Sunday, December 6, 2009

Winter Arrived Today

We woke to frost this morning, and sun, at long last.  I just turned on some Christmas music and finished the shopping list for my guild's Christmas party which I am hosting next Sunday.  I have a few presents to wrap and then Pete and I will have lunch at North Fork Table and Inn. (This is the current home of pastry chef Claudia Fleming, formerly of Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan and a winner of the James Beard Award.  I can't wait for dessert!)  It's going to be a good day.

My thanks to everyone who called, emailed and commented about Simon's death.  Your thoughts and words are all much appreciated.  Cairo, who viewed Simon as his primary source of competition, and rightly so, is actually missing him.  It was my habit to feed Simon just before I went to bed, so we wouldn't have to smell the stinky stuff, and I always let Cairo lick the spoon.  Now that there is no spoon to lick, Cairo won't come to bed.  He sits by the kitchen counter waiting to lick the spoon.  The first night I had to pick him up and bring him upstairs.  He certainly is a creature of habit.

Though waiting for Simon to go was painful and I really miss him, I have to say I do not miss opening the stinky cat food and cleaning the kitty litter, daily chores for 15 years.  And last night, when I looked at the living room couch and matching chair with matching cat scratches on the left arms, I realized I could buy new furniture and it would remain intact.  Scratching the furniture was Simon's one foible: no matter how many scratching posts or boxes I bought, he always sharpened his claws on the furniture.

So we are all looking forward: to new furniture, to Christmas, to a healthy and prosperous New Year -- except for Cairo, who is still looking for the cat food.

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