Time Warp – Changes

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I found a great new blog, bereaved and blessed. The first Tuesday of every month she hosts the “time warp blog hop” where she announces a topic in advance and then you go through your past posts to find an appropriate one. Her idea is to revisit and share some of our favorite blog entries from our archives and reflect on our journeys since we wrote them.

This month’s topic is change…..

Given the year I have had, I had so many posts I could use between the massive renovation project, which of course was stalled by damage and destruction of Hurricane Sandy – the choices are endless… But really the biggest change is the loss of our sweet cat, Alex.

I can’t believe that it is almost six months since we had to say goodbye to our special friend. Marc and I still miss him so much and we still cry almost every day…. Alex was such a huge part of our lives, and we doted on him in every possible way….

When I think of change, I think of mornings like these that I miss so much….

Originally posted December 23, 2010

The King of the Castle

Okay here is a question for you. What would you do?

You and your wife are getting ready for work, early one morning. You are both in the master bathroom. She is in the shower and you are preparing to shave. All of a sudden, your cat walks into the room. He jumps up on the sink, looking for a fresh drink of water.

You of course oblige. You turn on the sink, ever so slightly. You run the water so it is more like a drizzle, providing the cat with just enough to take a quick refreshing drink. You wait a minute or two. You expect the cat to either drink his water or move on to other pursuits.

The cat doesn’t drink, nor does he budge. Instead, he just sits firmly on the vanity top watching the running water in fascination. At this point your wife has completed her shower. You, on the other hand are still in need of a good shave.

You stand there for a moment, with your towel wrapped wife at your side. You ask your cat if he is going to drink any water. Your cat doesn’t respond. Your wife tries. Again, nothing… You both are obviously on his pay no mind list. The cat doesn’t even wiggle his ear or turn his head in either of your directions at the sound of your voices. Instead, he stares happily at the running faucet.

You know if you run the water full force, the cat will bolt. You know you can just coax the cat away, and he will forget about the water. But, the cat looks so happy and content on top of the vanity. Would you really want to disturb him?

Fortunately for Alex, Marc’s answer was no. As Alex hung happily on top of our vanity, Marc grabbed his shaving cream, razor and towel, and headed to the guest bathroom to get ready for work. What would you have done?

I am thankful my mommy and daddy have extra bathrooms. They need one more to have as many as me! Maybe my dad can put that on his list. That way I NEVER have to worry!

Tags: alex, alex the cat, bereaved and blessed, blog hop, blog questions, cat pictures, cats, family, home renovations, Hurricane Sandy, husbands and wives, laughter, life, pets, time warp blog hop

25 comments

Marg

January 8, 2013 at 6:45 am (UTC -4)

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Oh Alex, you were so handsome. We love that picture of you. And to answer your question, I would have moved on to another bathroom. Cats rule you know, and if he wanted that sink, then us humans need to find our own place.What a fun thing to do to go back to old posts. Take care and have a great day.
Susi

January 8, 2013 at 7:14 am (UTC -4)

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Oh, the things our pets make us do for them to make them comfortable and do not disturb them! This is one story I don’t remember reading so it’s nice have it re-published!
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 6:58 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Susi – i wrote this originally before you started blogging (do you remember a time you didn’t blog?) we do dote on our pets – they deserve it!
caren gittleman

January 8, 2013 at 8:09 am (UTC -4)

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glad to see that Alex the Angel wanted to visit all of us today!!! We miss him too
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 6:58 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Caren – thanks.. I know Marc and I are not the only ones who miss our sweet boy….
Kathy

January 8, 2013 at 9:14 am (UTC -4)

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Welcome to Time Warp Tuesday! So glad you decide to participate this month!

I went back and found your original post from December 2010 and read it again/commented there, as that is what we typically do with Time Warp, though it is totally fine how you did it.

