Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Reliving the Best of 2014: Who Let the Dogs Out? @LucyBurdette

Happy New Year's Eve day, Reds. As you've heard, we've decided to relive our favorite posts from 2014 this week. I have to say, the timing is perfect, because while you're reading, I will be marching in the dachshund parade with Tonka! I'll post new pictures on Facebook, but here's how it went last year--too much fun!


LUCY BURDETTE: There are lots of unusual events that take place on the island of Key West, but perhaps none so silly and fun as the dachshund parade. 



This has been occurring on New Year's Eve day for the past eight years, much to the chagrin of the Key West police, who have plenty on their hands already, getting prepared for New Year's Eve on Duval Street. 

John and I and Tonka attended in 2012, and ended up falling in with the dachshunds and the dachshund wannabes. After seeing the sights, I vowed that we would come in costume next time around. 



I was planning to sew a costume like this for Tonka. But then I checked on ebay as time grew short--and became the winning bidder on this costume. 





And then I found hats for me and John--a hamburger and a hot dog. Weren't they such good sports about dressing up as lunch meat? We marched from the Courthouse, up Southard Street to Duval, then right on Duval to Appleruth Lane. (Dachshunds have short legs so it was a short route:). 

 There were dogs dressed as lobsters....





 and dogs with their mothers in funny hats...


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 And dogs in disguise






 And dogs in blue tutus just like their owners




And this is my good friend, Officer Steve Torrence, who is also a character in the Key West mysteries. (He's a good sport even though he isn't a fan of this parade:). 
And here is a family portrait
Leading off the parade were three mounted police and a small van with great speakers that played classics like "Who Let the dogs out?" and "Ain't Nothing like a hound dog." A truly amazing way to end 2013...or any year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uaPs8sxqB0


And if you think this is material I can't use, you haven't read the fifth Key West mystery, DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS!


Happy New Year Reds! Hope you're out there doing something silly!  xoxo Lucy

18 comments:

  1. Hope you and Tonka are having a wonderful time in the dachshund parade. [Love seeing those pictures again!]
    The only silliness around here is whatever the grandbabies dream up; our fun this week will include a trip to Popcorn Park Zoo . . . .

    Happy New Year!

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  2. Nothing silly for me this New Year's Eve - starting in a little while I'll be at work all day, and tonight and tomorrow I plan to read, read, read, with breaks here and there to watch DVDs of favorite detective programs! Thanks to JRW authors and to the guest writers hosted here there is plenty of great reading material!

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  3. Delightful post this last morning of the year. I hope you have a blast, and wish you Happy New Year!

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  4. This is just too fun! Thanks for the morning smiles, Lucy.

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  5. thank you all for stopping over this morning! Joan, here's hoping the grandbabies come up with something fun! And Deb, reading and TV sound glorious! Happy new year to you Brenda! And Kaye, wouldn't Harley enjoy this parade??

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  6. I love these pic! I always used to look on people dressing their dogs with a kind of amused indulgence, until this fall, when we adopted Louis, the 11.5 pound Shih Tzu. We've had him for four months, and he already has a leopard print coat (my daughter's choice) a high-tech rain jacket, a hand-knit Peruvian sweater and a Santa costume. By this time in 2015 he'll probably have more clothes than I do.

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  7. Oh, and as for New Year plans - the Smithie and I are both working til 1pm, then the whole family is off to see THE HOBBIT: BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, and we'll top off the evening by playing a board game at home in front of the fire. Close in front of the fire, as it's supposed to be in the teens most of today and very cold tonight.

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  8. HOW completely FUN!! Next year. let's all go!

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  9. I'd go take pictures. I love dachshunds.

    Happy New Year's Eve!

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  10. Yes come on down next year!

    Though Julia's evening sounds delightful too. And I can definitely see a post in the JRW future of Louis modeling all his outfits...

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  11. Lucy, love the parade! That was one of my favorite posts!

    Sorry I missed out on the fun yesterday, Rhys! It was one of those days when I couldn't even manage to get to the computer. But I see we are all on board for the narrowboat drinkers--uh, writers--retreat, so we should start planning!

    Julia, did you tell us you adopted a dog? You are going to tell us how this came about, right?

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  12. So fun to see these pics again after having read about the parade in the book.

    As far as my plans for the day? Nothing silly. Work. Write a review of Into the Woods, which I saw last night. Maybe go see another movie or play ultimate Frisbee (depending on the wind). And work at undecorating my Christmas trees so hopefully I'll have some time to set up and play my new Wii U tomorrow.

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  13. I loved the Dachshund Parade pictures the first time, and I'm delighted to see them here again. Tonka is such a beautiful dog, and in costume, he is just too adorable. Having spent a Christmas in Key West, I know what a fantastically festive atmosphere this time of year is, and maybe one of these days I'll get there for New Year's Eve and this great parade.

    We will have a quiet New Year's Eve here. Taking our thirteen-year-old granddaughter back to her house today and tonight just a quiet supper. And, of course, I'll get some reading time in.

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  14. I love these photos! I think you should have them available to all readers of the book, as Dan Brown did, maybe with maps and photos of landmarks as well. Some year I might come join the fun. <3

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  15. Debs,

    I'm saving the cute-dog posts for when I run out of ways to make fun of my teens.

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  16. New Year' Eve for us is a restaurant around the corner, dining and dancing (!) with friends. Dinner at 9... but will we still be awake for the champagne toast? Odds are not good.

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  17. We're having pizza and IPA while avoiding falling bullets in Tucson. Kendall is under the covers, and She-She is hiding in the closet. Happy New Year!

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