Thanks so much. Hurts like hell, you know. Even in the shower I cry without a warning. Just thinking of a life snapped too soon. Her kids and husband are inconsolable. I feel so sorry and sad for them. But life is meant to be this way.
Maria Bayote
Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry for your loss. My condolences. I'll be praying for you and your family. 
Maria Bayote
I just checked in for a minute and saw your post. I am so very sorry. As someone who has had a lot of close losses the past months, I can only say that my greatest sympathies are right there with you. Numbness helps but it does not last. We face everything in time. My hope is that those of us facing it can find a way to grasp it, take it in and move through our lives with it until it is part of us that we can carry. From a distance, my arms are around you. My shoulder is yours. Our tears mingle to become part of this earth that we may water the ground. As the water evaporates it travels up to our loved ones and they will wipe our tears and be our comfort from above. We all hold each other as one. Sending you my love and all the purrs from Chez Catbird. 
Peace be with you.
The only problem with the "preserving birds for coffee" is that that might involve harming outdoor/free-roaming cats if the company is one of those anti-"invasive species" (instead of "ADAPTIVE species, which is what cats are) ones. Hoping it's not, but people really need to research what these groups/companies really mean when they have these slogans. A lot of them are anything but what those of us who care want.gilmargl and all the others here who feel down right now, I wanted to respond to this desperately. I do know the feeling. It marks some monumental times for me that were very difficult. I know that winter brings lower light levels which do not help so I try to increase brighter light in my home and try to get more natural light. Maybe it helps. Seeing so many people with joy when we may not feel it can make it harder. As
Whenallhellbreakslose mentions about the Hallmark movies. Everyone there has such a great ending when we may feel differently. I’m sure It’s been hard letting go of the laughter kittens bring. It always was for me. I’m glad you are pushing through to do some decorating. A nice warm mulled cider would be comforting. Small pleasures can really help. I try to find those myself. You are not alone in your feelings. Besides whatever has happened there, we all share world turmoil. Recently I was talking to someone in deep, deep pain. Loss and the world situation has gotten to them. We are all having to change our lives. Me too. I was thinking about society now. To me it is about holding on to a good thought as a hope for what comes. If we are all like the caterpillar and must retreat into a cocoon, it seems it would be a dark place. The caterpillar must be confused and scared as it enters a solitary place to await great changes. Scary even? The little caterpillar must wait and hold onto faith that something will change. Perhaps it envisions something unknown and scary. Change does come. In the end of many patient days, the little caterpillar begins to emerge back into the warmth of the sun. An amazing thing has happened. From a little guy that crawled and ate only leaves, now it finds that it has become a beautiful butterfly and has wings that carry it into the beautiful sky. From eating nothing but green leaves, Niels it flies from one bright , beautiful flower to another to drink the sweetest of nectar. Not only has the world survived, it has become better for the caterpillar. The sky is the limit now. So, from the dark and lonely days, something beautiful and better can come if we just do our best to hold on. Our world may be that of the caterpillar today but the butterfly days are coming. Our hearts are with all those who find these days like the cocoon. We hold flowers in the garden for you. There will be nectar for you. Sending hugs and hope to you and all others who find this time of year to be difficult. I’ll set some flowers aside for you. The nectar is yours. Small Pleasures are the best. Maybe watching Tiffany play? It’s probably the first time in her life she ever had a chance to learn the pleasures of play and you have her that. She is just now discovering the joy of freedom and
self. Quite a gift you gave her!!
View attachment 402833View attachment 402834View attachment 402835View attachment 402837
The amazing details of something as small as a flower. Maybe something this small goes unnoticed at first but it brings new flowers to our lives later.View attachment 402836
I hope everyone can find some small joy in their hearts each day. We send our love.
gilmargl
I can relate. For some years now I'm not excited about Christmas at all either. It's not happy for a lot of people and all the hype and supposed-to-be-joyful became over the top. So I distanced myself. There are some things- I love the Christmas light decorations and drive around looking at those, and in my living room year-round I have a fake skinny green Christmas tree that's green with lights and I keep nature ornaments on it year round, and add a few favorite ornaments this time of year, and I love at night turning the tree lights on year round and sitting in the dark looking at it. But it's not due to Christmas, I just love it.
Interesting. Did not know that. The beans come from South America, Central America, Africa- the places where most coffee beans are grown- so not sure what they do about feral cats.
Maybe that's safe, but even then some of these so-called "green" companies donate to other big organizations such as The Nature Conservancy that harm cats and are determined to harm them out of existence. The Sierra Club is another org that purports to be good but condones hunting, for instance. Smithsonian? Like The Nature Conservancy. ASPCA and HSUS? Pay their heads enormous salaries while in fact doing very little to help animals. The "free" T-shirts for $19 a month may make the gullible public feel smug and happy, but they're a useless prize for funding those huge salaries. Do your research, people. If you care.
Beautiful! *That little blue-and-white one is the beautifullest!*
Blue & white?
Pretty flowers
Good. Keep it on a continuous loop please.Purrs, prayers, hopes and good wishes are sent on a constant basis.
What do you put in your coffee? Just curious. Do you like it sweet?
Oh, you're just trying to get me to come visit. Got any cheese & pasta too?
No. I don't like snack food much. I do like regular corn.
Hmmm...Sounds like somebody I know...
I hope so! Bring on that nectar.
Sounds heavenly.
The one in the next to last pic, wearing the harness and leash
Ah! The gray & white one! I totally agree with you. She supervised the porch/step flowers, kept me on top of everything.The one in the next to last pic, wearing the harness and leash
*The fairest flower of them all!*
Maria Bayote
same here. My deepest condolences. So sorry to hear that your cousin passed so suddenly. I wish you and your family peace during this difficult time. 
So sorry for your loss 
