Winter break dog sitting and more in rural Devon, UK

Details

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  Description

  Hello! My name is Simon, I am a bumbly old(er) man living my quiet and peaceful retirement here with my wife Sonia, my wonderful daughter Celeste (Celeste may have edited this), and faithful hound Nina. Sonia will be away from mid-February 2027 to the end of May 2027, and I will be joining her for about three weeks during that time. Both Celeste and myself have health problems which prevent us from being able to exercise our dog Nina, so we are looking for someone who would be able to stay in our house while Sonia is away, help exercise Nina twice a day and do some occasional work in the garden or light housework.
  
  This would be a great opportunity for someone looking for a quiet, winter retreat in a lovely part of the country. The house is an old rectory with lots of character and a log fire (bring a jumper!). We have a big garden for you to enjoy, as well as allotment - though few fruits to reap there in the winter. We are very open and accepting, easy going and relaxed. It is a quiet house, during the day we tend to get on with our activities, rest, and come together to eat when possible. It is quite isolated and peaceful which is wonderful, but you will very much benefit from having your own car to properly be able to enjoy the area.
  Nina, the dog, is getting a little old now, so spends her days cosying up to us on the sofa, but loves to run free in the fields surrounding us, Celeste will enjoy showing you (when health permits) and other wise directing you towards the possible routes, local woodlands, beaches, moorland walks and wild swimming spots.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Light gardening

  Animal Care

  Help around the house

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Books

  

  Animals

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Pets

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Gardening
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We live in a quiet Devon village near Totnes, not far from the coast and Dartmoor, ideal for relaxing in the countryside. We are about 20 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop and the local pub. My wife is Italian, and our daughter Celeste (27) is an Italian speaker. If you need somewhere to rest up in a quiet place, without too much to do, and get to know Devon a bit, this will be a good opportunity for you. There is lots of amazing nature, and historical buildings in the area. The nearest town, Totnes and Dartington, are alternative and lively places, with a variety of independent shops, cultural events, courses and all sorts happening in the area every week - I don't think you'll find it difficult to find interesting things to do and visit.
  We have a good internet connection.
  Celeste is very interested in a variety of arts and crafts, which they do in a cabin in the garden, so if people are interested in poking around and doing some art of their own, this could be possible!

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  Help

  We need some help between mid-February and the end of May 2027, during which time my wife will be away. Our daughter Celeste (27) will be here though, and I will be here except for about three weeks. Celeste may also go away for a while at some point. Since Celeste and I both have health problems we are unable to exercise our dog , so we are looking for somebody who can do this for us twice a day. There will also be some jobs to be done in the garden, and some light house-work would be so helpful for us.
  Aside from walking the dog, and a few chores here and there, you will have a lot of free time to enjoy the garden and local area. If you have accessibility/energy capacity requirements we can very much understand, being (chronically) ill ourselves, so are open to discussion around how, what and when these jobs are done.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  Celeste would love to practice their dutch, or french, and learn arabic !!
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  Accommodation

  You will have your own room in the house (upstairs, and next door to a bathroom we all use), and are free to use the kitchen when you like. The living room is large and cosy, with a log fire and TV where we like to catch up on the latest crime dramas. There is another bathroom downstairs.
  
  This is a non-smoking (and sober) house, and we run a (mostly) vegetarian kitchen, so we would like you to respect that. You will be mainly expected to prepare your own meals, though we could cook together sometimes, and you are welcome to join when we occasionally cook bigger meals to eat together. If you have any special ingredient requests beyond what is already available we will attempt to accommodate you (within reason!).

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  What else ...

  The nearest public transport (bus) is a mile away and bus services are poor, so your own vehicle would be needed for you to get about. The nearest railway station is Totnes, about three miles away, where there is a bog supermarket and lots of small independent shops. You can also get a supermarket delivery service. We do make trips into town and the surrounding area regularly, so you could get a lift with us when it aligns, but really if you would like to have freedom of movement to enjoy all the area has to offer, your own car would be great for you.

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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

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Small campervan can be parked here

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We can talk about it!

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  My animals / pets

  NIna

  English Springer

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