Companions

New creature of comfort, Barnabas, who came here not long ago after being abandoned. My aunt found him astray and realized he needed a home, so here he is. He replaces Stella, the calico cat who decided life as a housecat wasn't for her and moved over the fields to alternately hang out with two sweet neighbors. Barnabas loves snuggling in my lap while I'm reading, eating, intimidating TJ (who doesn't love intimidating TJ), eating, napping in my lap while I'm knitting, eating, watching the cold and the outside cats through the window (did I mention he likes to eat?).



And of course there's always Lily, who is getting a little bit gray across the muzzle and her eyes are looking a little like they belong to an old dog. She still rules the roost, keeping TJ in line, herding the cats and cuddling up as close to me on the couch as possible on cold winter nights. There's nothing like the feel of a spaniel chin against my ankle. And of course there's TJ, now the two-mile morning walk dog and resident couch potato. This is what evenings at my house generally look like.



The creatures are no substitute, of course, for good friends. Walking with Kym in the mornings, visits throughout the day with special fiber buddies on-line, friends, new and old, coming into the shop, evenings and local music with Mom and Wendell, and of course, Tuesday Night Dinner!

There are a lot of missing companions in our lives, though. Friends, lovers, grandparents, cousins...each loss reminds me of all the others. And even when, as this past week, the loss is "just" an animal, I think of all the past times...and all of the people and creatures that have honored me with their love, guidance and devotion. Good-bye Misty, noble horse and honored friend.