This entry is part 16 of 16 in the series Messages to Gracey
Our Message to Gracey After One Year
May 17, 2014 by
There is Something About Winter. Our Message to Gracey after 10 Months
March 18, 2014 by
First Snow Without You Our Message to Gracey After 6 Months
November 16, 2013 by
It snowed overnight Monday. Not much, just a couple of inches. Enough to cover the ground and the golden blanket of ginkgo leaves that danced to the ground over the weekend. I missed the leaves falling this year and that was fine with me. You weren’t here to watch with us and that was one of our favorite things to do in November. Your dad said the leaves fell so quickly that even though he was home he missed them too. I think that might have been on purpose.
Paul and Gracey waiting for the ginkgo leaves to dance last year.
I went to Washington D.C. for the Alley Cat Allies conference. I learned a lot about community cats and what we can all do to help them coexist with humans. When Becky Robinson, the founder of Alley Cat Allies, asked me how I came to be a cat advocate, I told her your story of how we found you after being dumped at the dog pound and that I bottle fed you and hoped you would grow strong and thrive. I told her your story and she smiled and said, how amazing it is that many people become cat advocates because of rescuing one special kitten.
Later I thought about how you fit in the palm of my hand and I used to put you under my coat, zip it up and you would ride there, snug and warm. I think of you every day. Six months since you’ve been gone. Six months without you.
Your video The Tiniest Tiger’s Snow Adventure won the CatVenture category at The Friskies. This was an amazing surprise.  After I returned to my seat from accepting the award your video was shown to the audience.  Your dad and I weren’t expecting to be hit so hard with sadness seeing you up on that big screen. I had watched that video many times at home, but during the video when you climb back into your heated thinking circle and the words Home Sweet Home were displayed, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I looked at your dad and he just shook his head no, like don’t look at me because I understand and feel the same way.
Summer Blues Our Message to Gracey after 8 Weeks
July 21, 2013 by
 We have the summer blues without you.
It is near the end of July and on this Sunday afternoon my heart broke all over again. We were cleaning the house and it was time to wash the Slankets. It seemed like such a menial 
task but when I picked them up I remembered how much you loved to snuggle on them and the wave of sorrow crashed over me. I hid in the office so your dad wouldn’t see me and I had a good cry. Later when he saw me I told him that my red eyes were due to allergies. He pursed his lips and nodded.
This first summer without you is also the first summer in four years that I am not heading out into the field. I miss the adventure and learning at the Sea of Cortez, in Kenya and in Namibia. And to make matters worse, this is the first summer that the city didn’t open the swimming pool. The best part of summer for me was being able to swim every morning. Fresh air, cool water and a mile of meditation laps to start the day. But this summer, no field work, no swimming and worst of all no Gracey.
Annie and Eddie are both very sweet kittens and they sure have a lot of energy. They make us laugh and force us to keep up with them and that is a good thing. We are so lucky that they rescued us. Earlier today both kittens were in the office with me and they seemed to be fascinated with Bad Kitty. I think he was telling them a story about you.
Maggie is trying to adjust to her new home but I get the feeling like me, she might think this is the worst summer ever.
Our Message to Princess Gracey after 5 Weeks
June 20, 2013 by
Our Message to Princess Gracey after 5 Weeks
It is hard to believe it has been five weeks yet at the same time it seems longer. I looked outside from the sun room and every bird feeder was empty. Not a morsel. So I went out into the sunlight loaded down with seed, suet and peanuts and started making the rounds. By the time I made it to the feeder hanging from a branch on one of the big pine trees, I already began to feel better. The pine branches have really grown. I had to separate the branches to reach the feeder. The smell is glorious and the needles on the new growth are soft as they brush past my cheek. I smile thinking that your dad would be worried I was wearing my sandals and no hat. I took a deep breath of pine air and worked my way over to the big maple tree that holds the squirrel feeder and where Bossy Backyard Blue Jay prefers to pick up his peanuts. I see the chipmunks burrows and carefully walk around the entrance. Filling the feeder and looking up through the leaves of the maple I realize how important being outside is to me and even if it is only for just a few moments today, it helps.
