with a “letter of intent.” Suddenly they had to face leaving their own isolated Wisconsin country house unattended for this eight-month absence. They placed a housesitter-wanted ad in The Caretaker Gazette and had many responses but no takers. About two weeks before their departure a man responded to their ad, then followed up overnight with an email resume and references which they checked immediately. A day and half before David and Shelley’s departure, with nothing to go by except a few nice telephone conversations, Kevin from Utah came rolling up the driveway. They liked him as much in person as on the phone, gave him their house and grounds tour, introduced a couple of neighbors, and left for the Aleutians.

They flew to Anchorage using frequent flyer tickets. Reaching False Pass required two more expensive flights (paid for by the home owners). The pilot in their final four-seat, single engine plane made a wide turn and dipped a wing over their new home to show them how isolated they'd be: just David and Shelley in 415,000 road-less wildlife preserve acres on the tip of the Alaska peninsula with volcanoes, some semi-active, jutting above the clouds. David and Shelley recall, “The owners met us at the False Pass airport and transferred our luggage to their boat. We had four days of orientation before they left for good. Learning was made easier by a detailed notebook explaining their hydroelectric system which powers almost all modern electrical conveniences. David's mechanical engineering background helped us get through a few breakdowns and repairs.”

Shelley explains, “For us, part of the reason to do something like this is to punctuate our lives. We are thrilled to experience the stormy, extreme, dynamic weather. Winds often approach 50 mph, sometimes more. When the weather outside is frightful, we curl up with books in this comfortable house, listen to music (no television or radio), brew sourdough starter for tomorrow's bread, write a book, and read email. Remarkably, our laptop computer has a fast line-of-sight connection with the False Pass satellite station.” In the skiff, they’re able to explore the 15 mile length of Isanotski Strait north toward the Bering Sea or south toward the Pacific Ocean. According to Shelley, “It’s never far from our minds that we are in the wilderness here, dependent on a small skiff, a single outboard, a VHF radio. We've seen foxes, sea otters, sea lions, seals, ermine, eagles, flocks of pelagic cormorants, emperor geese, old-squaw, puffins, and eiders.”

They check in with the owners by email and phone periodically (a wireless phone system exists). A few ongoing projects make them feel productive: find a driftwood log and split it for firewood; build a door for the new sauna; re-plumb the hot water tank; replace a burner in the stove; fix things that break. The owners have provided so marvelously that David and Shelley are eager to repay with contributions of our own. Shelley says, “When we leave we will have lived literally in someone else’s shoes. What a fine respite and useful, helpful project for a couple of retirees! What a great way for two families to help each other.”

Property Caretaking from a Property Owner’s Perspective

2011-02-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Over the years many of our subscribers have asked to learn more about caretaking from the perspective of the property owners who advertise their positions in The Caretaker Gazette, including how they select their caretakers and housesitters. Gary Dunn, Publisher of the Gazette, recently interviewed a Northern California property owner who has advertised for caretakers in the Gazette. We hope this interview will provide prospective caretakers and housesitters with some valuable insights into the property caretaking experience from the perspective of the property owner.

Gary: What is the application process for your caretaker position?

Property Owner: We always ask that prospective caretakers first read our ad as published in The Caretaker Gazette carefully so they understand the position and what is required. At a minimum, we always ask for a resume and references. If someone feels they are qualified for our position, the next step is to put together an application packet and mail it, fax it or email it to us (the Property Owner). When the completed applications are received by us they are reviewed by my wife and me for consideration. After our review, including contacting references, we schedule interviews with the most qualified candidates. We prefer all prospective caretakers selected for an interview to meet us in person, on our property. We feel the “in person” aspect of the interview is key as it lets both parties meet and gives both us and the prospective caretakers a chance to evaluate and get to know each other. It also gives the caretakers a chance to understand what is expected and what they are getting into for our caretaker position. We do our best to share all information so that the prospective caretakers can get a full picture of the caretaking position before accepting the position.

