Happiness Tag

HAPPINESS TAG

A couple of weeks ago our friends, The Canadian Cats Shoko and Kali nominated us for the Happiness Tag. We are happy to accept and sincerely thank Kali and Shoko for selecting us as a blog that makes them happy. In accepting we have some responsibilities.

List five things that make us happy:

1. Vacationing on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands

2. Family: Tom and kitties
3. Cycling and Swimming
4. Friends: both personal and blogging
5. Catio (Kitties Blue choice)

Name five favorite songs that make us happy:

This was very difficult. So many songs make me happy, and some of my favorite make me melancholy and nostalgic. I love some of those just as much, but these five always make me happy.

California Girls – Beach Boys

In Your Arms – Quito Rymer

Young Turks – Rod Stewart

Whenever God Shines His Light – Van Morrison

You Never Can Tell – Aaron Neville

Admit to adoring five bloggers who make us happy and notify those bloggers:

All the blogs we read and follow make us happy, which made it particularly difficult to select just five. But it should be evident why we have selected these five.

Friends Furever – The blog of Mauricio’s wife, Allie, (and housemates Ellie and Raz)

Kitty Cat Chronicles – The blog of Astrid’s husband, Sampson, (as well as five other kitties, dog Lucy and the Sugar Gliders)

onespoiledcat– Best pal Sammy’s blog (home of the Tuesday Teaser and Thoroughly Poetic Thursday)

McGuffy’s Reader – Annie is an amazingly talented writer and poet who has become a great friend. (As a bonus her household includes two woofies and four kitties.)

Bailey Boat Cat – Bailey is an honorary Kitty Blue

We are tagging these five blogs to complete the Happiness Tag challenge and hope each will accept and complete the task of naming those things which make them happy.

Once again, the kitties and I want to express our gratitude to Kali and Shoko for selecting us for the Happiness Tag!

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.