New Blog Format

Hello fellow followers and readers of our blog. A quick moment to introduce a new format for the blog. Partly it needed a refresh but mostly I needed a way to not feel behind on blogging (all of the time). The new format is going to include the following:

• Where we are – current status
• Spotlight on a place we have been
• Tips and Tricks from the road
• Highlight video from our travels

However, this first edition is going to be different. As we suffered the devasting loss of our sweet dog, Josie. This one is dedicated to her beautiful spirit.

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Our Current Status – Where is Shamy?

We are heading to Inverness, FL for two weeks before heading out through the panhandle of Florida to start our slow trek north. Waiting for the weather to warm up of course before returning to Indiana.

We spent a month near Punta Gorda, FL along with our good friend, Fargo. He tagged along for a couple of months to learn the ropes of being on the road.

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In Loving Memory of Josie

Click on any photo for a larger version.

Now for the hard part. Writing about the loss of our sweet baby girl, Josie the Boxer. But it is also something I need to do. On December 26, 2024 we took her to the vet after she was not acting herself. That day we received the worst possible news. She had a highly invasive cancer called hemangiosarcoma and there wasn’t much that could be done. With a mass on both her spleen and liver and blood in her abdominal cavity the vet put it like this, “it’s like a ticking time bomb – without warning it will cause her to suffocate to death”. Needless to say we were completely heartbroken and stunned to learn this devasting news. We took her home that day – because we simply could not make that decision on the spot.

We spent the evening with her, completely in shock at the news we received. But we also knew what we had to do. And that night she let us know it was the right decision. Her breathing was fast and heavy all evening. We took turns laying with her on the couch. Trying our best to enjoy what little time we had left.

The next day was a Friday. We decided to take her back to the vet and do what was best for her. We did not want to take the chance of something happening to her over the weekend. It was so very hard. I cannot even begin to put into words how much it hurt our hearts to make the right decision that is also the hardest thing we have ever done.

On Friday, December 27, 2024, in true Josie fashion she woke up and was in good spirits. Almost back to her usual self, making it even harder. But we had been down this road just a week and half earlier, when she first exhibited signs of something wasn’t right and then she seemed fine only to show signs again. We took her for a short walk, feeding her salmon and chicken along the way. She stole our friend’s chair when we got back to the RV, one of her favorite pastimes – snooze and lose your seat.

We were lucky to have our friend Fargo along who was camping with us for a few months. He took some last pictures for us, a sincere thank you to him.

As we drove to the vet we were both quiet as there was nothing to say. The staff at the vet were very compassionate and caring, we could not have asked for better people. They prepped her and we let her go outside on a blanket on a beautiful sunny day near Punta Gorda, Florida with us both by her side. She passed very peacefully.

Almost two months later and we still find ourselves looking at the couch expecting her to be there. There is so much that reminds us of her as she went everywhere with us. It is so very hard to not have her in our life anymore. But her spirit and memories live inside us and always will.

Josie was a shelter dog. When we found her in March of 2015, she was cowering in her cage, scared and skinny. It was instant love at first sight.

For just shy of a decade we loved that dog with all of our hearts and souls. She brought us such joy. We taught her not all humans are bad. Overtime she came out of her shell and became the best version of herself.

She had many canine friends but her true love was in the human realm. She was quite the social butterfly who didn’t know a stranger. She loved to lean on anyone new she met. Often going from person to person if we met a group of people. She loved this wonderful life and taught us how to live life to the fullest. Because she certainly did.

Our daughter in law said she was a human in a dog’s body and I could not agree more.

We miss her more than words can ever express. But we have so many photos of her and looking through them reminds us of the wonderful life she lived.

Living 6 years on 100 acres in the forest of Indiana where she could roam off leash and chase deer, never coming close to catching one (not sure what she planned to do if she had).

Then close to 4 years on the road with us. She visited 20 states, was sprayed by a skunk, had a porcupine encounter (where she was lucky to escape with 5 or so quills in her face), tasted salt water for the first time in 2021, played in Lake Superior, hiked, loved to kayak with us and much more.

She loved my yoga mat and the hammock.

She loved pizza (and really any food she could get into when we were not watching – leftovers did not stand a chance when left unattended). And she HATED being in the rain. We were once caught in a downpour on one of our hikes, she was not happy!

Dad loved breaking the rules with her.

And so many beautiful sunsets shared.

If you knew Josie, you knew how very special she was. As we have both said we feel like a part of us is missing and I suppose a part of us always will be.

To our sweet baby girl, Josie we love you and always will. You will furever be in our hearts. You left a mark on us and it’s just not the same without you.

There are so many more photos. It took us awhile to compile all of them, turned out to be around 1500 photos plus videos. My next project is putting together a hardcover photo book. The photos and videos are helping us through this loss.

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Words of Wisdom

For those who have pets, hold them tight and never take them for granted. Enjoy them for they make our lives all the better. For those that have lost a pet, my heart goes out to you. It is unlike any other loss we as humans can suffer. There are simply no words.

Live life to the fullest and enjoy all the moments, big and little, especially the little moments.

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Josie Videos

A short video of Josie’s favorite pastime at Lake Monroe in Bloomington, IN.

Josie and her favorite pastime at Whitefish Point in Paradise, MI.

Her other favorite activity, hiking. This one is a short one of her and I hiking at Lake of the Clouds.

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“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Anatole France

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This post is dedicated to Josie, the 10 year old Boxer who brought years of joy and happiness into our lives and to all that she met.