10 years in 6 months
THE MISSION TO DO 100 NEW THINGS WITH CY
To live, Not Just Survive
When we learned about Cy’s diagnosis, we wanted to give him the best chance to live, not just survive. We couldn’t get passed the idea that we thought we had 10 years, but doctors were telling us he might only have six months. So, how do we fit 10 years in just six months?
We might not be able to, but we can try and give him the best quality of life, which includes keeping our plans. That’s when we came up with a new timeline: 100 new things in six months.
From Cy’s first kayaking trip to his first time playing with a helium balloon, no new experience is too big or too small for our best friend and good boy.
Bucket Lists
All the things we’ve done with Cy.
September
1. TAKE CY PADDLING
2. GO ON A MIDNIGHT STROLL
3. FIND A NEW PARK
4. MAKE A PLAYDATE WITH ONE OF CY’S FRIENDS
5. LET CY GRADUATE FROM HIS FIRST CLASS
6. TAKE CY TO PARK BENCH CAFE IN HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA
7. INTRODUCE CY TO MY BEST FRIEND JESSICA AND HER DAUGHTER
8. INTRODUCE CY TO MY BEST FRIEND CARAH’S SON
9. GIVE CY IS 15 SECONDS OF FAME AT A PHOTOSHOOT
10. DO A PODCAST WITH CY
11. TAKE CY GROCERY SHOPPING, LET HIM PICK SOMETHING OUT
12. GIVE CY POPCORN FOR THE FIRST TIME
13. HAVE AN ALL-NIGHT DOG-THEMED MOVIE NIGHT WITH CY
14. COOK A MEAL FOR CY
15. TAKE CY ON AN ESCALATOR
16. TAKE CY IN AN ELAVATOR
OCTOBER
17. TAKE CY CAMPING IN OUR NEW CAMPER MOBILE
18. TAKE CY BEACH CAMPING - GOLETA, CALIF.
19. LET CY RUN IN THE OCEAN
20. HIKE TO A SECLUDED BEACH
21. VISIT A GHOST TOWN AND POSE AS OLD GHOST TOWNY PEOPLE
22. TAKE CY TO YOSEMITE
23. TAKE CY ON A HIKE WITH OVER 1,000FT ELEVATION GAIN
24. LET CY POOP IN A FAMOUS NATIONAL PARK (YOSEMITE)
25. TAKE CY ON A NEW HIKING TRAIL - IDYLLWILD, CALIF.
26. WALK ON A PIER - SANTA BARBARA
27. WATCH THE SUNSET WITH CY ON A TRIP
28. WATCH THE SUNRISE WITH CY ON A TRIP
29. HAVE COFFEE WITH CY AT A COFFEE PLACE
30. LET CY BRING HIS SPIDER TOY OUT IN PUBLIC
31. CARVE A PUMPKIN WITH CY
32. DRESS CY UP FOR HIS FIRST HALLOWEEN
33. MAKE CY A TRI-TIP DINNER
NOVEMBER
34. PUT CHRISTMAS SOCKS ON CY
35. GET HIS FIRST AT HOME BATH (IN A TUB)
36. HIKE THE KERN RIVER, CLIFFSIDE
37. FALL INTO THE SWAMPY PART OF THE RIVER
38. SLEEP ON THE BED IN THE CAMPER
39. SPEND A DAY IN HISTORIC SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
40. MEET LYNN’S NEPHEWS
41. BE THE OFFICIAL THANKSGIVING TURKEY TASTER
42. GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
43. HIKE IN COLD WEATHER (WITH A PUFFY)
44. HIKE THE IDYLLWILD NATURE CENTER TRAIL
45. PLAY IN THE SNOW - IDDYLLWILD
46. HIKE THE PALOS VERDES BEACH-FRONT TRAIL
47. GO ON A HIKE WITH A DOG PAL (BERNIE)
48. TAKE A LONG WALK DURING A RAIN/THUNDER STORM
49. BECOME A REGULAR BREW DOG (VISIT FOUR BREWERIES IN ONE MONTH)
