Sad News In Our Home

A dear friend of ours, Bugs Bunny, went to the Rainbow Bridge last night. He was lying on the stomach of his owner when he left..... He put his paw up to pet the boy, and then had to leave..... We are so sad today for our friend, Daniel. Many purrs to you and your family........

And Still Yet, So Sad.......

Our mama keeps thinking that she wants to e-mail Michelle about how sad we all are..... It's the "bizarrest" thing. We just can't take this in........ Losing Michelle, and having so much less contact with Toulouse, is affecting every part of our lives right now. And in the face of so many other kitties and people missing her at least as much as we are, we each feel like we must be backwards or wrong or something, that we just can't quite let her go....... I am so sad, and so is MacIntosh..... and our mama is over the top sad.

Dear Toulouse's Mama, you were so good to us. We talked about efurrything in life; about music, and the Universe, and God, and furry furiends, and kids, and neighbors, and what we needed.... what we'd accomplished and what we still wanted to do, and life, and death, and sorrow, and joy ...... and you gave our mama such deep support when you took joy, over and over, in her music. Dear Michelle, how can we do without you?

:(

And then we all three think about your daughters, and how devastated they must be, and so many folks and kitties who probably miss you even more than we do...... It's beyond comprehension.

And THEN we think, over and over, about Toulouse..... Mr. Big T who is not as young as he once was..... It's just so furry sad.

Someday, I, Pixel, will write a poem for you. But right now, it hurts too much.......

Rest in the joy you anticipated, dear one......

Still So Furry Sad.......

MacIntosh ~n~ Mama ~n~ me are still so furry sad over the loss of  ♥  Toulouse's ♥  mama,  ♥ Michelle B. ♥ ...... It is a unique kind of grief that we've never experienced any other time. (Mind you, grief is no stranger when you get to be as old as my mama is......)

Toulouse and his mama were so special in our lives. His mama talked with us all the time, and told us about him, and herself, and asked about us.... It's so hard to explain that kind of furiendship. And the wonderful thing about Michelle is, she made every furiend and kitty feel the same. Mama says we shared a special bond for a couple of reasons.... but so what? So did so many purrsons and kitties!

We've never made so many new furiends so quickly, either. Recognizing the wonderful and special qualities in so many kitties & purrsons has been a source of delight since we first tried to let all of Catster know about this ginormous loss.

So...... I guess, dear furiends, the tears still flow freely in our home..... Mama's still trying to even take it in as reality..... It helps knowing that Toulouse is well and cherished, but it's hard to not yet know whether we'll continue to know about him on Catster. And it's just so furry hard, watching life march on....... without our dear Michelle.

Know that we have missed you all so much. We're not sure whether any kitty will welcome us back at all; it's okay if not. It was furry weird to have mama suddenly so completely and passionately consumed by music composition.... and we know that won't change.

But, we've learned anew to cherish our furiends.... life...... love..... and connections. So we hope you are well and happy and content and warm, and that everykitty feels purry.....

Our love, from me ~n~ MacIntosh both,

Pixel

>^..^< >^..^<

Further Info: Toulouse Is Well & Cared For

Further information from Michelle's daughter, Kimberly, which I am just quoting here:

"Toulouse is doing well and is with a woman name Betty who was very close to her at the apartment complex. They live across the hall from one anther. She too has a cat that Toulouse loved to go see."

What a joy to know Toulouse is safe & cared for & loved....

Very Sad News for Catster Friends

Dearest Catster Friends,

Although you must surely think MacIntosh & I have neglected you sadly, it was never our intent. Time has gotten away from us and from our mama, as we are all caregivers.

This diary entry is to tell you of the saddest news ever: Michelle, Toulouse's mama, passed away on September 7th. Our mama was just notified by Michelle's daughter, Kimberly. Michelle died of a heart attack, suddenly, and apparently without suffering.

At this time, to our mama's intense distress, we do not know about Toulouse. According to Michelle, he was doing better, and she was much more optimistic. Kimberly did not mention him in her notification to our mama, so she has written to ask.