I am sorry for your loss and imagine it is so bittersweet to reflect on posts like this from two years ago while missing your sweet cat. As I shared in my comment on your original post, I have never had a pet other than fish, but I have many close friends with cats and dogs that they adore. Last year one of my good friends dog died and it was so hard and sad for her. Over the weekend I was with other friends who are considering putting their 13 year old dog to sleep because he is really sick, but they have such mixed feelings about it.

Thanks again for doing the Time Warp with us this month! Would love for you to join us again in the future!

P.S. Just a note that I host this on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, not the 1st
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:01 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Kathy – thanks! I didn’t realize that… I will do that next month – love this hop! It is so hard to lose a pet and so hard to make that decision. They really become such a huge part of your life / family… and it is sad because their time with us is so limited….
loretta rick

January 8, 2013 at 9:22 am (UTC -4)

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Catering to your pet can be compared to catering to one’s child. Any mother would do for her child instead of for herself. At least, this mom would.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:02 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Loretta – I know you would mom! Love ya!
Random Felines

January 8, 2013 at 9:42 am (UTC -4)

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What a wonderful memory. There was a day here that I am sure was the final nail in the “crazy cat lady” coffin for me. I had been in the cat room and went into the bathroom to wash my hands. Tim was sleeping in the sink. Without batting an eye, I walked down the hall to the kitchen. Water running, soap on my hands, I realized I completely changed my plans to avoid moving the cat.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:02 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Random – yeah, that may have been the final nail, but so many of us would do the same thing… I know I sure would!
Amy

January 8, 2013 at 10:00 am (UTC -4)

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Amazing the power of a family member, two or four legged. The void they leave in your heart can be a gapping wound but their memories can also bring you warmth and comfort. Easier to talk about being comforted with memories than it happening, this I know.

Love this story. Oh, and I think I love your husband now to:)

Glad you did the TimeWarp! It’s like we are Old friends now!
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:04 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Amy – we are old friends now – Yeah!!! you are right.. It is amazing how much of a void they leave in your lives. Everywhere we look we see alex (which is a main reason we decided to renovate) Marc is a good guy… I think stories like this(and they happened often) make me love him more too!)
MaxtheQuiltCat

January 8, 2013 at 10:19 am (UTC -4)

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That’s a great choice for change and a beautiful picture of Alex.

Have a great day.

hugs, Max. Bugsy, and Knuckles
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:06 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Max – thanks… I showed Marc the post the night I published it and he said the same thing about the photo – but then again we are his parents, so we are prejudiced – we think every post is perfect!
Eric and Flynn

January 8, 2013 at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)

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I would do the same. Flynn sometimes likes to sleep in the bathroom sink so I often find myself marching off to the kitchen sink, toothpaste, brush and mouthwash in hand.
I know how your heart aches for Alex. I love Eric and Flynn dearly but sometimes thoughts of those who came before come flooding back, and even after many years it is still painful.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:08 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Eric & Flynn – I am so glad you and random felines do / did the same thing – although I know that we all probably do.. those fur babies of ours are amazing… It is so hard to lose our felines. The pain has gotten less, but it still always hurts, and probably always will…
Lori Lavender Luz

January 8, 2013 at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)

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That’s a sweet morning scene with Alex. I can tell how much he was adored.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:09 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Lori – adored is an understatement – marc and I doted on him hand over paw!
Lucy

January 9, 2013 at 5:42 pm (UTC -4)

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What a delightful memory
1. hilaryg
  
  January 10, 2013 at 7:16 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Lucy – thanks – I often think about this day because it was typical of our relationship with al…
Sarah Park

January 12, 2013 at 4:30 am (UTC -4)

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Very cute little Alex. He is so adorable.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 13, 2013 at 8:20 am (UTC -4)
  
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  Sarah – thanks.. He was the sweetest little boy…
william kendall

January 13, 2013 at 12:18 am (UTC -4)

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Of course the only reasonable thing to do under the circumstances is use another bathroom. Leave the kitty to their own fascinations.
1. hilaryg
  
  January 13, 2013 at 8:39 am (UTC -4)
  
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  William – great minds think alike… Know you are exactly the same kind of man that knows the proper way to behave!