I (Jo) am 52, a writer and publisher. Main publishing sites are Sunpenny Publishing, and Rose & Crown Books. I am now separated from Andrew but we remain friends, and Andrew may visit occasionally when I am house sitting, if circumstances allow.

Andrew is 64, and closed down his own 25-year electronic design business in 2005 in order to renovate our boat, and then for us to go sailing. Back in the UK since 2007, he has now taken an engineering job in the Iver/Langley (Slough) area, working on television outside broadcast vans and equipment. He is also very good with mechanical and other work, and can turn his hand to most maintenance and repair tasks.

Our daughter (32) is married to Phillip, and lives in Sunningdale, Berkshire (UPDATE: just bought a house in Froxfield, Wiltshire). Our son (27) lives in Berlin with his partner, Nancy. We also have Andrew's siblings in Yorkshire, and Jo's family is spread around the world (South Africa, America, Australia). If necessary we can provide references from previous house sits, or rental landlords (though we will have to dig for older ones, as most of our stuff is in a storage unit while we live on our narrow boat!), and from other reputable people in the UK who have known us for some time, including a well known author, Lucy McCarraher (Norfolk), respected architect and painter David Cullearn (Yorkshire), and award-winning television documentary maker Dee Taverner-Craig (Spain). (Haven't been asked for these yet, so would have to obtain them, lol!)

I was brought up in various Central and Southern African countries. Andrew and I met in and lived mostly in South Africa for around 30 years, with bouts in England in between. We sold our house in 2005 and left on our yacht (www.chamchela.co.uk) to go cruising, from Richards Bay, South Africa. After some time in Mayotte (Comoros Islands) we sailed to Kenya, and the boat was left in Kilifi Creek, awaiting our return - though we eventually sold her to expand our business. Now live on our narrowboat on the Grand Union Canal, based at Cowley Peachey, Uxbridge. 

In South Africa we have owned our own homes and also lived on a small-holding, on which we had horses (including rescues, which I prepared for rehoming by getting them to trust humans again), ducks and chickens as well as numerous dogs and cats.  We had a breeding program with Persian cats for several years, though we have owned various breeds. We've also had dogs of all sorts - German Shepherds, bull mastiffs, bull terriers, many pavement specials, an Irish setter, and a silly floppy golden spaniel!

We're non-smokers, and virtually non-drinkers; we lead quiet lives. You are welcome to investigate us; we have no criminal records in any country of the world, and can even provide a police clearance certificate from South Africa (we had to get one to go sailing!). Again, we'd have to dig in the storage unit for this, LOL!

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