Author: thecapeblog

I still miss Fluffles terribly. It’s better than yesterday but still not good. This photo, though, taken less than 3 months ago around his 19th birthday in early May, compared to the fragile little body we buried this week shows how quickly he lost ground.

I’ve been keeping busy with all kinds of things today, but it’s after 5 pm, and I’m still in the terry robe I threw on this morning.

Kind FB friends posted beautiful sympathetic thoughts. It helps to know that others understand.

Fortunately, it’s been raining, so we don’t have to water.

Ron did transport duty today for Emme. I had a long conversation with the president of the homeowners association, paid bills and posted some items on PANA.org and OF.com Ron was quoted in MENT!

The Cape Cod Conservatory big band blew our minds last night with their performance of “Marie’s Shuffle”. Light rain, comfortable temp contributed to our enjoyment of the Illumination and the concert at the Craigville Conference Retreat Center.

Attended a rally for an increase in the minimum wage and paid sick time at the State House yesterday.

Waited for almost an hour at the Charlie Ticket Store to get a senior pass and as a result, missed the 6:00 bus by 5 minutes, so had to take the 8:00. Had a nice supper at the South Station train terminal and read “Game of Thrones”. Was late enough to miss the traffic on 151 from the demo derby at the fair.

Ron’s perspective is much better and wiser than mine has been: taking care of Mr. Fluffles was like having a parent with Alzheimer’s in the house: daily cleanup, rearranging our schedules, etc. It wasn’t good for us and it wasn’t necessary to keep Fluffles in a prolonged state of senility.

I felt guilty for the fact that he had failed, but his failing was a result of his getting old (19+), not neglect. In other words, something we couldn’t control or influence.

We tried to keep him fed and comfortable, but we couldn’t prevent the inevitable.

…we loved you, Fluffles.

We buried our dear little guy yesterday. Darrell, his kind groomer, told us that she also felt it was time.

Our hearts are broken. I’m sure this will change us. I can’t stop crying. Ron is devastated.

I forced us to busy ourselves yesterday afternoon and evening with positive, life-affirming activities: supporting a fellow townsman who is fighting a gang of spoiled rich kids to put in an oyster farm; visiting the Wampanoag language reclamation project open house; transporting Emme home from work.

I forced myself to finish laundry and water the garden this morning. The sorrow comes and goes, though.

We took Fluffles to Edgewater yesterday so we could collect trash, mow the front lawn and fix their front door deadbolt.

Ron went back later to water the lawn.

I did a big shop at Market Basket today and with Ron’s help, put clean sheets on the bed. That’s about “it”.

Yesterday morning, we drove up to MacKillop’s for coffee and pastry.

I did my banking on the way to Highfield to see the mosaics (fabulous) and the fairy houses. Did a little weeding in the sunken and West gardens while I was there. Everything looked very good, so there wasn’t a lot of work.

The LeConti’s invited us for a cookout yesterday which was a lot of fun, especially listening to April’s father Jack and his mortuary stories. He could easily write a book or maybe a mini-series.

The laptops are back home. Fluffles was horrible the other day and I was ready to dismiss him from the family.

We’ve been watering, mostly by hand with the water from the dehumidifier. Otherwise, our weekend was pretty low-key. I had a two-hour nap this morning after making coffee.

The Fair started yesterday.

Watered the back lawn and put down Jonathan Green Weed and Feed.

Put up the new crook and hummingbid feeder from Job Lot near the Montauks.

Soaked to the skin.

Scrubbed and scrubbed the bathroom floor this morning. There was spray all around the toilet. Ron suggested putting blue food coloring in the tank so we could see if there’s leakage in the seal. So far, nothing. We think it was Mr. Fluffles. He had an accident on one of the mats this morning.

Gold finches like the front gardens and the oval.

Ron made iced tea yesterday, set up the living room A/C and helped me clean and organize the shed.

I drove Emme to and from work and ran errands before cleaning and organizing the shed.

I was uncoordinated all day, not sure what was going on unless it’s because I’m wearing old glasses to see if that stops the redness around my eyes. So far, it hasn’t.

Packed and sent off the Shun Chef’s knife.

Traded assignments for this Friday’s house tour.

One of my favorite photos of Ron.

It’s after 12:30 and we’ve been busy since 8 this morning.

I don’t understand how this is possible. I think it’s a combination of gardens and a cat, two labor-demanding lifeforms that I didn’t have when I was working.

Made coffee, fed Mr. Fluffles, went to the Senior Center to drop off a donation to the thrift shop and pick up free bread and a pie.

Sometimes in that same trip (Mondays, Tuesdays and sometimes Fridays) we do business at the bank and sometimes we drop off books or tapes to the library.

After today’s senior center run, we finished breakfast and did watering and pruning. Made a hosta flower arrangement. Cut up a 25 pound watermelon, sent a chunk with Ron to Edgewater and made tomato/feta/watermelon salad.

Ron is in the process of fixing a closet door.