Shelter Cats and Redemption

Flashback to 2003. The absolute best photo I ever took of Tyler, and what would become one of his most famous shots. The "Tyler sitting funny" picture! Have I blogged about this picture before?  I did?  Well, I'm going to again.  So there. August, 2003.  Just another run of the mill August in my Glen Cove apartment.  Knowing that apartment, the AC was probably struggling to keep the place cool.  Energy efficient that apartment WAS NOT. Anyway, I happened to walk into the living room one weekend August day when I noticed..... This. Tyler sitting on my recliner in this EXACT pose. With no iPhones yet invented, I grabbed.....an actual camera.....and managed to get this shot of him before he moved. The rest is history.   From that point on this photo, often imitated but never duplicated, became known as the "Tyler sitting funny" photo. Why was he sitting like that with that wild eyed expression?  Was he cleaning himself...

Today, August 17th, marks two years since Sophie came to live with me. Two years as the new boss cat.  I honestly could not have asked for a better successor to Tyler, as I've mentioned before.  I truly never expected another cat to come into my life so soon after his death, but as I've often said, life finds a way of taking care of the unexpected for you. More like she stormed into my life, and after a rougher than expected start, she stole my heart and I just love her to pieces. Let's go back to that very first day, shall we? Sunday, August 17th, 2014 A text popped up on my iPhone. “We’re outside.” She's here!  Ashley and I ran outside and met Lindsey, a skinny woman in Capri pants and a tan coming out of a Toyota Rav4.  “Hi Dan.  I’m Lindsey, this is my mom.”  “Nice to meet you both.”  The mother was pleasant, despite a look that screamed "I'll beat the shit out of you if you look at me funny kind of look.  Must be a ...

Today marks two years since my beloved Tyler crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  Two years and it is still as painful as it was on that awful day. Two years later and I am still full of guilt over what I could have done differently. Two years........ I thought I'd re-post the story I posted last year: Late July, 2014. Tyler had been in failing health all week, by Friday, August 1st, he was barely able to move or clean himself.  I fed him some homemade chicken broth that Ashley had made (he always loved her cooking), cleaned his feet, brushed him, and helped him curl up on his favorite spot on the edge of the couch.  Jackson had not left his side all week, escorting him as he managed to get to the litter box, and even attempting to clean his head. My poor boy was exhausted, disheveled, and the light was fading from his eyes. "It's OK Tyler, I will be OK. Jackson will be OK. You don't have to worry." Tyler looked at me. He purred, a soft, tired purr. I kissed...

This week I commemorate two years since Tyler crossed the Rainbow bridge.  With that comes a flood of memories, both joyous and painful.   Here's one I am eternally grateful to have caught on my phone's camera . It was exactly two years ago today that Tyler experienced the joy of jumping into an empty garbage can for the final time. July 26th, 2014. Two years ago I was dabbling with the idea of converting to Christianity.  A lifetime of disillusionment with Judaism, coupled with a rather severe personal crisis around my 40th birthday (I'm not getting into it now) sought me to seek religion from.....shall we say.....a different angle? I started attending a church, reading the bible (an app version of the bible of course) and gave it a serious shot, culminating with my baptism exactly 2 years ago today on a beach on the north shore of Long Island.  It was kind of a group baptism thing, I was one of 15 or 20 people who, one by one, accepted Christ and a...

A summer update and my current dynamic feline duo! Living with Ashley the Italian chef means.....yup.....a garden.  Well, pots all along our back stoop anyway.  Everything you can imagine is planted in pots all over the place and are watered and cared for quite well.  I being famous for killing plants just by looking at them means I stay totally out of this whole garden thing. Tyler used to use plants as his own personal litter box.  My mother always thought she had a green thumb and for the most part she did.  All through our large Long Island home were large potted trees and large plants, all cat safe of course.  Safe, that is, except for the soil.  It wasn't too long after Tyler came to live with me that each and every one of those trees ended up dying off once he started.....popping a squat. Citrus spray, pebbles covering up the soil, nothing helped!  To Tyler, a plant was an excuse to take a leak!  It was hard to get annoyed with him...

While time-hopping on my phone I came across this great pic of the dynamic duo, so I had to share! Tyler and Tiger. Sharing a meal, 2009. How I miss these two. 

A little video interlude this Friday.   Sophie, Tyler's wonderful successor, is quite simply.....a PURRING MACHINE! Enjoy!