You know….it’s hard to type when you’re crying. If you’ve tried it, you know.

It’s been said that writing about the loss of a pet is somehow cathartic, healing, a way to move on….etc. I’m not sure who opined those thoughts, but for me, none of them apply….at least not yet. Perhaps in a few months…or more likely, a few years, this well- intentioned advice may prove to be correct. Today, however, I’m writing this simply as an homage to Tuck. He deserves this and so much more. And….I feel there is more to tell about this wonderful and amazing dog who changed our lives…and touched the lives of so many others.

Looking back on the very first day we went to see the litter of puppies (then only six weeks old) at Grand Quest Labs in Indiantown, FL, Tuck saw me and Claudia and ran over to the fence to greet us. And that, as they say, was that. Little did we know at the time how that sweet little face staring at us would change our lives forever. From that fateful , wonderful day in June 2012 to last Monday, January 17th, 2022, he devoted his life to us and we to him. As I’ve written to so many others going through this awful time, he was blessed to have us in his life and we, in turn, were blessed to have had him in ours.

As Claudia and I cried, hugged, drank too much wine and reminisced today at the beach, we took some joy in remembering that we hugged him daily (he loved hugs) and told him we loved him each and every day. And we will continue to love him for the rest of our lives.

And so, our journey with Tuck ends here. We have not yet decided on when, or where, our next journey will begin…only that we know that we’re not done traveling yet. So even though Tuck will not be with us riding in the back seat of our our faithful RAM, he will most certainly be there in spirit….and Tuck’s Travels will live on in his memory. Stay tuned and thanks for reading. If you have a dog…go give him or her a big hug and cherish every day with them as the gift it is.

Rest in peace buddy. We love you forever!

Wayne & Claudia