Happy Gotcha Day

My Sweet Gracie

Today 17 years ago we found you at the 

Clay County Humane Society.

You were outside the front door.

I questioned the receptionist about why they did 

not bring you in as it was so evident you wanted

to come inside.

They told me that in all likelihood, if you did it 

would mean a death sentence for one gray tabby.

Such is life...and death.

She kiddingly asked if I wanted you.

I demurred because at that moment we were

looking for our missing cat.

Once I found out Button wasn't there,

and my emotions were at their height,

I took one more glance at you.

You were but a young cat, barely passed

being a kitten. You engaged each person as

they came by the front door.

As we were leaving I said

"I'll take her".

So they ran and got a spare carrier,

we scooped you up and off we went.

Once I had you in the long car ride back 

home, I thought what have I done?

I had just adopted Abby the month before,

now another cat to introduce to the 3 amigos.

But you Gracie, you blended in from the first

moment. (Abby was another story!)

I am so glad in my emotional state, I took

you home. You deserved many more years

than you got but I know you had a good happy

safe loving home.

Love you Gracie Grace.

Missing you!

 

TBT

C. 2011

They're all gone now.

Abby, Gracie & Mr Jinx.

Checking out their new condo

that their Dad built them.

He's gone too.

Hope they are all together now.

#TBT

#missingyou

 

Gracie

It was our final afternoon.

She loved the warm sunshine on the porch.

So I sat with her while we waited for our appointment.

The last one she would have to endure.

For a few weeks she had undergone several procedures

suctioning fluids out of her lungs, the previous

one to this date (2/11/14) had only been 24 hours

before. I couldn't keep doing that to her and

nothing was working.

The vet suspected lymphoma.

Gracie was only 9.

I regret we had so little time.

She was so grateful for being in a home

and loved deeply by her furbrothers and sisters,

and her Mom and Dad.

She is missed.

And she is loved.

Always & forever.

My Gracie Grace.

2005-2014

 

Mancat Monday memory

That is Angel Gracie sniffing the box,

and brother Ping is just chillax!

 

Happy Gotcha Gracie

Happy 16th Gotcha Day in Heaven Miss Gracie Grace.

 

Gracie's Gotcha 15th anniversary

Today, 15 years ago

I found Gracie at the ACC.

I live in a rural county,

and it's a rural ACC.

It's not a place you want to be if you're 

a stray animal.

I've shared this before but I like to tell her story again.

There had been a stray tortie on our property

named Button who went missing.

Our last hope was finding her at the ACC.

That was the MOST depressing place.

Button wasn't there.

But, there was this young kitten 4-6 months old

at the front door begging each person as they walked in

for attention. As we waited to look through the cages

I commented to the shelter worker about that kitten.

She jokingly asked if we wanted to take her for free?

I had just adopted Abby, literally a month before

and I was trying to get her adjusted, so I sad no I was 

there to see if my tortie was here.

Then I asked why they didn't take her in?

And she said, because they knew it would be the end 

for her. I was already upset about Button and this

just did me in.

So no Button at the shelter.

As we were leaving I looked at this gray tabby kitten

and I said we'll take her.

They happily gave us a carrier and off we went.

I sat in the car on the way home and thought

what have I done?

This was what Grace would do when you called her name.

So now I had Gracie and Abby.

Well Abby took 6 months to acclimate to 

Boo, Ping & Jinx. But after checking out at the

Vet, Gracie just moved in like she was a part of 

the group from the beginning.

No fuss no muss.

She just fit in.

Gracie LOVED Ping.

She was such a good girl.

My sweet Gracie Grace.

I always would call her that in a sing song

voice and she would always come to me

running and meowing.

Our last afternoon together.

It was February 11 2014.

Gracie had lymphoma (suspected never confirmed)

Her lungs kept filling up with fluid and she 

couldn't breath. Just a few days before, I had

let them drain her lungs and it only took 48 hours for them

to fill up again. I couldn't keep putting her through that.

So to end your suffering, I accepted my own.

She was far too young, only 9.

She was such a good girl.

Miss you my darling Gracie Grace.

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day,

which Deb Barnes from Zee & Zoey began in

2015 for the loss of her beloved Mr. Jazz.

It is commerotative for all animals who have passed

through our lives.

