Last time we needed to buy a new chair for the house, the husband and I had a huge debate. He wanted a recliner. I thought recliners were so “old” and unfashionable. But I pick my battles, and caved for him. We came home with a recliner.

After we inherited Pedro, our min-pin/mixed-with-eight-breeds dog, I discovered how much I loved having a “velcro dog” — one who snuggled up to me any chance he got. Pedro and I started hanging out in the recliner and when we could, we napped together there. Pedro loves nothing more than napping with me in that chair.

That recliner suffered a fatal injury this weekend. No amount of duck tape can fix it, try as we might. At first I thought I now had a chance to shop for a more fashionable chair, but when thinking of Pedro, I knew I had to get another recliner.

So here I am, an older person with a knee that gives me problems and a dog always by my side, getting another recliner. I have officially become Martin Crane, the father of Fraiser and Niles Crane in “Fraiser.”

It’s Just a Chair – Martin Crane

But that’s not so bad. He was a good human being, who loved his little dog Eddie and all the people in his life. The actor who played him, John Mahoney, died earlier this month. Here’s to you, Mr. Mahoney. You have inspired me to be a content person with a recliner and a little dog by my side through the character you created. RIP.