Cheers from the Bridge

Hi all. It's been quite some time since I posted a diary entry, but I wanted you all to know how grateful I am, and how grateful my family is, for all the rosies and stars and gifts you've all sent me and all the sweet messages contained in them. Mom was not prepared for it! I especially want to thank Alfie, Teddy, and their mom for all their support, and Riley for the lovely wings. They were flapping when he gave them to me but my mom can't make them work in the picture. Rest assured, everyone, I'm a'flappin' them all over the Rainbow Bridge even if it doesn't look like it in here.

After a few years of stiff hips and knees, and 6 months of renal failure and respiratory problems, believe you me, it's nice to really zoom around. I'm way more ornery than my body was allowing me to be those last few months. The best part of the Bridge, aside from getting to see Scooter, Bill, Elmo, Simon, Biscuit, Blackjack, Alex, Max, and little Wally again, and getting to meet Boomer, Wally #1, Comet, Toot Suite, and Fuzzy for the first time, was...I'm hangin' with Softy again!

That's right. It's been almost ten years since I got to see my tru-blue bro. We've been having a blast. He looks fantastic, by the way. He was always a good-looking guy, but I haven't seen him this spry and happy since he was a kitten. Simba looks amazing, too. He's still a sweetie, still a good little bro. We're having a great time.

My passing was fairly quick, and my mom was with me, thankfully. We had just finished spending some QT together. She came home from class nd gave me my fluids, my steroid inhaler, and my food. I normally run away after she gives me my inhaler, but that day I just stayed on her lap, so she brushed me for a while. She heard me fall over a few minutes after that and she tried to console me, but she knew I was fading. I couldn't breathe very well. Actually, I was having a pretty hard time breathing. When my breathing stopped she gave me mouth-to-mouth, which bought me a few more minutes. She basically gave me my last few breaths and she felt my last few heartbeats. I passed on just after sundown, which was a good thing because I didn't want to die on Purim and make the normally-happy holiday a sad one for her every year. Thanks to her help, I didn't.

Stupid Scout, much as I love her, is being somewhat of a punk. Teddy and Alfie's mom had bought me a heated bed, which was where I basically lived out the last of my days. It was great because before I had the bed I was under mom's bed all the time because that's where it's warmest. Anyway, since I passed on Scoutie's been sleeping in my bed. Of all the nerve! So now whenever mom looks in that direction she thinks it's me out of the corner of her eye, since Scout looks so much like me. What a rascal. Whatever. Now radley's all her problem. MOL. She probably sleeps in there so she doesn't have to listen to radley's snoring.

My vets were very sad to hear that I had passed, but they made a pawprint mold with my name on it for my mom. I'll be cremated sometime in the next few days and then my ashes will sit next to Softy's, where they belong.

There will never be another me. I think that means that I did a good job in all my time on earth. I'm very grateful to have been given so many good years and so many folks who loved me so dearly. Most kitties never get that. I was in ridiculously good shape for 211 years and I could still jump at the end. And to think, had I not winked at that 5-year-old girl at the Humane Society that day things could have turned out very differently. You know, since my adoption, all three of my girls (momma Justin, Momma Gillian, and Grandma) have adopted tuxedo kitties. It's because we're cool. I think that if I had to choose one word to sum myself it would be 'cool.' I always thought it would be 'kingly,' but I'm too much of a loverboy and content.

Anyway, thanks for reading my long eulogy to myself. Again, thanks so much, everyone, for all the love you've sent my way, not just these last few days, but over the last few years. I know I haven't been a very good Catster friend. It wasn't easy helping mom get her MA while coralling these two silly girls who eat my food and steal my bed. I was a very lucky guy and my family was lucky to have had me. Everyone says so. I'm off to my flying lessons with Softy and Simba, and then I'm going to nap on my huge cardboard box in the sky. Purrz, Catster folks! You're the bestest.

***Update:*** I'm flying! Thank you Teddy and Alfie's mom. You're the bestest.

Purrs in unison

I just read my new friend Smudge's (322071) diary, and she needs many purrs. She is 17 and has always been very healthy, but this last week she has been deteriorating. She has 3 cracked ribs and a possible heart tumor, plus she's not eating. We'll get the test results tomorrow.

Of course, we're still purring for my man Simon too. He's one of my favorites and I just want him to feel well.

Purrs!

By popular demand . . .

I got new tunes! Mom figured out how to do a playlist on imeem.com and actually got 2 songs to play on my page, and not at the same time. Cool, huh? She also found a real version of 'Maybe I'm Amazed,' which was a lot easier to do once she figured out that the name of the song wasn't 'Baby I'm Amazed.' She also thought that Tom Petty song was called 'Running Down the Drain' until she was 26 (it's called 'Running Down the DREAM'). It's like I'm always saying, 'if only we could just work these things by ourselves.' She put the Wings' song on as a dedication to yours truly, and the Foo Fighters song because it's sweet and absolutely kickass, like yours truly, so she says. I like it. I have to admit that we're all a little jealous of Loudmouth because she spends the least amount of time around here, yet she has arguably the coolest music on her page, plus the music video. I've been here 24/7 for over 20 years, and she comes around maybe twice a month these days, and she gets Joan Jett on her page. Whatev. She pays her dues on the streets and in the allies, I guess. At least I'm sweet and absolutely kickass.

