Help with gardens, dogs and different home projects in Algarve, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  HELP NEEDED SEPTEMBER 2024 ONWARD INTO 2025
  
  2024: I'm a retired woman living in a typical rural Algarvean house, 4.5km from the town of Loule and 15min (by car) from the sea. Am an American entrepreneur retired former: restauranteur, IT company owner, forest wildfire fighter and Mountain Search & Rescue volunteer. I am a Mother, Grandmother and a bit of a 'recluse'. I also breed Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. I'm happy to show special hikes, small local family run cafes, nearby wonderful beaches and cook local dishes with you
  
  NOTE: *** I require a 1-month commitment (but prefer longer)
  
  **SPECIAL PROJECT #1
  1st OCTOBER thru end-DECEMBER2024 (couple preferred)) The birthing & care for a litter of puppies. A loving relationship must be created between 'helpers' and ‘LUNA’ (the mother-to-be), before the puppies are born. Afterwards the puppies need care until they go to their ‘Forever Families’ when they are 8-weeks old; (** this project would include some payment).
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  **SPECIAL PROJECT #2 (THIS PROJECT POSITION IS NOW FILLED)
  AUGUST ( one month commitment) The ‘caretaking’ of home & property while summer guests are here. (**this project this project would include some payment).
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  GENERAL "WORK-A-WAY' WORKS:
  Gardening, maintenance of property, dog walking, housekeeping, some cooking in the main house.
  
  MY OFFER: Food and accommodation in private Ridgeback-Caravan-Cottage with Fibre Optic internet, UKTV and Aircon
  
  I need general physical labour on the land, house and care for two dogs. My body is just too sore to do the work I need to do to maintain the gardens, housekeeping...(ahhhh the Circle Of Life). I hope to carve out of this stony Algarve soil some vegetable & flower gardens using creative watering solutions, weeding is needed everywhere and where I can, i will plant native species.
  
  **You MUST have a valid drivers licence and know how to use both hand tools and power tools and be a self-starter. I cannot 'teach' you how to use tools.
  
  I'm located by car: 15-mins from beautiful beaches, 5km to train & bus station. Sometimes I can drop you off in town or the beach. Otherwise use UBER.
  
  GENERAL PROJECTS LAND: (depending on the season) care and pruning of trees, WEEDING, planting, WATERING, maintenance of vegetable and flower gardens; transplanting trees & shrubs, mulching, organising compost pile
  
  GENERAL PROJECTS HOUSE: walk dogs, care for hens, painting, carpentry, repairs, housekeeping/cleaning and organizing sheds, storage etc.
  
  MY OFFER: Food and accommodation in exchange for help
  1) self-contained Ridgeback-Caravan-Cottage 1-bedroom nestled under an old Fig tree, Fibre Optic Internet, UKTV, Aircon/heating, the shower-W/C room is 1m outside the back door.
  2) 3-meals a day in exchange for 5-hours daily work, 5-days per week
  
  I have two friendly Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs 'Bob' (AKA "Keanu Reeves") 'Sierra Mariposa' AKA " Hoover" (yes as in the Hoover vacuum cleaner of the same name for obvious reasons). I also have 1-cat and 6-laying hens.
  
  IMPORTANT Requirements
  (1) bring proof of your own health insurance, Vaccination
  (2) a contact number of your next relatives in case of any emergencies
  (3) a copy of your photo ID, Passport.
  
  Helpers must have a deep an abiding GSOH (Good Sense Of Humour) as I do! And we do not gather together by the campfire and sing Kumbaya, I'm friendly but I work long, long hours.
  
  I have 2,500 English language books and lots of music from original American blues 'n jazz, Irish traditional, Portuguese Fado, Opera, Classical. I love, LOVE cooking (and eating) and when the weather is warm/summer sometimes when I'm in the mood I have a pop-up eatery in my home; serving authentic Mexican, Soul Food from the South and American Cowboy food and I bake Irish Soda bread and home-smoke fish, cheese, meat and other stuff.
  
  NOTE: I cannot accept any pets (at all), nor families. I DO have space to park a campervan.
  NOTE; I accept couples and single women

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  There are SOOO many things to do and see and experience here in The Algarve of Portugal. Although we live 'rural' we live within 5km of one of the beautiful cultural centres of the Algarve; the ancient market town of Loule!

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  Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

  This host offers accommodation and payment.

  Host has indicated that they will pay at least the minimum hourly wage of their country for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.

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  Help

  I MOSTLY need help from folks with strong backs and who know how to use 'hand' tools. I just can't (getting a wee bit old 'n sore) do the work anymore that is needed to look after both the land, care for dogs, clean the house, Im happy to show my wonderful area and cook local dishes with you
  
  PROJECTS: WEEDING & WATERING transplant shrubs (stony ground), organize and re-pack storage rooms/cupboards, general cleaning of the house, PLUS refurbishing the original St. Catarina terra cotta floor tiles in the house, plaster, paint house etc.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  German: Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  I offer my beautiful (beloved) self-contained Caravan -Cottage. It is about 50-meters distance from the house, (very private) under an old Fig tree. The Caravan-Cottage has: Fibre Optic internet, UKTV, Aircon/heating, W/C, shower, HOB, oven, fridge/freezer, black-out curtains, mosquito screens, many reading lights, closets, 2-skylights with mosquito screens, a sliding door separates the built-in double bed from the rest of the 7-meter long touring caravan. We built and 4mx4m insulated room with sliding doors and attached it to the caravan. There is a BBQ and outside table + chairs for alfresco dining. You cook your own breakfast and supper in the caravan. I provide ingredients for your breakfast & suppers: 5-days per week Lunches for the most part will be eaten with me and afternoons, are your own time.

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  What else ...

  More about the area later; it's the Algarve after all. There are many many kilometers of walks/bike rides from our door. We can drop you off at the Loule town center or at the train station, easy peasy. A taxi from to/from town to our door is between 6-8EUR each way. Loule is market town and there is daily baked bread, fresh fish, local meat, veggie & fruit Farmers Market, and a much bigger one each Saturday. Spend a day at the beach ...why not? Perhaps take a boat tour or a weekend donkey trek or rent a car for a weekend and see the Alentejo in the North? We have only had two couples do a (private) exchange here last year for a couple of weeks. One couple left as they wanted the city lights of Lisbon, fair enough it is a bit 'slow' here. The other, 2-friends from Vermont, went on their pre-planned travels after extending their time with us an additional week. It was a very good experience for all of us.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  The accomodation has hi speed Fibre Optic Internet and a table/desk to work

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  Space for parking camper vans

  I have space to park small camper vans, not easily the mega-big ones.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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