Quiet Dining

Quiet Dining, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photo: November 23, 2013

Time to sit quietly, decompress and enjoy good food.

November has often been a difficult month for me. In my teens, one year after another, both my parents faced serious illnesses. Fortunately both went on to live long lives. Later my husband died in November. And others, too, have passed away in November. The calendar is filled with "land mines" - dates that trigger sad emotions. Two days after this picture was taken, I lost my very dear cousin. She was a wonderful woman - giving and loving and so positive about life. My son said, "her default was to give". And anyone who met her fell under her spell. She loved to listen to others, to ask questions and made everyone feel special. And she shared the stories from her past so we all got to know her and our families better. While her loss has left a huge hole in my heart, I know too, that is only so because our relationship was so special. November is always a time of remembrance and over time I will remember the joys of the times we spent together.

And then there was one

And then there was one, originally uploaded by susanvg.

This little guy is feeling quite out of sorts. His buddy had to be euthanized. I don't know how cats feel grief, but he certainly is avoiding the spot he loved to curl up in with his pal. Each of my cats had its own personality. Elmo was terrified when I brought him home. I had to finally haul him out of the cat carrier and held him beside me that first night he was here. He bonded with me because of it and was a real cuddler. A year and a half later we decided to get a second cat. Basil, seen here, marched out of the cat carrier as soon as I opened the door and went exploring. He bonded with Elmo, once Elmo got over the shock of having another cat in the house and the two of them could often be seen curled up together and grooming each other.

Since Friday, Basil has spent more time on my lap than usual. He still is making the rounds of the house to find the sunny spots, eats his food and waits patiently by the dinner table in case there is anything to scavenge. I know he is missing his buddy. In the meantime he is getting lots of attention and love.

Feeling Blue

Feeling Blue, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I took this photograph on March 10, the day I knew that I had to let my 16 year old cat go. His kidneys were failing and his quality of life had diminished.
The next day we had him put down. My daughter and I held him and cried. The loss of this animal was very painful. Yet on the other side of the world, in Japan, chaos and devastation of great enormity happened and I did not cry for them. We just can't relate in the same way when we do not have the personal connections. I don't mean to say I am not horrified by the devastation and tremendous loss of life. It's just that it is still too enormous to comprehend.

My heart goes out to all the people of Japan whose lives have changed in a split second.

Day 211: Thinking of Daniel

Day 211: Thinking of Daniel, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I found out today that a friend passed away. I knew him through music; we played in Flutissimo together and had both gone to music camp. This shared love of music was the soil in which our friendship grew. We saw each other on a regular basis at our Flutissimo rehearsals and chatted about music as well as our work together on Flutissimo's web presence. I admired his sense of humour and most of all his passion for life. Well-travelled, knowledgeable and eclectic, he shared his ideas, his experiences and his outlook. But he did not share how sick he was, so today's announcement came as a shock.

I shall miss him.