It's been three weeks tomorrow since Jim was last in the house, and the girls have settled into a comfortable routine with alacrity.
Phoebe is glad to have the upstairs all to herself without an orange dynamo creeping around, sniffing, playing with her catnip mouse. She hasn't hissed very much, really i don't think at all since Jim left. She did take an orange sparkle ball that he unearthed from somewhere and wanted to play with it, having me throw it to her whilst she was near the top of the staircase and i at the bottom. We haven't played that game for years.
JoJo has taken several very long naps where she's comfortably stretched out, secure in the knowledge that no orange blur will jump on her. She has only hissed once in these last three weeks, and that's when she fell asleep on my lap, and i pet her, disrupting her. She also gave me a quick look and did a double-take. It was only then i realized i touched her where Jim would often touch her when he crept up from behind whilst she was sleeping. So, she may have hissed more from habit than anything. She's very glad to have the back yard all to herself again, jumps up on the well, and has run around a bit wanting me to chase her and play.
It's the playfulness of both that surprises me, and they're getting along better than they ever have.
I suppose the only girl in the house with a broken heart is me. It is mending, as i figured it would, but the sadness comes at odd moments, such as when i hung wash on the line, and there was no orange shadow biting the clothes pins or jumping into the washbasket wanting a ride.
Last night, as i was working late, Jo quietly jumped up in the chair beside my work chair. Grace always sat there when i was working late, and after she left, Jo would jump up and keep my company. Jim took over when he was here, and i suppose Jo's taking back the task last night is just another sign that we continue where we left off when given a chance.
The house is much quieter, and i suppose it was this quiet before Jim came. Funny how one little furfriend can create so much difference, both by his presence and his absence.
My doggie Scout died on Labor Day. My oldest sister emailed me that she was sorry. I wrote back, I miss him. She wrote, You always will. I miss every furry friend who has ever left me.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Sorry to hear about Scout, Janie. Yes, each furry friend has a special place in my heart. My heart has the capacity to make room for another, but no one every usurps another's place.
DeleteWe don't see a lot of our Freddie, but I know we'd miss him terribly if he wasn't around.
ReplyDeleteI feel that way about my neighbours' dog, Kramer. He'd bark when he saw me in the back yard, and i'd take him beef bones, always asking the humans first if it were all right, and i'd give the bones to them to give to him. He'd bark hello to the cats, too.
DeleteHe died several months back, and i miss his friendly bark and wagging tail.
Beautifully written megan
ReplyDeletethank you. x
DeleteIt seems Phoebe and JoJo are happier, which is good in the cat world. Jim may be, too, now he can see what is on the other side of all the roads in the world.
ReplyDeleteMy, how i love orange cats.
Joanne, i have a hard time imagining Jim any happier than he was here. He was just one of those sunshiny souls.
DeleteAnd yes, it does seem that the girls are happier and getting back to a much quieter routine.
I am not a cat person but a big black one walks me to the bathroom when I get up in the middle of the night and lays on my stomach when I am on the couch. He also jumps in my lap when I settle at the kitchen table with a book and cuppa tea. I am not a cat person but I would miss him greatly if he were gone. Your kitties are fortunate to have you as their friend.
ReplyDeleteI have always liked cats, and they seem to have a fondness for me. I also love dogs and grew up with them, as my father hated cats and loved dogs. Himself cannot breathe well around dogs; cats give him sniffles but not the way dogs do, so we have cats as our live-in furfriends and love other people's dogs.
DeleteI am not a cat person. They are smarter than me and we both know it.
ReplyDeleteMost cats seem to think i'm trainable and not intolerable to have around. And, we genuninely like one another.
DeleteBeautifully written, megan. As you know the last I saw of Josey was 3 weeks ago tomorrow and i'm still sad that I wasn't here when she did leave for the last time (the following Monday) and I didn't get home until 2 days after that. I know if I would've been home she wouldn't have been out that early in the morning and I would still have her. I know I gave a wonderful life for the 18 months I had her and I have to take some comfort in that fact. I know her and Jim are having a blast together!
ReplyDeleteI know i argued with myself about letting Jim out that night, as i don't like letting them outside when it's dark because there are so many predators. But, he wanted to go, i knew the nights were going to get colder soon, and winters are long here. So, i relented.
DeleteIf i hadn't, what happened to him could have happened the next time i let him out. Like you with Josey, i know Jim had a wonderful life with me. I'm sure he and Josey are whooping it up right now, enjoying every minute.