About

Hello! My name is Kelly Kandra Hughes. I am a writer, animal lover, and nature enthusiast. Some of my role models are Jane Goodall (for conservation and living your passion), Maureen Fergus (for how to tell a hilarious dog story), and Tina Fey (for sheer brilliance in comedy).

I prefer a minimalist lifestyle, and I credit minimalism with giving me the courage to quit my tenured position as an associate professor of psychology at a suburban Chicago university and to marry the love of my life despite only knowing him for three weeks (don’t worry – we ran background checks and credit reports). My husband and I have been traveling North America as professional pet and housesitters ever since.

Our longest housesit was for 6.5 years in Norfolk, CT. During part of that time, I spent three happy years working at the Norfolk Library as their Community Engagement and Online Programs Coordinator. That housesit wrapped up in May 2023 and with it our Norfolk life (bye, Library! I miss you already.).

Heath and I are back on the road traveling North America in between housesits.

When I’m not playing with animals or spending time outside, there’s a good chance I’m writing.

My PhD is in psychology from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill (GO TAR HEELS!). Sometimes I think it’s a miracle I earned a doctoral degree while having undiagnosed narcolepsy. If I had a life motto it would be:

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

Feel free to follow me on this blog. I usually post every two weeks on Sunday nights.