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Alexandra
Alexandra in Central Otago is the place to be if you like distinct seasons and beautiful surroundings.
Otago
Otago seems to have it all, from beaches to mountains, to rivers, to adventure sports for adrenalin-seekers. The city of Dunedin has much Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and a vibrant student culture thanks to the esteemed University of Otago. The region’s landscape includes both hill country and the Southern Alps, which draw thousands of tourists to Queenstown, the heartbeat for adventure sports in New Zealand. Stay in Otago during all the seasons and you’ll experience hot and dry summers in Central Otago, and snowfall in winter. If you want to live rent-free by house sitting, Otago is arguably not only one of the most beautiful places to do it, it’s also one of the most welcoming.
Hello I am Jahn, My husband and I are a 'young' retired couple, grey around the…
Hello I am Jahn, My husband and I are a 'young' retired couple, grey around the edges but lively and interested in the things of life. Both of us have worked all our lives in various roles; Paul as a tablet maker, maintenance guy for several large companies, supervisor of the Tool Shop of a large international company, he excels in his ability to 'fix things' and is a very steady hand. I have experience in Office Administration and Community Support work, currently studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts and the Dunedin Art School. We have both travelled extensively and know what it is like to go away and worry about things at home. So, we are house sitters for people who want the assurance that their pets and their property will be cared for with love and diligence. We both have a wide range of experience in the care and handling of many different breeds of dog from a little Chihuahua up to a huge Great Dane and many other breeds in between, and we cannot forget those beloved friends of the mixed breed variety. Dont let us forget either our feline friends as well. My husband had the care of 20 + chickens at one stage, so we are fairly well versed in the care of domestic pets. Paul and I do regular house sitting for friends and acquaintances, who require pet sitting as their priority. One experience where there were two dogs and a cat, I ran the clothing alteration business (attached to the house and property) while Paul took care of the house and lawns etc for 3 months. Recently we were caretakers for a local holiday park for 3 months (over the Winter while the owners had a break) again where the large Labrador was our main priority,.while the owners were away. There have been many other placements, usually by referral. We are very hands on and can take care of pretty well everything that that requires attending to as well as keeping in touch with the owners, on a regular basis; for reassurance that all is well at home. We pride ourselves on careful attention to detail. We specialise in looking after pets, as well, which is why we have mainly been asked to step in, frequently at very short notice.
Hello I’m a friendly, easygoing retiree who welcomes the opportunity to visit …
Hello I’m a friendly, easygoing retiree who welcomes the opportunity to visit pastures both new and old, near and far. I love being around animals, especially dogs and cats. Since all international travel is still off the cards I'm embarking on a three month road trip around NZ from early February. I view housesitting as a wonderful way to get to know locations in a 'home from home' environment. I am passionate about travel, and the cost saving benefits of looking after other people’s homes are a big plus compared to staying in hotels which I find sterile and impersonal. I am quiet living (definitely not a party animal!) with no bad habits. And I have no medical issues nor take any medication. The simple pleasures suit me best and walking I particularly enjoy. And I love good food, good films, good books and good conversation. I’ve owned four homes over the past 40+ years in New Zealand, most of that time spent on glorious Waiheke Island, population 8500. Living here is very hands on as we don't have the same amenities as the mainland and, being a resourceful person by nature, there's little that fazes me. For 10 years I lived in a rural location (23 acres, mostly protected bush) which ran totally off the grid. I now live in the more ‘urban’ area where I have a separate chalet which I let out in the warmer months to holidaymakers. Consequently I am used to taking care of other people's needs and space as well as my own. I currently have a 3 yr old cat, Milo, a very cute rescue. In the past (among numerous other puddytats) two dogs, a RetrieverX and a Spoodle, have shared my home and heart. So you could be rest assured I would look after your pets and home as my own. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Best, Gillian
Hi there! My name is Frances and I live in central Dunedin. I am an Artist that…
