Louche Tabby

 Wow! It has been 7 years since darling Mousie crossed the Bridge. Another lifetime ago. I always wonder if she knew she was loved. Cats are curious creatures. I believe this is why 1 year is equal to 7 years for them. They seem to hold knowledge and they are ever so sentient. They feel grief, loss, and love as we do for them. Her people told me once that when they came home from holiday and she saw them instead of me, she moped off and hid! They even rang me to ask if she was okay during my stay. She was fine, she just missed me. 

Although I do check in here from time to time, I always get choked up as it is like stepping in to my past. Is it possible for something to bring happiness and sadness at the same time? Yes. 

Here are some pictures of dear Mousie. There are so many to choose from. I love them all.

It has been 6 years since she’s gone. 

As memories get further and further away from us, we eventually let go of them. It is then, when they are in freefall, that they boomerang back to you. I do not try to remember of forget the time, as choosing to remember or forget is a wasted discipline. I have said before and I will say again, time marches on and waits for no one. I walk by her house on most days, so in a way she’s constantly there. It is very telling that over the Jubilee weekend when the nation was in a rare celebratory mood, I ran in to a mutual friend of the family. That really brought some memories back, but we both agreed – it was a long time ago. 

Thinking back to that time of my life, it was completely different than it is now. Since the virus and the hysteria surrounding it has waned, life has been a strange mixture of calm and chaos rolled in to one. Certainly, very fast-paced. And lots of new faces. Situations and support systems show up in one’s life at a particular time and place, and all we can do is go with the flow. Mousie was definitely part of my flow for 14 years, and in a way, she’s still there.

Here are some pictures of my love, and as always, there were too many to choose from:

No Mousie post would be complete without an attitude pic!

That face, those eyes

Deciding whether to pounce or sleep

End.

*Guys, I'll try and be better this year, and keep up with all the blogs. I still receive all the emails and updates of the blogsphere, and know everyone is still around. I will dip my paw in from time to time.

My Darling Girl,

It has been 5 years – five years! since you’ve gone. What a time it’s been. Not good times not bad times, just time. They say that time heals, but I don’t know how true that is. Time brings sadness, and as the saying goes time waits for no one, and it won’t wait for me. It costs nothing but it is the most precious commodity. The time I spent with you was like silver and gold wrapped up in a ball of fur. Priceless. I walk by your house almost every day. Strange to think I had a mini-life there. When that ended, it was definitely a timestamp of all change. A whole section of life ended when you went. I remember the day vividly as it is etched in a corner of my mind. It’s like a scratch on a nice table that has now become part of the table, so you just leave it there. Moving forward in life isn’t always the positive experience that it is meant to be. Standing still is no use, and going backwards is toxic. No wonder most people go backwards!

Time. I ran into her ‘beans a few weeks ago. They looked older. It was nice to see them. You weren’t mentioned as there was no need. You were our only connection. Silent acknowledgement was enough. We exchanged pleasantries and went on our way.

Time. It is symbolic to me that in so many ways I had to learn to stand on my own two feet, and you had four. And you were having trouble standing. It brings me peace that from the moment I started looking after you all those years ago I was acutely aware that our time would be short, and I never, ever took it for granted.

On a lighter note, here are some pics of Mousie. There are so many I like; it was difficult to choose: