The Passing of a Friend

We lost a very dear member of our family today. We got Simba when he was a scrawny 4 month old at an animal shelter and he has been a part of our family for 17 1/2 years. That's like 88 in cat/people years! He was the bestest big 'ol yeller tom anyone could ask for and he was always so great with all my kids and grand kids too. Gentle, kind, patient. He had himself an onery streak too.... like if I wouldn't let him outside for whatever reason.... next thing I knew the toilet paper was all unrolled with teensy claw marks in it.
 Hmmm, wonder who could have done that!

And when I'd be out in my big gardens... my husband would watch from the deck as Simba stalked me, would get on the other side of a row I was picking and reach his paws through and scare the livin' daylights outta me. Green beans or whatever I was picking would fly in the air and I'd shriek like a little girl.  I swear I could hear that boy laughing as he skittered away!

He lived a good long life, the last couple years being slowly afflicted with arthritis, losing his hearing and sight, etc....oh how we will miss him. There's a million stories and memories with our buddy.

I know God sent him to us long ago, and I know we'll see him in Heaven some day too.

Good bye my dear sweet one.