Oh, and I'm COTW in INOBIAP. Check out my mug on the group page. It's all squished so I look very robust, like Cookman on steroids (which I'm actually take occasionally for my skin allergies, not that you would know by looking at me). I'm trying hard this week to represent, so it's good to have my page in check.

oh, Simon!

Guys, please purr for my buddy Simon. He's feeling very yucky and they're not entirely sure what's wrong with him, but he has all sorts of various symptoms, all of which are making him uncomfortable. Hopefully we'll know what's wrong with him tomorrow or later tonight. His mom has been keeping us posted in his diary. I usually check out his diary because it's the funniest one on Catster, but today I read it and everything it said was very saddening. It looks like he may need surgery. I don't think 14 is too old for surgery. 14 isn't too old for anything. It's young. So please purr for him. His badge is 2nd-to-last on my page, in the 'tuxedo' section.

I just lost my friends Penny, Bert, and Catfish (in reverse order). I can't stand the thought of anything happening to Simon.

We love you Simon!

The good with the bad

Things are pretty good here in Indianapolis. Mom is busy, working a lot. I am busy, vigilantly guarding the front hallway and patrolling the kitchen sink. I have been the incredibly lucky recipient, over the last 12 days or so, of 8 custom (not serial) anonymous rosies and 18 anonymous stars. That is absolutely outrageous, but I am incredibly grateful. I have decided 3 things regarding the givers:

1) I will probably never figure out who exactly was behind it.

2) It was I love Cookie. I know it.

3) It had to be a bunch of you guys, not just one cat or one family.

It's really cool, in any event ,and I love my buddies so much.

Now the bad part. My buddy Spot isn't doing so well, at least according to the substitute vet who is not the one who his mom likes. He sure is fighting and keeping up a good attitude, but his appetite hasn't been the same and he has trouble walking. He still likes to play and roll around in the grass and generally spend time with mom and the other kitties, but his body won't do everything he wants it to. He only a year old and FIP+, and I am very worried about him. He also has forthcoming red pleather jacket pics, so look out world. He's really a cutie.

So I'm taking the good with the bad right now. I've always been my family's rock, so I have to stay positive. They look to me to see how to behave and handle situations with grace and dignity. I know it. I'm not just talking about the furry ones, either.

Cookman out . . .

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED!!!

Actually I have been tagged by Wally, Sissy, Miss Jazzie, Oscar, Raza, and Fela Kiti. My typist has been busy these last couple of weeks.

I am supposed to tag 7 cats, and they are *drumroll*:

*We're working on that part, but first the 7 Facts.*

1) Vladimir: 467639
2) Pixie Belle: 289950
3) SMUSHY: 455645
4) Zorilla: 155436
5) Fuzzy: 283578
6) Ginger: 471090
7) George Ling: 520986


The rules:

Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own diary about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your diary.

My Seven Facts
By Cookie

1) Obviously, I am old. I am from the Reagan Administration. What people don't know is that I didn't even start acting my age until I was about 17, when I finally started to slow down. I plan to outlive everyone, and so far so good.

2) I get better and better in my old age. I continue to become sweeter and cuter everyday. The pathetic mew and broken olde purr kinda help. The humans are such suckers for that stuff. Way better than hearty mews and purrs. I need more loving and become a little more odd with each passing year, but I'm worth it, and at my age your family thinks of each day with me as a gift, which is ridulous because I'm healthy as a horse.

3) My broken olde purr is my mom's favorite sound. She usually has to put her ear to my belly to hear it, but it's worth it and I love it when she puts her to my belly.

4) I love kittens. Always have. I considered Oreo a gift and a blessing, and Simba my new little buddy. I even loved Gabriel as a baby. He was too cute for words, believe it or not. radley was a challenge because she was a little older, but I always tolerated her and knew that she would turn out to be a nice kitty. There is something very maternal in my nature, I think. I take good care of the humans too, and they're very grateful.

5) I have the bestest besties in the world. I really do. I'm scared to try to list them here because I don't want to forget anyone, but I really have amazing friends, young and old, angel and earthly, from all over the world, and in my own city. Everyone in I love Cookie has been amazing, and lots of kitties who aren't members, like Scooter and Samoa. Catster has been very good to me, and I never take that for granted.

6) Here's a fact about me that few folks know: I like to make out with baked goods. We have bread and cookies and other baked things in plastic on the kitchen countertop (my domain), and I like to roll around with them and get the plastic all drool-y. It's the only time I drool, unless I'm getting a really good belly rub.

7) I have the most amazing dreamlife. Seriously. You can tell I'm running and jumping because my feet move a lot when I sleep. I'm an emperor, a president, a rock star, a racecar driver, and a point guard in the NBA. I have yet to retire in my dreamlife. Or in my real life, from my 24/7 job as family doorman.

