HI Wanted to get some opinions on this listing from the comm...
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HI Wanted to get some opinions on this listing from the community. I just booked it for an upcoming trip but I am unsure. T...
Latest reply
Hey everyone,
We havenโt had a Community Spotlight for a little while now, so it was about time for a new one. Weโve had the pleasure to talk with @Kate867 this week, and Iโm sure youโll all love getting to know her better - I certainly did!
My favourite room in the Cottage. I have so many happy memories of family Christmas Days spent there and it is so warm and cosy in those dark winter months.
How long have you been hosting for and why did you first start?
We kind of fell into Hosting unwittingly. My husband is a shepherd and the farm he had worked on for 32 years indicated that they were going to drastically reduce the size of the flock. This combined with a desire to be closer to his elderly parents encouraged us to make the move from Kent to Northumberland in 2010. The farm we moved to provided us with a cottage as part of the terms of employment so we did not need to sell our old home which we have owned since 1989. Initially we rented out to long term tenants whilst trying to decide if we wanted to โretireโ back to Kent in due course, or if we would remain further north. When the last long term tenants moved out in 2017 we were still very undecided so we decided to carry out extensive renovation works. It was a real mission as the cottage was built in the 1600โs and is listed. Once completed we kicked around the idea of letting it out via Cottages and Sykes to name but a few etc. It was an old friend, also a host, who suggested Airbnb. Remote hosting can be challenging, but with the help of an excellent friend who is also a neighbour and a Cleaner who really is worth her weight in gold we managed to achieve Superhost in our first quarter and have managed to retain it since.
Tell us a little about your listing
Itโs a money pit! As with many older listed properties it requires constant maintenance and given that it has no traditional foundations it shifts about on its clay bed quite a bit. Sometimes internal doors will close properly and sometimes they need a bit of extra โassistanceโ. However, I have no doubt it will be standing long after we are gone. The cottage sits adjacent to an old Roman Road, part of which runs under the front garden and digging about in the back garden often results in parts of old โmiddensโ being exposed with old apothecary bottles, coins and other treasures etc. to be found. We donโt mention this to guests in order to avoid the โarchaeologicalโ and โmetal detectorโ enthusiasts which would inevitably end up in the garden looking like a โwar zoneโ. So far, unfortunately for us, we have found nothing of value.
How long have you been part of the Community Center and why did you join?
I joined in 2019, intrigued by all the links on my โdashboardโ I set about checking them all out. Still very much a newbie, I needed all the help I could get and found the Community Centre was a great source of knowledge. You donโt always get the answers you want and opinions can vary substantially. Once you pick through all the comments you can normally find a good balance in order to resolve a tricky problem.
What is your favourite thing about the CC and if you could make it better what one thing would you improve?
I absolutely love the truly international feel here, suggestions and the varied points of view. The majority of people are incredibly helpful, diplomatic and polite. Inevitably you get some people, usually, but not always, aggrieved guests, who are not entirely familiar with Airbnbs terms and conditions that get upset when they are not getting the answers they want to hear. Whereas I truly do support complete freedom of speech and healthy discussion there are times when things spiral rapidly downwards and it can make extremely uncomfortable reading. If there was anything I could change, it would be getting these types of threads shut down or deleted sooner rather than later to ease the discomfort of all involved.
When you are not hosting, what do you like doing?
Now there is a question! I absolutely love rearing our spaniel pups, two litters a year that keep me well entertained. Each litter is 17 weeks from start to finish. Watching their different little personalities develop as you socialise them and get them ready for their new homes is extremely rewarding. I like trying to cook different thingsโฆ โtryingโ being the operative word here, but my husband is both tolerant and indulgent. When I fail he will try to eat the strange and burnt offerings with a smile. โLambingโ season presents its own challenges, we always start with fresh optimism and end four weeks later, having overseen anything from 2500 to 3000 sheep bringing new life into the world, and we are both exhausted and pleased it is over .. for another year.
What is the one thing you cannot live without?
