What are your plans for 2025? More of the same or something different?

byDurhamDave

4.1K followers

8 months ago

Well it's been a while since I posted here. The end of last year came rather too quickly for me and I knew I wouldn't be spending as much time here. I'd reached Ambassador status in 2024, but it wasn't ever a status I would be able to sustain as I knew there were busy times coming up.

We'd spent most of the last two months of 2024 in Spain, mixing petsitting and visiting our son (although he had to go to work shortly after we arrived and we didn't see him again until late January as he was working offshore in Taiwan).

Back in Spain either side of Christmas

We came back for Christmas to see my mam and go out for our Christmas lunch which she insisted on paying for. She's 89 in August this year and whilst she's not very mobile, she still manages to get out for birthdays, Christmas etc. Any excuse to eat a good meal. I video call her every night to give her time for a chat.

Just after Christmas we went back to Spain for another month. We'd been asked back for a re-sit, looking after two ragdoll cats we'd previously cared for over New Year 2024. The owners (both New Zealanders) were visiting Japan and jumped at the chance of having us back, as we knew the routines involved with their house (a modern villa on the beach in San Juan, Alicante) and their pets. Bit of paradise really.

By the time we got back to England at the end of January, we were ready to recharge our batteries back in Durham. Our house is a holiday rental for much of the year whilst we are travelling, but February is usually quiet on the booking front, so we opted to stay at home for three weeks. The weather has been typically British, but it has allowed us to do a bit of essential maintenance.

In early March we go again, firstly looking after two Podenco dogs (Spanish) quite local to us, then in April we do another re-sit of an adorable Black Labrador in Northumberland. We saw the Northern Lights there last year whilst we were looking after her. I hope they reappear this time, although last year's display was exceptionally good for England.

Family will meet up in Alicante

Once we finish up in Northumberland, we'll be straight back to the airport for another 6-7 weeks of sunshine in Spain, with a six week sit in May/June and various other family meetings lined up for July when hopefully our son is home, and Deb's brother is meeting us in Alicante for 5 days.

I'll be trying to keep things ticking over with my website, encouraging other people to embrace this online lifestyle, which is only really possible because we took a leap of faith, turned our lives upside down and tried something different.

As has so often been said, "if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten".

These last two years have been amazing and we've tasted freedom like we've never had before. We've met some really amazing people and made friends in both England and Europe. Looking after the pets is the main focus, but we can see places and live like locals in lots of different places.

Anyone need a petsitter?

If any of you need to travel and want someone to look after your pets in-situ while you are away, please drop me a line. Its what we do. I can send you a link to our profile with testimonials. I should say though that we're pretty well booked up now until the end of 2026, so you'll need to book well ahead to get us. We work mainly from two platforms - Trusted House Sitters and House Sitters UK, although private arrangements can also be made.

I think we'll be trying to find sits further south in the UK, as we'd like to visit Marlow on the River Thames to eat at Tom Kerridge's pub. Anyone been there? He is a Michelin Star Chef.

See you all soon.

Dave.