Travel tips: 5 BENEFITS of House Sitting

By

-

May 14, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – House Sitting is a growing travel trend – win-win-win for homeowners, travelers, and pets! It’s a mutually beneficial system that matches travelers with homes. And often, matching animal-loving travelers with animals that need love! I personally am a huge fan of house sitting because it allows me to travel full-time by exchanging my care for new animal friends and a place to stay. But since it’s relatively new, I thought I’d answer some questions and explain some of the benefits!

1. Benefits the Homeowner
If you are a homeowner, having a house sitter to occupy your house on a daily basis is the best step you can take for security, as well as the peace of mind knowing your house and property are cared for. And, it’s free!

If you are a homeowner and a pet parent, having a pet-sitter take care of your babies while you’re away ensures pets are kept happier, healthier and safer in their home environment with their normal diet and routine uninterrupted.

2. Benefits the Sitter
House sitting gives you rent-free accommodation. This can significantly cut down (or eliminate) your travel costs, saving you thousands. It’s a great tool to help you not blow your travel budget. Maybe you don’t want to fork over tons of money for a hotel, or you just don’t feel like staying in a crowded dorm room with a bunch of drunk partiers.

Housesits can be as little as a few days to as long as 6 months to a year or more. As long as you are a responsible mature person and are able to manage a home and take care of maintenance and emergencies that arise, you basically get a free home to live in. There are homes available all over the world in most every major city and country. Is there somewhere you’re always wanted to go? Want to live like a local and really experience the culture authentically? Spend a few months on an island. Stay at a castle in Europe. Live off-grid in the jungle.

If you love animals, you benefit by getting to meet new animal friends, take care of them, and enjoy their companionship. Often, and especially when traveling, animal-lovers need their fix! Interacting with and loving animals in their homes, where they feel most comfortable, is such an awesome responsibility and pleasure. Dogs love to go on walks so you can get exercise and explore local areas, maybe even take them to parks or beaches. You can ride horses, milk goats, hang out with chickens, kiss kittens, or smell puppy breath (yum)!

3. Benefits the Pets
Pets don’t want their owners leaving just as much as their owners don’t want to leave them. They don’t think it’s a great opportunity to finally got some peace and finish working on their novel. Instead they can have issues of abandonment and separation anxiety. Pets can be creatures of habit and do best when their routine is uninterrupted. Nobody wants to impose pet care on unwilling or inexperienced friends, neighbors, or family. Even with the best of intentions, this can be quite a stressful experience to all involved.

Boarding pets comes with the risk of diseases, parasites and behavioral problems, not to mention emotional stress. I have personally worked at many veterinary hospitals and boarding facilities and have seen how traumatic this experience is to the animals. Pets don’t understand that they’re in a safe environment, instead they feel that they were abandoned by their loved ones and left in a jail cell with scary sounds and smells.

With over 15 years of personal experience pet sitting and over 10 as a veterinary technician, I can confidently say that the safest environment for pets to stay in while owners are away is their own homes.

4. Benefits the Home
Having a human occupy the home everyday, coming and going, turning lights on and off, using the tv/radio, and a bicycle or car; all this maintains a lived-in status in your home. This continual presence alone can prevent crime, robbery, and pet theft or abuse. Someone is also around to handle day to day operations, mail, cleaning, and maintenance or emergency issues that may arise. Pipes break, power goes out, water leaks. Better to have someone at home to handle these things rather than come home to a disaster. The peace of mind that comes from the safety and security of having a house sitter is sometimes worth is weight in gold.

5. Benefits the Travel Community
As ambassadors of ourselves, our country, housesitting, and the travel community as a whole, it benefits us all to work together in a symbiotic relationship. The positive experience you have with housesitting can travel online or by word of mouth and turn into someone else’s positive experience. We all want to keep our experiences professional, responsible and kind. This way we can all continue to benefit, and pets can get the love they deserve. House sitting is a great opportunity to live out your travel dreams and explore the world.

If you’re looking for a sitter, or if you’d like to become a sitter, there are many great websites to match homes with sitters. House Carers and Trusted Housesitters have tons of opportunities all over the world.