50. TRY PASTA FOR THE FIRST TIME
DECEMBER
51. BITE A SQUIRREL’S TAIL
52. GO CAMPING IN JOSHUA TREE
53. POOP IN JOSHUA TREE
54. FIND PETROGLYPHS
55. GO BOULDER SCRAMBLING/HIKING IN JOSHUA TREE
56. CLIMB A CLASS 2 BOULDER PROBLEM
57. LEARN ABOUT THE CAHUILLA PLANT THE HARD WAY (GOT PRICK STUCK IN PAW)
58. BE A CRAG DOG
59. MEET ANNE-MARIE AND DAVE (LYNN AND DAN’S CLIMBING FRIENDS)
60. TRY CREAM CHEESE FOR THE FIRST TIME
61. EACH HIS FIRST DONUT
62. GO TREAT TASTING AT A LOCAL HOME-COOKED DOG FOOD STORE
63. TRAVEL TO ANOTHER STATE (OREGON)
64. SIT AT A TABLE IN A RESTAURANT LIKE A HUMAN
65. GO ON A MULTI-DAY ROAD TRIP
66. POOP IN MT. SHASTA
67. POOP IN OREGON
68. VISIT LITTLE SHASTA DRY LAKE BED
69. MEET LYNN’S BROTHER AND HIS FIANCE
70. MEET LITTLE BEAR (LYNN’S FIRST DOG’S PUPPY AND THE LAST OF THE FAMILY BEAGLES)
71. GO ON A FAMOUS OREGON WATERFALL HIKE
72. EAT RAW BEEF FOR THE FIRST TIME
73. CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH FAMILY
74. GO ON A SPECIAL MOMMA AND CY CHRISTMAS MORNING WALK IN OREGON
75. HAVE A FANCY DOG-APPROPRIATE CHRISTMAS FEAST
76. GO TO AN OREGON BREWERY
77. BREAK THE RULES: WALK IN A NO DOGS ALLOWED PARK
78. HIKE THE BACK BACK IN NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF.
79. GO TO A NEW YEAR’S PARTY/FAMOUS JESSICA AND JASON BACKYARD PARTY
80. MEET JESSICA AND JASON’S DOGS (PENNY, CHARLIE AND DAKOTA)
81. STAY UP TO MIDNIGHT AND COUNTDOWN THE NEW YEAR
JANUARY
82. HIKE DAN’S CHILDHOOD TRAILS IN HIS HOMETOWN - NEWBURY PARK, CALIF.
83. HIKE OJAI, CALIF. TRAILS (CLOSE TO LYNN AND DAN’S FAVORITE CLIMBING AREAS)
84. EAT LUNCH/SPEND THE AFTERNOON IN DOWNTOWN OJAI, CALIF.
85. GO ON A PICNIC (WITH LEVI, CARAH, MOE, KIM AND LYNN’S NEPHEWS)
86. RECEIVE A VALENTINE (BEFORE VALENTINE’S DAY)
87. HAVE A FOODIE SIDE-BY-SIDE TASTING
88. TRY GROUND TURKEY FOR THE FIRST TIME
89. TRY BAKED LAMB FOR THE FIRST TIME
90. TRY BREAD FOR THE FIRST TIME
91. GO SHOOTING WITH LYNN, DAN AND DAN’S PARENTS
92. GO CAMPING WITH DAN’S PARENTS
93. HIKE TO THE MOBIUS ARC LOOP TRAIL IN LONE PINE, CALIF.
94. LET CY DIG HOLES ALL OVER THE PLACE
95. CAMP IN ALABAMA HILLS (WHERE LYNN AND DAN STARTED DATING)
96. TAKE A SPECIAL MAMMA AND CY NIGHT WALK IN ALABAMA HILLS (GET LOST AMONG THE ROCKS AND STARS)
97. HAVE BREAKFAST WHILE CAMPING WITH DAN’S PARENTS IN THEIR RV
98. DRIVE UP TOWARDS THE WHITNEY PORTAL AND LOOK DOWN ON ALABAMA HILLS
99. WALK DOWN THE ROAD TO WHITNEY PORTAL (PLAY IN THE SNOW AND SNIFF NEW PLANTS)
100. DO AN ICE WALK (WALK DOWN/ACROSS AN ICY ROAD)
101. TAKE AN OUTDOOR SHOWER
102. GET CY DNA TESTED (HE’S NOT BORDER COLLIE!)
It’s been so hard to think about everything that’s happened in the past month let alone write about it.
Cy took a turn for the worst towards the end of a four-day road trip. And our greatest fear is coming true: We might even get six months with our little guy.