Thank you! I just ordered it for my niece, my latest Newf convert.
Back in the 50's (and well beyond) my family bred Newfs. My grandfather came here to Massachusetts from Ireland. His two brothers went to Newfoundland. The great summer Newfie exchange happened every June.
My family has always been tied to the ocean, maritime people, fishermen, pilots, masters and engineers. I have 100 ton license, I did sail yacht deliveries off and on for years. My brother designs propellers for supertankers. Newfies fit the lifestyle, eh?
My Uncle John was a Captain of the BT Alaska, a supertanker that ran oil from Valdez, Alaska to Long Beach, CA. The ships mascot was always a Newf named 'Sconset. There were many Sconset's over the years but the first 'Sconset was named for the villiage of Siasconset on the far east coast of Nantucket.
When my uncle was newly commissioned after graduating from Mass. Maritime Academy and piloting the ferry between Hyannis and Nantucket, he took a big unruly puppy with him. The puppy's favorite pass time was chewing on the dock lines. He took real offense if someone touched those lines which made for interesting times tying up a huge ferry. A couple of times when the lines were heaved ashore, big black 'Sconset threw himself overboard trying to retrieve 2 inch thick dock lines from the icy waters of Nantucket Harbor.
I haven't thought about him in years. He was a good dog, he lived to be 14, he's buried under a maple in my Mom's backyard.
