Green Garden Productions: August 2012

For the past 9 years, Skee has been my main man. My noble beast. Our family dog. He has had many names. His full name is Raoul Rapinski. We call him Skee. Or Beezer. Or Skeezer McBeezer.

Our first family photo was taken on my 21st birthday. June 5, 2003. Skee has been part of every event - tiny and insignificant or huge - since that moment. He is the one that showed my brother that dogs aren't scary. He has been by my side for big heart breaks and little ones. He has road tripped back and forth to Colorado many times with mom and dad. He kept mom and dad company when TJ moved to Colorado and I moved to California. He was Nana's Baby Dog and Grandpa kept a box of dog treats by his chair for him. Skee was my sidekick and rock when Dad got sick and I stayed home to run the family company. He was a full-fledged member of our family.

We had to let Skee go this week. Tuesday, August 21, 2012. He became sick several weeks ago, but he did not appear to be in pain. This weekend we were all home with him. I came in from Chicago. TJ and his dog, Frank, were in from Colorado. It was a very special time - Skee's whole family was with him and he seemed to be doing better. TJ and I both left Monday night. Tuesday afternoon he was gone. None of us thought it would be that soon.

I am struggling a bit with this one. And by a bit, I mean a lot. He was such an important part of our family. He was funny and loyal and so gentle. Skee liked ice cream (obviously - he was my dog, after all), buttered popcorn and Panera bread. He loved eating snow and chewing on a little rope that Grandpa made him. He had a mad dash that looked more like a rabbit jump than any dog maneuver I have ever seen. He was black as night so did not photograph well and the humans had to shuffle-walk if the lights were out. He was completely invisible in the dark. He went to work everyday with Mom and would rather be with us, even if it was just running errands in the car, than at home. He lost several of his toes to doggie toe tumors and was still one of the most graceful and silent creatures I have seen. He ignored the new dog - George - until the day he helped him escape from his puppy condo. And he bit Tj's new pup on the nose as a way to solidify their new friendship. He definitely had personality and spunk.

Skee was very good at making crappy moments not quite so crappy. So maybe that's why he only shared 9 years with us; he fit so much love and healing into that time frame that he had no more to share.

So, my brave and noble beast. You have been a gentleman and a scholar. You have made so many hours, days, and years better because of what you were and how you loved us. I am so grateful to have spent this time with you. I miss you very much. We all do.

I love you.