Crossing Over the Line

It’s been over two years since the covid pandemic has upended our lives. It is understandable to miss things from your pre-pandemic lifestyle…like attending live football games, seeing smiling people (unmasked) on the sidewalk, hugging, having a date night, and of course, traveling. We can relate, especially when it comes to taking trips. In fact, traveling on a plane, going somewhere…anywhere…has changed for all of us.

From Sea to Shining Sea –Mexican Style

Fear not. I promise, this isn’t going to be a geography lesson. Geography is my worst category on Jeopardy. But on May 1st, we traveled from Cancun, Mexico, to Barra de Navidad, Mexico, which afforded us the privilege of being on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) and then the seashore of the Pacific, within 24 hours! This may not be a big deal for a lot of folks, but for us, it was.

Quarantini – Surviving a Pandemic On the Road

We were in Cancun, Mexico, when we, like the rest of the world, were ordered to stay en la casa (indoors).

At first, we thought, “Wow!  What a great opportunity to be productive!” We envisioned  John snapping and crafting perfect National Geographic photos, while I was writing the great American novel and drawing a flawless comic strip worthy of syndication. We, like the rest of the world, thought that the pandemic would last only a few weeks and welcomed the short-lived quarantine conditions that would make us be disciplined and time management ninjas. Wishful thinking, huh?

Yippee – We’re 3!

June marks our 3-year Barefoot Diary birthday…or anniversary…or milestone…whatever you choose to call it. It has been three years since we sold everything we owned and hit the road as house sitting travelers. Yee haw!

So far, we’ve survived two hurricanes, gasoline rationing, and two “mini” earthquakes. We’ve stumbled through communicating in Español for three very distinct Spanish dialects. We’ve wandered around totally lost many, many times in many, many places. And, to top it all off, we have hunkered down in two separate cities as the CV pandemic hit. We are still hunkering and, miracle of miracles, we still like each other! (well, most of the time)

Regretting Nothing

Next week, June 1st, 2019, marks the 2-year birthday of Barefoot Diary! Yay! Hooray! Whoopee! Bravo! (Imagine thunderous applause from the balcony section!)

Yep, on June 1, 2017, we left Dallas, Texas, and arrived in Puerto Rico for our very first house sit and the beginning of our lives as full time world travelers. On June 1, 2017, Barefoot Diary was born. 

Care Packages

One year ago today we were on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico when Irma morphed me from a hurricane amateur, into a hurricane whiz.  Unfortunately, when Maria hit ten days later, I became a hurricane pro.  

Well folks, I hate to break it to you, but it looks like it’s happening again. This morning, when I checked my phone, I had three tropical storm/hurricane warnings flashing! Three! Florence, Isaac and Helene! September is definitely hurricane month for this part of the planet. They happen. They are serious business and should be taken seriously when they occur.

After what we experienced last year, we’ve had quite a few people ask us what they could have sent and could have done to help people that are suffering through hurricane disasters.  So we’ve given it some thought.

Sneak Peek Inside Our Bags

July 1, 2018 The World About five years ago, John and I traveled from Dallas to Washington state to visit my son, Scott, during the Christmas holidays. John was still an executive road warrior at that time and had TSA security clearance that allowed him to breeze through the check in process like a superhero.  I, on […]

You Don’t Have to Be DEAD to Have an Estate Sale

In November 2016, John and I made the decision to join the ranks of traveling, housesitting nomads which was, for us, monumental. In February 2017, we arranged our very first house sit (June through November) on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, which was super exciting. We were in a euphoric state of glassy-eyed bliss for a few days, at the prospect of how our lives were about to change.  Then, KA-BOOM, reality set in.  We had a business and a lot of STUFF we had to get rid of to make our dream life happen.

So, here’s how we did it.

Where To Find the Perfect House Sit

April 10, 2018 The World Have you ever seen a t-shirt with this emblazoned on the front? John threatens to buy one every time we see one in a souvenir shop.  I can’t help it.  I’m an Internet nerdy girl. Sometimes it serves me well when Jeopardy is on, but as I get older, I […]

Home Sweet House Sit

Remember the old Doris Day song, “Que Sera, Sera?” In the song, Doris, as a little girl, wife and finally mother poses some poignant questions.  I love the third verse: 

“When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my lover, what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows 
Day after day
Here’s what my lover said
Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be…”

I’ll bet the song is going through your mind now, right? Sorry if I created an earworm, but it’s a great song. Did you realize it won both an Oscar AND a Grammy?

Anyway, if you are anything like us (and Doris in the song) you’ve dreamed about your adulthood goals for a long time. And, as you get older, like us, perhaps you’ve realized that now is the time to do something about making your dreams a reality. 

We found our “Que Sera” through housesitting, and here’s a few of the many reasons we love it: