My furfamily, Bear

Bear: In the apartments where I lived when my daughter Jackie was small, there was this sweet gray kitty, he seemed young, maybe 6 months to a year old. He met me at my door every day, I’d leave a bowl out for him.

My landlord tried to discourage me from feeding him as "he will never leave".

He was a talker, the kitty, not the landlord. He’d walk with me to the laundry room and talk the whole way, he’d walk with me to the mailboxes telling me his story. I suspect someone moved out and left him.

One day I opened the front door and he raced in between my feet and never left. I called him Smokey. He was gray and I wasn’t real good at coming up with names.

Smokey morphed in to Smokey Bear because he was such a lover, a teddy bear, then he just became Bear. He was the sweetest boy. He was mama’s kitty. He talked for years, then he just stopped. I suppose he ran out of story to tell me. He was always near me or on me.

When we lived in a house, he would wander off, never far, I’d call and within a couple of minutes he was home. He was getting tubbier and tubbier until one day he jumped off of the hood of my Honda with an audible “oof” and I decided to put a collar on him, sure he was being fed somewhere else too. After the collar went on, he started hanging out at home more and lost weight.

My Bear always slept on my shoulder at night, I’d roll over and he’d climb right back on or roll me like a log. He was my love, my light for 20 years. We lost our precious Bear to kidney failure. I still feel him come sleep on my shoulder and Oscar, who sleeps on my hip will scoot down and make room when I feel Bear come visit me.

My furfamily, Tony

Tony, my sweet big boy. He got so tubby, what a handsome big boy he was.

Both he and Cleo were Tuxedo kitties. He more white than her.

Tony was aloof, he didn’t sleep with me often or sit on my lap often, but when he did it was very special.

He was very protective over his family though. He and Cleo both would stand up and put their front paws on the edge of the bassinett when both girls were little and check on the baby. If the baby was stirring and I wasn’t in the room, he’d come get me and tell me “she’s up”.

One day, my sweet guy plopped himself down on the window sill, the window was open and the screen popped out. We were on the second floor. Scared me to bits. He landed on his feet, still as could be. I was so worried, but he was ok.

Another time a babysitter let him out. Tony and Cleo were apartment kitties, they didn’t go outside. Oh my goodness, I was devastated. He was gone for days. We looked and walked everywhere, calling, blocks around. Couldn’t find him. It was summer, I’d leave the front door opne during the day in case he came home. Cleo wouldn’t leave the apartment but for once she heard a “mow” that might be Tony and she ran out, down the stairs, around the corner and got scared. There was no Tony, but I was right behind her so she was safely back in her apartment quickly. I slept with the window open on the sofa and one night, late, I heard his familiar “mow”. I went tearing outside and there he was on the wrong stairwell calling to me. He was smelly and sticky and messy and sore and ever so glad to be home. I have no idea where he’d been or what happened to him, but he never strayed far again.

Poor baby had bladder crystals, I had no idea that was even possible then. I’d seen him in the boxes a lot, but didn’t realize he wasn’t going. Then one Saturday afternoon he flopped down in front of me and I realized he looked bigger than he should and his white fur was yellow, like urine. Off to the ER he went, me with no money, but $1200 or so later, he was home and fine. I’m so thankful he was healed and I got so many more years with him.

He got so old, blind and skinny, but one day he heard his girl crying out front, she’d fallen off of her bike and he, Tony, blind as a bat, made his way out front to check on her. He lived a long happy 18 years with us, we lost our sweet boy to kidney failure.

Like Cleo, sweet Tony is in my heart and thoughts still.

My furfamily, Cleo

Since losing 2 of my loved ones this month, I've decided to write a memory book kind of thing on each of my furkids. This way I can keep it forever, and add to it as new memories are created and new family members come to share their lives with us. This is all for my benefit, but if you would like to read, feel free.

My first kitty of my adult life was Cleo.

Cleo: I was 16 and newly married and pregnant. I found the apartment to be SO empty and couldn’t quite place why, then I realized… NO animals. So, off I went in search of a free kitten. I found a sign in front of a house and they had 2 kitties left. I took the girl, then felt SO bad about separating brother and sister I went back the next day and got the boy.

I was trying to find names that went together and my Grandma said “Anthony and Cleopatra” hence, Cleo and Tony.

Now, when I took her, they’d been romping and playing and having a grand ol’ time. I would have thought they’d missed each other terrible the one night they were apart. When I got Tony home the next day Cleo spat at him and was miffed to have to share HER home. They warmed up quickly though and soon became a pair of demolition kittens.

Cleo was so in love with me, bless her soul, she wouldn’t be in a room if I wasn’t in it. If I went to the bathroom in the night, she came too. That’s when she’d use her litter box, when I went.

She would pounce me and sit on me and relentlessly lick me. I thought she wanted the salt from my skin, but it was just a nervous habit, she did it all her life. If I tried to take my arm or hand from her, she’d grab on tight, sit on it and lick. She did it to Ian too for years.

