New Year

This holiday season has brought alot of memories and tears. DH hung Chatham's stocking up, along side everyone else's. Salem has started to sleep in Chatham's old bed that we had left in the front room. We have decided that, for now, Chatham's ashes will stay with us.

I hope that 2008 will be a good year for everyone, and that health and happiness will find us all.

Peace & Goodwill

Wishing You, Your Families

and Your Friends

Peace and Good Health.

Four Months . . .

. . . Since our dear Chatham died. My husband and I miss him so much. Salem sleeps at our feet at night; Chatham had slept between us, taking turns snuggling against us. That empty space feels really big some nights.

Chatham Video

Now that Blogger has made uploading videos easier, I've got this little bit to show everyone. It was taken with my digital camera, so it's not very good. We've got great footage of him w/ our real camcorder, but I don't know how to get those things up right now.

We went to New Hampshire for four days recently. My mom came twice a day to feed and look in on Salem. This was the first time that he was really, really alone - no Chatham sleeping somewhere in the house. He stuck like glue to us for some days, crying pitifully and demanding attention. He seems to have gotten better about it now.

Missing My Ol' Boy

Yesterday was long and trying. I went down to Bethesda, MD (a 2 hour drive from home) for a conference. Got bad directions twice and was 30 minutes late. Got stressed out and a migraine. Took too long to get out of the metro-Washington, D.C. area (if you've ever been inside the Beltway, you might have noticed how signs or lack of signs can mess you up, and then it'll take a long time to get back because of all the one way streets and no-left/right-turn signs). I didn't get home by 8:15 pm, after 14 hours of travel and conference.

All I wanted to do was sit or lay down with Chatham.

He was such a comfort. I miss him so much.

Ashes

We picked up Chatham's ashes from the Vet this afternoon and started crying all over - not that we haven't been shedding tears all along.

Such a small package (we did pay for a private cremation) ... We haven't opened it up yet. Under the neatly wrapped brown paper, it feels like a hinged box. We're still talking about what we'd like to do. I'm sure that we will scatter some of Chatham's ashes, but we're not ready yet, I guess.

We're also looking to donate unused medicine and fluid bags to shelters, if they want them.

Chatham was such a big part of our lives for such a long time, that it hurts that he is gone. I can't tell you how much it has meant to us, knowing that all of you have kept us in your thoughts. It has helped.

The Rainbow Bridge

Chatham crossed the Rainbow Bridge this afternoon at 4:30.

With kidney failure and paralysis in his lower spine, I am happy to know that he now can bound without pain; that he can eat whatever he wants and that he will never have any more pills or needles.

We would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. This is a wonderful community that we belong to.

Legs

Suddenly last night Chatham lost strength in all four of his legs. Up 'til now it was just his back legs that gave him trouble. This morning I held him so that he could pee in his litter box. He would drink and eat some when I held bowls for him. I was just now encouraged that he did lift himself up enough to reach over the cat bed to drink some water by himself (the bowls are on boxes to bring them up to a more comfortable level for him).

We don't know what today will bring. We'll call the Vet and see if there is anything that can be done.

This photo was taken last month. Chatham had fallen asleep with his chin in his water bowl.