God was guiding me as I went online to choose a place for our family to stay while househunting in Albuquerque back in April of 2007. Having recently been chosen to open and manage a sevice center in ABQ for my employer, I wanted my wife and kids to experience some local color on our trip rather than stay in a chain hotel. My wife Laura and I had been to many different B&Bs up and down the East Coast in the BK years (Before Kids), so I went looking for a B&B in ABQ. There was one big challenge: My daughter Hannah (10 years old at that time) loved to swim in hotel pools, so my B&B had to have an indoor pool, a rare occurence indeed. I went to Google, and viola! Casita Chamisa came up, complete with a gorgeous picture of an indoor pool. I phoned and spoke with Arnold. It was a 20 minute conversation and when I hung up I figured that I had just made either the best or worst decision to begin our new life. We landed and drove to Casita Chamisa. My wife and kids all had a look that said where the heck did you bring us to. we went up the walk and knocked on the door. Arnold answered the door, and as he opened it one of the cats ran out and rubbed Hannah's legs. Hannah loves cats, and I think before I even said hello to Arnold I looked at my family and said:"You don't get that at the Holiday Inn". Needless to say we took to Arnold (and Tilly, Frankie, Christopher, and Tigger) immediately. The next day Arnold and I sealed our friendship after we returned from a loooong day of looking at houses with two prepubescent children. As we returned in the early evening Laura said "We're getting our bathing suits on and going in the pool". I said" Ok, I'm going to talk with Arnold for a few minutes, I'll catch up with you". Arnold asked me how the day had gone. I said we must have looked at 20 houses and we were all a little stressed. He looked up at me and said: "Have you ever had an Old Fashioned?" I said "No". He said "Would you like one?". I said:"Oh Yeah". Two Old Fashioneds later we were friends for life. We've stayed many times again even though we live here now, and Arnold has become a big hit at our annual Christmas Party. I can't put into words what his friendship has meant to us. We loved him and we miss him terribly. I can only imagine that Heaven is an even better place now. God Bless you Arnold!