Goodbye

On Sunday night, we put down our cat, Ollie.  We got Ollie from a kill shelter just about ten years ago and he was a pistol.  He loved to snuggle with us as much as he loved to scratch us, but he was a good cat and he will be missed.  Ollie was at least 15 years old and suffered from feline leukemia during most of his life.  He was a tough, tough cat and cheated death many times; but not this time.  Lee and I are heartened by the fact that he went quickly - he was normal on Friday morning but by Sunday night, he couldn't walk and the decision was clear.  It can be a bit surprising, however, to realize how empty the loss of a pet can make you feel and how much of a part of your life they were, whether you realized it or not - his routine was our routine and now it is gone. 
Rest in peace Ollie.  We love you.

Ollie on Sunday afternoon, snuggled in a blanket and surrounded by loving cards made by the girls.  Elizabeth is particularly upset by his passing.  She drew an amazing picture for him which included Ollie walking on a rainbow bridge - if you are an animal lover, you problem know that The Rainbow Bridge is a poem about the death of an animal - so it was pretty shocking for us to see the picture.