Hi there! My name is Frances and I live in central Dunedin. I am an Artist that works from home. I find this works in well with offering my services as a house and pet sitter, not only does it allow me to regularly travel around both the South and North Island of New Zealand, but it enables me to spend quality time at home befriending and looking after your pets, giving them that one on one company, attention and continuity of care and routines that they are used too. I am a mature single woman, with no dependents and have an animal-loving personality. I come from a large Dutch, farming family from the Waikato, so from a young age I started house and pet sitting for family and friends. I am a very reliable, honest, clean and tidy person with good communication skills, with references that can verify this to put your mind at rest:) I have had many house sitting positions over the years, the most current being for Alan, in Otautau, Southland (see reference attached). This was a large property with one gorgeous dog and I cared for him for around three months. Over Christmas I house sat for Rosie and Ian in Christchurch for 6 weeks, they had one dog, two cats, a goldfish and a vege patch (see other reference attached). These were both very enjoyable experiences, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with their pets and sharing their spaces with them. I also have a picture of Casper the dog in my profile - as you can see, we are out taking him for a bit of a driving lesson :) As my references will tell you, I am a trustworthy and respectful person who communicates well. I am very reliable, clean and tidy and have been told by past home owners that what they appreciated most was not only did they come home to a clean and tidy house, but they could see that their animals were well cared for and loved. I am a bright creative friendly person who you will find a delight to have in your home. Thank you for taking the time to consider my online profile and feel free to call my referees, who will be more than happy to vouch for my character and skills as a house sitter and pet minder. I do hope to meet with you and your pets shortly. Warmest regards...Frances:)
Hi our names are Maryna and Neil, We are close to retiring and feel it is our t…
Hi our names are Maryna and Neil, We are close to retiring and feel it is our time to discover the rest of the South Island in New Zealand and while doing that, do what we enjoy and that is looking after peoples pets and a little gardening while we at it. We immigrated here 11 years ago and have been living in the Catlins ever since so love to explore . As we do not have animals of our own (not by choice) this will also give us a great opportunity to enjoy other people's pets while we are on breaks. We are reliable and trustworthy and are managing a holiday park in the Catlins. This is a 24/7 entity and being in hospitality means we know what is expected from cleanliness and client communication. Neil is a handyman and extremely keen garderner so finds himself very busy most of the time. We both are pet lovers and with previous housesitting experience in London, South Africa and in the Catlins, we have done a lot of dog walking, cuddling cats and even looked after pigs, horses and chickens. We both love fishing and used to take our doggies with us (back in South Africa) so they could have a good run around, and when given the chance they would steal some of our catch! It would be our privilege to help home owners out by looking after their homes and taking care of their pets ( with lots of love) putting their minds at ease. We love to update owners at any time as to how things are going back home. Please feel free to contact our referees and ask any further questions you may want answered.
I am a young at heart, mature and responsible travel loving adventurer. I lov…
I am a young at heart, mature and responsible travel loving adventurer. I love animals and have had a variety of pets including dogs, cats, fish and birds including chickens, so I understand how hard it can be when you have to leave them with strangers. I used to regularly look after my landlady's pets including a Shitzu, 3 cats, a parrot, a cockatiel and a canary, and I used to run my own cleaning business, so you will come back to a house at least as clean as I found it. My background is in nursing so I am used to administering medication, including insulin, to people and would be willing to learn to administer it to pets if required. In my current business as a freelance Proofreader and Editor all I need is a WiFi connection and I can work from anywhere, which means that your pets will be seeing a lot of me, so more cuddles and exercise for everyone, and more security for your home and for your peace of mind. Previously I worked for nursing and care agencies which involved working in residential homes caring for people, frequently in new environments, so I am used to being able to quickly assess my surroundings and situations and deal with the unexpected when necessary. Every job I have had has required a police check due to the nature of my profession so rest assured that I am responsible and trustworthy. I retired last year so I have plenty of spare time on my hands and am available at fairly short notice. I look forward to meeting you and caring for your home and pets. Regards Jan
Hi there, We are a recently retired married couple who found ourselves forced in…
Hi there, We are a recently retired married couple who found ourselves forced into a slightly earlier than planned retirement due to the 2020 situation. However out of the bad, always comes something good and we are now enjoying our freedom and the exciting venture of exploring our beautiful land! In my earlier life, I worked in many different office roles from telex to secretarial and also as a temp office worker. In later years I spent 7 years as a caregiver in Auckland which I loved. Since our move to Kerikeri, I have been the receptionist in my husband's Osteopathic Clinic. Both roles involved close liaison with clients and good listener capabilities including an empathic nature which my husband says I have an overdose of! In my spare time, I like to write, (am working on a book) and in recent years discovered a love of painting. I even sold a few in exhibitions which was a total surprise to me but great