The Garden of Proserpine

From too much love of living,
From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving
Whatever gods there be:
That no life live forever;
That dead men rise up never;
That even the weariest river
Winds somewhere safe to sea.
by, A.C. Swinburne

I didn't post this yesterday, because I just couldn't. Yesterday was a year without our dear sweet Horton. I always thought those people who mourned their pets "forever..." were weird or something. Then we lost him.

Love you sweet Horton. You were part of us for so long. For the beginning of us. Thank you for your love. I am so thankful that we had you for as long as we did. Hope you're enjoying Heaven!

What is a Cat?

Gentle eyes
that see so much,
paws that have
the quiet touch.

Purrs to signal
"all is well"
and show more love
than words can tell.

Graceful movements
touched with pride,
a calming presence
by our side.

A friendship
that will last and grow -
small wonder
why we love them so.
-Author Unknown

Tonight Cheryl and her family are spending their last night with their dear Nalu who is gravely ill and losing his battle to keep his kidneys functioning. As with all people who say they own a cat Cheryl is owned by her dear furry family. And as with the people in our lives our pets hold their own special place in our heart and tonight it is safe to say that there are hearts breaking as I write this.

With tears in my eyes, sympathy and empathy in my heart, I ask for prayers and thoughts sent to Cheryl's family as they transition through this difficult time. As for me, I am remembering Nalu - him watching me through the window as I approach the house and scattering as I get closer, him hiding and finally coming out for some kitty love, waiting patiently for his food, tricking me into thinking I could give him pets and slinking away. Goodbye sweet Nalu you will be missed.

Hi friends. I keep thinking I need to update this and I am just not feeling it.
Not at all.
On Saturday morning we lost my grandma. She was 84. She will be greatly missed. I don't really have much to say right now. The family is in the hustle and bustle of funeral arrangements. My cousin and I found a poem that was written for and read at my great-grandma's funeral (grandma's mom who died when she was very young), we are jointly going to read it (wish us luck!).

Here grandma is with a baby Archer. I love this picture because she is in full grandma mode, purple clothes and all (she LOVED, LOVED, LOVED purple).
This is all I have for now. I will be back later this week.

On September 25, 1994 Troy and I got a kitten. He was tiny, black and white, and full of life. He traveled from Burlington to Bellingham crawling all over our old Subaru. He really thought his spot was under the clutch - not the best place when someone is driving. Troy named his new friend Horton, I called him the little moo-moo. I take no responsibility for the size he became however. As a kitten Horton was very energetic. He bounced more than walked. He loved to crawl onto people's shoulders preferring our heads to our feet I suppose.

Horton was a people cat - loved to lay on our backs or chests while we were laying down, sat on our laps when we were sitting, and followed us around frequently. His favorite place was in the middle of the floor so he could be a part of everything and make sure he was fed as often as possible.

Horton grew into quite the cat. Large. Large in size. Large in personality. Large with love.
Today was a sad day in our home. This afternoon Horton took his last breaths. His health hasn't been good lately and our friend has been fighting. He is done fighting now. He isn't in pain. He doesn't have to worry about anymore pills, blood draws, or any of the other indignities he has had to endure the past month or so.

Today I am thankful for time. Time that our family had with our dear friend Horton. Time that has been precious to us. Time we will treasure forever. I am grateful that Horton chose us to be his people. We were honored to have share his life.

Don't be surprised if you see more posts about the first member of our furry family. Horton will forever be in our hearts and we will be working through our grief and celebrating his life.

Thank you to our friends and family who have loved Horton and who have been supportive through this difficult time.

With this and many tears I say goodbye my dear friend. We love you always. We will miss you always. Rest in peace.

My sister

This is my beautiful sister. We had Easter lunch at my mom's house and my mom snapped this picture of us. I am a hugger, DeAnne lets me hug. She has had a rough day (last night...). She is a strong, brave girl and a wonderful friend. She is devoted to her friends. They are lucky to have her. Her heart is broken right now, but she is staying strong. I love her.Her best friend, who we have known since they were in Kindergarten, just lost her dad. It breaks my heart. Her friend has been out of town, and as of this writing still is, and hasn't found out about her dad. DeAnne has been a rock. Her friend calling, not able to tell her, not able to console her, knowing that when she comes home her world will come crashing down around her. My heart goes out to DeAnne, her friend, and her family.