Gary: What sort of caretakers have you employed and where do your caretakers come from?

Property Owner: In the past few years our caretakers have included a family, two different couples, and a single male and a single woman. Years ago we used to advertise by word of mouth but we've found that our ads for caretakers in The Caretaker Gazette have brought us the best and most qualified applicants.

Gary: What kinds of things would disqualify potential caretakers from taking your position?

Property Owner: Because we want caretakers who are honest, caring, hard working and environmentally safe, we prefer non-smokers, non-drinkers and no drug users. We often get asked if applicants can bring their pets with them. Unfortunately, this is not an environment that is conducive for domestic animals so we have a no pets policy.

Gary: What are the duties and responsibilities for your caretaker position?

Property Owner: Our caretakers are required to maintain our home (including security and mechanical systems), organic vegetable garden and raised beds, fruit trees, shrub beds, perennial and annual gardens, pond, and various odds and ends around our 100-plus acre property. We have a local man who takes care of the cattle and horses but our caretakers who are interested can learn and assist him. It's been a great learning experience for many of our caretakers.

Gary: How are the caretakers compensated?

Property Owner: Free housing in a small private cottage separate from our home is provided along with all paid utilities. A four wheel drive vehicle and canoe are available for the caretakers to use. We always prefer caretakers who can commit for a year so we negotiate an annual salary plus health care benefits. The salary depends on how much experience the caretakers bring to the position. There are opportunities to earn additional income here and locally by painting, remodeling, landscaping, and various and sundry odd jobs.

Gary: What do your caretakers do on their days off?

Property Owner: Most of our caretakers go into town to shop and run errands on their days off, go canoeing or fishing in the large river that runs by our property, or hike, mountain bike and cross country ski on the nearby mountain trails. If the caretakers are experienced horse people they can ride on their days off. Our caretakers can also visit nearby Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Gary: Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences as a property owner who has used The Caretaker Gazette to find the best caretakers for your property.

Property Owner: Happy to do it, Gary.

Caretaking on the Island of Culebra

2011-01-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

One of our Caretaker Gazette subscribers, Marie Morello, found a caretaking position on Culebra Island via one of the Gazette's frequent email updates. Here, in Marie's own words, is her story:

Wanderlust!!! From my earliest memories I am settled into the back seat of my Dad’s snappy 1952 Ford traveling to the beaches of New England, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, to Nova Scotia after having picked up the cutest hitchhiking sailor stationed in Halifax and so many more destinations that made my weekends and summers brim with excitement of new places found and new people met. Moving from the Massachusetts coast to Florida after the death of my dad was quite a culture shock but living at the top of the Keys afforded me the opportunity to canoe with the sharks and stingrays as well as the gators and live the tropical life to which I am so attuned. I moved to Sevier County, Tennessee in 1982 where I, at 35, returned to college receiving a degree in Business Management/Accounting. It has served me well as it gave me an overview of the thought process of any organization that I became a part of regardless of my responsibilities and the best management philosophy I still to this day use in my work life and personal life - Manage By Objectives, Results And Rewards - you will never lose.

For the past three years I have been working for rafting companies in the Smokies and watching the amazing views of the Smokies, which I absolutely love. I also own Luvm-N-Feedm Pet Sitting and have dedicated my life to animals for the last 39 years. I became a Reiki practitioner seven years ago and along with my Reflexology I work on clients who have many ailments from kidney failure to diabetes to sciatic pain to headaches. In between, I have traveled to Alaska making a land drop with a bush pilot to Port Graham, flying Denali in a rusted out single engine prop plane, to living with the locals of Isla Mujeres, a small island off the Yucatan Peninsula, to snorkeling the Dry Tortugas in the Caribbean, to strolling along the North Sea in the Netherlands of Europe. There are so many more adventures too numerous to mention except to say how thankful I am for being so blessed with the freedom to spread my wings which has brought me to the writing of this article.

