Being the CBO (Chief Blogging Officer) and a tech hound, I’m posting our final wrap up for 2023. The year had a rough patch or two but overall, it was a pretty good year. Yesterday, we updated our sports achievements for the year, today I’m covering anything else worth remembering. All of us love going back over the year as we find things we completely forgot about. Hope you enjoy our month by month look back.
February
January was cold and frozen in 2023, nothing happened. February, life started to get busy. Bailie took a trip out to see the jumbo snowman. This snowman was on the news all over the country, and our Bailie posed with it! How fun to have so much snow.
Next up our little brother Nelson had surgery on both of his eyes for an uncommon condition. It went really well, and he had no issues post surgery. The worst thing was having to be in a hard plastic cone for ten days, 24/7. Day two he destroyed the cone and from then on it was held together with duct tape. We think it was harder for the family than it was for him, but we all survived and Nelson’s eyes look great!
North Carolina was our first road trip of the year. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned as far as driving. For the first time ever we rented a vehicle which we will NEVER rent from Avis again, and probably never rent any car again after that! Day two of the trip a tire blew on the interstate. It was hours of waiting, back tracking and switching cars only to get another lemon. They had the nerve to try to charge us big money for the second car they gave us that had a bad tire too. Mom had to fight with them for about a month before they dropped it. We were very thankful we had our navigator along to help us with everything.
We all added new states to our lists, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Nelson also added Kentucky to his list. Virginia had the best welcome center, maybe one of the best we have ever been to! Who doesn’t want to find some LOVE?
April
In April I ended up at the rehab vet for my limping issue. I’m happy to say, since I had the laser treatments and I am getting my injections once a month, my limping has disappeared. Since I’m only seven, we are especially happy I’m doing well. Every six months I will go back for a follow up but I don’t mind as they have the best liver treats ever!
May
Remember the Mallard family? Mom found the nest in April when Bailie went diving under our bay window. After waiting and waiting for like a month, the ten eggs hatched, but Mama duck wasn’t the best. All the little ones marched across our lawn and fell into the drainage system. The police spent a long time trying to get the little ones out of there. As far as we know eight of them were rescued. Hopefully mom won’t come back next spring.
July
In July Olivia and Nelson headed up to Moose Lake for a nose work lesson. They found another giant Adirondack chair for our collection. Emma found the first one years ago, and we continue to pose on them when we see them. A few more were found on other small trips in 2023.
August
This year Olivia and Nelson took in the sunflower fields. They had a great time and took a lot of pretty photos. It is a fun place to see, I hear, as I am the only one who hasn’t been there yet. Last year Bailie and Nelson got to go.
September
In September, Nelson got back into the show ring. It is not a lot of fun in our opinion. Mom doesn’t show him anymore, she has others show him. This year a friend was visiting from the Netherlands and she showed him twice. Both times he earned two more points. Now he has six points towards his Championship Title. Mom finds showing boring and very unfair, but since the process has started, they will continue. Hopefully they will find enough GBGV’s to get his two majors so he can finish his title soon.
While in Missouri for the dog show, they found out the Air BnB they were staying at was right off of Route 66. Mom, being directionally challenged had no idea until she saw the mural.
November
Bailie and Nelson visited the town where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed. It was rather shocking to say it takes place in one place, but is filmed in another.
December
We ended the year losing our cat bro Bert. His health had been declining the past year, but the last two weeks were really fast. He was a real pest, and he made Mom crazy, but we all miss the guy. Bert was more dog than cat. Life without any cats is different as we have all grown up with cats and Mom has had a cat since she was seven. For now we will stay cat free, but maybe one day Mom will get a kitten. Time will tell.
That’s our final wrap up for 2023. Now we are looking forward to a new year and to see what all 2024 will bring.
Iām joining my friends at Living Laughing and Barking in Our Backyard for their Nature Friday blog hop.
You guys sure do stay busy and accomplish so much and we’re sure that 2024 is going to be just as productive and wonderful. We miss Bert and we loved seeing him on your blog.
It is a bit odd not having a cat around but we are learning to adjust. Mom feels bad he is gone, but he had a good life for the most part once he landed at our house. The last couple years when he was an indoor outdoor cat made him very happy, and he was lucky to be adopted as an adult cat from the shelter.
