Eleven years ago on January 12, 2015, my brother introduced himself to the world with the following: “Hi, I’m Chuck Billy. I’m a Golden Retriever who started this blog because two important things are happening at the end of this month. First, I’m turning three years old. And second, I’m getting a puppy. Oh sure my parents insist that the new addition is my brother, and not my pet. But one has to admit the timing sure looks like he’s a present for me. Either way, as the top dog in the family, I feel it is my obligation to guide this little guy through the twists and turns of life, while going on grand adventures along the way. I hope you and your dogs join us on this journey.” Mission accomplished, Angel Chuck Billy!
From this simple start, Living with a Golden grew to over 2,500 blog posts, including approximately 200+ dog friendly places, while making friends around the world along the way. As Angel Chuck Billy later explained to me, he started this blog documenting our lives so that our Grandpa and other relatives could read about our adventures when we couldn’t be there with them. He also shared the places we liked to visit, so that friends could explore them too. Angel Chuck Billy also used this site for me to learn about our older brother, Angel Lemmy, in that although we never met his stories would live on in my heart.
Never though in his wildest imagination, and trust be he had a really active imagination, did he ever dream that Living with a Golden would expand in so many directions. For example, without realizing it, Angel Chuck Billy chronicled his evolution from a mere concern that I’d get abducted by a UFO as a puppy, into becoming a renowned Dog Ufologist, with his ever expanding research. In addition, in those early days, he called my mishearing song lyrics a “phase,” never dreaming that someday I would become a rock star parodying all the greatest hits! Even the numerous places we visited were well beyond his initial expectations as he urged us onward to finding more dog friendly places to share, even leading us to hit the road for Asa’s World Tour of Maine! Living with a Golden also developed into a platform to share nonprofits that are important to us, including the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, No Bowl Empty 2 Pet Food Pantry, the NHSPCA Alzheimer’s Cafe, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Also it provided me with a means to share my health journey with Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis and Aspergillosis, with the hope that it will help bring awareness to these illnesses. Best of all, we’ve made thousands of friends around the globe! Not bad for two Golden Retrievers, with unusual names living in Maine.
Congratulations, Angel Chuck Billy! Today we celebrate the 11th anniversary of all that you’ve accomplished in your blog! I’m sorry that I let you down for our 10th anniversary last year. You had so many big plans about updating website, as well as a few special surprises. But you left so quickly for Rainbow Bridge exactly one month prior, without leaving so much as a to-do list or a spreadsheet to help guide me. The past year was quite a learning curve for me, trying to live up to your expectations and high standards. However I did my best to make you proud and continue what you started! And most importantly I promise to keep going! I may not do everything that you had planned, but rest assured that I have my own surprises to celebrate Living with a Golden’s 11th anniversary in the year ahead!
