A bird leaving the nest.

[littleoldme]

One of my baby birds is leaving the nest.
This bird is a 37 year old man who just happens to be my boy. Stupid to find yourself in tears over a grown man leaving, I don't remember tears when he left our home for the first time. Maybe because I'm older and realizing my mortality. But he's off to Montana to manage/chef in a restaurant where they are letting him design it to his own standards. The pay will be very much higher then any thing he's managed to get down here.
One part of me is very excited for him, but the other is sad for me. He's always been within calling distance, home for Sunday dinner, and holidays. My children are spreading out hither and yon, oldest daughter and her family in Pennsylvania, son, soon to be in Montana. My youngest is still here in Florida with the light of my life, the grandson. I have come to truly dislike Florida, and if not for the youngest and the light would leave in an instant. I may have to give up my trailer soon anyway as the lot rent here keeps going up and pretty soon will reach the point where we can't afford to stay. A midnight move out of a place that has been my home since 1997. Hubby says we'll hand them, at the office, the keys and tell them it's all theirs. Oh well that's life isn't it. But I will miss my baby bird.

[waldopaper]

The nest, the baby birds and I have very iffy futures... iffy in the sense that it's very hard to foresee... even for a grizzled old sage. Girl is gone most of the time... boy does not realize how easy it is to get caught up in "the system." Nephew is in the system... random stop... into the klink 100 miles away for being late on a fine. Kops "extradited" him down here... he's out now... but any time "the system" could put another red flag on him-- another random encounter... and into the klink. I'm in "the system" too. We are ALL in "the system," just a matter of paperwork.

They're good little birds... happy... generous... I would worry about them every minute I couldn't see them. "The system" is out there... getting bigger.

[BO]

I say, "Good for your boy!" Sounds like he has his act together.

Of course it's sad for you, but just think...you've got a new reason to visit another area of the country--a nice one at that. Shee-it, if I didn't have my own baby bird at home, me and the Mrs. would be traveling the country in an RV right now. Personally, I'd love to live the vagabond hippy life.

Oh well. Brave words from one who has chosen to live the middle class lifestyle in suburbia.

Check out the movie--Into the Wild. It might inspire you to take a fresh look at your options...

[Mouse]

Little Old Me you have my sympathy, it is such a wrench within when a beautiful darling wanders off.
Yesterday my four year old granddaughter, who I look after so much, was collected at the airport by her papa and is now in her Italian family home for two weeks holiday, with different portions of the family around her.
I felt so sad on Friday, that I was crying in the street and managing to hide it while taking her home from school. There was a time, when she was a baby, and she and her mother were both in Italy and I was left all alone with a pot of ashes.
Then it was unbearable, and I did what I suspect we all do, and just went a little bit crazier, so the cracks blended in.

I find staying at home is really rather exciting.

[littleoldme]

Thanks guys.

[pan]

The wife just called - she made an appointment to euthanize our little grey cat, Miss Becky. Becky was diagnosed with lung cancer a couple of weeks ago. Her lungs are being collapsed by a build up of fluid. We have had the fluid drained two times but it has gotten worse. She is struggling to breathe. I have an hour left at work and I have to maintain that "professional" stance of detached unemotionalism.

Becky and her brother, Fatty Arbuckle, adopted us when they were just babies barely weened. We lived in feral cat central, San Pedro, CA, and their mother dropped them off. Ms. Medusa promptly went out to buy some Simulac and tried to feed the kittens who hadn't even opened their eyes. A few days later they disappeared.

A couple of weeks later, in the shed, this tiny little runt of a grey cat was mewing insistantly at me, making it clear that I had to lift an overturned 5 gallon pail where I discovered her brother had somehow gotten himself trapped. I resisted the cats and, in stages, let them into the house but only the kitchen, into the rest of the house but not the bedroom and, lastly, full reign of their territory.

Becky was always the feisty one. She was the tough one, the survivor compared to her bigger litter mate who has had a series of health issues and is a bit of a fraidy cat. She was the hunter. One time she lined up her gifts of 6 moles in a neat little row on the concrete patio. And we had to separate her from her prey of small copperheads on more than one occasion.

She also comforted us, never leaving my wife's side as she mourned our miscarriage. She stayed with me throughout my hip replacement/infection.

The tears are welling up. Fucking cat, I knew we shouldn't have kept them!

[Cal]

Cat & dog friends are so much nicer people than most people ... I not much of a believer in places in the sky but I can't help wishing there was a place in the sky for them when they left us. I always plant a tree when one of my pets leaves the planet.

[BO]

Sorry to hear 'bout the little guy, Pan. Did he smoke?

Seriously, outside of my dad, I don't think I've ever grieved so hard 'cept for the cats I've owned. Each one a unique personality.

We've got a boy cat, Buddy, that keeps hanging on after 18 years. He won't go out to the garage anymore to use the catbox, so we have to make sure he finds one in his usual travels. He throws up constantly which is getting to be a pain to clean up. But we don't have the heart to put him down. Maybe we're being too self-centered.

We've got a ferrel as well. Adopted us a few christmases ago. And like your cat, he knows how to hunt. Had to toss a couple of mice away that he had left on the porch yesterday--they went into the woods actually. It won't be long before he brings a few baby rabbits into the house--it's that time of year. And usually they're still alive and manage to get free which makes for some interesting times as we try to catch 'em and throw them back into the woods.

The most loving cats I've ever had have been ferrels. The one we have now is obsessed with me. My wife thinks the cat is my dad who's been reborn and come to live with us to make up for his neglect. Could be.

[pan]

Just got back from the vet. Putting her down was extremely difficult emotionally.

Thanks for the support.

[littleoldme]

So sorry for your loss. I've been there many times over the years. We've always had cats. We have six now. All strays. I can't just leave them to fend for themselves, so home they come. When these littles leave me, I don't want any more. No replacements. I'm getting too old to deal with litter boxes and I don't do outdoor cats.

[waldopaper]

ah pan... aint that the way? whether kitters or kids... we get to know them as individuals. we are all diminished when the least of us passes from our ranks. Farewell, Becky.