for my confidence! Bruce, my husband has been a Naturopath and Osteopath for most of his working life and is VERY handy to fix those aches and pains - lucky me! Bruce is an avid golfer, in fact, much of our travelling itinerary seems to revolve around golf courses...! He is a keen fisherman though the fish aren't often that keen on him. He perseveres though and every now and then we dine of the ocean's bounty! So with our early retirements, we have taken to the road in our luxury caravan catching up with family and friends and enjoying taking our time doing so. We have spent the last 10 years renting lovely homes in Torbay on the North Shore of Auckland and latterly 2 beautiful homes in Kerikeri, Bay of Islands. We have loved these homes as if they were our own and had great relationships with all our landlords over the years. We often leave the homes in better condition than when we moved in and that is a sense of pride that we both live by. We're keen gardeners and happy to potter around pulling weeds or tending to flower and vegetable beds and keeping things watered. Bruce is rather a perfectionist and your lawns and edges will be in good hands! We are both extremely houseproud and are keen animal lovers too. Between us, though in the past now, we have owned 2 Short Haired German Pointers (Gwina and Bodiccea) and Sam, my beautiful German Shepherd. Many cats, too numerous to list - I grew up in a cat-oriented family. Also the usual childhood rabbits, even mice and not so usual large tortoises (in England). I'd love to show some photos of us back then with our pets but all our photos, (taken long before cell phones!) are in a storage facility. Also, we have been renting for a while now so we chose to be pet-free as it can make rental choices limited. We will, however, be thrilled to look after your fur babies and revisit that special place in our hearts that only pets can fill! If possible, we will need room to park up our 8.5 mtr caravan on your property? So that's us and though we are new to the House Sitting circuit, we do have ample experience looking after homes and have excellent references from them all. We look forward to caring for your precious pets, home and gardens as if they were our own. Kind regards, Susie & Bruce Harper
Hello, we are Jon & Sarah Mason, both in our 50s and healthy and active. Jon gre…
Hello, we are Jon & Sarah Mason, both in our 50s and healthy and active. Jon grew up with dogs in his family (2 dachshunds and a maltese!) and we have cared for Mum's various dogs on occasions over the years, plus our daughter's cat and a range of big and small dogs, cats, geese, sheep and chickens during various housesits. Our own family pets have been smaller (gerbils, hamsters, mice, terrapins, fish, a rabbit and a guinea pig) due to our mobile lifestyle and being in rentals much of the time where larger pets were not allowed. We live in North Shore area and both enjoy the outdoors and are active walkers who enjoy exploring new places. We run an online business which delivers training products and consultancy, helping people understand themselves and how to work better with others. This gives us time and flexibility to care for your pets and your home. We have moved with our family many times over the years and have rented homes for most of that time. We have an excellent rental record for our long term rentals in in UK, Australia and Singapore, plus great reviews! We have also house sat for a few families in the UK. In particular, we took care of a small holding on at least 3 occasions while the owners were away. We cared for their home and extensive garden plus fruit & vegetable crops and green house produce; also their sheep, cats, chickens and geese. We are clean, tidy and responsible people and will enjoy ensuring your pets are happy and well cared for as well as keeping your home and garden looking nice for you. Let us know if you think we match who you are looking for! Jon & Sarah Mason
We love animals and since our beloved family cat Casey passed away last year we …
We love animals and since our beloved family cat Casey passed away last year we feel privileged and fulfilled by spending quality time with so many amazing pets from some of New Zealand’s most unique places though Housesitting. I (Zlata) am currently completing New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Companion Animal) which covers all aspects of animal care including health, hygiene, behaviour, and handling. I’ve gained the applied knowledge and skills to care for a wide range of companion animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and birds, in a variety of settings including your home, pet shops, kennels, animal shelters and catteries. As part of my course requirement I’ve completed over 40 hours practical experience at Tauranga SPCA learning the best practices in the most rewarding yet challenging of environments, which has prepared me well to care for your precious companions while you are away. My partner Clinton and myself are committed to providing the best care and attention for your family pet while you are away, so you don’t need to feel any anxiety or stress about leaving. We treat animals as our own and pride ourselves on making it easier for you and your beloved pet(s) during your time away. We are in a very unique position to be able to live and work from remote places thanks to our internet business www.Interlike.app. Clinton’s daughter spent last year in Spain after finishing high school in Auckland where we rented the same house on Jervois Road in Herne Bay for the past 12 years, she is now about to start University in Wellington this year so we are ‘free birds’ so to speak while saving for our first home. We enjoy flexible work hours and can adapt to any new routine quickly and easily including caring for any special animal requirements. Clinton's background is in commercial film and photography, so if you enjoy being updated with cute videos and photos of your pet enjoying their daily routines then you are in for a real treat. We go out of our way to make sure animals are happy so capturing and sharing these special moments with you while you’re away is our heartfelt pleasure. We are truly grateful for all the pets we have cared for and the families we have helped thanks to Housesitting. Now we are both looking forward to hearing from you and learning how we can make a difference for your fur baby(s) too! Zlata & Clinton
