Happy Birthday Biskie ...

I wasn't sure how this day would hit me and to be honest, it snuck up on me at the end. I awoke today as I do any other day, planning what's to come, thinking about specific items I need to handle and just reflecting on life in general, certainly happy to see another day. And then it hit me...

Today is May 11 and my baby girl Biskit Koelsch would have been 8 years old today. I find it hard to fathom that it's been over 7 months since she left me so unexpectedly in early November of last year.

That won't change the years we had together though and I thank God that I was so blessed to have had such a wonderful dog to call my own. But Biskit wasn't just a dog as anyone that ever met her knew oh so well and I am so very thankful for that.

I could write novels about how much I miss her and how much she changed my life and you all know that well. But Biskit would want me to keep on living and I promised her I would and would do so in a much more healthy manner (more big news there this week!).

So there will be no special strip steak or dog ice cream today for my sweet girl but there will be fond memories in my heart and the best thing about that is I get to cherish and have those memories each and every day and what more could I ask for?

Happy birthday Biskit, I love you lots and thank you for being such a positive influence in my life (and a good dogiss!).

-Daddy

p.s. I wrote a tribute to Biskit when she passed away that I'd love you to read, if you already haven't or would just like to see again. You can find it here:

An Open Letter to My Sweet Baby Girl

We have furniture in Chicago

This week is absolutely flying by as I try and get settled here in the Windy City. I was able to get a good deal on a sofa and chair from a local furniture store and have it delivered on the same day. Beats the shit out of the fold-up chairs I was using as I gave my previous couch and love seat to my good friend Rebecca. Biskit is already liking them both and as you can see, she can look out the window to see when I'm arriving. She is growing more and more accustomed to Chicago each day. I love my neighborhood and went on a pub crawl last night and hit three different locales. Each has a different flavor but a common theme: neighborhood bars that cater to the locals. Two offered a free drink which I gladly accepted, not that doing so should surprise anyone but why the hell not? The next fun will be going to the DMV when my paperwork from the bank arrives. I'm sure I should practice up on my Spanish if past DMV visits tell me anything. Looking forward to watching the Pens play the Caps tonight. Hope they can take down Ovechkin. A superstar player no doubt but also a world-class cheap shot artist. Until next time...