Checkers

Things get busy around here during the holidays. Our friends know why and I will not go into details here. But on top of our usual hub-bub, we have had an issue with our cats all getting sick at once. Very confusing to us, and life has become miserable for them. Humans understand when they are sick with a cold to ride it out; animals just want to hide from it.

Checkers

About 12 years ago we have a nasty storm around Christmas time (sound familiar?), with winds and blowing snow. More wind that snow, and bitter cold. We had decorated our house for Christmas with a large plastic light-up Santa that I had purchased with one of my first paychecks as a teenager (that is another story). We tied it up on top of our porch roof, but it could not stand up to the winds that day and blew off the roof with a tremendous crashing noise - at 5 am, of course. My husband ran outside as the sound was so loud, we thought a car had crashed into the house. The news of the 'death' of my Santa did not go well, but even worse was our front door did not shut all the way against the horrible wind when he came back in. When the door blew open, one of our cats, Scottie, ran out. We spent two weeks searching for Scottie, going door-to-door, posting fliers - the usual. We purchased a humane trap, set it in our back yard and put in his favorite food to temp him. That is how we got Checkers. (We caught Scottie the day after.)

We could have let Checkers go, since she was feral, but she seemed so calm in the trap that we brought her in and confined her to a bathroom until she could acclimate to her surroundings, and until we could get her to a vet to be sure that she did not have anything that would hurt our other cats. I would go in to visit her, and she would come up to me very shyly, full of trepidation, but willing to be pet and held. These little visits were very precious to me.

We took her to our vet and Checkers was in perfect health, about 6 months old, and, of course, ready to be spayed. She came home and took up residence in the bathroom until she was healed. Having sniffed each other through the bathroom door, there was very little excitement when she joined the rest of the group. Then she met Ike, our pure white deaf cat. It was love at first sight on her part and our little cuddle sessions were now over. She bonded to Ike and I guess she figured she only needed him and the female human was now unnecessary. I was disappointed, but she became Ike's hearing buddy, so I did not push the issue. The only times I got to hold her again were when I was able to trim her claws, or when we moved. These escapades consisted of corralling the poor cat into a small space, donning oven mitts, and wrapping her in a towel or shoving her in a carrier.

The minute she arrived here in the Poconos house, she laid down her boundaries: feed her, let her buddy up to Ike, and let her hide when we come near. We tolerated all this because she was the world's best mouser. No fooling around with the prey, like the rest of the cats; she would just whack it! We started calling her Ms. Soprano.

I believe, and our new veterinarian agrees, that one of those mice that dared come into our house brought this bug that they are all suffering from now. Checkers, being the real assassin, got it the worst. We were able to catch her to take her to the vet only because she had grown so weak. She had pneumonia.

The vet told us we would have to medicate her everyday and really subject her to some intensive care. We knew that once she got her strength back, if she did, she would fight us. It would all be torture to her. She was so sick and she had no fight left in her. I know she told me it was time to go. I know, silly, talking to a cat, but I swear when I told her what we thought about doing and that Ike would be joining her soon (he is 18), she relaxed and gave me a final gift. She let me hold, cuddle and caress her beautiful fur one last time. No more fight.

We buried her under the magnolia tree where we have the others who have passed since we moved here. We have a spot next to her for Ike when he chooses to go. I think he misses her, I know I do.

I know this is a self-indulgent posting. Thank you for reading.

Transitions

Just went through another birthday. As one of my friends used to say when I would complain about getting older, "Consider the alternative!" However, an important birthday does make a person evaluate how things have changed and what needs to be accomplished in our lives. The 'alternative' affects more aspects in my life and those of my friends. I do not mean to be depressive, just introspective.

A good friend and former boss recently lost her husband. I envisioned how I would feel if that happened to me - every married woman does. There is an empathy that goes without speaking and a part of you aches. Another friend whom I have known since childhood lost a brother - I can relate to that directly, having lost both of my brothers. We have a bond that does not get expressed, but we read in each other's eyes. A part of childhood is gone. An expectation for the future is removed.

These events, and several others, made me think about the transitions in life. My husband and I moved up here to relieve some of the stress in our lives; stress that would most certainly have killed us far too soon. Neither he or I have any immediate family left, so we hold on tighter to each other.

Begin Again

Our country has just been through a major election. During the campaigns, things are said, accusations are made, and even if they are not true, the accusation cannot be un-said. Why do we believe George Washington chopped down a cherry tree? Because it was said - once - and even though miles of information has disproved the story, people still have the image in their head. The old joke "When did you stop beating your wife?" Never said you did, but now the words have been said and the image is in your mind. Left to germinate, the image becomes an idea, then a truth. It is easier to say the lie than to disprove it.

Thanksgiving is next week. To most people this means getting together with family, eating and reconnecting. In our house, we decorate for Christmas and evaluate the coming year, then my husband goes to work (service/tourist industry, remember?) Turkey can be eaten any day, as long as we have each other.