January 13, 2023
This isn’t a book review week. I feel lucky that those who read my book reviews are mostly people who care about me, personally. If it was a whole host of strangers I’m not sure I would feel comfortable sharing.
I lost my cat Lewis this week. He passed away in my arms peacefully with Nathan and I giving him kisses and our love. Lewis was 13 years old and a twin of his brother Clark. We called him “the glue” of our family because he loved everyone and everyone loved him. Not one of his siblings gets along with each other, but each of them got along with Lewis. When Clark was feeling grumpy, Lewis would snuggle and bathe him until he felt better. Clark is going to miss him. I am going to miss him.
Every night Lewis would wait until I got comfortable in bed with my book and then bounce up on the bed with a “meow!” to let me know it was time to tuck him in. I placed him under the covers and he laid his head on my pillow so I could be his big spoon. After I fell asleep he would bolt out of bed and drag his teddy bear around the house screaming at the top of his lungs with happiness and joy. He adored his teddy bear “Ralphie” and even though Ralphie was larger than him, Lewis managed to drag him up and down stairs, onto furniture, and anywhere else he wanted him placed. In the morning as I drank my coffee he leapt back into my lap so we could greet the day together.
Lewis loved to reach out and pat you on the arm if you were reading. Just to let you know he loved you. If his own tail crept up and touched him, he would tattle tale on himself and act wounded. If we had other pets visit, he ran right up to them and said hello. My baby loved his sun porch, his Christmas sparkle toy, his teddy bear, his siblings, his daddy, and me. If you believe in pet soulmates, Lewis was mine. My heart is broken. Lewis was sick the last years of his life and I spent a lot of time caring for him. Clark keeps looking for him. I keep looking for him.
Our house feels our loss acutely and the added loss of our boy Brinkley last year. In some ways this feels like the end of an era. Lewis and Clark and Brinkley were our original pet team. Now we have Clark, Moe, and Neo. Times are changing. Lewis and Clark were the inspiration for me to begin this writing path. The first story I ever queried was about them. I continue to work on their book and will see it published. Then everyone can see how funny and sweet and perfect my baby was.
Thank you to my loved ones for the flowers, coffees, muffins, videos, texts, and pictures of Lewis that you sent us.
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