Missing Shadow ~

When we first looked at our house back in 2004, a very sweet and shy black cat followed us around as we checked out the yard. As we went into the house, she would be on the back deck when we were in the kitchen, and near the front door when we were in the living room. Where ever we were in the house, we could see her outside, watching us through the closest window. When we were outside, she was close enough to us, but skittish about getting petted, so I named her Shadow. She is a vocal cat and always seemed to be trying to tell us something with her meowing. Her bright green eyes are the same color as Harry Potter and his mum. We moved into the house in September, and she was always around the yard. She often stood at the front door and meowed with a purpose. Inquiries to our neighbors solved the mystery of the cat's owner. She was abandoned by the previous owners of our house. Now it was easy to interpret her meowing at the front door, "Are you going to let me into my house today?" Well, no, not today... as I am uncomfortable with animals in the house, but we set up a cozy bed, food and water in the garage and adopted Shadow with love and affection.

In the years that we have lived together, Shadow trots down the driveway as my car arrives home. When I open the car door, she jumps into the driver's seat and meows about my homecoming. She hangs out with me in the front yard as I warm up for my 6:00 AM run each morning, but has never come along on the run...but she sits at the end of the driveway until I return, meowing to say what a fabulous run I have just completed. In the summer, she sits on the cafe table while I sit and knit on our back deck. Sometimes she joins me on our big swing, pictured here on top of my blue wool hat. She likes to be as close to my knitting as possible, and I am sure she is comparing the softness of her fur to my choice of yarn. Shadow died today, a sweet old kitty that couldn't quite jump into the car anymore, yet was adored by all of us. I miss her, and she will always be my Shadow.