About a year ago I joined The Caretaker Gazette and just kept watching until something came about that seemed right. I was so excited just knowing that there was something like this out there for those of us who love to travel, see the world but yet be of service. And it did! I received an email update from the Gazette about a new caretaker opportunity. The owners of the Palmetto Guesthouse on the island of Culebra needed a short-term caretaker and after the initial reference checks and speaking numerous times via the internet and wireless - the commitment was mine. I was on my way to a pet/guest house sit while the owners went to Boston to visit relatives. I was to care for the three rescue dogs and was also responsible for taking care of the three rescue kitties. Also, I was to pick up the guests and return them to the airport, care for their needs and care for the guest house. I loved every minute of it!

Each morning I took the three dogs to the beach. My partner took the two older girls, Milo and Kona, and I took the younger rambunctious “George” as he was full of energy so we had to swim, kill coconuts and chase crabs that the girls dug from the sand. The kitty babies were no trouble at all especially little Black Beauty that I would squeeze until she squeaked. The homeowner’s rescue practice is making things better and they have found homes for several other doggies and kitties. Now on to the 2-footeds. When the 2-footed guests arrived, my partner and I greeted them at the airport, brought them home, got them settled in complete with fresh picked bananas from the garden, boogie boards, beach blankets and brought a cooler that the guesthouse provides for playing at the beach. We also dropped them off at other locations to assist in their travels. When it was time to leave we packed them up and got them to the airport for their next destination and with a wave good bye sent them off. Now the cleaning began for the guesthouse. Strip the bed, take the garbage out, sweep the floors, clean the kitchen, do the laundry and pick more bananas! More bananas!!! Bananas everywhere!!! The freezer was full of bananas and my word they made the best fruit shakes!

The next leg of the journey was to get the owners home a few days later. We picked them up at the ferry dock with all the supplies that they were bringing home from the main island, as there is nothing on the tiny island of Culebra so everything has to be brought by ferry after shopping in San Juan and I mean everything. This island offers a wonderful laid-back lifestyle but with it comes some great inconveniences that we so take for granted in our everyday sterile lives. I loved every minute of it once I got used to the nuances of island life but I figured I’d roll with the punches, as it was all an adventure and learning experience. I have always said that I am not a tourist I am a traveler and to be that one must become a local and live like the natives live. I’m already packed and waiting for my next adventure-call me!

A Cat Sitting Christmas Carol

2010-12-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

At the office, the computers were down. It could last all day, we were told. Only the Internet was performing normally. The November/ December issue of The Caretaker Gazette was just made available on the Internet. So, instead of serving the public in my job, and with nothing much else to do, I was looking at hours of just reading and enjoying the latest Gazette. It was going to be a very, very nice day! An hour later my first email was on its way. In the South of England a dog/cat-sitter was required over Christmas. My own holiday would start that same week, but with nothing much planned I suddenly realized I might be able to change the whole thing around. And there was the old dream. For years now I promised myself one Christmas where there would be no obligations, no guests, no dinner parties etc. Instead there would be only me and the BBC. One Christmas where I would be able to watch all the fabulous programs they show during the festive season. All of a sudden there was a distinct possibility this was going to be the year!

A half an hour after I sent my email message - there was a reply. This family of three would be visiting relatives in South Africa and they needed someone to look after Barney, their nineteen-year-old red Tomcat. Sadly, their dog had just died very unexpectedly. There was kindness and warmth in the email and it felt to me like reconnecting with an old friend. It turned out the feeling was mutual. We exchanged more emails and two days later we were sure it would all work out fine and I was very welcome to come and stay in their home. There would be a live Christmas tree, two deep freezers filled with food that I was welcome to dig into, a tiny supermarket just across the road and fabulous neighbors! I emailed back that I was very much looking forward to my first official cat-sitting assignment. A few weeks later I received an email telling me my Christmas cake just came out of the oven and was smelling rather good. How nice and wonderful!

