When I responded to Jolie's posting on NextDoor.com a few months ago, I asked her about the services she offered. She told me that along with pet care, she offered help with the things I didn't have time to do (or want to do) myself. And as a bonus, Aaron, her husband, was available for help with computer, light carpentry, and handyman tasks. This was even better than what I had in mind, so I immediately signed up for a couple of hours a week.
I can't overstate how good it feels to keep a running list of things that I don't want to do (but need to get done anyway), and on Tuesday afternoons, Jolie comes and does them. In addition to walking and bathing the dogs, she's willing to run errands (groceries, car wash, laundry, dry cleaning, goodwill drops, etc.), find answers to questions (where do I dispose of this toxic stuff? is my computer drive wiped clean enough to donate? etc.), reset the garden path (heavy pavers), change light bulbs (I hate getting on ladders), and on Mother's Day, I received my first ever greeting card in the mail from my dogs (with a little help from Jolie).
Jolie is uncommonly thoughtful, always on time, responds to text and email messages within minutes, works with careful attention to detail, accomplishes everything in about half the time it would take me if I did it myself - and, also important, she brings an agreeable, can-do approach to everything. On one occasion, I needed to have a set of keys retrieved from 25 miles away, and Jolie (and Aaron) cheerfully fetched them for me - on a Sunday morning!
Jolie is wonderful with my dogs (I think they like her more than me now) and her help with the garage has turned that space into something it's never been before: usable! After just three months of once-a-week visits, both my garage and home are totally organized, and thanks to Aaron, my cellphone is finally paired with my car.
So, if you're looking for someone to help with your pets or personal tasks, I wholeheartedly recommend Petfriender. I have found both Jolie and Aaron to be completely professional (the business is licensed and bonded), capable, and a pleasure to work with. read more