Farewell, Manu

 

Last Thursday afternoon, our lovely little Jack Russell dog was put to sleep. 

He was 16 years old, and up until a few months ago, he was the gentle, well-behaved, 

happy little chap he had always been.   

We got him when he was 6 weeks old. He was the runt of the litter, 

the last pup left -  when I sat down on the floor he just climbed

 into my lap, and that was that.

 

He loved his walks, and the beach, and our cats.

Over the last year it became clear that Manu was losing his hearing, and his eyesight.  He was still keen to go for a walk every day, and would wait at the door for me to be ready.  However he would run out of steam after a short time, our walks got shorter and shorter, and he would sleep a great deal during the day.

The time came for his annual check-up, and I knew that this would be the last one.

Our lovely vet found several issues; his heart was beating at twice the normal

rate,missing a beat every now and then, he had a smell which she thought was 

probably to do with liver function, and she could feel a mass in his stomach.

 

We came home, and after a long discussion the decision was made. I would 

take him back on Thursday,and he would go gently to sleep.  

Farewell, little mate.

Winter, Day 7

I have finally made the effort to use the new method of setting up a post. 

I much prefer the previous system, but I suppose I will get used to it - not much choice, really.

 

 

  Waihi Beach on a wintry sort of day.  Mayor Island (Tuhua) in the background.

 

 

Same beach, different day. Manu enjoying the water.

 

 

 

Rainbow behind our house

 

 

Sunrise, with moon.

Sammy

Early signs of spring...?

Our 3-year-old magnolia is covered with blooms this year.

Sadly we have had several storms recently 

which have left it rather battered.

At least Manu is enjoying the sunshine, after a long walk at the beach:

Daily Photo #9

Scenes from today's walk along the estuary:

Manu at Athenree


 

Winter days

Today is the 1st of July, so that's one month of winter gone; two more to go (sigh).

Friday was a beautiful day - a light frost in the morning, followed by 

clear blue skies, and virtually no wind. 

Manu and I decided we had to go to the beach:

Summer Walks

 Yesterday was a very hot day, so  the same track as my previous post was a good choice. Manu loves that walk, because he can be off the lead, and there are lots of trees, making it possible to stay out of the sun most of the time.

 

 

 

 

Wheels and Tyres

Puff puff - I'm late for TP again, but I couldn't resist posting this pic:

When we first got Manu, he was so little he could fit on my son's hand!

Here he is, sitting in a neighbour's tractor tyre.

Other Thematic Photographic postings for this theme are here.

Taking a Walk

Thematic Photographic 403

This post is a bit late, but I've been waiting through
three days of heavy rain for a chance to "take" a walk
 - or as we say in this part of the world, to go for a walk.

If I wait any longer I'll miss out on this theme 

completely, so here are some walking photos, 

mostly of family, from my archives. 

For other posts on this theme, go to Carmi's blog here.

First, one of my favourite shots of our son, taken in Bolivia. 

Sadly, I wasn't there to take it!

Here, he was briefly back home in New Zealand:

Our daughter and her husband, walking into their future 

after their beach wedding in Rarotonga. 

Can't believe it was 10 years ago!

Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from 
generation to generation. ~ Lois Wyse

Stepping out:

Maybe Grandad knows the way...

And of course, a walk's never a proper walk 

without Manu along!

I look my best when I'm totally free, on holiday, 

and I'm walking on the beach. ~ Rosamund Pike

Sometimes, life is just annoying...

Manu has a habit of wrapping himself in his blanket, and occasionally has trouble unwrapping himself - not being equipped with opposable thumbs, you understand.

Yesterday he excelled all previous wraps.

He had made or enlarged a small hole, and put his head through it, as one does.  When I came in from the garden he was sitting more or less patiently on the step, waiting to be extricated.

Have a happy Monday!

Spring, really.

Monday morning. 

Clear, calm, sunny, beautiful. 

The kind of spring morning I have been bemoaning the lack of (see here).

Manu and I decided to check out the shore of the estuary

The tide was right out

 

On the way home we stopped at the strawberry place, 

and got a box of sweet, luscious berries, freshly picked an hour before.

Thematic Photographic 325 (plus royalty)

Carmi Levy, at Written.Inc, has suggested Rubbery as this week's theme for TP 325

I live near the town which boasts this country's only open-cast mine, so I went to visit two of the giant decommissioned mine vehicles which are on display near the pit.

Both the dump truck and digger have enormous amounts of rubber in their tyres!

When I got home found that two monarchs had emerged from their
chrysalises (there are about 30 still to hatch).

One was under the window-ledge:

And one in a lavender plant:

The first one gradually dried out -

then crawled down into the sunshine -

onto the grass -

and eventually flew away. 

Meanwhile, this bumblebee was enjoying the marigolds:

Manu wasn't terribly excited about the whole business -

Look Straight Down - TP 305

I hardly ever look down to take photos, it seems - at least that's what I discovered 

when I went looking for something to post for this theme.

Here's a baby Manu at about 6 weeks, with a bit of grass stuck in his collar. 

When we got him he was so small that he would fit in my son's hand (it's quite a big hand, admittedly).

Here he is with his friend D'Arcy the Golden Lab, who was trying to pick Manu up in his mouth:

And this is my grandaughter at 18 months - I'm looking down at her looking down...

 

Thematic Photographic 305 is over here, at Carmi's

Naturally dirty ... TP 266

At certain times of the year we get sea lettuce growing in our local estuary - it can get 

really bad, making things unpleasant for windsurfers and yachties.

It washes up onto the foreshore, leaving a thick carpet of green when it is at its worst. When there are piles of it on the sand, decomposing in the sun, it smells horrible because of its high sulphur content.

There wasn't a great deal around when I took these photos.

Of course, Manu has to check it out.

See more at Written Inc