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Journey’s End for Jada

  • November 22, 2016
  • By 50 Shades
  • 10 Comments
Journey’s End for Jada

Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.

It what has been a tumultuous month or so, I finally had to say goodbye to my best friend last week. A tumour that had cropped up on her neck was surgically removed but caused post surgery complications and eventually she succumbed. She was only 12 years and 9 months old but crammed a lot into her short life.

Our girl Jada, was our family pet, growing up with two teenage children and being adored by both of them and their friends. She was the constant in our lives and even accompanied my husband and I on our seven month caravan trip around Australia. I have such wonderful memories of her running free on long stretches of sandy beaches, getting covered in red dirt in The Pilbara, swimming far out into the sea and sitting patiently whilst we stopped for coffee in towns along the way. Jada was the perfect travel companion!

Recent photos of Jada with our new puppy Stella

Recent photos of Jada with our new puppy Stella

She lived a full life with plenty of walks, romps in the surf, stick retrieving, sniffing trees, reclining on the grass, devouring juicy bones and occasional treats, drives in the car and lots of pats and back massages.

In memory of my beautiful girl and our travels around Australia I have prepared a collage of our adventures with her. She had a hell of a time and hope she is looking down on us from doggie heaven and remembering these sweet times.

Running Free on The Beach Somewhere in Australia

Jada running free on beaches at Robe SA, Exmouth WA & Duke of Orleans Bay, Esperance WA

Jada running free on beaches at Robe SA, Exmouth WA & Duke of Orleans Bay, Esperance WA

Jada was an excellent swimmer and she loved to jump through the small waves in the shore break and even sometimes took on some big waves.

Swimming in Waterways Across Australia

Jada swimming at Hearsons Cove, Karratha,

Jada swimming at Coral Bay WA, Port Lincoln SA, Lowlands Beach WA & Eden NSW

Like all dogs she loved exploring new places and sticking her nose into every nook and cranny.

Exploring our Wide Brown Land

Jada exploring her surrounds at Dalmeny NSW, Cosy Corner Beach, Albany WA, Quondong, Cape Leveque WA and

Jada exploring her surrounds at Dalmeny NSW, Cosy Corner Beach, Albany WA, Quondong, Cape Leveque WA and Caves Beach NSW.

Sometimes her expeditions took her into black muddy creeks or she rolled in russet red dirt.

Jada getting dirty in The Pilabara WA & in a creek somewhere in South West Australia

Jada getting dirty in The Pilbara WA & in a creek somewhere in South West Australia

She also enjoyed many long walks and hikes over all sorts of different terrain.

Talking Walks and Hikes Over All Types of Terrain

Jada on one of her many walks at Esperance WA, Monkey Mia WA, Great Ocean Trail, Johanna Vic and

Jada on one of her many walks at Esperance WA, Monkey Mia WA, Great Ocean Trail, Johanna Vic and

We always found it difficult to get Jada to pose for a photo sometimes as she would turn her head the other way.

Striking a Pose

Jada modelling for us at Perry Creek, Wyndham WA, Cleaverville Beach, Karratha WA, Coffin Bay SA and in The Pilbara WA

Jada modelling for us at Perry Creek, Wyndham WA, Cable Beach WA, Coffin Bay SA and in The Pilbara WA

Of course we snapped photos of Jada in strategic locations all over Australia for her Instagram page #JauntingJada.

Jaunting Jada The Celebrity Instagrammer

Jada on location at Elliston coastal cliffs on the Eyre Peninsula SA, on the jetty at Narrung at Lake Alexandrina SA, at the Prison Tree, Derby WA

Jada on location at Elliston coastal cliffs on the Eyre Peninsula SA, at the rocks at Warden Head Lighthouse at Ulladulla NSW on the jetty at Narrung at Lake Alexandrina SA, at the Prison Tree, Derby WA

Jada on The Nullarbor Plain SA, at Hervey Bay Marina Qld, Port Macquarie NSW and on the jetty at Georges Basin NSW

Jada on The Nullarbor Plain SA, at Portland Vic, Port Macquarie NSW and on the jetty at Georges Basin NSW

Jada – Always By Our Side

Jada at Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, Exmouth WA, Great Ocean Road Vic, Margaret River WA and Lake Macquarie NSW

Jada at Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, Exmouth WA, Great Ocean Road Vic, Margaret River WA and Lake Macquarie NSW

At the end of a long exhausting day travelling, swimming, walking and exploring Jada would just slump in a heap at our feet wherever we were. She was a girl that knew how to chillax.

