Profile information
Travel information
I am currently
At home
Description
Hello!
I’m Pete, a VERY young at heart and friendly just turned 66 year old, still very fit and active!
At the beginning of April last year I retired from my 37 year career as a Purchasing Manager , the last 24 of those involved in the manufacture of critical care respiratory equipment.
I was totally fed up with the Rat Race and wanted to seek new adventures in warmer climes while I can hopefully bring something of my lifetime of knowledge and skills to any prospective host, and enjoy an active outdoor life.
My first Workaway experience last year was 2 months in the south of Italy where I carried out a range of gardening, general maintenance, cooking & animal care duties. In fact, my host felt comfortable enough after just one week to leave me alone there in sole charge of her house, 5 dogs and 14 cats for a whole week!
I actually returned to the same host for another 2 months in October and November, and again from the middle of Jan to middle of Feb this year!
Since I retired I have refurbished my own kitchen at home including installing the recessed ceiling lihjts, laid a new LVT floor, spray painted the cabinets, replaced all the skirting boards and some of the cornices, replaced the worktop and installed the new sink and taps - as well as painting everything!
I’m single (divorced 9 years), and I have two grown up sons who are my best friends – Andrew (32) lives in London and Jonny (31) who still lives with me.
I live on the beautiful (but cold) North Coast of Northern Ireland and have dual nationality – both Irish & UK passports.
In my younger days I have worked picking oranges in Greece, cherries in France and had 2 stints as a Kibbutz volunteer of about 5 months each. I’ve also hitch-hiked and camped extensively through much of Mediterranean Europe.
I absolutely love sea kayaking and like nothing better than to head off on a wild kayak camping expedition to the remote islands off the West Coast of Ireland, or just day trips along our beautiful coastline. I also surf kayak! I also enjoy hiking and have added a few of Ireland's highest peaks to my experiences, with more to follow as I tick them off.
I love all types of music - I'm a bass player and have played in bands for well over 40 years - lots of genres, but mainly blues rock, rock and pop. I have a small computer based recording studio in my attic/garage at home and can record other peoples music to a fairly high standard. Both this and my regular job have kept me computer literate. I'm very familiar with MS Office, particularly Excel, Outlook & Word.
Before I retired I had started to teach myself watercolour painting - difficult but I was happy with my small progress - I even managed to sell a few paintings! Don't seem to have had time recently, but I will eventually get back to it.
Last year I have added a REC2 Rescue and Emergency Care (First Aid) qualification to my skill set
Other interests -
Love reading
Love cooking (actually I've been told I'm quite a good cook!)
I build and airbrush scale models, mostly WW2 military and aviation subjects
Interests
Team sports
Hitchhiking
Fitness
Photography
Technology
DIY & crafts
Animals
Art & design
Beach
Events & social
Culture
Mountain
Pets
Outdoor activities
Nature
Sailing / Boating
Self development
Sustainability
Water sports
Movies & TV
Music
Gardening
Hiking
Drawing & painting
Camping
Books
Cooking & food
Adventure sports
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: BeginnerMore details about my language interests
I think my capacity for learning languages is limited, although I made some small progress in Italian, but I would make a good English teacher!
Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn
I'm interested in:
Teaching
Eco Projects
Art Projects
Some knowledge of:
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Hospitality/Tourism
Able to teach about:
General Maintenance
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Helping around the house
Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills
I'm a very practical person
Green - hate waste of any kind
Problem solving
DIY - I have entirely painted my own house, laid all laminate floors, some basic electrical work & some basic woodwork - made garden gates etc. Many other home maintenance and repair tasks.
In my 1st workaway stay I was trusted to look after my hosts home, 5 dogs and 14 cats alone for a full week whilst she visited her elderly father.
I'm a very good cook and sometimes bake my own bread
Gardening - I have experience - I have a greenhouse and grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, chillis etc every year. I used to grow lots of other outdoor vegetables but as there's now only 2 of us I only keep the greenhouse
I'm computer literate
I can get on with all age groups - kids to elderly
Age
66
What else ...
Thanks if you have managed to read all of this!!
Some more information
Smoker
Driver's licence
Allergies
Special dietary requirements
Feedback
He arrived with some tomoto sprouts!! whats a start.
He was wonderful. Looked after my garden as if it was his own. Planted herbs positoned them for the heat, fixed everything that was broken, loungers, tables, cupboards. Sometimes you have something that doesnt work but you get used to it, no! he fixed it.
He eats… read more
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Feedback
He arrived with some tomoto sprouts!! whats a start.
He was wonderful. Looked after my garden as if it was his own. Planted herbs positoned them for the heat, fixed everything that was broken, loungers, tables, cupboards. Sometimes you have something that doesnt work but you get used to it, no! he fixed it.
He eats… read more
