My Labrador was meant to live forever.

Labradors are meant to live forever, aren't they?

Forever being 12 or so years at least.

In the perfect world maybe.

But not in mine.

Letting go of a hound that means the world to you, 

and that has seen you through chaos you never would have expected to face, 

is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make.

It all happened SO quickly.
One week from diagnosis to decision.
My beautiful girl was in pain
and I couldn't allow it to continue.

She was my best friend in a furry coat.
My rambling companion.
My photographic buddy.
An ever-present bum waggling presence in my life.

A legendary hound.

We shared SO many adventures.

So many SUNSETS on the beach

SUNRISES too numerous to count.
This image was the last sunrise we watched together and conveys so much.
The bond we shared goes beyond words.

Rugby balls were always her 'thing'

... unless there happened to be a log on the beach.
Logs took preference even over rugby balls.
Especially if they were humungous logs.

Many were the times I'd walk down the beach 
with her plaintively wailing for my help to pick up a log.
Many were the times others succoumbed to that wail,
and she'd trot gleefully down the beach with an enormous log
 that some random passerby had helped her pick up.

She was special.
And she knew it.

Sam was her best 4-legged friend
He was one of the few hounds 'allowed' to help carry a log.
She would grunt and growl to deter him,
and swing her head from side to side.

It worked with rugby balls
but not with these huge logs.

He'd eventually get a grip
and she'd grudgingly let him help her carry it ashore.

Rambling with her by my side gave me no end of pleasure.
I never minded the wet legs and the wet shoes 
from the shower shakes she shared with me.
They were EPIC.
Water droplets EVERYwhere!

On my days off we'd travel further afield.
She loved our adventures and making new friends.

We'd ramble far and wide, for hours on end.
On beaches and in the waves.

Along waterways and estuaries. 

Through parks and reserves.

As long as there was a water source wherever we rambled, she was a happy hound.

Cow troughs at Churchill Park come to mind.

As do the fountains at the Domain.

Those who've never had a special relationship with a dog 
cannot understand the impact this girl had on my life.

She bought SO much joy.

Not only to me, but to so many others too.

She filled a hole in my life that I didn’t know I had.  

Her passing has left the hugest of voids 
and an ache in my heart that is quite unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

It’s in that ache though that I take solace.  

It reminds me to live life in the moment, as she did.

To find joy in the little things.

To value each experience as it happens.

And to see the beautiful in the ordinary.

This girl taught me so much.

 She helped me climb mountains that I never thought I would conquer. 
She was, and will always be, MY girl.

Dragons CAN be beaten.

 “We have to listen to the child we once were, the child who still exists inside us. 

That child understands magic moments.” 

~ Paulo Coelho

Even in the midst of all the upheaval in my life, magic moments still happen.

It would be remiss of me NOT to take cognisance of them and 

FOOLISH in the extreme NOT to enjoy them.

THIS morning was one of those magical moments.

Heaven on my doorstep.  

Bright sunshine, cobalt blue skies and a nip 

in the early morning air that’s indicative of winter approaching.

I love it.

Cooper  trying to help Sam retrieve the ball

Mornings like this are sublime.

Even the hound feels it.

There’s an enthusiasm in her that is palpable.

Our ramble to the viewsite is done at her pace.

There are pee-mails to read.  

Hounds to greet.

Fur-balls to terrorise.

Sometimes little steps at a slower pace are necessary.

As I breathe in the crispness of the morning air, a sense of calm envelops me.

Paradise DOES exists.  I live in it.

The waves are calling though and the hound’s pace quickens as our descent to the beach begins. 

 She can smell the saltiness in the air.

There are logs in abundance on the sand so the ball’s been left at home.  

The feet-seeking missile arrives and my job begins in earnest.  

Log after log after log is flung into the waves for one or other Labrador to retrieve.

It's not just our hounds entertaining the locals this morning.

Winter hours ensure a larger than usual puddle of hounds on the sand.

Whilst I amuse the hounds Carol responds to calls on her mobile phone.

It’s being more demanding than is it’s usual want.

Humphrey, whoever he is, must have given the wrong number to his doctor.

It’s ok Humphrey. 

You might not know your current state of health but Carol sure does.

Cooper bounces ...

Ah yes, my world is as good as it can be at the moment. 

 I’m learning to dance in the chaos.

... over the waves.

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that Dragons exist, 

but because they tell us that Dragons can be beaten.” 

~ G.K. Chesterton

The "Spa @ 52"

“Some people never go crazy.  What truly horrible lives they must lead.” 

~ Charles Bukowski

Crazy makes life MAGICAL and adds mayhem to the mundane.

Naughty Zinny chasing the seagulls!

Far too much yummy wine.

Glorious sunshine.

Scrumptious food.

Zany company.

Logs for Africa

Our absolutely DELICIOUS lunch!

... and let’s not forget the spa with a view.

Some moments are just necessary.

The logs for Africa might be an exaggeration but the rest certainly weren’t.

Our soak in the spa was well deserved after packing away Em’s logs for the winter.

Even the hound helped, though not with the same enthusiasm and intent as us.

She wanted to KEEP the logs, we wanted to STACK them.

A conflict of interest best solved by giving her one of her own.

It’s not often I drink copious amounts of wine, but I did on Sunday.

The occasional foray into a state of inebriation definitely has it’s downside the next day though.

It WASN’T our neighbour’s jack hammer that made my head ache in the morning.

I could of course blame it on the Spa.  

It’s dehydrating and head-ache inducing.

If I were to do that though, I might NOT 

be invited back to partake in this indolent luxury again.

Sorry Ems but this HAD to be included ... there aren't many spas with a view like yours!

Yeah right.  

The owner of the “Spa @ 52"  has a soft spot for the hound  so repeat invitations are a given.

Said hound was the only one NOT happy about “The Spa @ 52"

but only because she COULDN’T join in.

Hounds and Spa pools are NOT a good mix.

Don't you love the socks on the line ... all with their own bunny ear pegs!

From lucrative markets on Saturday 

... and no, I didn’t get the pun that was left on my FB post about the NEW market in Newmarket.  Blame it on the BLONDE or the busyness of the moment.

Tamaki River with Panmure Bridge in the background

to scintillating games of rugby on Sunday, this weekend has been full on with fun and fabulousness. 

Black Shag in motion .. 

I think he wanted to join the hound.

“Perhaps strength doesn’t reside in never having been broken, 

but in the courage to grow strong in the broken places.” 

~ unknown

Yep, she enjoys her very OWN ice cream .... from Macdonalds!!

Love the sunsets over the river!