REMEMBERING GOLDIE~CHRISTMAS ALWAYS BRINGS MEMORIES OF MY “FIRST CHILD” PERSIAN MIX CAT,GOLDIE. MY HUSBAND, THEN BOYFRIEND, GAVE HER TO ME IN 1976 AS A GIFT WHEN I WAS 1ST ON MY OWN & STARTING COLLEGE. A TINY LITTLE CAT WITH BIG EYES & SOFT MEOW, SHE FIT IN THE PALM OF MY HAND. 17 YRS. LATER, AT ABOUT 20 LBS. & LAP SIZED, GOLDIE WAS “RETIRED” IN SARASOTA,FL IN 1989 WHERE WE DECIDED TO RELOCATE FROM THE CHERRY HILL,NJ AREA.

MY ONLY CHILD WAS BORN PREMATURE IN ’92 & GOLDIE WAS THE PERFECT NANNIE AND OLDER “SIBLING” … MARK, IT WAS THE PASSING OF THE BATON…. WE HAD OUR NEW BABY FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS AND GOLDIE STARTED TO FAIL . HER ENERGY & WEIGHT DECLINED & SHE STOPPED EATING. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULD FEED HER BY MEDICINE DROPPER WITH MILK, HONEY & CAT VITAIMINS, & FEED MY SON ON THE SAME SCHEDULE. IT CAME TIME TO CALL THE VET FOR A RECOMENDATION ON HER DEMISE. WE DID NOT WANT HER TO SUFFER. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT, I HEARD HER DRINKING WATER, USING HER “BATHROOM BOX” & ABOUT 4:00AM I HEARD HER SIGH & EXHALE ON THE BLANKET BED WE HAD SET UP IN OUR BEDROOM . I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT SHE HAD PASSED. SHE WAS THE PERFECT FAMILY MEMBER, WHO LIVED, & GAVE SO MUCH JOY TO OUR LIVES & CONVERTERD MANY CAT HATERS TO CAT ACCEPETERS~ADMIRERS. I’LL ALWAYS RENEMBER HER AT CHRISTMAS WANTING TO WEAR A BOW THAT I HAD MADE (A NEW ONE EACH DECEMBER) SHE’D CARRY IT AROUND, WASH IT , SLEEP UPON IT IN LIEU OF HER FAVORITE TOY, SLEEPING UNDER OUR CHRISTMAS TREE EACH NIGHT. AFTER ALMOST 16 YEARS, I STILL MISS HER & WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT YOUR DOG SPRITE. I’VE PURCHASED YOUR BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AS A FAMILY GIFT FOR US TO READ & SHARE. KEEP UP THE GOOD VS. BAD IN OUR GREAT USA EVERY NIGHT ~ WITH LOVE , GRATITUDE & WARMEST WISHES ( NO GLOBAL WARMING INUENDOS) FOR ALL THE BEST IN 2008,

Lois from FL