In Loving Memory of Kitty

My beloved pet, Kitty, passed away this morning. I felt two emotions at the same time. I felt relief that he was no longer suffering, gasping for air and crying in pain and I felt the pain in my heart of not being able to have him in my daily life.

I feel as if I am in shock. It all happened so very fast. It was only last Sunday night that I arrived home at 10:30pm to find Kitty's health in decline.

You know life is really weird... no rhyme or reason... or so it seems. I started this blog a month ago because I learned the value of communicating through a blog when my friend, Melita, was diagnosed with a tumor in her lung and began her blog www.myleftlung.com. I think it is really weird and erie that a month after I have begun my blog I am posting about my Kitty dying from the same thing Melita had. It's just weird.

I have learned in my lifetime that even the bad stuff happens for a reason. And I am trying to find the reason for Kitty's life to be cut so short (he would have been 6 years old Memorial Day weekend). Of all the places that Kitty has lived, he loved this place the most. He loved being able to sit on the balcony and see the world. He loved running up and down the stairs like a cat on crack. He loved going for walks outside the front door on his hot-pink leash. I don't think Kitty would have been happier living anywhere else. Who knows he may have gotten really depressed if he would have had to move from here.

I know that sometimes we have to go down a bad road to get to a better place. It's just life. I have figured that part out. I feel as if I am on the bad road right now, but I know the better road is just ahead. I am moving across country and part of the move includes selling 90% of what I own. Before today I felt some hesitancy about selling my custom made sofa set, my dinning room table, my bedroom furniture. Well, I have absolutely no hesitancy now. In facts, I can't sell it all fast enough. I can't move fast enough. Kitty was such a large part of my life and there are memories of Kitty everywhere. He had more personality than 1000 cats put together.

Maybe Kitty passing away was something that had to happen for me to keep on track with my plan of moving. Maybe the godForce that looks after us knew that Kitty passing away would be what I needed to get on with my plan, without hesitation and at a quicker pace. Who knows. I do know that the next 2 months living here will feel sad for me. And I know that I now have another guardian angel looking out for me. Does it make me feel better saying that? No.

I do have another cat. Mario who is 14 years old and a cuddle bug. Mario loved Kitty dearly from the first time they met. I know that Mario will miss Kitty but will be fine. Animals don't get all emotional like we do.

I couldn't bring myself to put a picture of Kitty up for this post. The picture is the same that I have on my iPhone. Don't know whose pretty cat it is.

Ciao

Welcome to my Blog!

Hey Friends & Family,

My friend, Melita, who passed away this past Monday, taught me the benefits of a blog. Her blog was www.myleftlung.com. The blog helped to keep everyone in the loop and aware of what was going on.

I am probably the last person to jump on the blog wagon. I usually sit back and wait until I really feel the need to do something before I do it. Personally, I got enough on my plate without trying every fad or new thing that comes along.

I am lucky to have friends all over the world and I think that blogging will be easier to share with them. Blogging will not replace people contact... so when I am in your neighborhood I would still like to spend some time, in person, with each and every one of you.

As most of you are aware I am embarking on yet another major life experience. I am moving away from California. I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. I came on vacation to California at the age of 23. I was surprised by the energy level of everyone in California. I couldn't believe it, everyone I met had 2 jobs. Most of the people back home were lucky to have one job. I went back home to New Orleans and announced "In 5 years, I am moving to California!" I got all my ducks in a row and made my plans. At the 5 year mark I announced "I am moving to California!" That was Memorial Day weekend 1986.

Upon arriving to California I knew deep down inside that I only wanted to live here 20 years. I knew 20 years would be enough for me. Don't know how I knew it then. But I did. I never thought about where I would move after California. I have enjoyed truly amazing moments in California and done everything that there is to do here many times. Year 19 I began to feel the "doneness" of living here and I remembered I only wanted to live here 20 years so the feeling of being done and wanting to move on felt natural.

In year 19 I met someone who was hell bent on me staying because he did not want to leave California. I still wanted to leave. I put an offer in on a home in Mississippi. My offer was turned down and weeks later hurricane Katrina blew that house away. I guess it really wasn't time for me to leave here.

I still knew deep down inside it was time for me to move on. Last year I met someone who lives in Northeast Pennsylvania. That meeting has opened me up to a whole new world of possibilities in more ways than one.

I love going to new places and experiencing new things. I believe you must leave the old behind and show up at every new experience as if it were the first. This way you get the "true" experience. For example, if you go into a restaurant and order onion soup and with every bite you compare it to every other onion soup you have ever eaten... I don't know.. that doesn't sound like a great experience to me. So when I go to a new place, I don't compare it to somewhere I have been before. I accept and enjoy it for what it is. For me, it's a cool way to live!

The picture on this post is of the Pacific Ocean taken from the Getty Museum. This is about as clear as you will see and this was taken on one of the 'good' weather days. 90% of the time the "Coastal Eddie" (fog) is the view, not the ocean.

Ciao