The Two Janes

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Speakers Corner

The Two Janes

Tuesday, 02 October 2007 15:00

I rather doubt that there have been too many dogs named after mother in laws (mothers in law?) or indeed that my mother in law would appreciate my naming my Labrador bitch after her. The truth of the matter is that I hold both my sadly departed ma in law and my dog in great affection as each in their own way have given me much joy.

Jane-E is the name of the second love of my life, my yellow lab of nigh 10 years. She was so named in honour of my mother in law, Jane Elizabeth Moore, who passed away in 1993 at the ripe old age of 99 years. I acquired Jane-E in 1998 as a puppy a few months after my previous lab, Berkeley, had died at the tender age of 18 months, having eaten a piece of carrion which was contaminated with a particularly virulent strain of e coli. By naming my new dog after my mother in law I am hoping that she will enjoy an equally long life.
    Had Jane Elizabeth lived for a few more months she would have received a telegram from Queen Elizabeth II, the greeting afforded those of Her Majesty’s subjects who achieve their century. Even if Jane-E reaches, in doggy years, this age she will not be so honoured.
    Jane Elizabeth suffered a life threatening illness at the age of 80 years at which time my wife and I were living in Connecticut. Her doctors forecast that she probably only had at best a couple of years to live and so we decided that as we were unable to return to England to live and take care of her we would bring her to this country to see out her days. Being the adaptable lady she was she readily agreed to this dramatic move and then astounded the medical profession by living for almost another 20 years.
    Jane-E also suffered a life threatening accident. One of her passions used to be chasing a ball. One morning whilst she was so engaged she slipped and damaged her spine. She was paralysed and her vet feared the worst but she, like Jane Elizabeth, confounded her medic and save for a permanent limp she made a remarkable recovery. We were living in England at this time but shortly thereafter decided to return to The USA. I was fearful that transporting her to this country could be too much of a strain for her but being the trouper she is she accepted with some reluctance the indignity of being confined to a crate for some twelve hours and with the good care of British Airways survived her trans Atlantic flight in fine fettle.
    They say that dogs have a sixth sense. Certainly Jane –E seems to know when it’s time for her meals and also senses when one of the family is approaching the house after being away. Jane Elizabeth, despite being virtually blind in later life, had a sixth sense when it came to knowing the time for her evening cocktail. I will always remember one particular evening when she joined me for our nightly noggin. She asked me what I was having. At the time I was a gin martini man and to my surprise she decided to join me. I duly made her quite a strong brew which she consumed with great relish albeit commenting that it was different from those she was used to in England. She accepted my offer for the second half, believing as I do that one cannot fly on one wing. As I was helping her wind her way back to her apartment, the gin had had quite an effect, I realised that a martini in England was just plain vermouth and therefore not nearly as strong. It took me quite a while to convince her that I had not intentionally got her inebriated.
    Jane –E is no different from most labs in loving the water. Jane Elizabeth also had a fondness for the water and was convinced that she would end her days overlooking the water. She had never lived near a lake or river, let alone the sea, but as fate would have it when we eventually returned to England to live in 1991 we had to put Jane Elizabeth in a nursing home. As chance would have it, it was right on the Kent coast overlooking the English Channel. It was there, as she predicted, that she died.
    I count myself extremely lucky to have had such a marvellous mother in law and I miss her sense of humour and stories of days gone by very much. I am reminded of her daily when I am with my dog. She has two virtues that even Jane Elizabeth didn’t have. She obeys my every command and is a great golf ball finder. Mothers in law must have some failings!!

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