I grew up in Sterling Park Virginia and graduated from Park View High School in 1979. After high school I worked for two years at the National Wildlife Federation in Vienna, Va.
In 1980 I married my high school sweetheart, Louis. Our daughter Virginia was born a year later.
From 1984-1987 I juggled marriage, family, work and school as a student/working Mom, attending Northern Va Community College's Veterinary Science Program. I graduated Magna Cum Laud, and couldn't wait to get started with my new life! I leapt blindly and full of great enthusiasm, with both feet, into the working world of the Veterinary Technician!
As my first job, I worked at The Marion DuPont Scott Equine Center, but couldn't stand the tyrant that I worked under, so I then moved on to Middleburg Animal Hospital. I very much enjoyed my time working there, but soon after starting there, I became pregnant with my second child.
My Son Dominic was born in 1989, the same year I started Creature Comforts House and Pet Sitting.
At that time there was only one other pet sitting service in Loudoun County. The concept of in-home pet care was just beginning to take hold, and I was fortunate enough to able to ride that wave to immediate business success. Within two months I had more business than I could handle. Over the years I have employed both of my children and all of my nieces and nephews during their high school and college summer breaks. I have also hired several local Moms over the years to help me during school hours, so they could be home when their kids got on and off the bus.
I have discovered, however, that I am my happiest and least stressed if I work alone. So, for the past 10 years, I have worn all the hats, and I alone hold all the keys.
I no longer contract out my pet sitting. Its too much of a worry to trust others to do the job as well I as I myself would do. Therefore I have scaled back my service area immensely. I maintain a few select clients whom I enjoy doing business with and they with me. I have greatly reduced my clientele, my work load, and thus my stress. Those frenetic 90 hour work weeks that I endured, and, yes even thrived on, for the first 15 years in this business, are a thing of the past. In this way, I have settled into a more easy going, more enjoyable, and somewhat semi-retired work schedule.
I am now free to enjoy my job AND my family life (which was for many years was sadly non-existent due to the 24/7 demands of this type of business). My Granddaughter Savannah was born in 2011, and she is the light of my life. with her, I am trying to make up for all the time lost with my own children during those hectic early years running Creature Comforts.