We’re kicking 2024 off with a (pet-friendly) BANG and getting ready for an exciting year of pets and travel. It’s business as usual on the Community Forum as members arrange meet-ups, share photos, and get their teeth into some lively debates. Along with all this, the “new year, new me” chat takes center stage…
Topic of the month
Everyone around us is setting resolutions for the new year, so it’s only fitting that our Forum members are jumping on the bucket list bandwagon too - this time, to discuss some of their 2024 house sitting goals.
@Maggie8k’s fabulous thread saw members like @Globetrotter share dreams of returning to their hometowns, while @Silversitters were already planning their travels around great walking routes. @Samox24 had a more specific request, saying,
“Hubby and I would love to look after a Belgian Malinois and we don’t mind where in the world it is!”.
We love to see it!
The new year isn’t just for setting goals; it’s also a time to reflect on everything you’ve accomplished the previous year. @Maggie8k also shared her house sitting adventures from 2023, which inspired Forum members to share their own reviews of the year.
Not only were we thrilled to learn about the countless nights our members spent house sitting and the numerous pets they cared for, but also about the more unique experiences they had. We feel like there should be a song about the number of eggs collected, tomatoes picked, and nosy *neigh-*bors encountered (shoutout to @Silversitters’ visitor!).
Category of the month
We always love seeing what’s going on in the Meet-ups & Travel category, with locations like NYC, Bangkok, and the UK popping off!
One of our most popular threads in this category was Recommendations for Glasgow and Edinburgh, which has run from November through to January. Edinburgh Castle was top of many lists, but members also suggested visiting the Royal Yacht Brittania, walking up Arthurs Seat, and trying some of the local delicacies, among other things (foodie recs include deep-fried mars bars, haggis, and iron brew flavored jelly babies). Best of all? You can hop on a train and travel between the two Scottish cities in just 1.5 hours.
And with so many expert tips, Edinburgh and Glasgow were promptly added to our 2024 house sitting goals - Scotland, here we come!
Forum member of the month
This time the spotlight shines on @Cuttlefish, a house sitting duo who love sharing their adventures, guiding members to get help, and simply making people smile!
When @mars said, “I LOVE your hashtags!”, @Cuttlefish replied, "#everyonesawinner #heretopleasemyfriend" - naturally.
Quote of the month
The fabulous @Cuttlefish is like the gift that keeps on giving! We loved their reply to a thread about good and bad house sitting experiences, and we think it perfectly sums up what it’s all about:
“Without fail ours have all been one or more of the following - enjoyable, enlightening, funny, fulfilling, adventurous, convenient and new! Quite a few we wouldn’t repeat but that’s mostly because house sitting is a way for us to travel so new destinations appeal more. We have zero regrets #longmayitcontinue”
There’s always time for a hashtag with @Cuttlefish!
Photos of the month
January is the month for hibernation after the festive season, and our furry friends seem to agree! Here’s a collection of snoozing snouts…
“A sleeping and snoring Maisy on my current sit!” - @richten1
“The lovely Indie, 17 weeks old loves her big brother Rohan.” - @Suemog
Our own @Therese was in Amsterdam with more cat snoozes.
It’s EXHAUSTING being so cute!
Check out the full blog post here to see what else has been happening on the forum!
Also we wanted to share a quick TrustedTimes update about our Brand Refresh winners
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the forum in January we look forward to everything you share in February!