Source: burgerabroad.com

Featured image is only for illustrative purpose

10 WAYS to cut back on calories

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 14, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Most of us love to eat well and why say “no” for your favourite food. Instead of feeling guilty for allowing yourself all these extra treats, work on making a few small changes in your diet and lifestyle in order to counterbalance things! Here are 10 ways how you can cut back on calories.

1. Skip the sugar and cream in your coffee. Opt for skim milk if you can.
2. Take the stairs whenever possible. Say NO to the elevator!
3. Cut out any soda or soft drinks. That includes diet soda!
4. If you plan on drinking, keep it simple. Don’t go for the fruity cocktails. And try your best to limit yourself to three drinks tops.
5. Share your dessert with someone rather than eating it all yourself.
6. Shopping at the mall? Walk fast to burn extra calories. Just be sure to avoid the slow walkers or crowds of teenagers roaming around. (You can even make a game out of this…)
7. If you know you’ll be eating out for dinner, eat a healthy breakfast and lunch so you won’t feel guilty later on.
8. Go ice skating! Not only is it a fun winter activity to do with family and friends, but it’s also a way of exercising. Of course, this is only a good idea if you can actually somewhat ice skate…
9. Don’t sit at your desk all day. Take a few breaks to walk around a bit.
10. Eat whole wheat bread and pasta. Replace brown rice with white rice. It can make a huge difference!

Featured image: Ohmygossip.com

Traveling Fit! 5 WAYS to stay on track

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 14, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Hi everyone! I’m Kelly. I am one of the Massachusetts reps, and I write A Lovely Life, Indeed. Committing to a healthy lifestyle takes planning. You plan what you’re going to eat, prep your meals and easy to grab snacks, and you try to arrange your schedule to include some sort of physical activity. Staying on plan when you travel can be more of a challenge. When schedules loosen and food options expand, staying on track takes more thought and initiative, but it can be done.

Here are five ways to stay committed to your fitness goals, even when you’re traveling.

1. Plan. Putting water and your favorite go-to snacks in a cooler will give you the flexibility to make healthy choices. Pack a bag with other snacks and avoid the gas station wasteland.

2. Pit stop stretch. Stop along the way and stretch. Energize your body and brain during these needed rest stops. Need a circuit? Try this one.

3. When you arrive at your destination, think about a walking tour or a bike tour of the city. How about a photo stroll? Walk whenever possible and explore excursions that keep you active, at least part of the time.

4. Shop and cook when you can. This is better for your wallet and your waistline. When you do go out, grilled protein and a veggie is a great choice. Order your salad dressing on the side and dip your fork before you take a bite, instead of pouring it all on top. You can decline the bread basket if you want, and if you’re ordering dessert, one dessert split among many can give you the bite of sweet that you want without overdoing it.

5. Enjoy a treat now and then. Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite things. Eat a cupcake, and then work off a cupcake.

Travel and healthy living can go hand in hand. Plan and prep where you can and when you can’t, use what you know to make good, healthy choices. And enjoy the treats.

Happy travels!

5 TRAVEL tips by Danielle Kempe

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 14, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – It’s Danielle Kempe taking over the blog today. I’m your MA state rep and a blogger at Getting Fit in MA. My five tips today all have to do with travel. Summer may be over but we all know that fall is a great time to travel, especially throughout the Northeast!

1) Don’t pay for guide books – borrow them from the library before you leave.
I just returned from a trip to Brussels, Belgium, and Paris, France. I got great walking tour guides (with maps) for both cities from the library. I also checked out a great beach read of a mystery novel set in Nice, France.

2) Check Yelp before you go – to get recommendations on tourist attractions & dinning
Bonus: If you’re a part of Yelp’s Elite program, you can attend Elite events in any city. Check the Yelp Elite calendar of the cities you’re visiting & RSVP if there’s an event you’d like to join. I’m a Boston Yelp Elite but I attended a wicked fun Elite event in Dallas, TX when I visited this year.

