Y’all, this is MY chair. My comfy reading chair. That I bought especially for me. Where I do all my best thinking and writing and napping and stuff. Or, I guess, it used to be…
Sigh. I suppose I can’t fault Merlin for having good taste.
This photo popped up in my memories earlier this week.
Apparently, I took it in May of 2007. I don’t remember the when, but I do remember the why. Graham had just come home from work, and Gatsby immediately curled up right beside him as soon as he sat down. And stayed there. It was just such a sweet moment I felt like I had to capture it, and now, all these years later, I’m so glad I did.
I look back now – at how young Graham looked, at how much Gatsby always loved us, at how lucky it was that I had a camera nearby – and I’m grateful. I’m also reminded that we are legacies for the people (and animals) that we love. Even when they’re no longer with us, we carry them in our hearts, and so they’re never really gone, as long as we’re still here to love them and remember them. How very powerful that is.
You see, I told the cat
that we have things to do today.
And what did he have to say?
Nothing, because he
is still fast asleep,
monopolizing my lap.
Priorities…
So, I suppose the work can wait.
After all, what’s a little
procrastinating
between feline and friend?
Guess I’ll just have to wait.
(But seriously, may we all be so loved and wanted as Graham and me on Monday morning when Merlin basically demands all of our attention to play and cuddle. I wouldn’t change a thing.)
But in the best way possible.
Seriously, is there any higher honor than being chosen by a cat? (He did eventually get up. Then we went to bed. And he slept on my foot.)
I know y’all are probably tired of Merlin content, but just look at him:
He’s growing so fast! And I feel like we only brought him home, like, a second ago. How time flies!
As most cats do, Merlin has found the laundry basket. And claimed it.
Cats, y’all…
But seriously, this little kitten – who won’t be little for long, judging by how fast he’s growing – has brought us so much joy since we brought him home. I’m grateful. I firmly believe that cats, if we listen, can teach us the value of slowing down, of being quiet and still, of observing.
And of a very good nap. (Yes, even on a busy Monday.)
He’s new here.
No cat could ever, ever replace my sweet Gatsby, and I know I’ll always have a Gatsby-shaped hole in my heart. But we’re so happy and excited to bring Merlin into our little family, and I know that there is always space in the heart for more love.
He’s about four months old, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to be a big kitty. He’s silly, playful, affectionate, curious, and obsessed with feathers. He’s settling in well, and Annie has been…well, not friendly, but tolerant. I think they’ll get along fine. Eventually.
I’m just so grateful that we get to be his humans. Welcome home, Magic Cat.
Happy Monday, y’all! Here’s a picture of Gatsby, taken with Graham’s new camera earlier today.
I just had to share, and I hope his handsome face makes you smile.
Gatsby’s sixteen, and in addition to the eye issue he’s been dealing with, we know he has a heart murmur and kidney disease, which is not advanced, thankfully. He’s also had some digestion issues in the past couple of years, which seem to have settled for now.
I adopted him when he was a kitten and I was nineteen.
We’ve basically grown into adulthood together.
It’s funny, watching a beloved pet get older. I still look at him and see the scruffy little kitten he was, even though he’s going gray and he’s slowed down quite a bit. He used to play fetch. He used to play at all, for that matter. His days now are filled with naps in the sunshine and cuddles and snacks. It’s quite a life.
It’s been a quite a life.
I don’t know how much longer this sweet old man has, but I will treasure every second I get to spend with him.
Is there any happier creature in the world than a cat in his favorite sunny spot?
I really don’t think there is, y’all. And yes, this is an older picture, if you feel like you’ve seen it before. He is so very comfy and asleep right now that I just couldn’t bother him with the camera. But trust me, he looks almost exactly the same, just absolutely at peace, dozing in the sunshine.
At any rate, after several days of cool temperatures, clouds, and rain showers, the sun is out and shining today. It’s a nice change for all of us, but I think Gatsby’s enjoying it the most.
I hope it’s a sign of good things to come this week!
A Virginia Writer's Diary 