The Wondrous Best Friend: My Dog Roland

In my Facebook memories, I stumbled upon the sweetest photo of my dog, Roland. It was taken in 2011 when he was just a couple of months old. Back then, he was a wee beast—my affectionate nickname for him—sitting front and center in the passenger seat of a rental car. The three of us—my mom, Roland, and I—had embarked on a holiday trip to Fairy Stone State Park in Virginia, all in pursuit of those elusive fairy stones.

Roland’s ears were still delightfully floppy at that time, not yet the iconic erect ears that corgis are known for. It would be a few more months until those satellite-dish-like ears fully developed.

Today, Roland is a wise 13-year-old. He has been my faithful companion for nearly his entire life. Our bond formed on May 23, 2011, when fate intervened. Roland and his ten siblings were orphaned just hours after birth, and a friend’s Facebook post led me to them. I knew instantly that one of those puppies had to be mine.

An intriguing twist: When I visited the litter to pick out my new best friend, I discovered that their momma dog’s name was Lisa—a coincidence both spooky and endearing.

Rollie Bear, as I affectionately call him, has been by my side through thick and thin. His unwavering presence has seen me through countless difficult moments. As I introduce him to the mix of topics on my blog, I can’t help but smile. And even though I gave up on Vlogmas last year, I couldn’t resist sharing YouTube shorts of us eagerly opening the dog treat Advent calendar from Aldi.

Here’s to Roland, my constant companion and the heartwarming star of our adventures!