Rover, Rover, send Kristen right over?
I’m positive that pun’s been made by other dog sitters before.
So what am I talking about?
I’m a freelance writer and English conversation tutor.
In the before times, I worked as a marketer at a small publishing company in Chicago. I performed improv regularly and musical theatre and dance occasionally. I also had a beautiful best friend in my dog Bali.
Bali looking out over Lake Michigan
Since then, pretty much everything has changed for me. I lost my marketing job in March 2020, I left Chicago to stay with my parents and save money in August 2020, and a year later I had to say goodbye to my Bali shortly before he turned 13 years old.
It was a period of shift for sure. I’d lived in Chicago for 8 years. I’d had a dog in my life for 12. (I didn’t really miss the office life of my marketing job because, as it turns out, I’m really better suited for a work from home situation.)
A few months after losing Bali, I felt ready to spend time with some animals. I decided the best way to do that was to start pet sitting again. I’d done it as a teenager and even for a while in my apartment with B in Chicago. Now I was going to try housesitting for people I didn’t know for the first time.
I decided to go with Rover because I’d used it before as a sitter and for B when I’d had to travel without him. Dog sitting felt really good. It was a way to get snuggles from sweet animals without having to think about being committed to them forever and the sadness that can come along with that.
I’ve had the amazing experience of meeting dozens of lovely new pet friends. It’s allowed me to explore different environments and make a little money. Plus, the feeling of being trusted to care for someone’s beloved animal is incredible.
I’ve been surprised so many times in the past 3 years. I’ve been surprised by things that have happened to me and surprised by things by chances I’ve taken. I’m surprised at how many adventures I’ve had and how many people have talked to me about my adventures after reading about them online.
I love coincidence and chance. I love all the funny, tangled paths we take to get to new places and people. I love connecting the dots.
The experience of losing my pet led me to pet sitting which led me to an adventure around Europe. Between that and all the people and animals I’ve had the joy of connecting with, this past year has been a wonderful adventure. Roving and Rover-ing (Yes, I know it’s corny. Sue me. Please don’t sue me.) have been so good for me and I’m excited to see what new serendipities life will continue to bring my way.
Follow along if you like and remember — Even tiny adventures matter.