3) Don’t over-schedule yourself
It’s OK if you’d like to just sit and read a book on your vacation. You don’t need to be sight-seeing 24/7! This is your time to relax too!

4) Bring a power strip
If you’re traveling overseas, don’t forget the power adaptors too. (Note: Ask the front desk about it first though if traveling overseas. I found out the hard way that power adaptors and power strips may overload a circuit though when I blew a fuse at a hotel when I plugged the power strip into the adaptor. Oops!) The power adaptor is great for US trips though, since you’re less likely to leave a charger behind if everything is plugged into the power strip.

5) Check local blogs before you travel to see if they have suggestions.
Locals know their cities best after all!

I hope you all have a lot of fun on your trips this season!

Attempt to annul impeachment rejected, Brazil Senate to vote on May 11

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Brazil’s Senate was thrown into disarray on May 9 following a surprise appeal from acting Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies – Waldir Maranhao to halt the impeachment process, which was later rejected.

According to reports, Maranhao called for a fresh vote in the Lower House over the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and claimed that the previous votes were rendered invalid due to procedural failings.

It was added that the appeal was deemed illegal by Senate Speaker Renan Calheiros, and the disaccord between the two top members led the Senate into chaos.

Reports state that in defense of his decision, Maranhao said to reporters in a rather hasty press conference that, “We have the duty to save democracy through debate. We are not and will not be playing with democracy.”

Eventually, the Brazilian Senate reportedly decided to continue with the voting on the impeachment, scheduled to take place on May 11.

This was also confirmed by the president of the Senate impeachment commission.

Further, Renan Calheiros reportedly said that, “It is not up to the president of the Senate to say whether is it [the decision] or is not fair, but up to the senate plenary, all the senators together. That was the decision taken by the Supreme Court.”

Reports add that if the Senate finds majority of votes are in favour of the impeachment on May 11, Dilma Rousseff would be suspended from office.

Experts opine that the impeachment trial may span over six months.

Featured image: Waldir Maranhao (AFP)

Juan Carlos Varela: Panama closes border with Colombia to stem migrant flow

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Panama will close key crossings on its border with Colombia to prevent undocumented migrants from Cuba and Africa entering the country, president Juan Carlos Varela said Monday.

“We’ve taken the difficult decision to close the border with Colombia in the Puerto Obaldia area and in other parts of the border to prevent the trafficking of illegal immigrants,” Varela said at the launch of an anti-drug trafficking operation.

Last week, Panama and Mexico agreed to airlift almost 3,500 Cubans stranded since December on the Panamanian frontier with Costa Rica to near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Cubans entering the United States receive residency with relative ease under the U.S. Cuban Adjustment Act of 1996.

Just inside the border with Panama, Puerto Obaldia has been one of the main crossing points from Colombia for thousands of Cubans and other migrants who have traveled to the United States via Central America in the past two years.

Many of the Cubans entering last year began their trek in Ecuador, which offered them an easy way into South America. In December, Ecuador imposed visa requirements on the Cubans.

The number of Cubans heading north surged last year, in part due to their fears that recent rapprochement between Havana and Washington could end those preferential U.S. policies.

Princess Diana’s final resting place to undergo multimillion pound redesign

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Britain’s Princess Diana’s final resting place is to undergo a multimillion pound redesign led by her brother Charles, Earl Spencer. The late mother of Prince William and Prince Harry was laid to rest on September 6, 1997, on an island in the centre of the Althorp Estate in the town of Northampton, U.K, and her younger brother Charles, Earl Spencer, has announced it will receive an extensive restoration and redesign.

The 51-year-old Earl will lead the major revamp, according to celebrity news site PEOPLE, and the family hopes it will be finished by August 2017 in time for the 20th anniversary of the late Princess of Wales’ death.

The stunning royal was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales and died aged 36 in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

She grew up on the 350 year old property owned by the Spencer family, who are one of England’s oldest and most illustrious aristocratic families and are related to the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Diana’s father, John Spencer, inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975 and moved the family to Althorp, but since her father’s death in 1992, the estate – built in 1508 – has been operated by Charles, who married his third wife, Karen, in 2011.

