One year Anniversary

October 4th, 2017

Our biggest baby boy passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by all of us.

I can't believe that a year had gone by, there's still much I miss of Buddy. I miss his big furry belly, his unique meow, his purr, his belly fluff when he runs around and so much more. He was the baby of our lives, the light of our lives until old age became of him.

So to honor Buddy in the best way possible, we brought Copper and Coal into our lives and they give us a lot of joy and laugher throughout the day. But they can never replace Buddy, but they can enjoy the same thing Buddy loves the most. 

The most important thing to Buddy was his porch access to the outside world, believe it or not we didn't always have an enclosed porch. We still had an open porch that was getting old and showing it's age, so when my dad decided that we needed a new porch. We built it for the sole purpose for Buddy, and now Copper and Coal can enjoy the same thing although we will have to replace one side of the screen due to their claws. 

I'm going to share some pictures from Buddy's younger years, we brought him into our lives at some point in 2001. Maybe May? He was born in April and we got him fairly soon after checking out the Humane society Shelter, I would say between 10-14 weeks?

YEAR 2001- 2002

 

S

See that hairtie? There's a story about Buddy and hairties  

 

See that Vampire? There's a Buddy Tail about that.

See how eager this boy wanted to go outside on his porch?? 

Year 2002 - ????

Let me explore!! But there's a little story about Buddy Vs. the Pool, but that will be for another post sometimes later.

I can't believe that spot he's looking at that we called the JUNGLE was not a JUNGLE. Like everything tripled in size from when this picture was taken. 

Buddy not only got big and bigger, but we added a small platform for that corner in the next few years after this photo, until last year we added another expansion because he was a BIG cat. 

So remember that Funny Photo at the beginning? When we got photos developed, we discover that we couldn't tell which way was up or down. What do you think? Up/Down??
***Note I did edit this photo to get rid of the flash spots on Buddy's eyes, but then I decided to keep the original flash spots. 

A Day in Buddy's Life: Winter Edition

To Copper and Coal, the young pawawans you will learn the amazing views of my porch. I've lived on this porch for 15 years. Your humans will demand that you come in when it's below freezing out at night and you insist on staying out there.

Your humans will insist that you lay in the sun during the winter and not the shaded area where my food would always be. I open my platform(s) to you to enjoy, you'll need to share (Copper I'm talking to you).

Respect the birds that flies in the bushes and in the bird house above you, they won't yell at you, leave them be. You can watch from a distance, listen from a distance but do not touch.

You will respect that the harness is for your protection, do not attempt to slip out and go wandering by yourself.

You will respect the humans on when they will allow you outside to learn my territory, do not attempt to break out otherwise there will be consequences.

Most of all have fun and enjoy everything that I left behind for you.

~ Buddy

A day in Buddy's Life: The WINTER EDITION 

I hate the white stuff that sits on the ground for months, I hate that it leaves a wetness on my paws and it's coldness. I do like it when I can walk in certain areas that are white stuff free, but I dislike the cold.

I know on days that it's cold that I must lay where the Sun is, the sun is to keep me warm while I nap. Sometimes I get an blanket to cover me so I can remain outside a little bit longer.

The porch is my second closest way to being outside without actually being outside (because that white stuff can't disappear fast enough). I like being able to step out onto the steps if there's no wet white stuff.

Most of all its one of my all time favorite place to be, if it's not with my daddy, being outside with my daddy and occasionally with my moms.

Buddy's Ornaments

Christmas decorations are light this year due to life things and having two curious kittens. 

Check out the Instagram post on Buddy's Ornament. https://instagram.com/p/BdGwT2bFMEM/

With Buddy he showed curiosity when we put up the tree and started decorating, the one thing he did when he was younger was hide and nap under the tree behind all of our White Kmart Christmas bears. 

Over the years Buddy always had this spot by the bathroom, where he would often lay just because and one year I had won a Christmas carpet. Buddy loves it! I think maybe because it was red or it was just on the floor. 

The little carpet mat was penguins, so each year we would bring it out and replace the brown/tan mat with the Christmas for a few weeks. He claims it as his own, we have it out where the sun shine through our kitchen to little hallway and Buddy would lay to get some sun. 

I think it was the first or second year that we had Buddy, we were decorating the tree and I was putting ornaments on the bottom of the tree. He came over to check things out and he found this little lamb that I had just hung.

He swatted off the lamb and took it in his mouth and walked away from it, playing with it. From then on we knew that he claimed that ornament as his own. So Buddy had his own ornament, as the years went by I think he forgotten about that little lamb unless we show him with a direct interest in it. 

To this day we'll still call that Lamb his . . . 

It's Cold Out!!!

We're starting to get the cold! Plus the snow . . .

