On walking Remy.

View this post on Instagram

Yesterday was my last Remy walk day. I got the connection through Rover and walked her three times a week pretty much every week since July. It is a little sad, but it will also be good to change up the afternoon schedule. • • • Camera: Konica S2 Auto Lens: built-in Konica Hexanon 45mm Film: Agfa RSX 100 (cross processed) Scanner: Epson V600 • • • #konicaS2 #crossprocess #agfaRSX100 #Chilliwack #hexanon #dog #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #goldenretriever

A post shared by Jeffrey Nordstrom (@jeffnords) on Oct 17, 2019 at 6:11am PDT

When it became clear that I was not going to find work for July, I had to find an alternative means to earn some extra cash. One of the sources I found was Rover, an app-based sytem for connecting dog walkers with dogs. One of my first customers was Remy, an energetic golden retriever whose owner had injured her leg and needed to recover.

Since mid-June, I walked Remy three or so times a week. We would walk along the dyke in northern Chilliwack, or through the parks in downtown Chilliwack, and sometimes I'd taker her to Popkum. I learned not to let a golden retriever near fast-moving water, that there aren't enough good walking spaces in the farm areas of Chilliwack, and that a dog will really love you if you only show up in their life to take them for walks.

Yesterday was my last day for Remy walks. His owner has healed up enough to take her for walks herself. I'm a little sad about it, but it's also a bit of a relief; it was a little too hard to be a good enough teacher while I ran away at the end of the schoolday to take a dog for a walk three times a week. It gives me a little more sympathy for the many underpaid teachers in the world who need to take on second jobs in order to get by. I was essentially doing the same thing, on a very small level, and it was a little too much.

I'd love to get a dog of my own one of these days, but I don't feel like I'm home enough to do a good job. I work every day and spend a lot of time not-at-home. It would be cruel to bring a dog into my life when I'm never really there.

View this post on Instagram

Not certain I can say this is a good dog anymore. • • • Camera: Pentax ME Super Lens: Sun Zoom 28-80mm 1:3.5-4.5 Film: Fuji Superia 400 (generic expired 2003) Scanner: Epson V600 • • • #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #dog #goldenretriever #Chilliwack #sharechilliwack #FraserValley

A post shared by Jeffrey Nordstrom (@jeffnords) on Jul 27, 2019 at 3:32pm PDT