Smile Mom

Hi Mom.

I know this is a hard day for you. I know you don't like to remember this day, so I want to bring you a reminder of a happy memory.

Remember the bird feeder? I didn’t know you set it up. That morning I sat there in the dining room trying to decide if I should lounge on the window perch, the dining chair or maybe just stay on the floor. I was gazing out the French door leading to the deck. All of a sudden, a bird flew by right in front of the door! My ears perked up! My whiskers perked up! I sat at attention. I waited. Whoosh! It went by again. I ran to the kitchen window. I pressed my nose against the glass. I chattered. I looked at you and back out the window. There is a bird out there! One foot away! If you would just open this window, I could get him! But you wouldn’t do it. You laughed and said the birdies were there to entertain me. Torture me is more like it. I kept my eye on those birdies every day and made sure they knew they better not get complacent because at any time, I might sneak out there and lie in wait for them. We spent a lot of time there in the kitchen didn't we? They were good times. Smile Mom when you think of me.

Love always, Zach

Seven years have passed

I can see Mommy is having a hard time. It's been seven long years since I left. I miss Mommy. She is sad today. She looks at my pictures and cries. She has been having a hard time, and I wish she could come here with me.

I will try to make her smile with a funny memory:

I used to like to climb on top of the kitchen wall cabinets. I'd get there via the refrigerator. One day, while Mommy was at work, I went up there, but as I moved from the fridge to the cabinets, I accidentally kicked the freezer door open. When Mommy came home, I met her at the door like I always do. She gave me kisses and pets and then glanced into the kitchen. She drew in her breath, and her eyes got real big. Uh oh. There was a big, red stain all down the wall! I guess the stuff in the freezer unfreezes when the door is open, and on the inside of the door was a bag of frozen raspberries. Luckily, Mommy didn't get mad at me. She knew I didn't mean for that to happen. After that though, the top of the fridge was covered with stuff, and I never could get back up on top of the cabinets. :-(

Thank you's

I just want to thank all of you who sent good wishes to me and Mom as we remembered my Bridge anniversary yesterday. Special thanks to for the rose rosies from Nala Sue and Mr. Sam, and the heart rosies from Peaches and Toni and her family.

We hate to remember that day six years ago, so instead, I will offer a happy memory:

One evening way back when, I was lounging on the ottoman while Mommy and Daddy were watching television. Mommy tossed a little furry mousie at me. I flipped it around, and it landed behind my head. I stretched my head back to see it, and it started to slide down the ottoman. As I reached back for it, I started to slide down the ottoman. The mousie fell to the floor, and as reached for it, I slowly, slowly slid onto the floor, head first, like molasses. Mommy and Daddy laughed and laughed. Obviously, they thought it was an accident.

Boy, do I miss those days ...

Holiday Season Memories

The holiday season is over. I look down on Mommy and her furmily, but things are much different from when I was with her. I had a daddy then, and Mommy and Daddy had their parents too. And everyone would be together, and I would get presents! Presents from everyone, and I loved presents. I always knew they were for me even if they weren't catnippy. (I didn't like catnip anyway.) I helped to open them, always. I loved all the wrapping paper being torn off presents and tossed aside for me to frolick in. I remember the year I got the window perch. As soon as Mom slid it out of the box, I sat on it - before it was even assembled. Oh, and the year I got the remote control (big) mouse. I was scared of it, and everyone laughed at the big pussycat who was scared of a fake mouse.

Then there was the tree. I liked the tree, but I didn't bother it. I just sat under it. It was nice. It was a real tree, and it smelled real good.

Of course, let me not forget those holiday dinners. Mmmm, yummy food.

I know Mommy misses those days and especially me. She says nothing is the way it used to be and gets real sad, but I was glad to see this year that she was not as sad. She put her tree up finally and had a talk with me. I only saw her get sniffly once, and she has been having fun watching AnnaDee and Rafiki fight over (or should I say 'under') the tree. Hopefully, this is the start of many more happy holiday seasons for her.

Thanksgiving Memory

Thanksgiving is soon approaching, and I remember my first Thanksgiving with Mommy and Daddy. First though, I must tell you that I always sat at the table with them whenever they were eating. I always sat in my own chair and never got up on the table. When I wanted a bite of something, I would tap on the table with my paw.

That first Thanksgiving was very exciting. Mom brought home lots of food from the grocery store. She was in the kitchen the day before cooking up lots of stuff. I was particularly attracted by the aroma of boiling potatoes. Mom said "Cats don't like potatoes Zachary", but I looked at her earnestly. Finally she said "Okay, I'll give you a taste". I didn't like them, but I loved the smell of them. I always came over when I smelled potatoes boiling.

There were lots of other good smells too. Of course the smell of turkey was irresistable! I sat in the kitchen all day long waiting for it. Finally it was time for dinner. The table was set in the dining room - they never ate in the dining room- and all my grandparents were there too. Everyone sat down - everyone but me!!!!! There was no chair for me! I hopped up into the chair behind my granddad. Mommy said "Zachary, get down". Why?! They forgot about me, about my chair! I persisted. Finally, grandmom had the sense to ask "doesn't he normally sit at the table with you?' The light when on in Mom's head. She went and got a chair for me which she placed right at the corner of the table next to her. Next she served me some turkey first, and when I finished, I came and settled down in the chair and kept everyone company while they ate their dinner.

That was the best dinner, and I soon learned that we would do this every year and also at Christmas time too. I miss those times, and I know Mommy does too.

Five Years Ago

From Mom: Five years ago today, I helped Zachary to the Bridge. For some reason, yesterday was particularly upsetting, as I dwelled on that awful day and the weeks leading to it. I don't want to continue to dwell on it, so I have asked Zachary to, instead, write about the day he came home ....

It was a hot summer day at the end of July, and I was home with my humans and those two awful, huge dogs. It was early still, and my new mommy and daddy came over. I had met them once before but didn't think anything of it. I was relaxing in the big dog bed. All of a sudden, I was scooped up and put in a carrier and taken into a strange car. My mommy said goodbye to me, and we were off. What was going on?! They told me I was going to a new home without any dogs to terrorize me. I thought, 'why can't the dogs leave along with that fiance guy who brought them'. It wasn't fair! Why me?!

New mommy had let me out of the carrier at the urging of old mommy. I meowed. I meowed some more. I went to the back seat. I went to the front seat. They tried to console me. The highway was bumpy. Bump, meow, bump, meow, bump, meow. It was a big, older car with bench seats, so I sat next to new mommy. Then I sat next to new daddy. Then I moved really fast and got in the foot well under new daddy's feet. We pulled over. I was extricated from the foot well. Oh, the ride went on forever. Four hours from CT to PA, and I meowed the whole way. Finally, I gave up and retreated to my carrier. It was hardly worth it; we were at our destination twenty minutes later.

They took me out of the car in the carrier, opened the front door and set me down inside. They opened the carrier. I tore out of it and up the stairs running under the bed in the first room I came to. What was going on? New smells. No dogs. New mommy came up stairs and looked under the bed at me. She called my name and patted the floor. I crawled out and let her pet me. I was scared. She left me alone, and I went back under the bed. We did this all day long, having these little visits. At one point, I switched rooms. Finally, it came time for them to go to bed. I heard her say she hoped I'd be okay overnight. As soon as they got in bed, I came out and hopped in with them. They quickly found out that I was no dummy!

From Mommy again: I have lit a virtual candle for Zachary here: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=84 67961