Thank you.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in memory of those who passed away while serving in the United States Military.

Today we remember and thank all the men and women who died while serving to protect our freedom and honor of our nation. It is a reminder to us, that each day we should express gratitude towards those who gave their life to give us the freedom to live and enjoy our life.

Traditionally, towns host parades, people decorate graves and visit memorials, you may also notice people wearing a red poppy. 

The poppy is symbolic of  the bright red blooms on broken ground, which inspired Lieutenant Colonel McCrae to write the poem, In Flanders Fields, in which he wrote of the fallen soldiers buried under poppies. His poem was first published in 1915, and would subsequently be used at memorial ceremonies.

Many blessings to all of you, and today, we leave you with John McCrae's poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 🐾

God Bless America! 

In memory of Pixie

Remember ma sponsored a kitty at Tabby's Place after Stray Cat passed away?

We are sad to report that she has passed away. Tabby's wrote a beautiful blog in her honor if you want to read it:
https://www.tabbysplace.org/uncategorized/free-as-pixie/

Her start in life was a rough one. She was shot with a pellet gun which caused her hind legs paralysis. She persevered in the face of adversity. She was joyful, playful, and beautiful. She lived for a few years at the sanctuary, and was adopted last spring. She only had five years on this planet, and she touched so many people and cats - we all have learned from her courage, and strength.

Pixie inspires me to be nicer to everyone. Humans do not think I am the friendliest cat. Maybe it has to do with my start in life. My mamma's friend found me as a tiny kitten in the parking lot of a mall. Thank God she found me, because it was scary there.

I think our start in life has a huge impact on who we become and how we see the world. It is believed that the personality of a cat is based on the specific breed and the manner in which they are raised.

Now, mamma raised me spoiled and loved, yet most humans who meet me call me a scaredy-cat because I am timid and shy. Other humans just call me mean. I assure you, I am not mean - I am friendly, affectionate, and vocal to mamma only. Perhaps, my reserved behaviour is because I was introduced to the world with loud noises, lots of feet, and many automobiles. Something to think about.

Each time we lose a loved one, we honour their memory by emulating their best attributes. We honour Pixie today, and send up love, purrs, and cuddles to all of you.

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali. 🐾

You don't have to have a great start in life to have a great attitude towards the future! 

One year.

One year. A post written by Stray Cat's mom. Stivali will return to her blog writing in February. 

Why do we recognize sad anniversaries? Is it just in our nature to know? 

Every 26^th day of each of the past 11 months, I was very aware that it was indeed the 26^th – and as the clock ticked to 4:45 on each Friday afternoon after the 4:45 of Friday, January 26th that Stray Cat dramatically died – I knew. I calculated, “one week”, “two weeks”, “three weeks” – it is painful yet inherent. I could not even help it, I did not want to recognize it, I did not want to acknowledge it, but just like how my mental alarm clock wakes me up at 5:15 every morning, regardless of me having to get up to go to work on that particular day, my brain, my heart, my body, my soul… knew.

Why do we recognize sad anniversaries? Do we even have a choice?

I made no plans on this one year marker. Anyone who asked me to do something today I declined. I did not tell them why. I just declined. Made plans for Friday the 25^th, made plans for Sunday the 27^th. But Saturday. Saturday, January 26, 2019. No. No plans. No thank you. Because I had no idea how I would feel when I woke up. Knowing. Knowing one year passed.

I do not feel any crappier or any less crappy than I have felt every single day since 4:45pm Friday, January 26, 2018. The day I took my beautiful Maine Coon for a routine chest-tap – a chest-tap that is routine for cats with Congestive Heart Failure. A procedure he had a few months prior and came out like a champ. The day marks the day I took my cat to the doctor to feel better. Not to die.

Yet, that is what happened that day.

Am I in a depression? Maybe, maybe not – because I push through. I get up and get out of bed every day when I rather pull the covers up over my head. And stay there. All day long. 

I get up, I do yoga. I meditate. I get ready for work. I go to work and function like a living self-sufficient human. I exercise after work. I cook. I eat. I see my friends. I visit family. I go back to bed. And I sleep (most nights). 

So, I think that is something to celebrate: I am pushing through.

In every day that has passed since my beautiful cat tragically died, I have been trying to focus on rejoicing about his life, and I have tried (most of the times, failing) to not focus on how shocking and heartbreaking it was to witness his death.

I guess it is all part of the grieving process. You push through. People say, “It’ll get better.” But I know that is a lie. I have pushed through before after losing a loved one, and it never ever got better. It just altered my world.

Life becomes different, and we figure out how to live with the difference – it is never ever better. Just different.

No, Google Photos, we did not need a reminder. 😩
Photo in left corner of his fuzzy paws was taken after he took his last breath. 

