Trying to sum up a whole year in one post. Here we go!

Since I took a bit of a social media break, I wanted to get back to writing the blog.  A lot has happened in the 2024, and as we are now in 2025, feels like a good time to get back at this a bit.  

Gatsby and I started the year off down in Pawleys Island.  Just a lovely little escape from the Philly winter.  It wasn't super warm, but at least we could happily go to the beach together.  Gatsby had his first encounter with horses.  We also took a quick trip up to Wilmington, NC.  Gats highly recommends the dog bar there.

Then come February, I had a little work trip to Porto, Portugal.  It was an amazing time.  The show went well, and the city was amazing.  I got to see the bookstore that inspired Hogwarts, along with a lot of amazing historical sites.  Then I headed down to Lisbon.  My friends Sara & Dawn joined me there.  We met up with my fab friend, Melanie.  We did the golf cart tour, ate amazing food, visited more friends and walked a ton.  I could have lived in that apartment forever.  Need to go back! It felt so good to be overseas again!

Porto

 

Lisbon

Melanie and I - together again!

We road the tram.

By March, Gatsby and I packed up and went back to Philly.  It's great in the spring time, so it was nice to be back.  We managed to get there to celebrate Gatsby's 2nd birthday.  We also returned to our lovely local pub, the Garrett Hill Alehouse where we spent many a night enjoying the Phillies games.  

April included another work project.  This time for my friend Ang in Philly.  It was nice to get some of the team I love working with together to put on a little show ourselves all in the name of Public Health and Vaccines.  After that, I took 2 trips.  One to Ohio to watch the Phillies play the Reds on Bark at the Park Day!  Mom and Dad came too.  We had a fabulous time.  We also stayed at BrewDog on our way home - a brewery with a hotel attached that was very dog friendly.  

Then I took my friend's son David to NYC.  We went to the Immersive Gamebox, saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, stopped by Rock Center, did a few trips to the Lego store and ate bagels and pizza.  

Then May came around.  I took a drive down to Richmond, VA for Elizabeth and Stew's wedding on May the 4th.  Greg came with me.  I spent a couple days out in NJ with Fran and David - Brigantine for the dog beach and Wildwood.  I also got a major backyard upgrade.  Had a bit of a mole problem, so we dug up the whole thing, and replanted new sod.  It turned out great.  

This guy loves the beach

The new backyard

Just after the yard was done, Gatsby and I went on a great big road trip, all the way to Minneapolis.  It was fantastic!  First stop was Ohio for quick stop at Mom and Dad's.  Then we drove to Milwaukee to stay with Bettina.  We took a trip down to our old college campus.  We even drove past our old apartments, stopped in at the student union. 

Gatsby at the Student Union

Our Apt on Maryland Ave

Our apt on Webster Pl

Then we drove to Minneapolis.  I was doing some consulting with the Special Olympics USA Games 2026.  Had to do some site visits, but got to see the crew in Minneapolis as well.  Gatsby got to hang with his buddy, Milo while we stayed with the lovely Amy.  We got to meet Jonny and Chris' dog, Sugar.  And Gatsby even taught him a thing or two!  We had a lovely reunion dinner with the Theisens that Rachel, Jonny and Chris came along to.  Closed out the Minneapolis trip with staying at a friend's house who was sadly away in San Francisco, but it was nice to have our own space for a bit.  The drive back had a stop just outside Chicago and more time with Mom and Dad, along with a night at the Omni Bedford Springs.  We were gone about 3 weeks.  Such a fun time and such lovely midwest weather.

Gatsby and Milo

The Theisen Dinner

August had a few visitors in Philly.  Sara came to visit around my birthday.  She got to meet Gatsby for the first time.  Mom and Dad also came for Bruce Springsteen.  Dad helped me get the front porch fixed up a bit (along with several other projects).  I also got a new car!  I am now the proud owner of a RAV4 Plug In Hybrid.  Best purchase ever.  

