Farewell, Dear Friend

Sherry C. Cermak
(December 2, 1948 - July 20, 2008)

What a sorrow filled day to hear of your passing and your beloved family's loss. So often I looked forward to your new posts at What Did You Eat? and to the funny and sweet comments you left here
[this morning I tagged wherever you visited].

And now, dear Sher, please know you'll always have a place in my heart. Say hello to your precious beauties. I can see Upsie and Sunshine curled in your lap--purring.

I'm crying. I'll miss you and I'm sorry we never got to meet in person.

Recipe For A Friend....

Sher, here's a special treat which has just you in mind. In fact, I ate it for for you since you couldn't be here.

I know you have a fondness....er....ah....weakness for meatballs, and you've been needing a little extra iron in your diet -- spinach seems to be a favored ingredient with that qualification.

Let's start with a salad, which is always nice.

[click on all images to enlarge]
A plate comes in handy. Alas, it's empty.

I spy something round. Could it be...?

It's a small plate, so it's not really a giant meatball. This means you can have 3 or 4, if you like.

The base is ground turkey, and has all the routine goodies: diced Vidalia onion, fresh crushed garlic, an egg or two, a splash of cream, some fresh breadcrumbs, fresh chopped oregano from the garden, salt and pepper, scads of coarsely chopped Italian parsley, a heaping spoonful or two of grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and your choice of lots and lots of spinach. I was crunched for time, the store's "fresh" looked anything but, so I used the frozen, chopped leaf spinach, which I then defrosted in the microwave, then squeezed out the liquid. [I suppose you could drink it, or save it for soup.]

You know the rest of this, I'm sure. Brown them in EVOO, remove to plate [not fully cooked yet so resist the temptation to taste. Use the drippings to make the sauce of your dreams, mine has buckets of chopped garlic and mushrooms [optional] lightly sauteed, crushed tomatoes [fresh or canned], salt and pepper, cover and letter simmer for about 1 hour stirring frequently.

Return the meatballs to finish cooking for the last twenty minutes covered at a gently bubbling simmer. Start pasta now, and when you put it in the water, stir in coarsely chopped, fresh basil -- about two handfuls or MORE -- into your sauce to wilt and finish off this simple treasure of tomatoes, garlic and basil. Does it get any better?

More cheese on top when you serve, and now....you get to taste.

Healthy eating, my friend. Feel better sooner than soon.

PS: I miss Upsie and Taboo, don't you?

I'm As Mad As Hell & I'm Not Going To Take This Anymore...

H/T to katiebird over at The Confluence

A Silence Fell.

[click on image to enlarge]


Upsie
Rejoins The Universe At The Speed Of Light

* * *

Antonia's gift
Upsie, I bow to her. As
Sher's, you light my path.

* * *
For pictures, thanks to Sher, of course,
and to Catboy's Realm.


For more wonderful kitties, be sure to stop in at

Friday's Ark

&

Weekend Cat Blogging
with
Amar & Luna.

Good Morning...

[click on image to enlarge]

~ Sunshine in the kitchen ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sweet Smudge...

[click on image to enlarge]
Smudge
...a loving companion who will be missed by many friends.

I Love This Precious Cat...

[click images to see them in their full glory at What Did You Eat?]

I stopped long enough to pick up my blogger email and saw there was a notification of a new comment on one of my older posts. It was from Sher.

She wrote:

Upsie will pass over the bridge soon. She will meet up with Taboo and Sushi.

I replied with a brief personal note, part of which I quote [Sher, I hope you don't mind]:

...and I'm crying. Oh god, there is never enough time to be with those we love and who love us, is there? As I go about my day, I shall keep you and her in my heart. Thanks for letting me know.

God speed, Upsie -- say hello to EVERYONE, with some extra loving scritches to all our little beasties! Then give 'em your special brand of a chewing out for leaving too soon, always too soon. And especially enjoy your heavenly feasts. Gentle nuzzy kisses and smooches for your pretty face.

Friends of Friday Ark and Weekend Cat Blogging, be sure to stop by to offer your support and special brand of catblogging kindness ~ to keep Sher and her family in your hearts as they face this difficult part of the journey with their beloved pussycat, and to ask the divine Upsie to say "HI" to your favorite friends waiting for you by the bridge.


After Sundance, I personally hope she meets up with Sushi first. He was always sweet to girl kitties. Taboo will want to wrassle with her as a little test, but I bet Miss 'Boo will think twice if she ever sees this little move Upsie put on Sundance a year of moons and stars ago.

The New Black...

Sushi...

[click on all images to enlarge]

June 1988 - January 3, 2004

In Loving Memory

of our incredible blue-eyed, boy kitty.

Our hearts continue to miss him every day, as did Taboo while she was still here with us.

As they did on meltingly hot, summer days on their porch, they now rest, side by side, under the honeysuckle bush, where much to their kitty-hearts' everlasting delight wild birds would come to splash and drink from a bath suspended beneath its branches. [The birds were safe, of course - the cats were never allowed out.]
Last but never least, be sure to stop by Friday's Ark and the beautiful A Byootaful Life, for some serious cat blogging.

Meet The Puss...