I arrived in Southampton, where I was met by the homeowner. We drove back to her home via the scenic route and just a few minutes after leaving the airport I was reminded of what it is England does best: countryside. Even in December it looked glorious! A great drive and lots to talk about. Forty minutes later I was welcomed by the rest of the family. Barney was not totally taken with me straight away, but I was confident that would change. After we said goodbye like old friends and they left in a flurry of excitement and last minute changes to their luggage, I started getting the house serene and uncluttered for my own special Christmas. Soon I had candles burning, the cat on my lap (I told you so), the Christmas tree sparkling with lights, my beautiful Christmas cake on display and yes...the BBC on. It turned out there were even a few presents for me under that beautiful tree. How kind and thoughtful was that?? It was going to be a very very nice Christmas!

I was not mistaken. Long grey days, just begging to be spent in front of a TV screen, a great choice of wonderful programs, a lovely cat, food at arm´s length and indeed, fabulous neighbors. They took me carol singing in their church, to Chichester to see the Cathedral and to Portsmouth to see Old Portsmouth and the Harbour. And since I injured my knee a few days before arriving that was the extent of my explorations of the region. It didn't bother me. I liked it at home. It was cozy. A few times I went to a nearby village to do some shopping but couldn't wait to get home again and enjoy the cat, the tree and yes...the BBC. Never spent as much time at home as here. This was hibernating and I loved it. My dream proved to be a good one. Whenever South Africa called me and told me about the great time they were having, I could truthfully answer them that everything at the home front was hunky-dory and that I was having a great time too.

Then, one day, it was all over. Four and a half weeks gone. My dream Christmas was over and I needed to come out of hibernation and get back into reality. It was difficult. Difficult to say goodbye to my new friends, the neighbors, difficult to say goodbye to lovely Barney and back home difficult to find my ''Amsterdam legs'' again! But what a great experience! For the rest of my life I will be seduced by house/cat/dog sitting ads. Now, when I get an update from The Caretaker Gazette I feel butterflies in my tummy: will my next assignment be in there? Because if it is up to me, there will be another great one!

As 2010 draws to a close and The Caretaker Gazette is about to begin its 29th year of publication, we would like to thank all of our subscribers and advertisers for their continued support. Without all of you we would not be the #1 source for caretaking and housesitting opportunities. 2010 has been a year of economic challenges but many of you turned these challenges into opportunities by making lifestyle changes and becoming caretakers and housesitters. We wish everyone success in their pursuits in 2011!

Caretaking Historic Homes and Properties

2010-11-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

We were pleased to have The Caretaker Gazette featured in a recent article in Preservation, The Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Gary Dunn, the Gazette's publisher and Lynn Macco, a Gazette subscriber who along with her husband Tom Mount found a position as caretakers of an 1857 historic lighthouse via the Gazette, were interviewed for the article. The Preservation feature about caretaking historic homes can be accessed here:

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Caretakers of Historic Houses Enjoy Perks
Preservation Magazine

Throughout the years The Caretaker Gazette has included many help wanted listings for caretakers for historic homes and properties.

Subscriber Paul D. Ingrams accepted a position as caretaker of the Nanteos Mansion in Aberystwyth, Wales:

Subscriber Jim Bell accepted a position as the resident caretaker of Givens Castle, in Chicago:

Subscriber Elsa M.R. Rozelaar found a position, via the Gazette, caretaking a castle in Southhampton, England:

Other Gazette ads for historic properties include a historic villa located on the outskirts of Pisa, Italy:

A castle in Kent, England:

A historic inn in the Berkshires of Massachusetts:

A historic hacienda in Alamos, Mexico:

"A Spontaneous and Synchronistic Life" for an International House Sitter

2010-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

Meg Cook, a Caretaker Gazette subscriber, talks about her experiences as an international housesitter:
A couple of years ago I was trudging through a mundane and predictable lifestyle. I was working myself to death. I wanted to travel the world alone and LEARN….languages, the view of the world through other’s eyes, how to make my way around and become streetwise.

