Willie, my golden retriever, died Sept. 7 (2016). Like other dog owners, I talked to him all the time, never truly knowing if he comprehended anything I was saying. Even though he's gone, there are a few more things I want to tell him:

Hey Willie, so what am I supposed to do now? After 13 years of having you by my side, in my Ridgeline, beside our bed, in every family setting I can think of?

I've been a zombie since you died, not knowing what to do with myself. Drove to Cannon Beach to spend my first full day without you. Weird to not have you running around, jumping in the surf, chasing seagulls, wondering when I'd give you a bite of whatever I was eating.