The past week in our household have been busy with manning a booth at the local Home & Lifestyle Show, work, school and then we had to pause in the middle of it all.
The photo above is of our two cats Oscar and Jazz. Early this past Saturday morning, Oscar passed away peacefully at home on his favourite chair with my husband at his side. One last breath and he left us. Needless to say, we were all devasted even though we had him for years longer than we expected. He seemed immortal. Ageless despite his nearly 19 human years.
His "little brother" Jazz is 6 years old. Like the rest of us, he's been out of sorts and roams the house looking for Oscar. He has benefitted from having me to himself in the mornings and extra snuggles with everyone.
For a cat, Oscar had an interesting life. He's moved with us from Calgary to Edmonton then flew out with us to Southern Ontario. When we moved homes several times over the past 18 years, he came with us for the ride. He has been lost and found several times. He has fallen down stairs, battled a thyroid condition and dealt with the arrivals of three children and Jazz. Through it all, or despite it all, he mellowed rather than became more crotchety. In the end, he loved his life and savoured every new taste and smell he could shove his face into!
I already miss my early morning coffees with him. My late nights curled on the couch with him.His incessant hollars for someone to get their butts out of bed to feed him.
As life moves on, I long to life my life as Oscar died:
Peaceful.
Open to the unknown.
Asking for what I want and need from others.
Oh, Diane. I know I already wrote on Facebook, but I couldn't read this and not comment.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you and your boys. I know how much you all loved Oscar. He was so lucky to be in your family.
I loved when he'd sneak out after the boys went to bed when I babysat and I'd manage to lure him out with some toys and play.