Do you know what day this is?

[Catherine]

On Nov 20, 2013, I sat at my computer, still in shock from the loss of the old Forum. With the encouragement of the members I was able to contact, I looked up the Go Daddy web site and found that the name Animal Lovers Web Forum was available. I called the 24 hour live help line and was told that if I bought my hosting with them, the web site name was mine for free! So with the help of my magic credit card it was done! Then I sat there in shock thinking, I have a web site, now what.
What followed was a week of intense online work. I did hours of stuff each night. My usual bed time was 4am. All we had was a link that said "under construction".
I researched sites about forum software. I received great advice and encouragement from all of you. I downloaded the software. After that, there was an actual page I could go to. It didn't look like much, but it became clear that the forum could actually happen.

Enter Bock our tech wiz. She customized our software and stayed online with me in a chat room, talking me through the things that I had to do, night after night. I think she did some rather long sessions to do the customizing and I love how it looks. We ended up using my animal pictures because they were what I had that I could send to her.
I set the Forum up a lot like the old one, but with changes. Finally after a week of work, at 4am, it was possible to make the first post. Tired as I was, I did a welcome to the forum message.
That is our real anniversary and I want to celebrate it as such.

I couldn't have done this without you. You all know the part you played. Even those who quietly waited in the background, I knew you were out there and I was encouraged to go on. It was a lot of work and most of the time I was not sure what to do. There really is a Go Daddy 24 hour live help line and the guys were great. No question was too stupid and they were willing to talk me through the basics.

It was totally worth it and I thank you all for helping me to rebuild the Animal Lovers Forum in its newer better state.
I couldn't have done it without you.

[LPC]

I had a look at your profile, Catherine, and it looks like your first official post was on 28th November. Let's keep that date for a special celebration. I will see if I can find a link to a video with fireworks - which can be played with headphones for those with pets who don't like the noise! All credit to you for resurrecting the forum, which in my opinion is much better than we had before.

[Catherine]

Thank-you. I like it better. We made a good choice on the software. We definitely have more control over what we do. I think we are more aware of animal issues and that makes us more relevant.

Fireworks would be great. The anniversary should be celebrated. That first post came after 8 days of serious work setting things up. I didn't say much, but I wanted to make the first post and get things started.
Did you notice my registration date?

[LPC]

Ha, ha! Yes I did. Well, you are the site owner and are entitled to some seniority - Rotating LOL

[Catherine]

I think that is the year that the first two computers were linked, which is the start of the internet. It is a geek joke on the part of the software developers, since I didn't actually have to register. I was already there.

[Catherine]

It has been a long year and a fast year and over 2000 posts, so I guess I know where the time went.

I thank everyone who has been a part of it all.

[Tobi]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANIMAL LOVERS WEB FORUM!


Thank you Catherine, Bock, and everyone for what you have all done to keep this forum thriving.

(haha I got so interested in those fireworks gifs....I didn't know when to stop!)

[Catherine]

The fireworks are amazing! I love them. They are a real display.

This whole week is the anniversary of long nights on the computer working with the help line and Bock. Bock was amazing and I couldn't have set things up the way they are without her.

The first actual post was Nov 28, very early in the morning. I said hello and then I just had to get some sleep. Next time I checked the Forum there were members and posts and it was like magic,, the Animal Lovers Forum was back.

[LPC]

If P=first post, then we are at P-6 and counting....

Gives you some time to find some more fireworks, Tobi! Although what you have put on already is pretty fantastic.....

[Cibach]

Is it really a year? A lot has happened and it wouldn't have without Catherine, Bock and all the members.
My personal thanks to you all (Catherine and Bock especially) for the new forum. The hole left when the old one vanished was huge and the new one has filled it to overflowing.

Diloch yn fawr i chi gyd.
Thank you all very much.