I am a semi-retired single male, living part of my year in New Zealand and trave…
I am a semi-retired single male, living part of my year in New Zealand and traveling and exploring much of the time. I am a father of 3 lovely adult daughters in the US. I do not smoke or drink alcohol, live a healthy active lifestyle, am in excellent health and maintain a positive outgoing attitude. I pursue a large number of activities and interests, both quiet indoors and active outdoors. At age 30, I began, owned and ultimately sold a US based small custom manufacturing business, ultimately employing 100 staff and serving a high-end demanding national architectural/builders market in the US. I am also a highly skilled design and remodelling contractor, renovating and caring for my own multiple high quality properties for 40 years. I understand how to take appropriate care of your valued home! I continue to do occasional non-profit volunteer building work, as well as intermittent online work managing property I still own in the US, a condominium home in Hawaii, where I spend some time each year. I vacation rent this unit, so am familiar with having new people stay in my home. I am reliable and highly accountable, methodical, careful and respectful of people, animals and things! I have long-time good friends throughout the US and in several countries, including recent friendships established here in New Zealand, and I try to visit them as often as my travels allow. I have owned at least 1 dog or cat, often 4 at a time, since age 21, until I recently divorced and sold my home. Our family animals were always happy, our cats and dogs both living between 12 to nearly 20 years. I understand the needs of animals of all ages, health and disposition; and I am experienced and willing to care for animals whatever their age or health condition. When young, I worked on a large 3,000 acre Mid-Western grain farm, on land that had been owned by my grandparents, dealing with every sort of farm animal as part of my duties as a farm hand. This included feeding and moving 150 beef cattle with dog, pickup truck, or on horseback, and hand milking 4 dairy cows. Our family home was included on the city-wide invitational landscape tour for many years, after we created ourselves a landscape, trees, pond w/waterfall, flowers, shrubs, veg garden, & large deck; so I am experienced with any plant care required. During the last 7 years living in NZ, on occasions that my landlords traveled out of NZ, I have cared for my landlord's horses, cats and property, including a large home and small cottage, a swimming pool and other complicated mechanical systems requiring attention. Animals are usually comfortable around me in a very short time, as they know when they are liked by a person, and I am an animal lover! I will responsibly manage all your property and pet requirements, spending daily quality time with your pets, and caring meticulously for your home and possessions. I have more than adequate annual income, excellent professional references, an interesting international travel schedule each year, and I look forward to experiencing more of New Zealand, where I spend much of my time each year, learning to make this country my home.
We are David and Adrienne Smith and our ages are 69 and 62. We are a friendly, q…
We are David and Adrienne Smith and our ages are 69 and 62. We are a friendly, quiet couple, non-smokers, who have rented out our home in Auckland to discover the rest of this beautiful country, whilst caring for your home and pets. About us: David spent much of his early years on a farm in Matamata, before moving with his family to Auckland. He has worked for Air New Zealand, and its predecessor NAC, for many years as an airline pilot, both short and long haul and is now retired. David is involved in IT support for a charity group, which can be carried out anywhere there is internet connection. We do not need much bandwidth, its mostly offline work. Adrienne, also retired, has worked as a nurse and caregiver. She is a keen gardener and loves walking, crafts and reading. We are keen to move into the next phase of life, exploring other parts of this beautiful country, and beyond. Since Coronavirus cancelled the holiday plans of many, we chose to spend a year in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, but now we feel it's time to return to caring for your fur, feathered and finned family. We are about to relocate to the South Island, so are excited about the opportunities that await us there. Our gorgeous bi-colour ragdoll cat is no longer with us, leaving us free to care for your home and pets. We love pets and have significant experience caring for cats, dogs of various sizes and ages, and chooks, goats, cows and birds. Awarded as a top 10 housesitter for 2019 and 2020. As we have no work or family constraints, we can offer dedicated service to caring for your home and pet as we would our own.
