Dexter Simon

          My cat of 15 years died this month and it has taken me several days to be able to write about it.  I understand that he was old (105 in cat years) but I know that home will not be the same without him.  He was a great cat and one of a kind for sure.  He chased dogs.  He had a love affair with all poultry products.  He ran the neighborhood, he even had a neighbor that adopted him part time and would feed and snuggle him when he came by.  He 'helped' read the paper and wrap presents and even helped Gary Sims finish the basement.  Dexter was an excellent lap cat.  He entertained the children in our lives for hours on end.  I am sure that Dexter thought that fountains in the yard were there for him.  I believe that Dexter thought it was his job to keep his family warm and to check on them at night by waking them up.  He also understood when we would be leaving and would suddenly become a very heavy cat laying in our suitcases.

          Initially Dexter was supposed to be an outside cat but he quickly won Lynn's heart over and he had his run of both the indoors and the outdoors.

          So after all of the purrs, the snuggles, the scratches, the things knocked over, the funny moments, the missing Christmas ornaments, the opening of doors, the attempts to sneak turkey, the hisses, the cat fights, the naps snuggling, the sunning, the rolls in the dirt, the hair balls, the special cat food, the escapes from veterinary offices, the use of one of his 9 lives, the chest snuggles,  the frightened dogs, the amused children, the flicking of tails, the long stretches, the grass on the belly, the random attacks, the squeezing into boxes and baskets, the paws under the door, the subtle reminders that he needed something, the crickets captured, the Christmas trees climbed, the laps, the angry brushing sessions, the missing magnets, and the reminders where home is for all of us..... my life is forever changed.

          Many times in China I have woken up with my legs curled to my chest and in my sleep I did not want to wake Dexter up by moving my legs.  I would then wake up and remember that I am in China and my kitty is on the other side of the world.  Other times, Matt will move his foot just right and I think that he jumped on the bed.  Now I believe he is on my bed with me every night.

          I feel as though in many ways this marks my childhood being over and I am mourning that as well.... Over half of my life Dexter has been in my family and that part is over.