My Spanielsโฆ and at a pinch, my Parrot.. The Parrot can โpush all my buttonsโ driving me to the point of losing my mind with his endless stream of obnoxious but polite verbal diarrhoea, at the same time he can also be exceptionally good company. The spaniels dilute the โparrot induced insanityโ and keep me laughing with their comical behaviour and unconditional adoration. Sadly, the parrot sounds like me and is also an amazing mimic. It is not uncommon to see a new Spaniel mum frantically looking for what she thinks is a distressed puppy under his cage or retiring back to her bed having been told โGo back and lie downโ
Where would your dream holiday be?
I am fortunate to have travelled extensively when younger as my father worked in the Oil Industry and was frequently located abroad. A holiday abroad really is a dream now due to all our other commitments (dogs, sheep, obnoxious parrot etc.) but IF I could get away it would absolutely have to be New Zealand. I have never been there but have many friends who have.. and their tales of the scenery, culture and the friendliness of the people turn me positively green with envy. It is most definitely on my โbucketโ list.
Are you more of a film or book person? What have you last read/watched?
I usually lose the โbattle for possession of the remote controlโ and short of rugby tackling my husband to the floor as he dives for it, it is unlikely I will ever win. On the very rare occasions I do manage to get control of it, I will search for a good thriller. Reading however is different. I will read absolutely anything and everything. I nearly cried when my last Kindle packed up and I had to wait a whole 24 hours for a new one to be delivered. Squinting at a tiny iPhone screen on the kindle app really did smack of desperation. Last film I watched was โMost Dangerous Gameโ on Amazon Prime and I am currently reading (for the second time) the last few chapters of โThe Talismanโ, a Stephen King novel.
What's your food weakness?
Where do I start? It is savoury stuff rather than sweet. My particular road to โHellโ is certainly not paved with chocolate but I would absolutely sell my soul to the Devil himself for a single measly tin of John West's smoked mussels, and suffer the inevitable indigestion that follows. Chinese food is certainly right up there as my top favourite, in particular the properly chargrilled beef and chicken satays with that fiery peanut sauce sourced from the authentic street stalls in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Do you have a fun fact?
Perhapsโฆbut not sure if this is a fun fact. I can be incredibly convincing if necessary, all in my most likely selfish need of self entertainment but not at all malicious and I can keep an absolutely poker straight face if needed. My husband still believes that Kent County Council and Essex County Council argued and went to court with regards to the exact positioning (within 10mm) of the โWelcome to Kentโ sign on the QEII Dartford Crossing Bridge. I also convinced him that our male parrot had laid an egg โฆ on April Fools Day. He didnโt believe me at first but eventually did, much to his subsequent embarrassment.
Anything to add
Something I heard many years ago and have never forgotten. โLife is not a rehearsal, make the most of what you have now and live the fullest and best life you can. Treat others with the same kindness and respect that you would like to be treated with yourselfโ. Finally, please donโt forget those in the Ukraine! Airbnb Hosts and many others were incredibly supportive in March, but this is all far from over. Please keep helping when you can.
Thanks again Kate for telling us a bit more about yourself and your hosting journey!
Don't hesitate to say hi and ask any further questions you might have ... and have a wonderful day ๐
Emilie
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Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center/ Please follow the Community Guidelines
Great to hear more about your life and your home. I hear you RE an old property being a money pit and requiring constant maintenance. Mine is not as old as yours, but I feel like I have this conversation with someone at least once a week!
I'm more of a cat person than a dog person, but my favourite dogs are spaniels. I am not sure I would get much else done with those cuties to play with. I also think your obnoxious parrot sounds amazing. So funny how he bosses the dogs around ๐
@Huma0 wrote:
I am not sure I would get much else done with those cuties to play with.
