IN RECOGNITION OF A YEAR...A TUMULTOUS YEAR!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...



Despite 2010 being a tumultuous year with some seriously "highs" and "lows", it has most definitely been a year of

 ‘LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX’.

The title of this blog has proved apt!

Please allow me to take a few minutes to reflect on this past, difficult year:

As 2010 dawned, it flagged new, desperate hope...

 You will recall that in the latter part of 2009, my beautiful "Maxdog" had survived a successful surgery to remove his dreaded “Mast Cell Tumour”.

The trauma of my mother’s  passing as well as Maxdog’s surgery had left me with a certainty that things could only get better. 

 I looked forward to what 2010 had to offer and celebrated this with some extraordinary activity:

abseiling and bridge swinging. 

I was determined to welcome in the new year with gusto...

However, on the 7th February, we received the dreaded news that Maxdog’s cancer had returned in the form of an aggressive liver tumour. At the time he was given only THREE days to live! I crumbled into a time of disbelief, terror and grief.

Thankfully the ‘hope’ with which I’d entered the new year took over and I resolved to seize each blessed day and to ‘Live each day to the Max!’ My logic told me that nothing was ever certain and that no matter what the Vets predicted, our lives were nevertheless in the arms of a higher power. Nothing is ever certain!

I resolved to spend my last moments with Max by writing his book and I embraced a new commitment towards this end. As Max deteriorated in front of me, my determination to complete his book before his passing escalated. He’d lie peacefully by my side as I spent hours on my laptop reliving all the various aspects of his life. It was a surreal time!

(The "Maxterpiece" by Kathleen Coy)

My blogging friends around the world were marvellous in their faithful, tenacious and unrestrained efforts to keep me positive during that heart wrenching time. They blessed me with endless comments and amazing blogposts in tribute to Max. (Including the Valentine’s Day special on the 14th February of “Max’s World Tour” where 42 bloggers colluded to uplift me with their wonderful posts of Max in their various homes and countries.)

Without you, my special blogging friends, I would most probably wrapped myself up in morbidity!

 Thank you so, so much!

Maxdog proved to be a tenacious fighter and went on to live another 107 “Days of Grace” – pain free and contented before we finally acquiesced and helped him across the Rainbow Bridge on the 24th May 2010. During my mourning, I continued writing...his book was nearly complete.

Exactly 2 months  after Max’s passing - on the 24th July 2010 - a sprinkling of Maxodg arrived in the world.

 A litter of pups was born in the same line as Maxdog and I was on the list to receive one. Zena and Alan – Max’s breeders at

RUFFITWOOD GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

 – allowed me pick of the litter...something for which I am eternally grateful. Within the first 24 hours, I had identified my new pup –

TOBY (“RUFFITWOOD: “Out of Africa”).

Thanks to Zena and Alan’s gracious nature, I had access to Toby from day one. I was able to watch his progress (and blog about it) during our seven long weeks of waiting.

During that time, Toby ignited something in my dark despair and turned it into new hope. By the time Toby arrived on my doorstep – in early September – “MAXDOG” the book was complete! I was able to turn my attention towards my new life with Toby in our midst.

Toby’s arrival necessitated the formation of this new blog –

“LIVING LIFE TOTHE MAX”

and I converted ‘THE ADVENTURES OF MAXDOG’ into a legacy for our Angel Max.

 It was the right move, so if anyone wanted to ‘spend time with Max’, his blog would always be available...

HERE.

Toby has grown in leaps and bounds during his short 5 months.

He has forced me to ‘LIVE LIFE TO THE MAX’ with his endless energy and beautiful temperament. Together we have attended his six weeks at puppy school, where he has learned a number of obedience commands and tricks. He will resume his formal obedience training in the new year and will try out the breed show ring too.

 He has become an integrated member and loved companion in our home. Our faithful “Aunt Tam” took up the motherly reigns and placed Toby firmly under her paw too.

She’s taught him well – lovingly and with great doggie discipline. She has nurtured him with care, protection and pride.

King Toffee too rose to the occasion, by proving himself to be very amiable and not blinking an eyelid at the new addition.

Despite a few growls here and there, he’s accepted Toby’s presence quite comfortably and ‘almost’ ventured to play with him.

2010 has ended on a very high note for us all with one of my daughters – Miss “R” – finally being accepted into the esteemed Veterinary facility, ‘Onderstepoort’. She has always wanted to be a Vet and her two years of exceptionally hard work at tertiary level have finally paid off. Congratulations Miss “R”!

Although I’m under strict instructions to keep my other daughter’s achievements private, I still have to say that she too has excelled in her endeavours and I am also exceptionally proud of her! Both my daughters are on serious academic paths towards medical speciality...

To my husband:

Thank you for the opportunity for us to share our life’s journey with each other. Thank you for your tremendous support during this difficult year.

Thank you for your faithfulness, your patience and your love for your whole family

(humans and animals)!

You are an amazing father and I love you!

To my daughters:

 I am so, so proud of you both!

You have both made motherhood an immense privilege and pleasure for me. It has been such a blessing to have been able to watch you blossom, grow and emerge into such exceptional women. I wish you all that you hope for in fulfilling your ambitions and talents.

To my overseas family:

 I miss you immensely! Although you are living across the world, you are never far from my thoughts.

To my dogs:

Thank you for being my wonderful companions. Thank you for being my cheerleaders on my life’s path. It is a privilege too to have you etched so intimately into my life.

To my South African friends and my International blogging friends:

Thank you for being my incredible support group!

Thank you for sharing your lives with me and for uplifting and strengthening me at the occasional unbearable moments. We have so much more in common besides our dogs and our blogs! And for that I am truly grateful!

I would like to take this moment to wish you all a truly

"PAWSOME NEW YEAR!"

I hope 2011 is filled with happiness, joy, love, companionship, health and spiritual fulfillment. I hope too, that I will be able to uplift you, in my own blog posts, the same way in which you continue to lift me up.

I love you all!

So...

I lift my glass of “Amarula on Ice”, look across the vast African landscape and make my toast...

“Cheers to 2011!

Cheers to my family, my friends, my blogging buddies and my animals companions!

My best wishes for a wonderful New Year”

With love