She was my baby girl for 18 years. I lost my sweet girl to cancer in the mouth. We had to put her to sleep when she could no longer eat and drink. I still think of her often.

When we lose someone we love

My sweetie Maggie Mae. What a lovely girl she was. Maine Coon we think.

She was adopted from a PetsMart adoption center for my Grandma. She was so loving, she sat on grandma's recliner above her head most of the time. She took good care of Grandma.

When I'd come to visit, she always got so excited and wanted to sit in my lap. That sweet girl was usually in my lap before I sat down.

When Grandma broke her hip, she went to a care home and Maggie came to live with us and our 8 other kitties.

Now Maggie, she'd rather bean only kitty. She liked being the main attraction. More so, she liked other kitties to leave her be.

She got in to a scuffle with a wee baby Jasper when they first came home, Jasper came out the worse for it, but for some reason, from that moment on, she was his idol, his love. He ADORED her.

Every night, we do canned kitty food for all, he's run back and forth from the kitchen to Maggie as if to say "come on, it's treat time" "I don't want you to miss out."

He will certainly miss her most of all the other kitties. She was his girl.

She was sure my girl. On my lap often when I'd sit to watch TV. Always with a blanket of pillow under her.

When I was recovering from surgery a few years back, she never left my lap. I had to use a big heavy pillow over my incision and she was always on that pillow taking care of her mama.

Bless her sweet soul. May you be at peace Maggie, be with Grandma, know that you are very very loved and missed and we will be together again.

I've been reading the China Study. So far, and I've only finished 3 chapters, it's amazing. Given my family history of cancer and the years of studies they've done in this book, I can say, "you betcha, I'm glad to be a vegetarian."

I do find it amusing though, now, being on the other side of the "new vegetarian" that everyone is in a scramble to find meat replacements.

Don't get me wrong, I use them and quite like most of them. But finally I've learned that meat isn't" what's for dinner". I can cook with or without replacements.

I LOVE my lentil stew, love my chili, my Quinoa and black bean salad. Beans and grains, nuts and seeds, fruits and veggies really do have all the protein we 'need'. (plus all the other good stuff meat doesn't have).

I hope this revelation will cause a shift in our way of thinking as a nation. Maybe now we can stop that disgusting factory farming. There will always be the die hard meat eaters, those that think there is no other way to live. Those that believe that vegetarians must be crazy or weak folks. That's ok, if the demand for meat lessens, the atrocities that happen in these factories will no longer be a necessity to meet the demand.

But, I digress.

I am just very glad I did all the research I did years ago, glad most of my family followed suit as they learned what I learned, and glad that we are all much healthier for it.

Working with the public

I tend to be a hermit, well, if I were wealthy I guess I'd be a recluse. I don't care for "the public" as a rule, and yet... that's where I work. Odd.

There's plenty of press on the H1N1 virus, "it's SO contagious, don't leave your house if you have it, wear a mask in public..." Today, this lady comes in to our store looking all weepy eyed, obviously feels like crap and says to me: "what do I need to take if I think I have the H1N1?" WTF? I am sorry, truly sorry that she felt so bad, but WHY are you out in public spreading it around?

Our sweet cashier had it, it took this healthy active young woman down and out for a month. I mean DOWN, poor thing. She isolated herself and tried so hard to make sure no one else got it, and here comes some lady with no regard not only for her own recovery (should be in bed resting) but no regard for the health or safety of others.

Grrrr.

Kids are in our store and old folks ALL THE TIME. Folks that may have weakened immune systems.

I say again, GRRRR.

Been a while

It's been a while since I've posted a blog, or anything for that matter.

Here I sit, noon on my day off, having done my yoga and workout to the point of all body shakes. (note to self) need to eat protein earlier in the day...

I'm reading a blog or two, enjoying the stories and writing styles. Makes me think I ought to add something to mine.

This is a time of year for reflection for me. My birthday is coming, another year older. Beats the alternative, I know... but I'm feeling it.

In my reflections I realize I am a lucky woman. I love my life. I have the best husband in the world. I have the company and even love of 10 furry babies, who could ask for more?

This empty nest thing is rather nice. I do enjoy the quiet, even if, once in a while, I get the notion that I'd like another child in the house, one who might be appreciative for all we have to give. I soon come to my senses and realize I love the peace we have now. No nasty teenagers, no unruly wired bouncy children. LOL. I like quiet.

I am getting back in to yoga and really enjoying the way it makes me feel.

I'm lucky enough not to have any major health issues. I'm lucky that I discovered natural foods, organic, vegetarian lifestyle, that I've learned so much about natural medicines, cleaners and such. I've detoxified our lives boundlessly. We feel SO much better than the days of fast food dinner days.

I've had a lot of time over the last few years to make great improvements in my life and I hope for those around me as well.

I am truly blessed.