I am grateful that this little Stray Cat walked into Abbracci and chose me.
I am grateful for the 10 years, 09 months, and 02 days we had.

Today, I will focus on those facts.

Thank You, Lord, for surrounding me with Your goodness and mercy even today as I grieve. - Psalm 23:6

Are we ready yet?

My ma went to visit Pixie again at Tabby's Place. She absolutely loves that little girl.  She came home smelling like 86 different cats, and I kept crying for her attention all night long.

Here are her photos from her visit: 

On her way home, ma stopped at the September 11th memorial in town and saw this beautiful memory rock. 

And when she pulled into the driveway of our home, she was greeted by a gladiolus which must have been planted by a bird - - - she and I both think the stone and the flower are signs from heaven.

Is it time yet? Are we ready? No amount of time erases the memory of Stray Cat, but are we ready to give a different cat a new home and a healthy, happy, loving new life?

Mamma went on Tabby's Place's website to review the kitties and cats who are available there for adoption. Interestingly enough, there were quite a few she did not meet or see during her visit that day.  One of which was named "Suzy" - a childhood nicname of my ma's.  Was this yet another sign?

Should we call and see if Suzy is still available for adoption? Are we ready?

I was found by ma's friend in a parking lot of a mall in Florida.

Stray Cat found ma - and chose her.

Kismet was found by ma's friend.

Cleo was a stray that chose her too.

So.  Will there be a message from heaven, a kitty that will just show up at our door? Or will we have to go out and find our next kitty?

Is it time? Are we ready yet?

Thank you for reading, and let us know what you think - how did you know when it was time?

We are acting like a little kid in the backseat taking a road trip with his parents, repeatedly asking, "Are we there yet?".

Purr & Paw,
-Stivali.

Two Gingers in Heaven

Today marks nine years since this beauty, Kismet, went to heaven.  I never got to meet him.  Obviously, if you can do math, you know why, I am only 7.5 years old (I think).

Anyway, "King Kismet" was his nic-name, and that is why when Stray Cat came around, Stray Cat became a Prince.  Here they are eating next to one another in Ocala, Florida. ❤ 

Now, they are together in Heaven. 

The below picture is from their first day in Ocala, Florida - June 06, 2008.  They were exhausted.  Mamma tells the story of that road trip on occasion.  I don't think I would have liked it very much. 

Today, Mamma lit a candle in honor of two gingers in Heaven.  

She cried, and I let her hold me.  Hug your loved ones tightly.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali. 

Six Month Mark

Today marks six months since my big brother, Stray Cat, wento visit Kismet and Zoe in Heaven with plans to never come back.

My ma and I have been extremely sad. And ma has been buying things to keep him close to her heart. See evidence below: 

I do believe she considers me a non-human person.

I never knew life without my brother.  I was born and he was already here.  I did not realize I would have to know life without him.  It kinda sucks learning and living in this new life.  No matter the time that passes, it doesn't really get better. I hate how we make notice of the calendar and of how many days, weeks, and months have passed.  Today is six months, and it is pretty awful. I wish we weren't paying attention to the days without him - but it is so hard not to. I miss my brother.  We used to nap together, a lot. Some times right up against each other, but more often like this:

Readers, do you see me? 

Even though ma and I saw this coming, it did not prepare us for the pain which would follow.  We are still sad. We talk about him like he is still here, and he is still here - in our hearts.

You may already realize, I am not much of a cuddler. Okay, fine, I am NOT a cuddler.  I know ma would love it if I would wake her like this  (see below photos), but it is just not my personality.  I am way more of an independent-want my space-type of cat. Maybe one day I would do this for her, but if we are really honest here,  since my paws would not be the same as Stray Cat's fuzzy paws, it won't ever be done. *Sorry, Mamma! 🙀

Ma would be so embarrassed if she knew I posted this pic.🐱

Well, Big Brother, if you have a web browser and internet access up there, I hope you are reading this and okay with me taking over your blog. Give St Francis a hug from me. We miss you a lot.  Life won't ever be the same without you here in it.  

Purr & Paw,
-I was a little sister once.

In memory of my older brother, Kismet.

 My older brother, Kismet, passed away eight years ago today.

I really looked up to him and liked him a lot.

I used to follow him around and want to be his friend. He wasn't interested.

My mamma wrote about him on her blog a lot, and wrote a tribute to him after he passed away.

Read about him here.

Eight years have passed, and I know my mamma still misses him a lot.  Sometimes I catch her calling me his name on accident, and I never mind.

Hold close your loved ones. Your time on earth is not guaranteed.

My ma had these great canvases made of us.  

Checking out Kismet's portrait.