A Second and Third Goodbye

A few days after the loss of Tiggy, I was off to Kentucky (where I'm from originally) for the memorial service for my oldest brother who passed away earlier this year. It was his last request to be buried next to our parents and brother. I'm grateful we were able to do that for him. I gave his eulogy being reminded of how quickly time and life passes you by, and that before you know it, you are standing at a gravesite, saying a final goodbye. 

On the morning of my brother's service, as I finished preparing my eulogy for him, I happened to notice the words on my hotel key-cad that I'd not noticed before. How fitting .... 

Despite the circumstances of our trip to Kentucky, it was good to spend time with family, to reconnect with cousins, and a longtime friend who, I have to mention, dated my brother in 1975. Their relationship may not have worked out, but ours has been a friendship that has lasted 50 years. 

Back at home, before I left for Kentucky, I was worried about our boy Marley. It was easy to see that his spark was starting to fade, and there were changes in his appetite and energy that I couldn't overlook.

Despite that, he was in good spirits and up and around a bit when I returned, and I was hopeful for more days together. Unfortunately, Marley declined again after a few days, and I knew it was time to say our goodbye's to one another. 

~A very tired Marley, the day we met July 2023~

Marley was without doubt, the classic and quintessential Golden Retriever with every single one of the endearing qualities and characteristics that Goldens are known and loved for. I told everyone that I think I literally kissed the color right off his face! 

Marley may have been mostly blind, but his sense of smell never failed him. He always knew where the food was and his hearing was tuned perfectly to hear the sound of dog bowls being filled and vegetables steamed at mealtime. 

~Marley sees the light during a power outage~

Marley always made me laugh because as I was getting all the dog bowls ready, he'd push his head between my legs and look up at me, and wait hopefully (with a smile) for a breakfast or dinner appetizer. 

In every way a dog can be, Marley was a true treasure. And, despite the sadness I am feeling, my heart and soul is filled with such gratitude for being asked in July of 2023 to be his foster home and to have the chance to know Marley and love him and have him for part of our lives for 799 days. 

There is so much I miss about Marley ... and I always will, until I see him again. 

Thank you friends for stopping by again today. I have one more goodbye to tell you about that is a happier one. 

One of Three Goodbyes in September

September was for us, a month that met with 3 losses at our house. 

The first was our our Siamese cat, Tiggy who was with us almost exactly 6 years. 

Longtime readers may recall that Tiggy was the 'bookend' to a senior Lab named Sophie whose owner went to live in an assisted living facility. Both have passed, and knowing that Tiggy is reunited with those who loved him first, brings me comfort.

Tiggy as a Siamese cat, was, to say the least, an unusual character. He ate plastic bags, and never purred. We barely saw him for the first year he was with us. And when we did see him, and we tried to pet him, it was always met with a bite and then he'd go back into hiding. He really was not a nice cat. 

But then, after about a year, Tiggy changed. We started to see him more often, and the dogs that he once avoided, he began sleeping next to. 

This change came about the time our outdoor kitty, White Boy arrived. The two could not have been more different, but they became good friends despite how different they were.  A reminder of opposites can and do attract. Whatever it was that made them friends and companions, I give White Boy all the credit for teaching Tiggy all about being a cat and being part of a family.

It was also about that same time that Tiggy started sleeping with us, every single night. I grew up with Siamese cats, and I've always known that they are generally more sensitive to the cold due to their short, fine coats that provide little insulation. During the day, especially in the winter, Tiggy would sleep on the bed under the covers. And, at night he would curl up next to us. It was in those quiet moments at night when he would sometimes let his guard down and would stretch out his paw and touch my face. However, I wouldn't move, for fear he might bite me ... Which he sometimes did... Old habits I guess...

I feel strongly, that Tiggy believed, as most cats do, that he was nothing short of royalty. He may have thought that more about himself, because he was a Siamese cat. But he lived life on his own terms. He was in his own way, a gentleman. And, being a gentleman, with no warning, he decided on his own when it was time to leave us. More than anything, I wished I could have said good-bye to him before he left -- But the butterfly sitting on the porch railing at 10:30 that night, gave me that chance.