BISCOTTI-OUR SWEET DOG

It is over 3 months since our sweet dog, Biscotti died.  It has taken me this long to sit down and write up my ode to our Biscotti.

I still remember that day in November  2005 when we went to the rescue pound to find the family our first pet.  He was the second puppy brought out and Kate said, "We have to get him, he has a valentine on his forehead."  Sure enough, he had a white heart on the top of his head.  How appropriate!

This next image is one of our first of our newest family member entitled, 'the flying dog'.

The following images are of his first day in Maumelle, AR. I can't believe how young the girls looked!  This would have been 13 1/2 years ago.



Our puppy-Biscotti, like most dogs was very loyal to all family members.  He greeted each and every one of us every day until his last days.  He protected the girls like a sentry with his fierce bark.  No one would get past him.  Maybe that was the part German Shepherd in him. And he was there especially for his Dad waiting to give great hugs when he returned home from work.

Sure, his puppy days were like most.  In Arkansas, he chewed up all 12 bushes in the backyard.  Funny story here.  Mr. Thrifty suggested that I spray the remaining bushes with something that would deter him-castor oil mixture with hot sauce.  I sprayed it on the bushes.  I let him out seeing what he would do.  He licked up that mixture off every bush and felt fine afterwards.

My Mom loved him too.  She was a dog lover.  She would give him scraps from the table.  What can you do?  Nothing.  She too was a family member he adored.

When we moved from Maumelle, AR, Biscotti was Dad's back seat driver.

He loved the walks that Mr. Thrifty would take him on.  If he saw him put on his tennis shoes, he ran for the door.

You couldn't find a cuter face, and he was smart too!

No matter where we were in the house, he lay next to any one who was available.

His kisses were memorable.

And the days when he would hop on the bed to snuggle before bedtime will always be cherished.

And then about 6 Christmases ago, my sister, Aunt Merri sent him a present.  Like most dogs, he devoured his treasure within moments.  But the funny thing was, no matter whose birthday or anniversary or Christmas present he spied from that day on, he thought it belonged to him.  We had to keep them put up high so he wouldn't destroy them.

Christmas was a real challenge.  He must have smelled his dog treats in one of his presents.

Lizzie loved to accessorize Biscotti.  Whether it was a Santa hat or...

wearing glasses....

or wearing socks and glasses.  He was such a good sport!

And then there was Kate's famous 'combover'.

Here is our last family picture taken with our Biscotti.

And...man's best friend!

He didn't beg while we were eating, but he was always there too.

Many days, while the Arsenal would be setting off practice explosives, you would find him huddled between the club chair and the ottoman.  Those noises terrified him. I hated that for him!

Then there was the time that Kate missed him while living in Auburn.  Mom and Biscotti took the 4 hour drive to spend a few days with her. Even Biscotti got a college visit.

In his last months, he was always there to hold a hand,

or just laying there being cute. He did blend in well with the white furniture.

While Mr. Thrifty was painting, he was on guard.

He was loved, so loved.

When the girls got ready for their dances, he would be very interested in their dates as they entered the house.

He was a snuggler.

He would help the girls when they hunted Easter eggs in the back yard.  He would get dog food to find so he wouldn't feel left out.

He loved to go up to the flower bed in the back yard.  So many times, I had to warn him not to get into the bed and trample the flowers.

Biscotti was at every special family event.

He was with me when I would stage the house for my blogs.  This next picture is one of my favorites.

Here he is playing sentry in the back yard waiting for his Dad to come home.

But then as all old dogs do, he became very tired.

And then the time came when he was ready to go.....

I took this picture of him 2 years ago.  He looked so sweet on the bed.

I used the Waterlogue app to create this image for the girls.

Our sweet boy went to rest on May 6, 2019.  Thirteen and a half years and a wonderful companion had completed his task.

We had a beautiful ceremony out back as Kate played Taps while we buried Biscotti in his final resting place-in the flower bed with St. Francis keeping watch.

We will always miss our dear friend and family member but he gave us so many awesome memories.

Rest in Peace Biscotti.  We love you so much!

Epilogue:  A few weeks after we lost Biscotti, my youngest gave me a very special gift for Mother's Day.  It was a beautiful silver sequined pillow.

But when you rub the pillow against the grain, this beautiful image appears.  Biscotti is with us always.