It takes a special combination of courage, risk-taking (and perhaps a shot of foolishness) to fish oneself out of a secure lifestyle and plunge into unknown territory. In one fell swoop, I quit my job and started looking for opportunities to travel creatively. I talked to fellow travelers of all types and read many books. My favorite is Rolf Pott’s Vagabonding. Rolf describes the traveler’s essential spirit beautifully, and provides practical tips for making it work for you. I searched the internet and, as luck would have it, happened on to The Caretaker Gazette. I immediately got a subscription and began applying for international jobs.

My first housesitting job that I found through The Caretaker Gazette was taking care of a dachshund with a bad back and his gang of four cats in Stirling, Scotland. Stirling is smack in the middle of the country, where ‘the lowlands meet the highlands.’ It is sublime, with a huge castle and lovely walking paths. As I made my way through the woods, I often thought of how folks had been walking these same paths for centuries, connecting one town to another. The homeowners were wonderful people and I enjoyed their books, movies and a professional baker’s kitchen. I journaled the day’s events of the pets' lives and emailed them to the homeowner, who laughed and agreed with my observations of which cat was the gang’s leader and how Freddie could make ANYONE become a dachshund lover.

There’s a closeness one achieves with homeowners that is amazing: you learn their pet’s habits, quirks of the house and the neighborhood’s personality. You get to know them in a way even their closest friends and family can’t know them. You ‘walk’ their life, and it bonds you.

My next house sitting job that I found through The Caretaker Gazette was in Lucca, Italy, a sweet little town in Tuscany’s hill country. I took care of darling Cocca, a cat who enjoys hot water bottles on the sofa, and may be a bit near-sighted. Lucca has a rich history, dating back to 180 BCE and is surrounded by a ‘passaggia’, this great ancient wall with a lovely walking path along the top. I was able to take day trips to Pisa, and to fabulous Florence, a city filled with art I had wanted to see all my life. I stood in front of ‘The Birth of Venus,’ by Botticelli, for a long time, the beauty of it bringing me almost to tears.

House sitting, as opposed to a typical tourist’s experience, allows one to find the local recycling center, taste the local fare, explore the grocery store. Here are a few such observations:

In Scotland, land of the ‘machair,’ your garbage becomes compost almost overnight. The Highland Games feature men in skirts throwing tree trunks, and yes, they ARE sexy burly men, skirts and all. The tidal river does rise and fall with the tide, and though the River Forth, which flows through Stirling, is far from the sea, occasionally a porpoise can be seen in the water.

In the Lucca, Italy grocery stores, one shouldn’t touch the produce unless wearing the disposable gloves provided-now that’s a great idea! Drinking water is available through the same fountains brought to life by Napolean’s sister, Elisa, who ruled the town in the 1800’s, and EVERYTHING is closed from 12-4, or anytime therein. The gelato guy around the corner is open most of the time, except when not.

I can’t think of another aspect of my life that has offered such a pleasant surprise as house sitting. And thank Heaven, I’m LEARNING, though late, about seeing the world through other’s eyes. I look forward to more eye-opening experiences in whatever town, whatever country...whenever life takes me there. The Caretaker Gazette has provided a beautiful piece of the puzzle of my ‘new and improved’ spontaneous and synchronistic life.

Fulfilling a Hawaiian Dream

2010-09-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Living in Hawaii has been a dream come true for Janemarie. After raising her daughter in California and working in various positions from administrative assistant, front desk clerk, preschool and kindergarten teacher, Janemarie was ready to try something different. After a two-month visit to Hawaii, Janemarie returned to California and began making plans to relocate, with the hopes of working or living on a Hawaiian farm. "I was ready for a change, ready for an adventure. My daughter was going off to college, and I wanted to fulfill some dreams. They included living closer to nature, learning organic farming and experiencing a low-impact lifestyle, as opposed to the 9-to-5 rat-race lifestyle that was led by so many folks around me in Oakland, California."