It spans about 13,000 acres and its gardens were designed by King Louis XIV’s principal gardener André Le Nôtre – the designer of the gardens of Versailles.

The home is open for members of the public to visit and guided tours around the “beautiful interiors and one of Europe’s finest private collections of furniture, pictures and ceramics” are offered.

Prince Harry attempted didgeridoo at Invictus Games

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Prince Harry tried to play the didgeridoo at the Invictus Games in Florida on Tuesday (10.05.16) but failed to impress. The 31-year-old royal was keen to heighten the already-buzzing atmosphere during the rowing competition at the sporting event in Florida, Orlando by giving the wind instrument a whirl as he watched the participants perform.

The flame-haired hunk was watching the event unfold with Australian athlete Darren Robinson, from New South Wales, in the spectator stands on the second day of the games when he spotted the intersting instrument resting beside him and asked if he could have a go at playing it.

However, despite his high level of enthusiasm, the prince didn’t manage to quite master the technique and decided to hand back the didgeridoo to Darren in defeat.

He joked with a sigh: “This isn’t my day.”

Meanwhile, Harry – the grandson of Queen Elizabeth – is currently pouring his heart and soul into the Invictus Games – a sporting contest for injured service personnel – and admitted he feels like a proud father to all the competitors.

He said recently: “It’s not pride for the games, it’s pride for them, military or nonmilitary, these games have somehow managed to create this amazing inspiration, to encourage anybody from any walks of life to get up and smash it and make the most of your second chance I guess.”

This is the second time the games, which sees athletes from 14 countries compete over four days, has taken place after its debut in London in 2014.

Britain’s Princess Anne paid a visit to Bradford’s award-winning maternity unit

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Princess Anne stopped by the Bradford Royal Infirmary on Tuesday (10.05.16) to meet the staff, new mothers and their new babies, as well as have a tour of the facility. The 65-year-old royal – the daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip – is the patron of the Royal College of Midwives and gave up an hour of her time to meet the staff, new mothers and their babies at the Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Professor Clive Kay, chief executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are extremely honoured to welcome the Princess Royal. We’ve got a busy maternity unit here with a diverse ethnic population. We’re very well respected and have great team spirit. We’ve got so much to be proud of and to showcase as a centre.”

Even though her visit was short, the princess did get a special treat as she became one of the first people to meet little Joseph Oyeniyi, who was born just two hours earlier.

Throughout the duration of her time at the training centre, Anne was given a tour of the birthing pool and was given a demonstration of the work the British Royal Infirmary does at its maternity unit, where 5,820 babies were born last year.

The visit was led by Julie Walker – head of midwifery – and the princess was given the chance to hear about the £49 million Better Start Bradford project, which aims to give babies in the city’s deprived areas a better start in life.

Lady Louise Windsor didn’t know grandmother was Queen Elizabeth

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

May 11, 2016

OHMYGOSSIP – Britain’s Lady Louise Windsor couldn’t understand why her grandmother Elizabeth was the queen at first. The 51-year-old royal has admitted 12-year-old Lady Louise only realised how important her grandmother was a few years ago and the only reason she found out about it was because her fellow classmates at school kept telling her.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC’s Louise Minchin, the countess said: “It [she found out her grandmother is the queen] happened a little while ago. Well for Louise, actually, it was much more of a shock to the system.

“It was only when she was coming home from school and saying, ‘Mummy, people keep on telling me that grandma is the queen.’ And I asked her, ‘Yes, how does that make you feel? And she said, ‘I don’t understand.’ I don’t think she had grasped that perhaps there was only one queen.”

The countess – who is also known as Sophie – and her husband Prince Edward have tried to keep Louise and their son James, eight, away from the spotlight growing up.

She explained: “Certainly when they were very young we tried to keep them out of it. Only because for their sakes, to grow up as normally as possible we felt was quite important.

“And they’re going to have to go out and get a job and earn a living later on in life and if they’ve had a normal a start in life they possibly can get, then hopefully that will stand them in good stead.”