Carlz Boats: Tannerz Boats

TANNER

2002-2015

For anyone who has been following my blog over the last three years, you may have noticed my four-legged friend and family golden retriever, Tanner, situated somewhere in my boat snaps. What can I say, he was very photogenic and seemed to do any pose to please me or anyone around him. It saddens me to say though that two weeks ago today our family dog and my "Best Friend Forever" Tanner passed away. Ironically 13 years earlier, also on Thanksgiving weekend, we met our puppy for the first time. In our 41 years of marriage, we have had three other dogs who were all great family friends, but Tanner was unbelievable, always wanting to run and play, Play, PLAY. Regardless of what time I got in from work, Tanner would be there at door or he'd immediately emerge from his bed with sometimes two tennis balls in his mouth and ready to play fetch in the backyard. He sure kept me young.

Look at me, I'm a duck!!
(http://carlzboats.blogspot.ca/2014/03/navigation-aids-vessel-ccgs-tracy.html)

Tanner probably enjoyed going for a ride in the car as much as any dog and even when the final destination ended up along a Seaway bank or at Iroquois Lock, he'd patiently look out the car window or lay down along the shoreline or fence and wait for however long it took for me to take take my boat snaps, for his turn to get some attention and play fetch.
As expected for anyone who has lost a next of kin, sibling or an friend, being enthusiastic or simply "yourself" has been difficult these last two weeks. In fact it's been a lot like the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic tune, "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me". You know what I mean eh?

Last weekend I was watching the Disney animated flick "Big Hero 6" with my grandson José, and in the movie the plus-sized inflatable robot "Baymax" says to his prodigy "Hiro" who had lost is brother in a fire, that "someone is not gone as long as you have memories of him". Sorry, after I heard that I couldn't help but tear-up, but when you think of it, what a beautiful way for someone to help cope with the death of a loved one, especially if that lost family member or friend you're grieving, is just a dog. With all the fond memories and photos of him, we know Tanner will never be GONE.

We already know that it is different when we're down to river or seaway to snap boats, but we know Tanner is there with us, maybe not in clear view as he was these former Carlz Boats posts, but he'll be there. c):-)