Wow, it’s hard to imagine that another year is coming to a close. And what a year it has been! Overwhelmed with grief on losing Scout back in March, a beautiful welcoming of our new pup Wizard in early September, my seventh book arriving on stands in late September, and wrapping up a series of short book projects as a ghostwriter for a client in Israel. This 2023 year has been a whirlwind of emotions, to be sure.

As a ghostwriter for the children’s book series (three, to be exact) my pen name is Gerry Bird. How fun is that? It’s not what I chose, but rather what the client chose. He has a fascination with sports and I had a fascination with Larry Bird from the Boston Celtics way back in the 1980s. It was practically kismet that he gave me such a sweet and serendipitous name to add as the author to his project. You can find the books here and see if your child or adult friend might want to pick up a copy of them (one, two, or perhaps three)!

It was a fun and detailed project to work on during August, and it kept me busy alongside my book project titled “When Rebellion Ruled: The High School Years.” It’s no secret that I have a passion for writing books, authoring blogs, or helping others meet their goals with writing projects. The more the merrier! Speaking of Merry Merry, we are set to travel next week for some mid-December caregiving in Arizona of my brother’s dogs, chickens, and home. He’s off to Argentina for 10 days and who better to take care of his place than Greg, Wizard, and me?

I’m so looking forward to Wizard meeting his cousins, especially after one of my brother’s dogs—Marley—passed away not too long ago. It’ll initially be weird to visit without her, but I have confidence that our pup will get along swimmingly with Chato and Jasper, three males under one roof could be amazingly fun or intensely interesting. Either way, it also gives me a chance to catch up with Mom in Scottsdale. We’ll visit with her daily, I can’t wait. She also hasn’t met Wizard, so it’ll be a wonderful new energy welcomed into her life, if only for a brief moment.

Again, 2023 had lots going on with it. Losing Scout, writing books, adopting Wizard, losing our cousin Marley dog, and taking an extended trip to AZ with stopovers in Joshua Tree and Hollywood. Greg’s mom lives down there and they are celebrating her closest friend’s 80th birthday party, so we’ll drive down to La La Land first, stay in a funky Airbnb, go to dinner, then split the following day and head over to J-Tree for another overnighter in another adventurous Airbnb close to the Park. More whirlwinds are in store for all of us!

And lastly, we plan to stay put for Christmas, celebrate here in Los Osos with Greg’s son, and keep everything on the down low. After caregiving for 11 days, it’ll feel good to unwind and be at home near the ocean. Wizard will have his sea legs by then, and lots of swimming experience in Arizona. My brother’s pool will see to that. I’m thrilled Wizard will learn to swim, yet his Border Terrier breed is born to be an excellent swimmer, thus he’ll be getting in the ocean soon and on Greg’s paddleboard even sooner, hurray!

That’s all I got for now. Won’t you join me in honoring 2023 as a transition year, one that leaves us with so much on our plates, and one that leaves us with incredible memories of cherished days gone by? Oh, Wizard is now practicing yoga with me and I couldn’t be happier about how much it calms us both down. 8 Paws Wellness as a peaceful connection with your dog is alive and thriving. I’m available to offer online practices as well. Simply set up your monitor close to your mat, making sure your pup understands that they’re involved with the yoga practice right there next to you. Once the harmonious tunes get going in the background and my voice is piped in with movement, you’ll be amazed at how your pup will be in alignment with your energy for an entire day, if not longer.

It’s such a win-win for you and your canine companion. I believe the 2024 year will have lots of surprises in store, maybe more than you ever dreamed. We’ll be right there with you, taking it all in, giving it all back, and loving every minute.

Have a joyous Christmas, a joyous holiday season, and a rousing New Year, and may all your wildest dreams come true! Our hearts have been full, and our lives have been healthy, thank the stars and the universe. We honor Scout’s shrine every day. Wizard and I walk at dawn and give thanks for where we live and how we roll, what with all the hooting owls high in the trees, the local donkey raising his voice to the horizon, and the nocturnal critters scattering about. I get such a high with early morning walks, so much so that I have to pinch myself as a reminder of the genuine beauty that surrounds us.

We hope the best for you, always.

In health and happiness,

Gerry Ellen and Wizard xoxo