The Stitch Book: Week 47 (November 17-23)

It's been a month since Keely died and yesterday would have been his 8th birthday. To say this week has been a lot is an understatement. I miss him. His death hit me a lot harder than when my previous cat passed, and I've been thinking a lot about that this week. Grief is weird and unpredictable. I've written a lot about Keely here and on my other blog. I read through all of those posts recently, and Keely and I were really on a journey together. My first two cats, Molly and Pumpkin, were easy pets in the sense that they loved me from the minute I came into their lives. There was nothing but trust and cuddles and sweetness from day one. 

Keely was completely the opposite. While I was over the moon in love with him from day one, he regarded me with a combination of curiosity, suspicion, and apprehensive acceptance. We had a very tough first few months together. He was way more aggressive than I was used to, and could be an absolute asshole for no apparent reason. My patience with him was tested every day, but eventually by showing him that I wasn't going to hurt him or abandon him, he became a more trusting and loving cat. He was affectionate in his own way. I knew his boundaries and knew when to let him be. He knew when he tested me, but also knew how to snuggle and purr with all the love in his big heart. 

While I was at the office this week, I saw a colleague I don't see very often. Earlier this year, he was in the leadership development program I manage and we often talked about our pets while waiting for others to join learning sessions. He didn't know Keely had died, and asked me how Keely was doing. I had to tell him what happened. We had a very nice conversation about loving and caring for pets and making hard decisions about them. It was a really nice conversation, but I wasn't prepared for it. I forget how many people know Keely or know about him, and how many enjoyed hearing about him and seeing his ridiculously handsome photos on Instagram. Keely cast a very big shadow in the world and I'm so happy he could provide some humor and handsomeness in an otherwise chaotic universe.

There's a meme (I guess?) going around on the internet about the Hawaiian word Kahu. There are several meanings for Kahu, but they all focus on safekeeping and being a guardian to something or some being that is precious. So a pet owner is not an owner of their pet, but the kahu of their pet - the guardian. The Kahu aren't protecting property, but protecting something that is part of their soul. I'm a better, more patient person because of Keely. He, and the cats before him, taught me how to love unconditionally. I did my best in keeping him safe and loved while he was here. 

He was just a little guy, a baby. 

Here's this week's piece:

I think this tweet perfectly describes what it's like to have a cat. It's also a perfect description of my life with Keely.

November 17

November 18

November 19

November 20

November 21

November 22 - Keely would have been 8 years old yesterday.

November 23 - two entries to finish out this week.

Week 47

Weeks 1-47

Week 48's color is robin's egg.

I've been sharing photos of Keely in my Instagram posts this week. Here are some of my favorite photos of him over the years. I hope you enjoy them too. 

This was a contender for this year's holiday card. Sadly, I won't be doing a Keely card this year.