Having enjoyed her success with home and classroom gardens, Janemarie was interested in learning more about organic farming. She made visits to several Northern California farms, including Old Mill Farm near Mendocino. She spoke with the caretakers there and learned of The Caretaker Gazette. Janemarie subscribed to the Gazette, and a few months later she found the ad she had been looking for. An "Off the Grid" Macadamia nut farm in Hawaii was seeking a mature female caretaker. "That's me!", though Janemarie. She answered the ad immediately. "Some of my friends thought I was nuts, giving up a secure teaching position and venturing off into the unknown. But, I haven't a single regret. I was ready to leave the hectic city scene behind for a slower paced lifestyle. Hawaii is absolutely beautiful. I love being awakened by the songs of birds, snorkeling alongside turtles and dolphins, and spying the breeching of migrating whales. It's fantastic!"

The Macadamia nut farm is solar powered, with propane tanks for cooking and heating water. The sole source of water is rain. The farm is on a catchment system, which collects rain on the roof, and channels it into two large water tanks for storage. Water is very precious on this part of the island and usage must be carefully monitored. Janemarie's duties include watering and feeding the macadamia and citrus nursery, as well as maintaining the grounds and caring for the owner's dog. The property is home to a variety of fruit trees, including papaya, banana, citrus and avocado, which provide tasty treats all year round!

Janemarie enjoys the quiet on the five-acre farm, 40 miles from the tourist town of Kailua-Kona. Instead of hearing early-morning garbage trucks and car alarms as she did in Oakland, she is awakened by the sounds of many types of birds, singing as the sun rises over the mountain slopes. "One thing I've really enjoyed about living on this farm is the opportunity to live almost completely outdoors. My ‘cottage’ is very unique, as it's walls are only chest high, and there are no glass windows- it's all very open. Birds fly right through and at night the gecko's come out for their fill of insects. The roof is made of tin, and when it rains hard--well the sound is tremendous! One has to have a love of all nature's creatures to be comfortable here. Luckily, I've always been interested in insects and small reptiles! Although untrained, I'm a naturalist at heart."

She starts her day with a cup of coffee, grown right outside her door. Then she follows this with some Tai chi. "Living alone has been a wonderful gift. The hours of solitude give one time to connect with oneself and to contemplate spiritual matters. An avid reader, I spend my quiet evening hours with a good book. Or simply watching the stars." Besides her chores on the Macadamia Nut farm, Janemarie has supplemented her income by working on two other farms. One, an organic supplier of herbs, salad greens and edible flowers, the other a 100-year-old coffee farm. “I love working outdoors, observing the growth cycles of the plants and learning organic methods.”

"This past fall I fulfilled another life-long dream to study massage. I was fortunate to learn the traditional Hawaiian techniques known as 'Lomi-lomi'. The month long course was a wonderful healing experience. I am currently working as an apprentice and plan to have my license by the end of the year. Caretaking has been a wonderful experience for me. I’m so glad that I learned about the property caretaking field, as it has given me a new direction and I am following my bliss. Mahalo!"

Caretaking Remote and Challenging Environments

2010-08-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Dennis Manz, a property caretaker who specializes in caretaking in remote and challenging environments, talks about his transition from the corporate world to the world of caretaking ranches and remote properties:

After working in the corporate world for 25 years I decided to spend the rest of my days exploring different parts of the United States. I prefer the mountains and have worked in remote areas like Canyonlands National Park, Elk Mountains near Crested Butte, CO., the San Juan Mountains of northern New Mexico, and currently near the Hays Canyon Range in the high desert area of Northern Nevada.

The first 25 years of my life were spent in southern Wisconsin. I graduated from Craig High School in Janesville, WI and attended the University of Wisconsin for a few years before setting out to travel the world. I never made it around the world, but did travel (mostly hitchhiking) through quite a few countries before ending up back in the United States. A friend offered me a job in the solar energy field. I jumped at the chance and moved to California, which was my home for the next 25 years. In 2003 I officially retired from the corporate world, subscribed to The Caretaker Gazette, and began my journey as a full-time property caretaker.