It's time for another "A Day in Buddy's Life"

Buddy would still take full advantage of staying outside on his porch, he has a thicker coat than Copper and Coal. Right now Copper is the only one that is interested in the porch, but I think once Spring comes and we start introducing Coal to the porch world. But who knows maybe Copper will get him to go out with him.

I still wish Buddy was here of course, Buddy would make us begged him to come in the house from the porch. Sometimes he would come in on his own or when we finally tell him that it's time to come in. He would scurry in when he did get too cold, other times he would take his time leaving us standing barefoot or jacketless waiting for him to come in.

We would still the breakfast routine out on the porch, some dairy and some daddy and me time before dad heads to the back to feed the backyard. 

When we got snow the first day, it was light flurries hardly covering the grass. Buddy would tempt to walk outside. He always love to check his outside, even when there's is snow on the steps but he need to smell that winter cold air. He would stick his nose up at the snow because that mean the end of walking outside. 

Snow equals wet feet. 

I think he spends a lot of his time watching the birds borrows in our huge branches that grows baby breaths and there's another type of tree mixed with it. They love to chat and I think they also gather in there to keep warm. I can't tell you how many ends up in there during the day. 

Other times Buddy would try to sleep but we would tell him no because it's too cold out and he can get sick. He did during the last two brutal winters, he would sneeze on most times, there been a few times where he get the chills but that's when we knew he was not feeling well. 

I would like to do more of A Day in Buddy's Life more often, the holidays this year is extremely busy and BIG!! I have tons of upcoming family gatherings and such. So please bare with me as I'm continuously being absent. 

XOXO 

BUDDY

One month passed . . .

It's so hard to believe that Buddy passed away a month ago. We still miss him everyday as well everything about him.

I know many people say this, "our cat is one of a kind" and it's true. Buddy was one of a kind to us, we saw him grow up as well my parents watched me grow up. He was there for a lot of things for us, he also needed us to care for him.

Bringing Copper into our household gave us a different atmosphere, he's this very playful kitten with a lot of curiosity plus I think he's half a dog. He keeps us on our toes!

Copper won't replace Buddy and neither will kitten #2, but they will help us mend our broken hearts and open our heart to loving them just as much as we did with Buddy.

Sadly it's getting colder out for Copper to be on the porch, he almost doesn't want too because he doesn't have enough "coat" on him to keep warm from the cold. Buddy would stay out on the porch for as long as he can until either (A) we bring him in or (B) he comes in willingly. Usually it's A that gets Buddy to come into the house, then he would either go to Daddy for belly rubs and warm snuggles or he'll go on his heated pad.

If you been following Instagram, I had posted a picture of a Frame that I'm going to use for Buddy. But I was so stuck on which photo to pick until I decided why just pick one photo? Why not 12 photos? One for each month of the year, that way we see different moments of Buddy.

I've had two of my gals tell me that I should do a Buddy Calendar, I hadn't really thought of that because I was thinking about doing an Buddy's Backyard Calendar featuring all the wildlife. But I may consider doing a Buddy Calendar.

For now enjoy watching my Instagram account because I've been doing #BuddyMemories at least every couple of days or every other day, depending on what I am doing.

Here's a fun video of Buddy playing with real Catnip from outside, it's that right time of season in the video to what's the weather is like now with all the leaves falling.

A day like today

A Day in Buddy's Life

Today was one of those days where Buddy would demand to be outside . . . this is his typical weather. When I got done with work at 4pm, I took a glance at the temperature and knew that this day is a typical going on a walk day. 

I was going to carry him to his spot(s) around the house, but the herd of turkeys were here. I can still carry him to his spot(s) tomorrow before it rains.

MEOW . . . . MEOW

Looking at the backdoor leading to outside, Daddy out there.

Sniff the back porch . . . the devils leave a stink.

Which way to go? Left or Right?

I take RIGHT . . . might do a little business around the corner of the house.

Mom is following me and taking pictures. Making a loop around the house and passed the steps because I'm not ready to go inside.

I walk across this hard gravel . . . taking one step at a time, sometimes I follow the dirt path. I sit in my favorite spot in the tall grass. MMM maybe I'll eat some grass and make mom mad. There's a breeze and I close my eyes and sniff the air. 

I might take a nap . . . by choice I'll walk to the steps because I'm ready to go back inside for breakfast. But first my neck scratches and my harness is off. 

The humans feed me my dairy and provide water. I'm satisfied and is ready for my long day of napping.

In other news . . . I told Buddy that we will be bringing in our first kitten out of two tomorrow to his house. We're kind of on a hold to adopt a pet from the shelter due to a quarantine among the cats, but a friend of ours had a litter of kitten and had one that she hadn't found a home yet. So we're going to be taking him and then we'll look for a sibling/playmate once the quarantine is lifted at the shelter.

Once we as a family figure out a name that we can all agree on, I'll share it on Instagram.

Stay TUNED!!!