@Huma0 You and me both! ๐ฅฐ
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Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center/ Please follow the Community Guidelines
@Huma0 @Emilie Those pups are โtime wastersโ indeed! A very easy distraction, you stop, watch.. and before you know it an hour has flown by before they finally โcrash outโ and go back to sleep. I would love to have a cat as well, but suspect the โself opinionatedโ bird would have a considerably shorter life if I did so. I will have to wait a long time as they live for about 70 years!
Ah, well at leat the pups nap, giving you a chance to get on with other things (sounds like you have plenty to do!).
Yep, I am not sure my cats would be all that welcoming if I got a bird ๐
I do find parrots quite fascinating though. There was a host who used to post often on the CC (I can't remember her name) who had a very funny one that was very mischievous. I am guessing they are really intelligent.
@Huma0 They are intelligent indeed, and surprisingly strong. I was told that African Greys have the intelligence of a five year old child, but the emotions of a two year old .. complete with the associated โtemper tantrumโsโ. I have seen ours physically pull a heavy ramekin full of seed out of his dish and literally toss it across the room because he wanted my husbands rib eye steak instead.
That sounds like a dangerous combination! And I guess they never grow out of the temper tantrum phase?
@Huma0 I suspect not, ours does not seem to be improving at all! He has a complete โHissy fitโ if he even suspects he is not going to get his own wayโฆ And like a young child has a distinct aversion to โsharingโโฆ He will demand our steak but if we even entertain the idea of stealing one of his almonds we had best count our fingers first to make sure we donโt lose any in the process ..
I just watched a video on Youtube of a cockatoo throwing a tantrum. Wow. Just wow. It was kind of cute though. Amongst other things, he was demanding "a hug, the hot tub and apple pie". ๐
@Huma0 More civilised than ours thenโฆ He screams for a beer .. right NOW! .. demands โGive us a kiss Hot Lipsโ ( got to stop my hubby watching Mash reruns) and tells us frequently that โDirty Birdie wants a showerโ โฆ he does like a shower to be fair but not allowed the beer.
Well, that was the civilised bit before he started screaming his head off for several minutes!
"Give us a kiss Hot Lips!" LMAO. At least he's entertaining.
@Huma0 ahh that was the artist in Paris yesโฆ. Weโve peeked into some interesting lives over the years havenโt we.
my daughter is an international studies student. Spent last term all over Europe. They didnโt find any treasures in their time in London. I showed her your listing, which she loved. I wanted to say โmy friendโs houseโ but that seemed too forward and also in a strange way true. Many of you would be treated as friends if you came to Texas
Ah, well of course you or your daughter would be warmly welcomed here too.
It's funny you should say that as I often find myself telling people, "A friend told me the other day..." or, "My friend in X place says..." and then remembering it was a regular on the CC that I haven't actually met IRL.
Then again, I often speak to you and others here more regularly than a lot of my friends in London!
@Kate867 a great read of your advent into hosting. It is amazing how we we have different reasons for starting and I think it has more meaning if you had a home and you have a change in your life to make a change.
Homes do take money to maintain as you said but if you love it you don't mind looking after your investment. You must be proud of your home which has its history, the picture looks welcoming. You are lucky to have a good neighbour who helps with your property.
Living on a farm is a busy especially around lambing season I hear. You are lucky to find time for your hobbies and it is good trying different receipes, (I wont try this one again or I will save this one.)
April fools day can catch a few of us out over the years with our loved ones.๐
My mantra like yours has always been "Treat others as you would treat yourself" I have carried this out through my nursing life and now carry it with my Airbnb hosting.
New Zealand is a wonderful place to add to your next holiday list. We have been comming here for over 40 years as it close to home in travel miles. We have a brother living here and my daughter married a Kiwi and lives here. So you could say it could be our second home.
@Kate867 Thank you for letting us into a small part of your life, you have shared a different lifestyle from another part of the world which I am sure other hosts are interested in. I am, as my interest with other people, their lifestyles, architecture and history, food , gardens and travel has always broadened my horizon in life.
Thank you again.
I'll add my thanks, too, @Kate867 . It is lovely to get to know you better.
New Zealand is awesome!