My very first house sit was in the Central Valley of California. It was March 2021, and I had just made the big decision to give up my apartment of 20 years in San Diego.
It wasn't my first experience as a house and pet sitter, but it was my first one for a stranger- someone I had never met before entrusting me with their most precious assets – their home and their pets – in this case, their two dogs.
It was about a 7-hour drive from San Diego, and I remember choosing it because I thought it would be on the way to Oregon, where I had decided to spend some time going nomadic.
As it turns out, I decided not to leave until summer, so this was just a road trip up Interstate 5 to the Central Valley. It would be the first of many house sits I have undertaken in the year, allowing me to move around and “live” rent-free for over a year.
Nonetheless, I persisted and, in that time, I have experienced challenges, learned new skills, humorous moments, and most importantly, lots of pet cuddles!