Peaceful house+pet sitting near the sea in Pictou, Canada

Details

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  Description

  My name is Marsha and I live part of the year in a cute, quiet little 3 bedroom house in rural Nova Scotia, with my husband, two dogs, and 1 cat. We are in a picturesque location just outside of Pictou, NS, on 1 acre of land with a large vegetable garden. We are surrounded by the forest and have access to the seashore (Northumberland Strait) via a short 5-minute walk down a private road owned by a close family member.
  We love the green all around us, and the dark night sky is amazing for stargazing.
  About our pets:
  "Maestro" is the elder stateman: a geriatric St. Bernard-German Shepherd mix with an arthritic leg. He likes to think he is guarding the castle at all times, but unofficially he is 'retired'.
  "Penny" is a 4-year old friendly mixed breed who needs one energetic walk every day, but is otherwise content to hang out at home with Maestro and beg for a few treats.
  "Yin" is a beautiful long-haired 'tuxedo' cat.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Light gardening

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Gardening

  

  Animals

  

  Music

  

  Languages

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Books

  

  Nature
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The area is rich in Scottish, Indigenous, African Nova Scotian and Acadian history. Pictou (town and county) and nearby New Glasgow have small museums, parks, beaches, hiking trails and shops to explore. Easy day trips from our home include: Truro, Halifax, Antigonish, Tatamagouche, Sherbrooke; and the ferry to PEI is 5 minutes away!

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  Help

  House-sitting and pet-sitting:
  Make yourself at home! Enjoy the lovely surroundings (woods, seashore, provincial park nearby)!
  Cook yourself a meal; enjoy homemade jam and other preserves from our pantry! Collect rocks on the shore and enjoy the sound of the waves. Or just relax in the hammock on our screened porch and listen to the birds. If you are musical, play a tune on our guitar or keyboard...
  Specific daily duties are simple: Feed the 2 dogs three times per day; Feed the cat and clean the litterbox; Take the younger dog for a 15-minute walk every day (or if you like running, take her to run with you for 10 minutes!); Take the older dog for a slow 5-minute walk every day; Dispose of the pet waste in the garbage; Put the bins on the road on garbage collection day; Lock the door when you go out... That's it!
  NOTE: A family member is available nearby to feed the dogs at lunch and to let them out for a 'pee break' at midday. That means you can be away from the house for 7 or 8 hours during the daytime, to explore the area and be a tourist!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  Happy to speak English or French with guests... and eager to practice Spanish a bit! My limited German is very rusty but I am always eager to learn.
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  Accommodation

  If you are house-sitting, you can sleep in any room you prefer (3 bedrooms available)! If you stay as a guest while we are home, we offer a choice of a small, bright and sunny main floor bedroom with a twin bed (sleeps 1) and huge windows, or a larger bedroom upstairs with both a double bed and a twin bed (sleeps 3). Note: There is one bathroom, on the main floor.
  You are welcome to eat anything you like, cook anything you like, use the barbecue, store things in our deep freezer, help yourself to the homemade jam and preserves in the pantry, and generally make yourself completely at home! We cook homemade meals every evening and you are always welcome to join us for those. We eat everything but can accommodate a more restricted diet if necessary.

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  What else ...

  No smoking in the house.
  Public transportation is VERY limited.
  Our location is best suited to a person, couple or family with their own vehicle. We may be able to lend our car to a licensed driver but cannot guarantee if, and when, it will be available.

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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 Wi-Fi is very reliable if you work from home on your laptop! Occasional power outages during a storm but we have a generator for the fridge, water pump and internet.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Campers and RVs are welcome in our driveway beside the house. There is access to a regular electrical outlet on the outside wall, and also a dryer outlet (240-volt ) just inside our porch door.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Yin (6 years)

  7 year old female cat, long hair, black and white 'Tuxedo'. Shy at first, but very smart and curious.

  Penny (4 years)

  Female mixed breed (labrador+mastiff+hound?). 4 years old. Active and friendly.

  Maestro (10 years)

  St. Bernard-German Shepherd mix. 10-year old male. About 43 kilos (98 lbs.) Quite low energy, due to arthritis in his leg.

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