My current position, which I found through The Caretaker Gazette, is house sitting at a 600-acre ranch in the high desert 40 miles east of Cedarville, CA. The gentleman I house sit for is a birder and has identified 78 different species of birds sighted from the property. Rancho Rechiso, where I am housesitting, has redefined for me the meaning of quiet, undisturbed, and no pollution. The property is off-grid with solar power, wood, and propane as sources of energy. There is no noise, radiation, or any other type of environmental pollution out here.

Being a property caretaker is definitely a great alternative lifestyle compared to paying rent for a small apartment in a busy city. In my opinion there is no better way to reduce monthly expenses and still maintain a decent standard of living. The best things about being a property caretaker are a renewed sense of personal freedom, reduction in my monthly living expenses, and the experience of visiting new and interesting places.
However, just the opportunity to experience a renewed sense of freedom is an invaluable gift.

In the 9-5 world there is always a faster pace with time frame pressures for having to complete job duties. In property caretaker situations there is still a great sense of responsibility, but there is generally a sense of freedom that allows the caretaker to set his or her own schedule. Of course there are still emergency situations that will occur from time to time that command immediate and sustained action.

Last winter I was caretaker at the Rocky Mountain Biological Labs in Gothic, Colorado living at 9,500 ft in the Elk Mountain range. The annual snowfall is around 400 inches. I had responsibilities that could be accomplished within my own scheduled time. One such job was climbing a steep 150-foot hill with typically new and deep snow to get to the weather station. This was often done in high winds and low visibility conditions.

The key was being prepared, dressing warm, good snowshoes, and taking the time needed to avoid mistakes. Trying to hurry through this sort of task could have proven to be very dangerous. Another job I had every few days was cutting firewood, since that was the only way to keep my cabin warm enough to survive. I had to dig out an 8-foot trench on the woodshed side of my cabin to cut my firewood. The wind would blow down through that trench off of a 12,000-foot high peak and would chill your bones.

After spending the last six years in some very interesting and challenging remote environments as a property caretaker I could never go back to living in the city on a permanent basis. I guess the saying ‘once you have had a taste it is hard to go back” rings true to my experience as a property caretaker. Property caretaking has also given me the opportunity to pursue writing about my experiences. I am currently finishing up an e-book about various caretaking positions I have had. I have other writing projects on the horizon including a children’s book about desert plants and lizards.

Of course being a property caretaker is not just doing whatever you want whenever you want to do it. The keys for being a successful caretaker are simple. First and foremost you are serving the property owners’ needs. I always respect and show the ultimate in responsibility for the properties I take care of. I always follow through with commitments and take pride in doing every task to the best of my ability. I always want to leave a clean footprint where I live and work. This means doing the best job possible and always keeping the best interests of the property owner in mind. This philosophy has worked well for me and continually rewarded me with new and interesting caretaker opportunities.

Plans for the future are to work as a property caretaker at lodges and resorts preferably in the mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest. I also consider caretaker positions for remote private homes, cabins, and properties.
I love the mountains and the higher the elevation the better, especially in the summer time when things heat up. I can always plan on the temperature at 8,000-10,000 being in the 60’s and 70’s during the day when the temperatures are cranking in the 100’s at sea level.

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27 Years Caretaking - and still loving it!

2010-07-07T07:13:00.000-07:00

Early in his life Ken Hauser developed a love and appreciation for the great outdoors when he spent his summer vacations at his grandmother’s house in the Catskill Mountains of New York. As a child, Ken and his family moved to New Hampshire, where he joined the local 4-H garden club. There, Ken learned gardening and crafts and exhibited his crafts and produce at the state 4-H fair. He was also a Boy Scout and went on to become a Life Scout and a Brotherhood member of the prestigious Order of the Arrow. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire’s Thompson School with a degree in forest technology, Ken worked seasonally as a grounds-keeper at a resort hotel on the coast of Maine and as a ski patroller at a New Hampshire ski resort. In early 1979 Ken moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and began working seasonally with the U.S. Forest Service. He worked with the Gros Ventre Ranger district as part of a compartmental exam crew and the Kemerer Ranger District on a timber crew. In Kemerer he received an award and certificate of merit for his exceptional work performance.