***

My losses are for both Abby & Gracie who

sadly passed within 6 months of one another.

It is also about my own need to find 

answers to all the emotions that occured because

of those two losses in addition to a lot 

of other 'losses' that happened.

***

I don't know that I discovered the definitive answers

by any means, but I did find some resolutions.

I do want to emphasize that anyone in the first YEAR

will not be able to find any way to find any

solace, it's just a slog your way through process.

In fact, when you look back on it, you wonder even

how you made it.

***

There are so many shocking things that you don't know

until you do.

Once you do you so wish you could unlearn them.

But, you can't.

None of that may seem to make sense, but believe me

once you go through it you do.

***

Loss isn't just about losing that one that is dear to you.

No it's all about the secondary losses too.

That person or animal, filled so much of your daily life.

You lose all of that too.

And sadly with time,

you lose again.

Memories fade.

Like an old time photograph losing it's

color and finally it's images.

***

I suppose the only thing that doesn't get lost

is the love you feel.

No that goes on.

It's a bittersweet feeling because that love can 

only love a ghost.

You can't touch a ghost.

You can only remember.

Which is what today is all about.

***

I miss you Abby.

And I will love you

to the Moon

and back...

until I see my final Moon.

Then, I will be reunited with you.

And there will be no more

being apart again.

Forever.

Gracie

Today it is 5 years that Gracie

gained her wings.

I miss her so very very much.

Of all the kitties that have come into my home,

I think she was the grateful.

She fit right in from day 1.

She was always so kittenish.

I miss your chirps Gracie Grace.

Those little things...

that you take for granted.

I so miss them.

She was and she will always be

my precious Gracie.

Blogoversary

Angel Gracie

Boo

Angel Abby

Ping

Jinx

***

2005 what a different world it was especially in terms of how

technology was beginning to develop.

I had been online since the 90's, but the world was rapidly changing

in how we communicated. Those of us old enough will probably always 

cherish being "pre" internet children.

But, in June of 2005 I found my soul cat Abby. I had been documenting

that search in the form of a Journal I kept off line on my computer.

I also had always been interested in photography, but I had not caught the

digital bug. Thinking it was a fad. But so much for that insight.

After Abby I wanted to get into this new way of photography.

I had a horrible camera, but maybe they all were in those days.

So between my terrible camera and my little known knowledge of 

online Journaling I began this blog. There were so few cat bloggers in those days.

Timothy Dickens was one of the very first I found and I was especially

drawn to him because he was a tuxedo like Boo & Abby.

Timothy lived a long life until November of 2016.

There were a handful of others and we began a very small tightknit

community. There was so much fun.

Now I can't believe how wide and vast the community has grown.

So many have come and gone, including my own beloved

Abby and sweet Gracie.

When I started it never occurred to me that there would be a downside.

It simply never crossed my radar that there would be loss.

I know.

I know.

Truly I know how could I not fathom that?

But, the losses happened and cats and their Moms stopped blogging.

I've always understood why the blogging stopped, but it was terribly sad

to lose all contact when a kitty went to the Rainbow Bridge.

Things come and go, ebb and flow, I've certainly had that happen.

I've always wanted to keep some type of record

and I'm glad I did. I am not as connected as I once was because my heart

is still broken, even after 5 years, and other losses have added

up over those 5 years and I find myself at a crosspoint.

But, I still know that my kitties have kept me grounded and I want to honor

them.

Especially this one....

She has helped my heart more than anything.

What a loving little Momma cat she is.

So I will continue to honor my special seniors and

my Annabelle who herself is now 6.

I see that blogging is now almost a technological dinosaur.

One day I sense it too will go the way of all of those 

outdated AOL , Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger and LiveJournal.

There will be a new way, one day and probably in the not distant 

future and blogging will become like snail mail.

(Which I appreciate btw)

But for now, I want to continue to document my babies.

I was so grateful to have Abby's life with me to fall back on.

It was a comfort once I got through the first stages of Grief.

I hope those who follow us still enjoy our meager updates.

We sure do appreciate all of you.

Sunday Selfie.

This was taken just a few day before Gracie

flew off to the Rainbow Bridge.

Today it has been four years since

my sweet little Gracie left me.

So it's fitting that she join us on

#Selfiesunday.

