FAREWELL TO A GREAT SEVEN YEAR COMPANIONSHIP

In Loving Memory of “Monkey”, “El Mono”, “Nunkey”, “Gideon”, “Skideon”, “Bee Boppie”

In October of 2000, a friend called to tell me that a cat at UCLA (outside the dance school) had had kittens and wanted to know if I was interested in getting a kitten. I couldn’t get in the car fast enough. I had moved to LA from NYC seven months prior and was living alone in West Hollywood. A kitten was JUST what I needed….and Gideon has been that for these past seven years….in so many ways. He has been a great companion…a definite momma’s boy... right by my side in my seasons of life here in Los Angeles…..4 different apartments, several different boyfriends, several different roommates, a new husband, many plane trips to the South to visit family. He has been a real joy. At first, I was determined to make him behave like a dog. I would put him on a leash and take him everywhere....on my errands, out to lunch (that's "so Hollywood," you see...at least for dogs) or just walk the streets with him. He even went on a few hikes with me. Over time; however, I relinquished that attempt and just let him be a cat.....accepting that he really just wanted to stay at home.

I knew that I would grieve when the time came to let him go….but I didn’t know I would be this sad. On Saturday, I took Gideon to the vet because he has been vomiting for the past several days. His behavior was normal but I knew that he was sick. After bloodwork, stool sample tests, an anti-emetic injection, a physical exam and an x-ray…there really wasn’t any evidence of anything wrong….other than a faint hint of something in his abdomen that presented on the x-ray. I took him back home to see if things would change. He couldn’t hold his food down for the next two days so I took him in again on Tuesday. I just KNEW he had a tumor. I left him at the vet to get get re-hydrated and to have exploratory surgery. The vet called me that night and said that Gideon had incurable cancer with tumors throughout his abdomen....in his lymph nodes, his kidneys, his spleen and liver. I spent some time with him yesterday and said my goodbyes.

This has been a heart wrenching week althoug it has also been remarkable to sense waves of peace. It's hard to accept that death is an inevitable part of this life. I know that this is all part of loving something or someone. Other than losing my grandfather, I have never experienced a loss that so affected me. I am thankful to be able to say that…yet I know that I will have many many sad days….sadder days….and challenges ahead.

Thanks to all who have loved or cared for Gideon….or at least have loved me enough to tolerate him over the years….or to just listen to me talk about him. I never wanted to be a crazy pet person….certainly not a crazy cat lady….yet I look at the pain that this has caused and think….well I guess I became one…at least to a degree.

So enjoy your little furry creature(s) if, indeed, you have any….but much more so….enjoy and relish your time with your family members and loved ones. I think that has been the even more prevalent message during this time. Thanks especially to mom and Aaron who have prayed for me and over me and have walked me through every step of this journey.

NESTING. NESTING INDEED.

Oh my poor husband.

For the past year and a half, I have been rather indifferent about the decor and furniture in our apartment. I never felt compelled to make our rented space very nice. I wanted to be able to just sell or toss everything when we next moved...until recently....

I came back from a weekend with my girlfriends in NYC and was suddently inspired to purge nearly everything and redecorate. I came back in town and had a truckload for Goodwill within hours. Within 2 days, I had posted our TV on craigslist and sold it. It was just too bulky! I also posted our sofa. Two weeks later, we have a new sofa, a new rocker, a new TV and a new rug for the living room is on the way. You can see a small sample of the rug hanging over the back of the rocking chair. It's green and white. And isn't that new TV foxy? The key is that it snuggly fits in the faux fireplace....and thus makes me feel less claustrophobic and cramped. How cute is that little table that Aaron built for it. Custom fit is key for this little apartment! Oh there's more to be added you see....including a new plinyl mat under the dining table, new pillows for the sofa, re-covered lumbar pillow for rocker, art above sofa, new standing lamp by sofa, new runner for hallway, new mirror above the fireplace, new dining chairs and a small acrylic coffee table.

Aaron just built a fabulous table that goes next to the sofa. I love it. Pictures to come. You can also take note of the easel that he built in the far corner. Next project is for him to actually paint something.

All the while, we're also working on the nursery. He just put down some carpet this week. He had already painted it (a bright pear color), built the crib and built and painted shelves for the room. Now I just have to get the bedding made and get a piece of artwork (or wall decals) and the room should be good to go. Then we just need the actual supplies, clothes, etc. for the baby....and then the baby. We're so excited.