This is all we know........ Our mama isn't even home with us this morning, though she will be tonight. Right now, all of us are weeping with sadness. I don't even know what to say........

MacIntosh's diary entry is the same as mine. We remember there is a way to light a candle for kitties; maybe we can figure out how to light one for Michelle.......

Know that we love you all, those of you who knew Michelle and Toulouse, and our other Catster friends as well.

Saddest quiet purrs for Michelle & Toulouse.......

Hello Efurryone.......

I just wanted to say hi to all my furiends...... It's been so long, but now we're lonesome, again, for mama, and she's let us come on Catster for a few minutes......... I almost couldn't find the "write a diary entry" button to push!

Loves and purrs to so many of you,


Pixelish (Pixel)

Happy, happy birthday wishes to a dear kitty angel, Scooter Angel ~ Probably the loviest kitty on Catster! We both love you so much more than you know......

And dearest birthday wishes for a happy day, too, to Kazumi Joy!

Lovey purrs from,

Pixel (and MacIntosh)!
(And even Popka!!!)

=^..^=

***Celebrating FIVE YEARS OLD Today!!!!!***

To All Our Catster and Meezer Furiends ~

Today is our 5th Birthday!!!!!

Yup, we are FIVE YEARS OLD today, and somehow, sadly, we have missed celebrating it with our dearest furiends……

We totally blame mama for that, by the way. If she didn’t write music night and day, day and night, night and day, we wouldn’t have fallen so completely off of Catster!!

So we are furry sad, in some respects (though we think mama is actually more sad than we are), because we do miss you all, SO FURRY MUCH.

Still and all, we’re having a pretty bright day!! It’s warming up again in Seattle ~ those are ALWAYS good words around here. (Though you should’ve seen us when it was too hot recently…… We never even HEARD of 103 degrees before!!!) It was 108 in places!!!!!!!!

We want to celebrate with you, in this diary, some of the wonderful things about our lives together:

* We are fraternal twins, but actually, sextuplets!! We are “fraternal” because it means “brotherly” (!), and because one of us, MacIntosh, is pure-o Siamese, seal point, handsome, sleek, prowly, very intelligent, athletic, and snuggly…… and the other of us is Siamese Balinese, just as smart, also something between Chocolate and Seal point, FURRY FUZZY, just as smart but more adept at hiding it, much less athletic, and more one-person-cattish…… VERY cuddly with mama, but no one else can be looking!!

* We LOOK like one of us (Pixel) is a porker, and the other (MacIntosh) is anorexic! In fact, we weigh the same and if you could “feel” us, our girth and body types are about the same!

* We came to stay with Mama in October 2004. Our elder brofur, Popka (Angel) left mama after 19.5 years in October 2003. She still cries for him, sometimes, but oh, she loves us fiercely!! So we think Popka must’ve been a pretty special kitty!

* When we were little, we moved into a one bedroom apartment! Wheesh! It’s a good thing WE were small, because even as it was, we got into plenty of mischief!! We have endless photos of our redecorating with toilet paper hither and yon…… and ONE of us in all of the strangest places you could possibly imagine!!

* Then we moved into a brand new house that mama got Just For Us! That was GREAT fun!! Our furiend Scootie Patootie shared with us about window perches, so we had one of those, and LOTS of fun and special places in each room that were just ours ~ adopted by us.

* Pixel, in particular, had the debacle with the furnace ductwork!!! Of course, if mama had left him alone that day like she did all the other days that he pulled up the grates and went spelunking down into the ductwork ~ all would have been well!! (We don’t have time in this diary right now to figure out links again, but you can see our spelunking photos for sure in Pixel’s photo album.)

* Then, about the, we found Catster. Somehow or other, mama heard about the World’s Coolest Dog & Cat Photo Contest, and she thought we were winners (as is the right and proper thing for mamas to think!)…… So we entered…… And THEN we started looking at photos to vote, and that’s how we met Scootie Patootie, because we thought her photo in the grass was Just Gorgeous. (Yup, mama voted for HER!)