What a great summary of the year. Sad about Bert but maybe New Year will bring a new kitty.
Probably not. Mom doesn’t want a cat for a while. We are trying life with just dogs. Cats don’t fit in very well right now.
What a lovely wrap up! I’m sure there will be more adventures in 2024.
We are hoping so. Our list is growing of things to enter. Hopefully Nelson can wrap up his show dog stuff so we don’t have to deal with that anymore.
That was a great review and I enjoyed it. I do miss seeing Bert when he had his feline Fridays. I was brought up with dogs but think I was always a closet cat person.
Mom was always a cat lady. At one point she had four cats. Then she got a dog and that is when she realized she is really a big dog person. Right now cats don’t fit in with all the things we do very well, so we will go without a feline for a time. We do miss Bert, he was a problem cat, but he was family too.
That was a really good recap, except for losing your sweet Bert of course, and we can’t wait to see what fun is headed your way in 2024. Happy New Year from all of us!
We are excited too. Probably some short road trips and a couple bigger ones. Olivia has to travel for her Summit Trials and we are looking at east and west coast right now.
BOL BOL duct tape is magical…really and truly. No home should be without it.
Gosh I’m sorry about the trip to NC being all crazy. Do I recall that trip was in or around the Fayetteville area? If you are ever here again and need anything give me a shout.
Here in Raleigh there are lots of dog events at Dorton Arena…just a hop skip and jump from my house.
Happy New Year hugs
Cecilia
Our trials were in Wilson, NC. The second rental car with the bad tire had to be exchanged at the Raleigh airport, so we were in Raleigh briefly. Aside from the rental car disasters, it was a Grand trip. Nose work trials are pretty small and only held by certain organizations. We have not seen any in Raleigh. Other sports may be there, though. One of our long time fans actually came to the trial on Madison’s trial day and watched her searches. She lives close to Wilson. You never know where we will end up, but we have you down for NC š Happy New Year!
What a great wrap up! 2023 went by fast didn’t it?? Guess it was all the fun we had!
Here’s to a pawesome 2024!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
It was so fast. We are still adjusting to writing 2023 and now it is changing again. I guess it is better than the year dragging on forever. We may be going to AZ in May which means we may be in NM, but we will keep you posted later in the spring. We have to travel for Olivia’s Summit Trials as there is only one a year in our area and we don’t know if she will even get in, but we love traveling. None of us have been to the SW USA, only Bailie, so it is on our list of places to add states. Happy New Years Weekend!
That’s a lot of great adventures.
I agree with your Mom about Avis. We had trouble with them a few years ago, too.
My condolences, again, on the loss of Bert. It’s always too soon.
May you all have a blessed and beautiful 2024!
Bert was always an issue. Everyone loved him, but he made Mom crazy because he was so destructive and caused so much trouble. It got better when he could go outside. Still she misses him and feels bad he is gone. It happened so quickly but for him it was better than being drawn out with vet visits, etc. We will see you again next year!
Condolences again on Bert’s passing. You all gave him a wonderful life. The rest of your year was very full, and with all the traveling, a cat would probably not fit in very well.
Sending wishes for a healthy, happy 2024!
Mom felt bad as she didn’t have much time for the cats the last few years. She used to be a real cat person, and not a dog person, but life has changed. Still, the kitties had great lives here with a home, food, and care. Both were from a shelter and adopted by Mom as adults. For the time being we will be cat free.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane, some remembered, others not. We’re so looking forward to all the new adventures for 2024 … bring it on … happy, healthy and always fun!
We are hoping for a fun year with lots of good sports events and outcomes plus some travel.
What a year! Yes, it was quite the ride but we know we can always count on you guys providing interesting travels, great athleticism and fun. Best of luck achieving more success in the New Year. We’re sorry for the loss of your Bert, I’m sure Norman and Sam met him at the gate and have taken him around to visit all the dogs at the Rainbow Bridge. Hugs and tail wags for a Happy New Year!
We don’t have any complaints about 2023, and it gave us a small amount of snow on this last day which we love! Bert is not a cat we ever worried about. He did what he wanted to do, didn’t worry about rules or what others think. We are sure he is out hunting in the fields in heaven doing what he loves.