Posts Tagged ‘Death’

R.I.P. Barbara McWatt

Got a birthday card from my Aunt Jane today, just prior to my 40th birthday on the weekend. Paperclipped to the inside of the card was an obituary notice for Barbara McWatt, who was a bit like another Aunt to me when I was a child. So the experience was one of being cheered by the card, and then dismay upon reading the notice. Couldn’t help but think of it a sign of my times.

I am not entirely sure of the relationship: I think my Father knew her husband James/Jim McWatt through the Masons, though that is a guess. He was a portly, cheery man with a north-English accent. I remember her as a very nice lady who with her white hair always seemed “old” to me, who took the time to talk to me whenever our families got together, which tended to happen mainly around Xmastime I think.

Communication became less frequent as my parents moved north and out of the city, and even less as first Jim McWatt and then my Father died. But there were always Xmas-cards from Barbara to my Mother over the years, usually accompanied by a little note talking about what she was up to, which mainly seemed to be playing golf in Florida (which was something noted on her obituary notice).

Another figure from my childhood is gone. My sympathies to her family.

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R.I.P. “Black Cat”

Annie’s cat, which she named “black cat”, has now been absent for several days, and I suspect has found a quiet dark nook to hide herself away in. Given her state when we last saw her, I am pretty sure she must’ve expired.

Despite bouncing back after the initial vet visit last Sunday, she quickly sunk back to the way she was before. Still throwing up, with no substance, just watery green bile. Then a couple of days ago she stopped taking water, even when placed directly in front of her.

Our nanny let her out on Friday afternoon (after throwing up on her coat first) and hasn’t been seen since. I’ve looked in all of the usual places I’ve seen her hide away — under the back and front porches, hiding in the garden, between the houses and a few other places, but no sign.

I was planning on taking her to the vet that evening to have her put down, but she seems to have taken matters into her own hands (or paws, I guess).

The kids have been too excited about Halloween to notice the absence, or at least to talk about it openly, but they know she has been very sick and we have been preparing them both for the worst.

Our other cat, Blackberry, is the happiest I’ve seen him in ages. No longer grumpy, he is the de facto head cat again. Not exactly cuddly, but he is no longer hissing in anticipation of being playfully jumped on by Black Cat when let out the door.

Erika is talking about getting another kitten from the local pound, possibly on the weekend.

She was the dopiest female cat I’ve known, and certainly the most talkative (too much so sometimes), and I’ll miss her.

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