* So we started playing with furiends on Catster every single day…….. We met SO many wonderful kitties, and their families, too…….. We’re going to try to list some of you who have meant so FURRY much in our five years……. But that’s a scary proposition, because we KNOW we’ll forget some of you, and THAT’S ridic’lous; we love you all!!!

* Scootie Patootie….. Our special, firstest furiend, who with her mama supported OUR mama through many long, difficult hours of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and the subsequent loss……. Not to mention having had to Leave Us At Home (though our elder HUMAN brofur took care of us….) Scootie and her mom were the most special people (or kitties, whichever way you look at it) on earth to us then…….

* Toulouse, who started the Siamese Lovers Around The World, and who, with his mama, also became such a furry dear furiend to our mama…… We miss talking efurry day with Toulouse. We think he’s one of the Right Special Ones…….

* Albert, whom Popka met and has played many hours with at the Rainbow Bridge and with the Rainbow Bridge Kitties…..

* SooLing, who was Scooter’s Angel sister at the Bridge…..

* Zoomie & Bootsie, both of whom are at the Bridge NOW, but Zoomie, at least, was in the dryer then!

* Butterpaw BC Ruffles, who we think is such an interesting LOOKING kitty! We’d love to see him up close…..

* Jordan, in Australia, who helped so much when MacIntosh had all those skin problems and had to wear a shirt all summer for two summers in a row……

* Louis LeBeau, one of the wisest, kindest, knowingest kitties on Catster

* And Captain Jack! Another of the same…….. (Arrr!)

* Kazumi Joy, who is one of our furry oldest furiends, next to Scooter, and who REALLY helped our mama once when she had an absolute melt-down of worrying…….

* Basil (now remembered with love) who went to Germany with his family and had adventures. After Basil came his little sister, Paula…….

* Buddie….Always Loved, Always Loved, who taught us to purray, and who taught us the very intense power…. again…… of love…….

* ……..and Shelby, who taught us the same…….. We have surely learned about purrayer, and purrs, and faith, and the Power of the Paw on Catster……

* Frankie A. Sinatracat, whom we just absolutely admire and adore!

* Liliana Houseafluff, who has been so, so kind to us both, and during hard times…….. She is one talented kitty!

* And here, with ******Stars and Fanfare,****** we have to mention our dearest and only LITTLE BROFUR, ********Mocha Latte,******** whom we adore with heart and soul. We are SO FURRY PURROUD to be big brofurs to him, though it’s Pixel, in particular, who gets that honor…… Anyway, his well-being, his achievements, his growing up, his family (kitty and human) are essential to our own well-being…..


Mama says we can’t go on with this list or this diary any more right now. She says she’s getting too teary with thinking of you all with such real loving thoughts, and such sadness that she has lost such contact with you all……

That’s okay, though. WE know you’re there!!!! We love you all, and we have some presents for those of you whom we have addresses for…….. So you’ll know where we’ve BEEN when we haven’t been HERE!! (We’ve been sitting, MacIntosh on mama’s shoulders, and Pixel on the table! beside her….. watching her write music, and write, and write, and write……….)

We are so grateful to be FIVE. We feel like we’ve joined the Big Kitties now…….. We’re both fairly healthy, and we both live, with our grandma ~ mama, too! So that’s been a major move for us…….

But more anon!!

We love you all, and we celebrate Your Presence in our lives.

Lovingly,

MacIntosh and Pixel
*****FIVE YEARS OLD*****

In Honor & Tribute, With Love to Miss Scootie Patootie

We met Scootie when she peered at “us” though the green grass in one of her World’s Coolest photos in 2005! Wow!! We thought we were winners until we met Scooter!!! Only then did we learn what “winner” might mean….. a standard so high that we fall far short! Scooter is a winner…. a furiend…. a dear confidante…. a kitty as well loved in our family as anyone we know.