Hi my name is Helen and I am a mature single lady that is interested in looking …
Hi my name is Helen and I am a mature single lady that is interested in looking after your home, pets and property while you are away enjoying your holiday. My former housesitting experience has been for friends' who I have looked after long and short term, prior to joining the housesitting company. I love animals and have spent many years living on a lifestyle block with all sorts of farm animals from steers, sheep, pigs, chickens and horses to look after and care for. I currently have a horse and a gorgeous little staffy dog called Mack. (who my daughter will look after while I am looking after your house and pets) I have been around animals all my life from milking cows during the school holidays to live on a 12 ache life style block. I am fit and healthy, clean and tidy and would always be very respectful to your home, property and would enjoy your pets as much as you love them.
We're ready and willing to assist you! Coming from a farming background, we're…
We're ready and willing to assist you! Coming from a farming background, we're experienced in animal welfare and are very familiar with the love of the land! You can entrust your home, your animals/pets and prize possessions in capable hands - we pride ourselves in our honesty, our integrity, our reliability, and our caring nature. We are retired farmers and extra handy with any minor repairs which can be necessary from time to time. We live on a lifestyle block in sunny Marlborough and are not afraid of additional garden maintenance if required. Lyn, when and if available, is periodically approached to assist at a local Medical Centre on a casual part-time basis. We run small flocks of fattening sheep on our 5 acres which also offers a great assortment of fruits, berries and plentiful vegies … we delight in sharing any excess with friends, neighbours, and locals in the village. Over the past years we’ve owned and loved many pets – Golden Retriever, Golden Cavalier Spaniel, German Shepherds, and our last pet .. wee Kitty – a gorgeous Ginger who followed Allan everywhere and sat at his heels just like a cute wee puppy. Kitty has now passed on. We have now made the decision to travel more frequently and look forward to the opportunity of caring and sharing for other folks’ pets and/or animals, who can remain happy and settled in their own environment. With over 20 years of voluntary work in Lions and other worthy organizations, we would now like to focus our energy in meeting others and being of assistance to those wishing to take a break from their home/farm. We enjoy travelling in our caravan and meeting with other interesting folks. We offer a sincere passion and expertise in caring for your pets, your livestock and your prize possession ... your property!
*Often available at short notice* LGBTQIA Friendly. We are two mature friendly …
*Often available at short notice* LGBTQIA Friendly. We are two mature friendly ladies, one of whom is transgendered. Kathy (62) is a Kiwi and Joliene (60) is Australian/Croation We own a “lock and leave” apartment on the Gold Coast Australia and live between Australia and New Zealand. We enjoy traveling whenever we can. We were with Airbnb in Australia for some years ranked as Super Hosts but now as almost grey nomads we have swapped this for travel and house/pet sitting because we miss having a furry friend ourselves. We are happily married and are currently living in New Zealand supporting our sister/sister-in-law who is undergoing cancer treatment here in Christchurch. We are wanting to give ourselves and her some space from time to time, hence the house/ pet sitting. We both love all animals especially cats and Dogs. Kathy: Is an artist and retired Registered Nurse and Forensic Psychologist. She lived on a farm for several years and has looked after chickens, sheep, cattle, sheep dogs, fish, guinea pigs, pet frogs and birds. She can drive tractors and four-wheel moter-bikes. She has her car, motorbike, boat and jet ski licences Joliene: is a private Pilot and owns a small aeroplane. She worked in Electronics and with computers for many years and she now work’s online on the American stock market. Personally, we have shared our life with 4 dogs over the years (Max- a German shepherd, Ben a miniature Poodle, Pepper a miniature toy Pomeranian, molly a Staffordshire terrier, five cats, numerous fish, guinea pigs and cockatoos. We have looked after our friends very old blind dog in Brisbane and cared for Preston a Staffordshire bull terrier for two years. We regularly walk a cute miniature schnauzer dog call Jemma for her owner who has MS. We regularly cat sit Usher- a rag doll mix when we are over on the Gold Coast Australia. We both love walking and would be more than happy to take your dogs for a walk, and look after them and your house like they are our own. We are happy to water gardens, look after your veggie patch and mow the lawn. If you are looking for someone who would respect your home, is honest, neat and tidy and would enjoy looking after your buddies, then let us know how we can help. We hope to hear from you soon Kathy & Joliene
