HAPPY SATURDAY

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Qamuuqin

If this doesn’t make you smile and laugh then something may be wrong with you. See a doctor.

EU(PEP)SY

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Qamuuqin

“Eupepsy” means a soundness of digestive organs or good digestion. Many might list the organs used for digestion as esophagus, stomach, pancreas, etc., though to that list I would add “spirit”, “heart”, and “soul”.

I have heard many people in this life speak their opinions about American society and it’s view with and acceptance of death. That in and of itself says something, but more so those opinions have fluttered around in my consciousness and thoughts for awhile now. While I may have had similar feelings prior to experiencing other people’s, it goes without saying that we are influenced in some way by each and every person (and thing, place, taste, smell, etc.) that we experience and interact with. If anything, other people’s awareness of the issue have affected mine in ways that, at times, manifest in me processing the process of my processing of death.

So today has been interesting, needless to day. Even though I just did.

Continue reading →

PEPPER

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Qamuuqin

Pep sleeps a lot these days and his body is getting thin.

There are still times when his spirit shines out through his eyes, but I think that his mind is now starting to catch up with his ailing body.

He has a tumor on his back leg that can’t be operated on. It has grown so large that he can barely walk, let alone get up and down steps or onto his (heated!) bed on the couch.

He really lives to get outside and lie in the sun. Early in the morning he hobbles around the house and yowls for us to open the door. Now that summer is leaving us and fall is knocking, he doesn’t find the warmth outside that he used to. Most mornings he goes outside and looks around and then comes back in to sleep more.

I went out onto the deck this morning and the sun was shining brightly. Pepper has learned to use vibrations in our wood flooring and deck to know when we’re around, as he’s pretty much deaf. As I was walking toward him, his head perked up and he saw me. Getting up he walked under one of the chairs we’ve set up for him and came and nuzzled my hand. He always loves a good scratch behind the ears and under his chin.

Life has gotten tough for him. He doesn’t make it through the night well, has trouble getting around, needs pain medication all the time, can’t get himself into his litter box to urinate, and the sun is slowly slipping away. He had a good summer in the sun, but it seems like that is coming to a close. The vet is coming by our house today to put him to sleep . . .

Pepper . . . if there are other animals in the animal spirit world, watch out for all the birds and rodents that you killed. I dunno if it’s been long enough for them to make peace with you, but just watch out. You’ve been a part of my life almost as long as I have been alive. I’ll miss you so much and I hope you never find out. Your life here has been long and filled with so much, but it’s not what it used to be and your beloved sun is losing it’s warmth day by day. I tell myself (as does my mom, I’m sure) that this decision is the right one because your quality of life has fallen and things are going to get harder and harder. Whether that is true or not doesn’t change the fact that this hurts. A lot. Today is your last day in the sun and I’m glad that you don’t know that.

I love you.

Pep Pep

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Qamuuqin

This is Pepper. Pepper is almost as old as I am, which, admittedly, is rather young in human years, but pretty darn old in cat years. My grandfather found him in the alley behind our house in Ashland well over 20 years ago. Every morning he would get up before dawn and prepare all the food for the cats that we had (two of them) and his dog, Katie. After feeding the animals, he’d leash up Katie with a length of old rope and take her out the side door and across the back yard to the alley. Their morning routine was to stroll slowly up the alley, enjoying the peace and silence of pre-dawn, along the lane that ran above our house, then back to our street and in the front door. It wasn’t a long walk by any means, but it was their routine and they both enjoyed it. For whatever reason, on this particular morning, Grandpa found a little black ball of fur and decided to take him home and warm him up. Pepper couldn’t have been more than a week old at the time and his size reflected that. Our mom came into the bedroom and woke my sister and I up, saying that Grandpa had an exciting surprise for us and was in the living room. We stumbled out of bed, slightly perturbed at being woken up at such an un-godly hour, yet excited to see what surprise our ‘Gramps’ had in store for us.