Life's Hard Facts

Today I had to take my 18 year old cat, Mylo, in for permanent respite from the cares of the world. He is the last of the 'old timers', the animals that we had while our kids were growing up. I couldn't find a picture of him, though I know I have one.

Mylo was hanging out at my baby sitter's home. I dropped Reade off (he was a baby) on the way to taking Hannah to preschool. I told her if he was still there when we picked Reade up, then we'd bring him home. He was still there. Literally in the same spot. He came home with us. Within the span of 24 months, we've lost Herm, Theo, Lucy, Greta, Chloe and Mylo. I don't ever recall losing so many pets in such a short time frame.

Mylo was an orange tabby cat. I've always had an orange tabby cat my entire life. My beloved Aunt Vi always had an orange cat. And no matter what orange cat she had, his/her name was Nosle. Noz-ley---I don't know how to spell it. It is an Armenian name. At 48, I've lived to be older than my Mother's older sister. In 7-8 more years, should I live so long, I will be older than my Mother. My Aunt Vi died when I was 10. I believe that she was only 44. She had battled lupus for more than 12 years. She's been dead, now, for more than 38 years. Hard to imagine. Though she was so sick all of the time (she had both the skin and blood manifestations of that dreaded disease), she enjoyed life. She was bigger than life in so many ways. She was full of light and laughter. I

The most pets we've ever had were 5 cats and 5 dogs. Mylo and Chloe were the last cat and the last dog from that group. So now we are down to 2 cats (Minnah and Wyatt) and 3 dogs (Daisey, Macy and Ella). As I write, I think that I will adopt an orange tabby cat and name him/her Nosle--to remember my Aunt Vi and to remember Mylo.I suppose you should have pet ladders like bond ladders---so that one staggers the expiration. I know it to be a fact of life. One of life's hard facts.