2007 has been a difficult year for our family as all three of our long-time pets have died.
Stormy, the black-white-orange calico cat was the first to die this past spring. Stormy became very attached to Rhett over the years. We thought she might not survive when he moved to Calgary almost two years ago. We got Stormy and Cloudy when they were only kittens – 19 years ago when Emily wasn’t yet two years old.
Charlie died this fall when I was in Ontario. We knew he was slipping away over the summer, but he wasn’t suffering. Charlie was the best dog. Before we got Charlie, Doug had built a large dog run in the backyard. In the first week of having Charlie, I put him in the dog run while Emily and I walked Rhett to school. When we got back Charlie was on our front door step. He had dug his way out of the dog run. Charlie never wanted to be in the dog run … he always wanted to be with us.
Rhett named Charlie – but it’s one of those times when the name just clicked. Our neighbour was Charlie, and my grandfather (and then mother, and then us) called Meadow Larks “Charlie”. It had something to do with his English heritage I think. Charlie’s name fit him perfectly and he became the dog who was loved by all the neighbours. It was often commented that “we didn’t deserve such a wonderful dog” … well … yes we did and we loved him! Charlie lived to be 17. He had a “rebirth” as such when we got Flame eight years ago. Charlie wasn’t too thrilled to have a new pup – Phoenix – arrive three years ago. He was too old for such foolishness by then!
Cloudy was Stormy’s sister. When we were trying to name the kittens, we came up with “Stormy” first … and in some ways that did come to describe her personality. She wasn’t a miserable cat at all, but in some ways she was “variable.” Once she was named it was easy to come up with “Cloudy” … she was “clear with a few grey patches.” Cloudy was always more reserved than Stormy (who was the lap cat). In the last few years Cloudy took to sleeping with Doug and I. When I moved to Saskatoon two years ago, she took to sleeping on Doug’s head. He wasn’t so thrilled about that! Cloudy waited until Rhett, Leah and myself to get home before she died. She was so thin. I cried.
Stormy and Cloudy were renown for their ferious hunting practises. This made several neighbours very unhappy in regards to the birds. Even though we lived on a bus route, they managed to outwit the drivers.
Doug is the one that has had to handle all these deaths. I asked him how he was managing. He said, “It’s been too much.”
We’ve had our pets cremated and we’ll spread their ashes together come this summer when everyone is home. This is where they lived – loved life – and died. We’ll have a time of blessing when we’ll thank God – yet again – for the precious gift that pets bring into our lives.
I’ve scanned a number of photos of the pets. Click here to view my photo tribute to these family members.