[click on image to enlarge]

Meet grandson Pablo, rescued as a baby from the streets of Atlanta, now happily ensconced in his Decatur townhouse, where he lives with his mom and pop and his beloved Siamese sister Luna [whose favorite trick is to hide from me and my camera].

And it's better late than never to introduce him to Weekend Cat Blogging, hosted by Sher and the divineUpsie at What Did You Eat, and many new friends at Friday Ark, the finest sunset cruise on the planet for kitties to start their party weekend.

Too bad I don't live closer to make photographing him a regular habit. But he's a little shy and easily overwhelmed by too much hustle and bustle of the maddening crowd. ;-)

Everybody, meow a tenderly gentle "Hello" to Pablo! Ooh, too loud. Again, but softer, like a whispering sigh or a hickory wind.

"Hello."

Sun In Leo...

(click on image to enlarge)

Bye, sweet kitty.

Taboo, you stole our hearts

1989 ~ 2007

Remembering Sunshine, Sundance & Sunflowers...

[click on image to enlarge]

Taboo steps aside this week & asks that you keep Sundance in your purr-rayers. She's always had a soft spot in her heart for handsome "red-headed" kitties.

And I can't remember Sundance's sweet face without thinking about sunshine & sunflowers!

Stop by Fridays' Ark, and WCB with our favorite sweet and savory chef at What Did You Eat,
Sher - Sundance's loving mom.

Sadly, this late update:

Sweet Sundance has gone,
just like that, it seems. We are going to miss this precious honey-bunny.

And to his loving family, we are so sorry. :'(

Greek Kitty Camping In....

I am sleeping in yur tent after eating yur chizburger, chizburger, chizburger. Let's see if I make it to the dock on time!

Uh-oh, is the Friday Ark sailing without her?

She hopes not, but there's still plenty of partying at this Weekend's Cat Blogging, deliciously hosted by Paulchen's FoodBlog!

Let's hope they have chizburger, chizburger, chizburger, and pepsi, pepsi, pepsi!

Hey, I'm Trying To Sleep Here...

Truth be told, Taboo's still recovering from Upsie and Sher's weekend cat bloggers' blow-out party. Was a better time ever had?

Truth be told, Taboo loves all the weekend house parties, so much so that she's promised to visit WCB #110, hosted by the most gracious and beautiful Dragonheart.
[Go here to drop off your link.]

But first, Taboo insists that all her weekend festivities always launch from any kitty's favorite port, no matter what the weather, by boarding the Friday Ark.

She wants to know if there are any sleeping berths available.
Quote: I'm old and need my naps.

Have fun everybody!

Out In The Open...

[click on image to enlarge]

...and ready to sail on the Friday Ark.

I think Taboo's looking forward also to the open-house party at
WCB hosted by [OMG, there is a Bast!] the hostess with the mostest mouses, er, uh....squirrels [you can look but you can't touch!]:

the divine Upsie herself, over at What Did You Eat.

I hear there's a heat wave -- do they have air conditioning in California?

Never mind, we're cool cats all.

Snowflakes In Summer...

[click on images to enlarge]

....sleeping,

snuggling,

& snoozing.

Taboo's resting up for her exciting pre-holiday weekend on board the Friday Ark,
sailing off with old friends and new to WCB harbors of joyful kitty reunions at Pet's Garden Blog.

Oh, this sounds like we are
going to have a lot of fun!

I just stopped in over there, and you adventure lovers have a real treat in store for you. Pack your safari duds, there are some very beautiful tigers in their garden! I wonder if they purr like plain old kitties? We're about to find out.

Snug As A Bug...

[click on image to enlarge]

She just wants to sleep, so we'll have to carry her on to

Friday's Ark.

Maybe she'll be up in time to hoof it by herself over to

WCB, hosted by Scamperdude.

Medication Time...

[click on image to enlarge]

She's looking for a way out, poor soul. But it's only a cute liver-flavored chewy with her thyroid meds. Too bad she only wants to take them when it suits her and not by the clock.

Speaking of the clock, it's time to board Friday's Ark!

And don't forget to stop in to say hello to the Weekend Cat Bloggers, hosted by A Byootaful Life.

What's Old Is New Again...

[click on image to enlarge]

...a return to familiar surroundings for Taboo, a padded box in the closet.

Please stop by
Friday's Ark
to say hello to all the passengers.

This weekend's cat blogging is...YIPPEE!

Excuse me, I got a little carried away when I saw it's being hosted by the fabulous wiseguys at
What Did You Eat.

Bring your best appetite.

Sher, can we stay through Sunday night and watch the Sopranos? We promise to help cook and clean. I know -- I'll bring Limoncellos!

I Know It's Hard To Believe...

(click on image to enlarge)

...but this really is a new picture, not just a leftover from last week. Taboo's utterly smitten with her new nest. What a silly old goof. If only we could read her mind or, even better, she could speak and tell us why!

Well, folks around here should be getting ready for the first storm of the tropical season. It'll be a welcome relief if it brings a lot of rain but not crazy, destructive winds.

OOPS! That sounds like a perfect prescription for I know what -- FRIDAY'S ARK! Everybody on board.

If a paw-tapping treat is what you have in mind, there's a place I know that has the hippest cats bopping to the coolest Weekend Cat Blogging mewsic at Luna's pad at CatSynth.

Race y'all there!