You haven’t heard from me around here in a while because I have been a bit preoccupied lately. In addition to our property search, home purchase, cross country move, and welcoming Wyatt into our pack, I have been buried with PHP, MySQL queries, FTP sessions and function calls.

Say what, you say? It’s been quite a learning experience really, which I care to share in depth someday. But for now, I’ll just tell you what it means…

We just completed our migration of Tripawds to the WordPress MU platform, but RVblogz was my first WPMU installation. You say what again? Basically, it means we are now offering free blogs for tripawd lovers and full-time RVers.

Yes, we announced RVblogz a long time ago, but the recent migration to WPMU has enabled us expedite blog creation and offer much more robust features for RVbloggerz. In fact you can get your own free travel blog in seconds, now that we have automated the blog creation process. Well, WordPress MU has, but we made it work!

If you want to check out a fine example of how full-timers are using RVblogz, check out the Purcells On Wheels traveling family blog! Or, how many of you have heard of the Killbarney project?

Rebuilding the Tripawds community has been exciting, as Jerry’s discussion forum members have grown to 800 strong. Now they can all have their own three legged dog blogs. And with the RVblogz Communities feature, members can create their own mini-facebook, all about RVing. OK, well maybe not. But in addition to easily publishing a travel blog with over 100 themes to choose from, you can create your own little RV community with a message board, Wiki pages, and news items.

There’s much much more we will let you read about RVblogz. But why not sign up for your travel blog now and join the community? Or join Tripawds so you can chat online with us in the new and improved Live Tripawds Chat.

So much to tell, such little time … just wanted any readers we have left to know why I’ve been such a stranger lately. And now that we’re headed back to ranch so I can work the Vickers hay harvest, I may become even stranger yet. If that is at all possible.

Life never seems to go exactly as planned, but sometimes the universe makes things happen in a good way that you’d never expect them to.

We are so happy to announce the arrival of Jerry’s Leg-a-cy, and our new Tripawds spokesdog, Wyatt Ray Dawg.

Jerry, we know you would have a great time with this boy. He’s super hard headed and really smart like you! And while no other dog can ever replace your beautiful self, we know how much you want us to always love life to the fullest. Wyatt is showing us once again what that means.

Here’s how Wyatt came into our lives . . .

Anyone who ever wants – or needs – to raise funds for anything online should definitely check out this ChipIn! widget.

We’re collecting contributions over at tripawds.com to help fund our first managed server hosting account. The community on Jerry’s site has grown beyond our current shared hosting plan’s capabilities. And it showed as poor performance in the Tripawd Discussion Forums and Chat Room.

So, Bob is provisioning our new dedicated server. Soon I get to learn cPanel and endure the WordPress migration thing for the tripawd blog and move the Simple:Press forums. That means this site will follow. Expect downtime over the upcoming week. Thank you for your continued support.

Wow. The response to Nature’s Why We Love Cats and Dogs is beyond our wildest dreams. Jerry’s website has been smokin’. We typically average about 900 unique visits a day. Yesterday alone we had more than 6,000 visitors!

We have spent the last day answering the many heartfelt comments people are leaving on our posts about Jerry’s last days.

We can’t thank PBS and WNET enough for sharing Jerry’s story. If you missed it, no worries. You can still watch the full episode online.

We must give a special shout-out to producer Ellen Goosenberg Kent and her crew. Since they first followed us around Santa Fe last March, we’ve wondered what would come of the hours of footage they shot.

Well, Ellen did a simply amazing job telling Jerry’s story! We have now seen it about a dozen times and still cry every time.

We are just astounded to think that our story has touched so many people, in such profound ways. If the response here and on the Nature website is any indication, Ellen is sure to be nominated for another Emmy!

Thank you Ellen. Thank you Nature. Thank you PBS.

We’re getting excited about the February 15th premier of the PBS Nature episode that tells Jerry’s story. PBS is promoting the show through their Nature Blog, YouTube, Twitter, and even a pet photo contest.

For a sneak preview of some of our scenes in the show, check out Jerry’s Tripawds website.

Back when we were in Los Angeles, we were thrilled to be invited by PBS to present the show at the Annual Television Critics Press Tour. This is a twice-yearly event where TV networks showcase their best work of the season. We were on the panel along with with the show’s producer, Ellen Goosenberg Kent, animal behavior expert Sarah Wilson, and PBS executive Bill Grant.

We were clueless about the significance of the TCA event. But then Ellen told us that not every show gets invited to the showcase, and this was the only Nature episode being presented. Later, as we were whisked into the Universal Studios Hilton ballroom with a large stage, gigantic video monitors and about 100 reporters, we got the picture.

Jim’s a natural at public speaking, and was great. As for me, I’ve always dreaded it, and if I didn’t belong toToastmasters once, I would’ve fainted. I did OK though, thanks to our “little Jerry” I held, a three legged stuffed dog that our friends Bob and Marianne Morse gave to him before we left Eureka (that’s Jerry’s collar on it).

The event was over in the blink of an eye, but the results have been encouraging. We’ve so far been interviewed by the TV Guide Channel, a Tribune News Media reporter, and this Tuesday, a San Luis Obispo area talk radio host, Dave Congelton, is interviewing us. Keep an eye out for your local newspapers to review the show.

As we watch this dream unfold, we can’t help but feel blessed for all of the incredible gifts that Jerry bestowed on us. He was such an inspiration, and despite the pain of losing him far too soon, we are comforted in knowing that his story will go on to inspire others all over the world through this show, and of course, his website. Many thanks to producer Ellen and our friend Luke for believing in his story.

Remember, Why We Love Cats and Dogs premieres Sunday, February 15 on PBS (check local listings).