So long and Good night...

This past week was a long one that ended in us saying good bye to an old friend.  Oddly enough, Halloween came to live with me when I lost a girl cat that looked just like her.  When I saw her, I couldn't turn her down thinking that she would fill that space up that hurt so much when Ms. Callie died unexpectedly when in quarantine in Hawaii.  That was a hard few days many moons ago.  Who knew the cat afraid of garbage trucks would become an old friend.  She managed to keep on going even at 12 and a half when her body just started to disagree with the decision.  I knew she was sick so it gave us all a chance to discuss it but when she decided she wanted to get up and walk to where I stood on Friday but couldn't make it, I felt so much guilt for letting her stick around that long.  Despite her steady weight loss over the past few months, she had a spirit that wanted to keep going.  She never complained, she was never grumpy.  If there was chicken or fish to be had, she was quick to get in the middle of where ever it was being served.  Her old age did not diminish her desire to put her foot in my cereal bowl EVERY SINGLE TIME in case she would win that tug of war and a bowl for herself.  She was vocal every morning, insisting that she was always first in line and thus should always get her treats first.  Every morning at 5:30 AM, she waited at the bedroom door because the alarm went off and in case I hit snooze, she began to meow and remind me that we have a routine, we must get up. 

Some of those things were pretty annoying coming from a cat, I am  not going to lie.  Some how each of those things became a piece and part of our lives any way.  All these years later, now no one is crying at the door, I can't bear to get up at 5:30.  No one is knocking over the trash looking for pieces of dinner.  I eat my cereal in such a quiet peace that its almost too much to bear.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are making me feel like hiding behind the dryer on impulse, every time I hear the garbage trucks.

I miss you Halloween.  A lot more than I could have imagined I would.  I appreciate all the years you took care of me when I needed it.   You were a damn fine cat.