Miss Scootie Patootie and her mama, as well as her dad and her older sister SooLing, have been endlessly kind to us through those years. The care taken, given, in guiding us through Catster, html code, music, photos, groups, forums, diaries, and extras…. meant everything! ~ and those things were, of course, in the Greater Scheme of Things, nothing. There was so much more, beyond just what can be mentioned here. Kindness was invented, or re-invented, in Scooter’s home. She and her family have been excellent, kind, caring furiends of a kind impossible to describe…. impossible to thank….. impossible to tell how dearly they are loved.

Among other things, Scooter carried us, and our mama, through loss after loss. Our grandpa, in particular, was so hard for us….. Our mama disappeared, and we had no idea why. Scooter stayed in close touch, purring, encouraging, offering loves and head bonks ~ and she kept promising our mama would come back to us!! And then, at the same time, our mama, who was staying at our grandpa’s house….. Every single morning, during months of intense caregiving and working at the same time, often sleeping no more than two hours in 24 ~ every morning, she would log on to Catster, and often, often, there would be an encouraging word from Scootie. These were the most devastating days of her life, and Scooter “loved” her through them…. How could we not mention that, when it so surely pasted Scootie and her family into the depths of our hearts and being………

Too, Scooter even gave loves to our dearest elder brofur, Popka, who was already at the Rainbow Bridge. Somehow, that was another lasting grief that Scooter made bearable for our mama….. She encouraged Popka to write his stories!! [And he has, at least, made a good beginning.] Popka was in front of the throng of kitties gathered at the Rainbow Bridge to ‘specially greet and love Scooter as she arrived there on February 5th. Scooter’s spirit is soaring, as her mama said; and when Popka can catch up, he romps and plays with her, and his joy is more complete as they wait there at the Bridge for the rest of us to catch up with them.

We loved the Summer of Scooter….. and the next Summer of Scooter…… and her diaries, and p-mails, and videos, and music…. But mostly, we have loved, and love, Scootie herself.

We have no words, no whispers, even, to really tell Scooter and her family how much she has meant to us; how much we each adore her; how much more than she / they know we will miss her bright face and remarks…… How much the silence and space ache in our hearts, and how much we know that the aches are the merest shadow of what her mama and daddy have experienced. Maybe it is because of our own multiple griefs that she has come to hold such a dear and special place in our hearts. But we think it’s really “just because” she’s the one-and-only, quintessential, beloved Scooter!

Words that we think of when we try to think of how we love Scootie Patootie……. [Note: These were written in three columns, but Catster won’t let us format it that way!]


Cherished
Loving
Unique!
Inspiration
Purring

Unique!
Inspiration
Purring
Summer
Playful
Kind
Gener ous
Quicksilver
Caring
Baby Food
Brilliant
Leader
Catnip!
Beacon of Light
Guardian
Crazy!!
Pawsome!
Purrayers
Fun
Loquacious!
Greeter
Balloons
Gorgeous
Teacher
Floating
Cute
Mentor
Memories
Loved
Dearest Furiend
Silly
Beloved
Inspector General
Enduring
Adored
Curious
Assured
Gifted & gifting
Gracious
Present
Soaring
Clever & Cunning…..
Ham!
Talented
Blessing
Blessed
Diplomatic
“Specialest”
Angel
(Possibly also “Specialist”)
SIAMESE!!! If you please (and if you DON’T please…..)


Our dearest furiend…… We love you, completely. We wish to comfort your family, and to thank you, dear heart, for all that you have meant and continue to mean in our lives.

“Loviest purrs” to you, Angel Scooter…. backatcha, from whence the concept first came into our lives…… May your spirit, indeed, soar free, with gladsome song and joy, until we meet you some day, with great delight, to romp in a meadow filled with rainbow light, dear love, and warm peace…….

MacIntosh & Pixel
Popka
[ & Katharine ]

1,000 Days & 1,000 Nights!!! AND Counting!!!

Ohmygosh!!! ~ We've been on Catster for more than ONE THOUSAND DAYS and we Missed It!!! (***Nudges MacIntosh***) Hey, MacIntosh, we've been on Catster for 1,000 days!!!

(***Dances small leaps of joy***) We both love Catster, and all our Dear New and Newer Furriends!!!

:)

Pixelicious