In 1982, when Ken moved back to New Hampshire to be with his girlfriend Martha, who is now his wife of 27 years, he accepted a position as a full time caretaker and property manager on an 800+ acre estate. The property consists of mostly forested rolling hills with predominantly red oak, white pine and hemlock. Ken explains, "There is about a 120 acre grassy, marshy meadow through which flows the Piscataquog River. Wildlife abounds. We regularly see deer and have seen moose, bear, coyote and even bobcat. The river and pond are constantly host to many species of migrating ducks and mergansers and we have often watched two or three otters playing on the snowy banks in the winter or eating all of our bass in the summer. And the beavers are always at work."

Ken says, "I have been working on this estate for past 27 years. I do everything that comes with managing an 800 acre estate, from marking timber, administrating timber sales, timber stand improvement, weeding, thinning, pruning, building repair and maintenance." Ken also manicures a country landscape that he helped to create, with over four acres of lawn, multiple perennial gardens, a small vegetable garden, and annual plantings in boxes and beds around the house and swimming pool area. In addition, he cares for the pool and tennis court so that they are ready for use when the owner arrives.

When asked about a typical day, Ken says, "It's really more what a typical week is for me as I work on a weekly rotation, so that everything is finished by end of day on Friday... a finished product! This has been a very atypical spring-summer as we got nailed in December with an ice storm unlike anything ever seen here. I have been cutting trees, tree tops, limbs, and hauling brush continuously. Each day typically starts with starting the swimming pool filter and balancing the chemicals. I then do some weeding and dead heading of the rock garden and tennis court garden. I might weed the vegetable garden, grade the driveways, spray the orchard, blow off the tennis court, clean trails, fertilize lawns, water annuals, paint, rake, work on rebuilding walls etc. It's a never-ending list. I weed whack at least six hours a week and the mowing takes two complete days, about 20 hours.”

Ken continues, "It would take a lot more than this one page to describe all that I do and have done, but I think you can get the general idea. Today I started the pool, fertilized my annual pots and beds, weed whacked for three hours. Got a flat tire on my tractor repaired. Mowed the orchard, the back side of the pond, a one acre field, and around the vegetable garden and swimming pool." In the years that Ken and Melissa have been on the estate, there have been many changes and additions to the property and Ken has been responsible for most of them. These include adding a new 2 ½ acre lawn, perennial rock garden, shade area garden, tennis court border garden, daylily garden, 1,500 square foot vegetable garden, and fruit tree orchard with 33 acres of apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, raspberries and blueberries.

Ken has also put his woodworking and landscaping skills to good use, building small additions on the main house and maintenance shed. He has built large beautiful entrance gates for the estate and for the cottages on the property, a large deck for one of the cottages, a picket fence with arbor way for the vegetable garden, and an arching wooden bridge with curved stone ramps that crosses a small river below the house. He just recently rebuilt several stone walls, transforming one from a massive 300’ long pile of rock to a beautiful finished wall running through a newly created field. Ken explains, “I like doing all the finishing touches that make the place look just so. It is always a work in progress and an ever-increasing challenge to keep up with the constantly expanding landscape. I have always loved a challenge."

Ken and Martha enjoy skiing and bicycling together. Martha competes in running races and Ken races cross country skiing and participates in occasional bicycle hill climb races. According to Ken, “I’m not the fastest by any means, but I give it all that I’ve got and have a great time doing it. This, along with my work, helps to keep me young.” Ken concludes, "My wife Martha and I are best friends who cherish our time together and we are each other’s biggest supporters. We live a very healthy lifestyle with our beautiful three-year-old black lab, Jazzy. The past 27 years have been a wonderful experience and an exciting challenge.