Those are my facts. No huge revelations, no big secrets as to how I got so old. I'm just a really great kitty and plan to continue to be one forever and ever.

Spring fever!

Whew! What a week. First Radley was Cat of the Day, stealing all my thunder 2 weeks before my 20th brithday. She would not shut up about it either. Thank God Wally got Cat of the Week and totally trumped her. That was awesome. Check, and mate. He totally deserves it, too. He's such a good kitty, and he's had such a rough year, but he's pulling through like a little tabby tiger, and we love him. He joined I love Cookie this week too. Actually, we've had lots of new joins this week, all of them very cool kitties. I love my little group.

Also, I'm Calvin's Pal of the Week, which rocks. I love Calvin. He's such a youngster at heart, like me. And he's so cute. I love his newest Easter shots on his page.

AND . . . I'm turning 20 in just 7 days! Can you belive it? I can't. And I'm having a joint party with Wally next Saturday. It should be such fun. I was really playing it cool up until now, but I'm really getting excited. Everyone's welcome to come. It will be in the Party Time and Virtual Play Dates Forum. OK. Back to my box.

As a horse

I was yanked from atop my box the other morning, to be shut up in another box, put in a noisy car, on a cold, foggy morning, with no advance warning, of course. I had been saving up my voice for a good 6 months, so I let it out good on the way, and after I got there. Mom opened my box on the way, then once we got there she closed it again. Once inside, she opened my box and Radley's. We were at the vet. Oh no. I knew it. But it was fun watching Radley refuse to be a lap cat and have to be shut back up in her box while we waited for the vet. Dr. Fletcher was glad to see me again, and I started giving shorter, more optimistic meows, with a nice squeak at the end just for her. I only use my voice twice a year, so it better be good when I do. It's really a pathetic meow, but quite charming in its own way, really. I love Dr. Fletcher because she took such good care of me last year when I bunt my paw so badly. She checked me out and I looked good (duh!). She said the gross thing in my ear is a polyp, and not a big deal. Another age thing. Yay. It could become painful, but they'll just laser it if it does. Also, my bloodwork looked great, which is totally kickass. Dr. Fletcher told my mom to keep doing what she doing, because I'm in very good shape. I also have surprisingly little joint pain, but some stiffness in my knees, for sure. Mom did the CatAge test, and I'm only 88.5! I should be 94.5, but I'm still young. I turn 20 in human years April 1st. I better, like Bill said, get a 3-tiered chicken cake this year. And Radley is officially, medically, fat. Ha. If she gains any more weight she will have to go on diet food. How will we keep her out of my stuff? We'll make me a box with a hole in the side big enough for Oreo and myself to pass through, but not Radley. Hahahahaha.

Patches took a vacay for a week, as soon as we got a break in the weather. We didn't see her once. But she came back, thank god, and thank everyone who purred for her return. We are all very grateful. She is such a special kitty. Mom just got some good photos of the Blackies, which was fun. It's hard to get pictures of ferals in the snow becuase they get scared off by her crunching footsteps. We haven't seen our lawn under all that snow in weeks.

Also, Boomer joined I love Cookie!, which is such an honor, and then she got COTD the very next day. I feel like she gives it credibility as a group having her there, regardless of the COTD thing. And I put up my Catster heroes. Plus, Scooter told me how to put more badges up, so I'm thinking about Fuzzy.

Mom changed all our backgrounds to get rid of the the V-Day stuff, but I think I'll keep the red, at least for a bit longer. I think it's elegant, yet kind of Scarface at the same time.

Hell's yeah, son!

SO the Colts won the Super Bowl and Hell didn't freeze over. What a game. It was pouring! And we still defended and defended and defended against the Bears. That Oprah/ Dave Letterman commercial was my personal fave. How about Addai? He's a rookie. I also feel like we kind of won it for Reggie Miller, in a way, because he always wanted to bring us home that ring. The Colts finally gave us all that last night. And you have to respect an older guy like Peyton who still gives 100% and trains harder than anyone else.

Also, I was Bud of the Day on Tuesday in Navin and Buds. That was great. Then my old buddy Biscuit got it on Saturday. What an honor.

We're all very worried for our ferals right now. It was -20 with the windchill last night. We think they all hole up together in the cathouses for warmth. They survived the cold snap 2 years ago with no obvious frostbite or anything, so hopefully this is just another obstacle for them. Good thing we've been fattening them up with Kitten Chow for the cold. It works, too. Our phones and internet keep going out because of the cold, which is no fun. We're doing well, though.

lucky day

It's my lucky day, guys. I love drippy faucets. I like to stick my head under them, and let the water roll into my mouth. My family had all the leaky faucets fixed last fall, but now the black tub is dripping again, FINALLY. It grows very tiresome getting your water out of the same dish all day. It gets warm, and it gets Oreo fur in it. So yesterday mom noticed that my head was all wet again, and she realized the drip was back. I think they'll wait a while to fix it, since they always do, and since they know I missed my leaky faucet. They worry about me always having a wet head and hanging out by the door, since I'm really old and they don't want me to get sick. But I won't get sick. I'm tough like that.