Wow…what a year, right!? Finally, this rollercoaster of a year has come to an end and the anticipation of better times is contagious and catching and spreading. Thank you for your support and engagement throughout this very different year of 2020! I am grateful for all of you and this community.

Here are my top nine photos highlighting some of my adventures in 2020 @justsimplyangie.

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of my family the wonderful rescue dog Dakota.

Having lost our 2 family dogs after 17 years of companionship was difficult and meeting Dakota helped ease the pain of the loss.

She is a devoted companion, an adventure seeker, explorer, traveller and enthusiastic sled dog. She is free-spirited and at times can be prone to wanderlust. When we both needed rescuing, this pup came into my life to adopt me into her pack. She has since filled the void in my life with devotion, enthusiasm and a fun-loving crazy spirit to match mine.

I was matched with my girl through the Great Pyrenes Rescue.

She came in their care after her and five siblings were taken into the rescue from the north. She was just three months old when she came into my life. The rescue had called the litter the “K Pups” giving each pup a name using the letter K. My puppy was given the temporary name of Kate but she took to the name Dakota right away and it seemed to suit her perfectly with a meaning of “friend or ally”.

“Origin of the name Dakota: Derived from the Siouan word dakóta (allies, to be thought of as friends). The name is borrowed from the name given to the tribes of northern Plains Indians, also known as Sioux and Lakota. Dakota name meaning is allies and the associated lucky number is 7.” Coincidentally, 7 is my lucky number.

Dakota is a mix, Shepherd Samoyed and Red Husky with a little DNA dash of Coyote, a hybrid mix known as Dogote or Coydog. This mix breed is known for its intelligence, friendliness and loyalty and love of the outdoors (just like me) making us a perfect fit.

This year after semi-retiring from my life long career in mental health support services I decided to take a seasonal position as a campground manager in Alberta, pursuing a dream I had of travelling and working in the great outdoors. This life change gave me the opportunity to live in nature and be in close proximity to the wildlife I love so dearly.

Dakota proved to be a natural assisting me in some of my duties and being a big hit with the families and children camping there. She also surprised me with an innate ability to sniff out the coronavirus and proved herself to be not only a fitting co-worker but a blessing in every since of the word.

In this photo she and her best friend Fiona are commemorated on the Host Haven bus by the artists and my fellow co-workers at the campground.

Despite the pandemic and missing my family, children and grandchildren and my dear friends while temporarily relocating to Alberta for a season, things for me were really not too bad. I stayed healthy and I managed to find the good in life in spite of the difficult circumstance and challenges this year.

Cheers to this new year and another chance to get things right. Warmest thoughts and best wishes for 2021 stay healthy, stay safe and may peace, love and prosperity follow you always.

xo Angie