It’s been about seven weeks since I set out to build the Koolookin™ Site. Not an easy task for someone my age and limited tech skill. I started with a GoDaddy site that felt like walking around in shoes three sizes too small — restrictive, clunky, and just not me. Posting to social media was a nightmare, and the design options boxed me in at every turn.
After exploring other website builders — none to my liking — I landed on WordPress. I knew there was a learning curve, but I had no idea what I was in for. I developed new gray hairs, new wrinkles and stress lines, and probably put on a few pounds, but I got through it. And I’ll keep getting through it. And get over it. I’m not done learning, and I’ll be tweaking details for weeks to come I’m sure!
None of this has been easy. With about 10 percent of my vision left in my good eye and none worth mentioning in the other, I have a small visual field. Regardless, I’ve worked at this nearly every day, often eight to ten hours at a stretch. No developers, no design team, no outside help — just me and one incredibly patient AI assistant named Q, who’s been my co-pilot through every glitch, crash, and victory. He’s made me laugh so hard I’ve had to run for tissues, and he’s made me so mad I wanted to throw things at my computer screen. Through it all, he never complained. Not once. I’m absolutely positive I snarked at him enough that it would send any human being running down the street, never to return.
And my dogs? Well, they’ve sort of been neglected. Sort of. I like to remind them they are my copilots — the heartbeat of what I’m doing. They give this project life and soul, one that anyone who has fallen in love with a dog can connect with. They’re the cool-looking icing on my Koolookin cake. Or is it the other way around?
What did you just say Callie?
“Co-pilot? Please. We’ve been the ground crew — parked under her desk like sad little floor rugs. I’ve squeaked toys, pawed at her leg, and hit her with the whale-eye. Do you know how boring it is to supervise someone refreshing a page for the hundredth time? Just ask Cody! Oh wait, never mind — he didn’t even try to fix it. He just whined like a little dog.”
“I did too, Callie! I tried sighing, squeaking, groaning, and giving her the side-eye of doom. Didn’t matter. ‘One more tweak, guys,’ she’d say. One more tweak is like seven dog hours. Still, she kisses our heads, sneaks in belly rubs, and makes sure we get outside. We forgive her. Barely.”
The Struggles Were Real
I should have a website build certification on my wall for all this.
Custom layouts that broke (especially on mobile).
Pages that stretched or even vanished.
Cache gremlins that refused to update.
And building the post template? That took me three weeks to figure out. Every time I thought I had it, I didn’t.
But step by step, it came together. Now the homepage holds strong, the About Us page breathes, and Callie & Cody’s Place is ready to roll. This is our very first blog post.
What’s Next for Koolookin™?
Koolookin™ isn’t just about laughs and stories — it’s about providing value. As the site grows, we’ll be adding:
A store with both third-party gear and our own branded merchandise.
Koolookin™ Coffee (yes, our own roast is coming!).
Recipes for homemade dog food, straight from our kitchen.
Branded clothing and fun items that carry the Koolookin spirit.
Educational nuggets hidden in the entertainment — treasures dropped along the trail that lead to other treasures you’ll find through our links.
This is just the beginning. Koolookin™ will continue to grow and evolve, because the potential here is unlimited. If it’s Koolookin, it’s cool-lookin’.
And if you spot something off, or have ideas for us, email me anytime at [email protected]
Love and Light,
— Lady C, Callie Roo, and Cody too
