A House Sitting Job at the Foot of the Colorado Rockies
We never would’ve thought that when we started to travel house sitting would turn into a lifestyle for us. But now we’ve house sat extensively and have nearly 20 house sit jobs under our belts. Our latest house sitting job took us to Colorado where we enjoyed a comfortable home at the foot of the Rockies, with the most adorable, fun, and amusing dog and cat!
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A House Sitting Job in Colorado
Every house siting job is a different experience. As you can imagine, a house sit in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is wildly different from the suburbs of Paris, France or an apartment in city center Athens, Greece. Having been inspired by 55 Best Small Towns to Visit on a Road Trip of America, we knew that our time in Greeley, Colorado would be unique and one we were looking forward to!
When we’re asked where our favorite places have been, we never hesitate in answering that Yosemite and Ireland are at the top of our list. There’s something within both of us that absolutely loves being in and photographing the outdoors. It’s calming, invigorating, and fulfilling for us!
Therefore, when we found a house sit listing for Northern Colorado on Trusted House Sitters we immediately applied. We lucked out, because not only was the beautiful outdoors of Colorado somewhere we wanted to be, but the homeowners (Kayla and Kel) turned out to be incredibly kind and thoughtful!
Coincidentally, when we applied for the house sit, Kayla and Kel where in the process of moving from Portland, Oregon, where we were then on a house sitting assignment, to Northern Colorado. It turned out Kayla and Kel were new to house sitting, so it was great that we were able to meet them and their dog (Bailey) and cat (Cupid) in person a couple of months before the house sit was scheduled. To each of our delights, we all got along well and Bailey and Cupid were adorable! It was an easy choice for us, and Kel and Kayla agreed that it would be a great fit on both ends.
However, between house sits in Portland and Colorado, we had another house sit in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and a Mattress Run in Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico in the works. So, as soon as our plans in Mexico were ironed out, we booked tickets (with miles/points of course!) to Denver, Colorado.
Upon arriving Kel and Kayla, despite our late night flight, graciously picked us up at the Denver Airport (DEN) and welcomed us into their home. We spent the next day getting to know the routine of their home. Plus, we enjoyed the opportunity to get to know them better over dinner!
The House Sit!
We’re genuinely grateful when homeowners make an extra effort to welcome us (which they usually do) into their homes! However in the case of Kel and Kayla they took it to another level, especially when you take into consideration that they’d just closed escrow and moved into their home less than two weeks prior to our arrival!
They’d fully prepared a guest room for us, with empty drawers and closet space, including a full set of hangers.
In addition to completing the Welcome Manual on Trusted House Sitters, they’d typed up and printed out two pages of clear and concise notes to guide us through caring for their home and for Bailey and Cupid.
Since public transportation wasn’t easily accessible, they offered the use of their car. They even went as far as to fill the tank and change the oil in their car the day of their departure! This is important because the location of the house sit was changed partway through the confirmation and commencement of the house sit. It was a good thing though, since Kel and Kayla were searching for their ‘forever’ home in Colorado and found it sooner than expected.
Kayla works partially from home, but she made a huge effort to limit her work obligations the day before they were schedule to fly out. We appreciated this because we were able to get a full-day experience of the house and pet care routine. Plus, she showed us around and took us to the grocery store!
House Sitting and Caring for Two Wonderful Pets with HUGE Personalities
One reward of house sitting is caring for amazing pets! It’s the dog and cat version of being an aunt or uncle. We get all the best parts of having pets, but when ‘mom and dad’ come back, we get to continue on our adventure of continual long-term travel!
Meet Bailey
Bailey is lovable, vocal, and energetic! We could immediately tell that Bailey was Kayla’s dog; they’re nearly inseparable! After Kayla and Kel left, Bailey took it the hardest. At night she’d look towards the front door hoping that Kayla would walk in any minute. After a few days we grew on her and Shannon found a new best friend who followed her anywhere she went!
We quickly learned that Bailey loves to fetch the ball, and will do so until she’s in pain. Sadly, with age she’s incurred wear on her hips and struggles moving a bit. So our walks with her were shorter and even though she’d keep going, we’d call an end to fetching as she started to slow down. Throughout the day, she’d lay down next to us while we worked, and in the evening she’d cuddle up with us next to the couch.
If this wasn’t perfect enough, she thoroughly entertained us. She’s quite vocal and will make sure you know exactly what she wants. This came out the most at mealtime when she’d give us a combination bark and howl. Our favorite part though, was as we were getting her food ready, she’d do a fantastic imitation of a low-rider hitting switches and bounce up and down in anticipation for her food. It never got old and we laughed every time!
Meet Cupid
First, Cupid is a cat. Second, you'd think he’d act like a typical aloof and shy cat, but you’d be wrong. Cupid acts a bit more like a dog than any cat we’ve cared for so far! Most cats take a bit to warm up to us, but Cupid was our friend from day one. He not only loves to play with shoe laces, but he’ll bring the shoe lace to you when he’s feeling playful. On top of that, we quickly learned that he’d play hide-n-go-seek with us! We could crouch behind a couch or the corner of a wall and he’d poke his head around and pounce at us. We’ve never had a cat play like this, and trust us, we took full advantage of it!
When we weren’t playing with the energetic and lovable fur ball, Cupid was either laying in the sun or cuddling with us. He’s gentle, adorable, and enjoyed cuddling on our chest and tucking his head on our shoulder. We challenge even ‘dog-people’ to not give in with an ‘aww’ to Cupid cuddling with you!
To top it all off, Cupid gave us a good laugh at least once a day. At about the same time each day, we’d notice Cupid disappear, only to find him patiently sitting in the office. For context, Cupid is fed on an automatic feeder set to the same time every day. His internal clock is spot on, because 30-45 minutes before feeding time he’d patiently sit and wait in front of his bowl until 5 pm rolled around. And, if seeing a cat drool while he waits for dinner wasn’t enough entertainment, all we had to do was put his cat leash on him! The leash was like his kryptonite, because all ability to stand let alone walk seemed to vanish. He would plop to the ground, roll from side to side a couple of times, try standing again, and then promptly fall to the ground again. Rinse and repeat! Eventually we did get him comfortable enough to finally walk the perimeter of the backyard with us. Oh, the adventures we had together!
We both adored Cupid, but it was quickly apparent that Cupid had a favorite. He’d always sleep near Sergio or climb up on his lap and cuddle. It was a match made in heaven!
Final Thoughts
We can’t begin to express our full gratitude for this amazing opportunity. While Kel and Kayla were incredibly grateful of our desire to care for their dearest pets while they had and celebrated their wedding in Portland, we feel even more appreciative of them. Not only did they invite us back to visit anytime, but they also treated us incredibly kind and with immense hospitality! This is one house sit, among many, where we have cherished memories to hold on to and a few new friends that we hope to see again soon!
