Life's ups and downs

Just when all is going well in life, perhaps too well, all of a sudden reality kicks in and you can suddenly, tragically and unexpectedly be blindsided.

After the delivery of the boat to Montenegro, I arranged for her to be lifted and anti-fouled.

This all went without a hitch and the following Saturday NS was sporting a brand new painted bottom.

On the way to the boatyard to launch the boat, our little dog Schoona was hit and killed by a driver coming around a blind corner so fast that he could not stop before he ran over her with both the front and back wheels of the car. Yes, on a blind corner! Thank god it was not a child on the road as the same fate would have happened. He then preceded to shake his fist at me as he drove on past without stopping.

Schoona was like our first child. We saved her from the streets as a flea ridden puppy and nursed her back to health from the puppy killing disease parvo. She should have been with us for many more than the five short years we had her.

We had planned on going out on the boat that Sunday. Although none of us really felt up to it, it was better than hanging around a home that now seemed so empty.

The day was very nice, but knowing how much Schoona loved being on our sail boat, and that she had only spent an hour or so on NS, the day was overshadowed with thoughts of her, so we headed back the the marina early.

Knowing that we did not want to be without a dog, we decided to look at the local dog shelter for a new rescue dog to give a new home and lease on life.
We didn't find any suitable dogs locally, so we took a drive up to Dubrovnik dog shelter where we found a new dog 'Rosie'. Or more like she found us as the photo shows.

Schoona will never be forgotten and the pain is still very fresh for us all, but Rosie is a lovely dog and deserves a better life than that of living with 400 other dogs in an overcrowded shelter.

RIP Schoona, our amazing little boat dog. We miss you.

And Welcome Rosie.