Life, Love and Longing

This has been a summer of mixed blessings. At the end of June, CJ's body gave out. X-rays showed a series of compressed discs in his back which the vet said were due to degenerative hip disease--he was throwing his weight forward to keep pressure off his hips, humping his back in such a way that the discs pushed together. I had to make the difficult decision to have him put down.

Where I live, we're fortunate to have several area vets who are affiliated with Lap of Love, a network of veterinarians who offer hospice and in-home euthanasia. Dr. Brent Martin responded to my call and helped CJ pass over the rainbow bridge while Samara and I held his big body and sang to him.

In late July, my beloved cat, Oliver, died in my arms. One minute he was up on the cat tree, the next he was on the floor gasping and then he was gone. Consensus was that he'd somehow gotten into poison, what kind we'll never know. His death was mercifully quick but emotionally devastating.

For several weeks I'd get up in the morning expecting to see my charming loudmouth on the garage roof outside my bedroom window waiting to be let in or CJ's big cinnamon brindled body stretched out on the dog bed in the living room wagging his tail as I made coffee. Their missing energy/presence was palpable. Poppy kept sniffing at the blanket CJ lay on when I took him to the vet and nosing my bed where Oliver held court. We all sensed the empty space which had been filled so recently by these two lovely animals.

I waited for Oliver for 17 years and am a adherent to the theory that a house is not a home without a cat. Cats have always been my first choice for pets. Soft fur, huge purrs, and the comforting warmth of a furry body curled up on my lap... I started looking at adoptable cats at my local shelter--listening to my heart, visiting to see if there was a special spark between me and another purr-buddy. No one captured me. Figuring I wasn't ready, I slowed down the search deciding that the right cat would find me. I never once thought I'd consider another a dog... until I saw Kas' picture.

Something about his floppy ears and goofy posture just called to me. And let me be honest, with CJ gone,  Poppy has turned her energetic attentions on my senior beagle, Jimmy, who simply doesn't have the size or tolerance for her unabashed terrier nature. What if another big blockhead were to come into my life?

Stay tuned as the story continues...

Slacker Mom

Good grief. I'm such a slacker... Last post was in July and there's been so much that has transpired between then and now.

<ahem> August was uneventful and September was much of the same.

October was an entirely different story...

First off, there were two family weddings, both of which were spectacular - sister-in-law and niece were married to two of the nicest fellows. Then there was the house-sitting gig at my sister's home on the Central Coast at the end of the month -- ten days of solitude with me and Poppy, two resident kitties and a green Amazon parrot.

Pops and I had a great time together. And the kitties only tortured her a little... She was a good sport about the circus-performer who walked across the top of the enclosure eying her with great curiosity. She never barked or lunged at him. Not once.

She lives with a cat so she wasn't in total shock. I think it was more that they were unknowns and did behave as expected. Oliver, the home cat, is big and confident. He has no trouble putting Pops in her place, albeit gently. He will even deign to play with her on the rare occasion. The pair of cats we were taking care of were a different story.

For the most part they kept their distance and stared at Pops with wide, startled eyes. Tigger, the male and more bold of the pair, would jump up and gingerly walk across the "gate" to Poppy's enclosure. He was terribly fascinated with the the large creature who defied explanation in his world. His sister, Pepper, wanted nothing to do with the big dog and would freeze for about two seconds when Pops was in the living room and then zip off to another part of the house where she felt safe.

 Poppy and Tigger had a funny interaction one evening. When she was in the living room, I had her on a long lead so she wouldn't be able to chase the cats. She and Tigger had a little routine -- he would jump up on the back of the couch and she'd put her front paws up and they'd play "keep away" with the cat always just out of reach. The night was chilly so I started a fire in the wood stove. The crackling sound puzzled Pops and she kept cocking her head trying to figure out what that new noise was and alternately searching for the cat. Surprise!

One of the best things we did was to attend National Pit Bull Awareness Day sponsored by SociaBull of Monterey County. The weather was clear and warm and it was so much fun to see so many bullies in one place! Pops was very well behaved and we made some new acquaintances. Just wish I'd had four hands--two for the dog and two for the camera. I'm merely human so no pics of the event. You can find some on SociaBull's Facebook event page.

When we weren't lounging and napping, we did a lot of walking through the low hills and pleasant countryside. It was idyllic as always and, while I do miss living in a more rural area, I realized that it was just too quiet. Coming home to the noise and bustle of Richmond felt like home. I think Pops was glad to have her freedom back, too.

P.S. Poppy passed her basic obedience class!