Jada – Relaxing

Jada at Mallacoota Vic, on the beach at Duke of Orleans Bay WA, Hearsons Cove, Karratha WA and Lakes Entrance Vic

Jada at Mallacoota Vic, on the beach at Duke of Orleans Bay WA, Honeymoon Bay, Wyndham WA and Lakes Entrance Vic

She was always friendly and amicable and made friends wherever she went.

Jada Making Friends in New Places

Jada with aboriginal children at Derby WA and with the famous Red Dog at Dampier WA

Jada with aboriginal children at Derby WA and with the famous Red Dog at Dampier WA

Words cannot express the grief and emptiness that I feel every morning when I walk out into our backyard to find her not there anymore. Every time I walk to Burleigh Headland, where she loved to sit and watch the world go by, I feel a pang of sadness. Even though we got a replacement in the form of a new puppy five months ago to keep our old girl company, it is not the same as seeing the beautiful adoring face of our precious old Lab. She was one in a million.

You lived a full and happy life old friend. May you rest in peace forever more.

 

 

 

 

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By 50 Shades, November 22, 2016 Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.
  • 10

50 Shades

Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.

10 Comments
  • All Around Oz
    November 22, 2016

    Oh Kathy…this brought tears to my eyes. I loved seeing all your pics of your gorgeous girl.Wonderful memories to cherish despite missing her so much.

    • Kathy
      November 22, 2016

      It took me weeks to write this post as everytime I started I got too upset. Seeing all the wonderful photos of our beautiful girl was too much, but I am so happy that we took her around Australia with us. She was adored by all and I reckon she had an adventure filled life full of love and pats.

  • budgettraveltalk
    November 22, 2016

    A lump in my throat. A beautiful post.

    • Kathy
      November 22, 2016

      Thanks Jan. I was a bit of a mess for a while after losing our girl. She was a great old girl and I think we were blessed to have her in our lives. She is possibly the best travelled dog in Australia! :)

  • Jo
    November 23, 2016

    Oh Kathy, I’m sitting here with tears pricking my eyes. I’m so sad that you’ve lost your dear friend Jada. You must take solace in the fact that she lived such a full and happy life and she was so well travelled too :) I loved the pics of her enjoying life with you all around Australia – what fun she must have had. I really smiled at the joyous photo of Jada and your husband leaping in the air.

    • Kathy
      November 23, 2016

      Yes there are some fabulous pics here of our old girl. She did live a full life and got plenty of love and affection from her family. It just seemed to me that her life was cut too short because she was absolutely fine health-wise up until 2 months ago. Thanks for your kind thoughts. :)

  • Janet Camilleri
    November 23, 2016

    She was a beautiful dog and clearly much loved, what a wonderful life she had! It is always heart breaking to lose a furry family member x

    • Kathy
      November 23, 2016

      It was extremely heartbreaking Janet. You want them to live forever. She was a good old girl. We loved her to bits. :)

  • Michelle Weaver (@pinkypoinker)
    November 24, 2016

    When I followed your travels around Australia I always looked for the lovely Jada in your photographs. I can’t even imagine the grief you are feeling, Kathy. Dogs are part of the family. At least you know that Jada was loved dearly and enjoyed a wonderful life with you xxx

    • Kathy
      November 24, 2016

      I have hundreds of photos of our travels around Australia with Jada in them because she was almost always with us. It was a hard choice selecting the good ones for this post. I miss her terribly and I don’t think we will ever own another dog like her. However our puppy is pretty cute! :)

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