Sara and Gatsby

My fancy floating books in the reading nook

Mom and Dad at Bruce

BRUCE!

September also saw some visitors - this time it was Brock and the kids!  We crammed so much into the trip!  We went to Treehouse World, Bark Social, Longwood Gardens, the Aquarium and High Tea.  Brock did a lot of record shopping while I hung out with the kids.  It was so great to see them.  We missed Amber, but she had a work trip.

The kids at Bark Social

Treehouse World

Longwood Gardens

The Aquarium

High Tea

We had some of our final trips to Bark Social and said bye to our friends for what we thought would just be until we returned again.  (Sadly Bark Social is no longer - we will miss it!). And then we got on the road to Miami!  I started working with FIFA for the World Cup so we packed up the car and moved.  The drive was a big one.  We stopped several places along the way including Savannah and St Augustine.  Then we got a bit caught up in a hurricane, so we headed back up north towards Savannah again to ride it out.  But eventually we made it to our cute little house near Coconut Grove.  Gatsby settled in just fine - loving his own room and his courtyard.  He has adjusted to me being in the office everyday and enjoys 3 days a week at daycare with his new buds.  He had a great Halloween costume this year!  I got to spend a day at Superblue.  Just getting settled in took some time, but we are enjoying discovering Miami's best places to hang with your dog!

Our last trip to Bark Social with Cheddar

The Thunderbird Inn Savannah

Walking the streets of Savannah

Trolley Tour through St Augustine (Dog Friendly!)

Dinner in St Augustine

Gatsby's Room in Miami

And his courtyard

Halloween

Es Devlin at Superblue

Foam Party at Superblue

Gatsby and took a quick trip up to Orlando to see Connor and Justin Timberlake.  Obviously Gatsby was happy to be there.  Justin was pretty good too!  Thanksgiving was low key as we stayed local.  But we still got to eat all of the things!

But after that wrapped up, we very quickly arrived at the holidays.  I had already planned to go to ChristmasCon for the podcast.  Mary and Bettina came along too.  We sold some merch and had a great time!  

Bettina and I

Mary and I

All of us with the cast of Three Wise Men and a Baby!

As it got closer to Christmas, Gatsby and I drove up to Savannah to meet Mom & Dad.  We did all the Savannah things in a few days.  Then we headed up to Pawleys Island for Christmas.  It was a great time.  Gatsby and I drove back with one night outside Jacksonville in time for New Years down here.  He even managed to sleep through all the fireworks!

Mom and Gatsby at the Forsythe Park Fountain

Savannah Happy Hour at Home

 Mom and Gatsby trying to stay warm

Our delicious Chef's Table Dinner at Common Thread

Christmas Happy Hour at Home

Gatsby Christmas Morning

Gatby's isn't so sure about his Chef costume from Grammy - Def no hats!

Pawleys Beach Frisbee session

Gatsby helped Dad with fixing the window

Stopped at the new brewery!

Phew!  I think I got it all done.  It was quite the year.  And I am sure 2025 will also be another biggie.  Hope everyone has started off 2025 ok.  I am not excited about this new American administration as I am sure you would guess, but I have some ways of coping.  Plus I always have that Aussie passport to fall back on in case we all have to become refugees if our democracy gets destroyed.  Happy to elaborate more on any of that for those of you overseas folks who are probably in disbelief about how this could even happen.  I definitely can explain why I think it did.  We survived the last time, and I feel strangely more prepared this time.  But anything could happen.

Thinking of my LA friends.  And with snow currently in Northern FL and SC where Mom and Dad are, pretty unfathomable to feel the need to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, but whatever.

I just keep reminding myself that most of the people I love believe exactly what I do.  Science is real.  Women should control their own bodies.  Our children deserve to be safe at school.  Diversity is important in all its forms.  Democracy matters.  These vibes and the people I love will keep me going through the next few years, one day at a time.  

Look after yourselves.  Hit me up if you are in the Miami area.

Sarah and Gatsby xo