It seems so impossible that it's been 4 years.

I miss that cute face.

She was such a good cat.

***

So today Gracie is joining

THE CAT ON MY HEAD

for this week's blog hop.

Bathing Beauty

Gracie giving herself a nice sun baff.

C.2011

***
We don't know the path of
#Nate, but wherever it
goes there will be destruction.
So prayers for anyone along the
Gulf Coast.
It's been a dozen years since a hurricane
came ashore on the Gulf shores
in October.
Whenever La Nina is in effect,
Hurricanes are stronger in the Atlantic
Basin, and that is the underlying reason
for the recent active seasons.
Once we get past mid-October
it is basically the end of the Hurricane
Season, even though it actually
goes until November 30.

#TBT

Pretty little Gracie

C:9/2013

#TBT

Gracie's Gotcha

Today is Gracie's Gotcha Day.

She was adopted on July 19, 2005.

It has been 12 years.

***

Gracie was lucky that day.

For those who are new to her story,

she was left abandoned at the ACC.

A high kill place.

Not as high kill as Annabelle's was,but

nevertheless a gray tabby had a

very small chance of being adopted

out of this place.

She was just dropped off outside their 

door. The receptionist said they didn't 

want to take her in, only meaning

it was a certain death sentence.

As it turned out I was there to see if by

some off chance my missing cat 

was there, she wasn't.

I could bear the thought that this sweet

cat who was begging each person 

who came to the door would be

gone, and in a very emotional state

I adopted her.

I had only adopted Abby the month 

before and that wasn't not going well.

On the ride home I thought to myself

what in Heaven's name was I thinking?

But, I have to tell you, after 

her quarantine, Gracie could not have been

easier to assimilate into the household.

It was like she had always been here.

It took another 5 months to assimilate

Abby. What a contrast, but that was Abby.

Gracie was always shy,

and she was always full of gratefulness,

playful,

and she loved her brother Ping..

She left me far too soon at only 9 from suspected lymphoma.

She was such a good cat.

I miss her, but I will always remember

my Gracie Grace. 

Whiskers Wednesday

It has been some time since I featured Gracie Grace.

I miss her sweet face.

Love the whiskers Miss Grace.

Caturday Art

Gracie is joining

ATHENA CAT GODDESS 

for this week's

CATURDAY ART

blog hop.

Today, three years ago Gracie 

left this world on her way to her

Journeys next adventure.

It is a day I can recall with such clarity,

as I guess those type of days are.

I had to make an appointment to let her

go, and I spent a lot of time with her

until our afternoon appointment.

It was a beautiful mild February day,

in which Gracie got to enjoy being out

on her beloved platform on her catio one last time.

Her lungs kept filling up with fluid.

They had been drained many times.

We never knew the source of why this was happening.

Even after a great deal of testing, but

she was uncomfortable,as she couldn't breath.

Since there was no end in sight, and 

Gracie wasn't one who did well away from 

home, I had to make a decision for her.

 ***

I don't regret helping Gracie to the Rainbow Bridge,

but I felt she deserved more time.

She was only 9.

Gracie was an abandoned gray tabby cat.

She was left at the ACC doorsteps.

She was doomed to die by whomever left her there.

But, fate spared her and me.

I scooped her up and took her home that July day 

way back in 2005.

She was my sweet Gracie Grace.

I miss our time together each morning where she would

sit with me while I was on the computer.

I miss seeing her adoration of her big brother Ping.

I miss those sweet chirps.

I miss seeing those quick turns.

I miss how crazy you went over Nip.

I miss how easy you were.

***

I miss you Gracie.

I will see you again.

One day Gracie.

One day.

Wordless Wednesday With Grace

Gracie

Dear beloved Grace.

We lost you today

2 years ago.

Where did the time go?

Gracie I miss you.

Miss you baby girl.

Happy Birthday Gracie

Today marks what would have been

Gracie's 11th birthday.

She's celebrating in Heaven.

With Abby.

And so many of her friends.

Her Angelversary is coming up in

10 days.

It will be two years since she left.

I miss her gentle kind presence.

She was so grateful to have a furever home.

So my dear Gracie,

Happy Birthday.

 I will always remember.

Yes I will sweet Tabby girl.

I will always

remember you.