Hi , Our names are Allen and Lyn Larkan , 59 and 69 respectively. Retired act…
Hi , Our names are Allen and Lyn Larkan , 59 and 69 respectively. Retired active couple,citizens of New Zealand ,immigrated to New Zealand 19 years ago from South Africa ,lived in Auckland for 14 years before retiring to a lifestyle block in the Doubtless Bay area 4 years ago.We have a small flock of sheep and free range chickens . We enjoy the outdoors camping and boating .We both play Lawn Bowls and Allen plays a bit of Golf. We love traveling around New Zealand so are more than happy to house sit and look after your pets and anything else for you while you are away . We are a responsible and respectful couple who are more than happy to look after your property and pets while you are away. We are also very friendly and trustworthy and your pets will enjoy our company just as much as we will enjoy theirs. Please have a look through our references and we would love to meet you and your pets and hope that you will consider us as your housesitters. Allen and Lyn Larkan
Last year I threw in my corporate job where I was rated as the best at what I do…
Last year I threw in my corporate job where I was rated as the best at what I do in the country. I began my own online business which allows me to work from home. With my partner in Rotorua, family and business partner in Nelson, and a strong network in Auckland, I like to base myself in those locations for a few months at a time. I've grown up with animals and actually went to university to become a vet because of this. However, I decided to do business instead and spend time with animals rather than working with them full-time. I've also recently been looking to adopt a dog, but due to only being in the one place for a few months at a time, I felt it wasn't the right environment for one. Having looked after a number of houses and pets now, it has given me a particular level of respect for other people's properties and extended pet family members. I treat them as if they are my own. I like to give them heaps of love and attention. I've also found home owners who have trusted me to sit for them have appreciated the updates and photos of the adventures, me and the pets get up to. Homeowners can expect a tidy, responsible and loving person to look after their house and fury friends. With ex army experience, I am rather tidy and also enjoy exercise. This is also shown in my 100% positive reviews. I'm pretty happy that all my housesits so far have requested for me to comeback. I can ride horses and have owned fish, cats and dogs before. If your dog is good on a leash then I'll be able to take them for morning runs with me too. I can be around the house regularly due to the nature of my online business and enjoy my own space,so there are no worries about misuse of the house. I'm also friendly and can communicate well. If you're happy to provide use of a vehicle then I'll also be happy to take your dog out to the beaches for runs as I love to get out to nature when possible. This is not a requirement, but some owners have their cars set up for the fur babies :-) I'm happy to meet via skype, or if we are in the same location then I'm happy to meet in person too. I know how important it can be to ensure you're comfortable with the person looking after your most prized possessions and animals. Look forward to talking soon. Mike.
Hi there, our names are Raewyn and Bill. We have been housesitting for the last …
Hi there, our names are Raewyn and Bill. We have been housesitting for the last 8 years both here in NZ and Cyprus, Australia, Singapore, Scotland & various places in and around England. We have cared for 5 acres with very large gardens, swimming pools, holiday accomdation on properties that require meet and greet and clean afterwards, cats, dogs, chickens & a duck. Small camping grounds. Have had to lay baited traps on a daily basis for rodents then disposed of same. Having had children we have experienced all manner of pets of our own through their growing up years so fully realise how important it is for owners pets to be treated as though they were our own . Homeowners can expect reliability, security,peace of mind and trustworthy, practical and life skills hard earned. Retired plumber and receptionist with police checks and a load of references and email contacts that homeowners can contact. Thank you for taking time to consider our online profile and we hope to hear from you soon. Warm regards, Raewyn and Bill.