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.

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