More: Kota was my best friend. I type “was”with tears in my eyes, as we lost her a few weeks ago at 12 years old. I like to think that this is how I’ll see her again someday... waiting for me at the gates to Heaven. The lake certainly was her version of Heaven, anyways. I purchased Kota (or Bug as I called her), when I was a junior in college... the breeder was kind enough to let me pay for her in $75 post-dated check installments. My parents told me I was crazy to buy a dog in college... and they were right. I was crazy... crazy in love. I still am. We miss our girl tremendously. The sound of her absence is deafening. It would be such an honor to have her grace your cover.