Missing Pickles

Twelve years ago, when The Robeau and I got together, he was already sharing his home with two lovely ladies, Eva and Pickles.  Several moves, several cats and one baby later, Picky was still a part of our gang.  In the last two weeks she started to decline health wise and Tuesday, we had to say goodbye.  To say you don't see this kind of thing coming after a lifetime of pet ownership would be just plain stupid.  But if there's one thing I've learned about letting go of the furry members of our family it's that it never gets any easier.  No, it never gets any easier...and each loss is different.

What makes the loss of Picky unique is that Lenny is sharing this loss with us.  Trying to explain to a 3 year old that her cat is never coming back is tricky.  My heart breaks when I think of the shock in her eyes when she realized what "forever" meant.  Watching her figure out her coping mechanisms has been a revelation.  She's asking questions, sharing memories, drawing pictures and singing songs about her lost friend.  She's sad, but she's managing.  She's a trooper.  I'm learning so much from her, as always.

We'll miss you Pickles.  You were truly a special friend.  The most affectionate cat I've ever known.  We were so lucky to have you in our lives as long as we did.