R.I.P. BONNIE, 1992-2008

With the veterinarian's office being closed tomorrow and Sunday, and with me being out of town Sunday through Tuesday and not being able to take Bonnie to the vet's until next Wednesday afternoon, I opted to take her in today to be euthanized. She had stopped eating during the past couple of days, had lost her ability to conserve heat, was mostly just a bag of bones wandering around in a daze... so sadly, it was her time to go.

I was with her the whole time, and cried into her fur for about five minutes after the vet gave her the shot in her hind leg. I haven't cried this much in a while, but I know I did her a favor instead of letting things get worse for her over the weekend.

Regretfully, after I got back from the vet I had to go help our band set up for a show we did this evening. I lost my music somewhere during the last couple of weeks, and had to print up about 25 lyric sheets just before we played. With all the afternoon's sobbing and crying and with the images of Bonnie in my mind, I played and sang terribly. My voice was shot after the first few songs, and then I just gutted it out for the rest of the show.

I'll probably take some time from the blog during the next few days, but I will be back around the middle of next week.

REST IN PEACE, GEORGE CARLIN - 5/12/37-6/20/08

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things - bad language and whatever - it's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition. There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

That was George Carlin in an interview in 2004. Sadly, he died yesterday of heart failure at age 71. He has been a hero of mine since the early-mid 70s. Amidst much of the likely cheering from the humorless, prudish kookballs it will be difficult to hear the silent tears from some of us, but I say our country needs more people like George.

I am definitely going to miss this guy.....

"When you're born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America, you get a front row seat. "

"Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck. "

"I'm always relieved when someone is delivering a eulogy and I realize I'm listening to it. "

"Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time. "

"You know an odd feeling? Sitting on the toilet eating a chocolate candy bar."

"Always do whatever's next. "

HEARTWARMING PICTURES FROM A SAD TIME

The above picture, actually taken around the first of November of 2006, is of our oldest cat Bonnie and Zeke when he was about eight weeks old.

Bonnie is now near the end of her life. She is 16 years old, and her weight has gone down dramatically during the last six months. She is now literally skin and bone. We are hoping Bonnie will die at home. We don't want to have to take her to the vet and have her put down, because we would rather see her die peacefully here at home... but of course if or when she starts showing signs of distress we will take her to the vet immediately.

During this past year Bonnie has been very tolerant of Zeke, one of our young cats. When he was a kitten, she allowed him to sleep next to her (as in the above picture). She has been very good to him. Now, even though Zeke is close to a year old and weighs about 2 1/2 times as much as she does, Bonnie still likes to cuddle with him from time to time.

Below are some wonderful pictures my daughter took today of Zeke and Bonnie sharing a patch of sunlight. It amazes me, as Bonnie wastes away, to see how much smaller she is now. Granted, Zeke has grown, but at this point Bonnie is fortunate to weigh five pounds. Next to him, she looks very small.

I don't know if Zeke realizes Bonnie is dying or not, but he shows his love for her anyway. Bonnie's end is near, and Zeke has been a great cat hospice care provider.

Whoever says cats are unsympathetic or aloof simply does not know cats. Please enjoy the following pictures. As somber as the story behind them might be, I find joy in the love and understanding these two have for each other.

EASTERN OREGON ROADTRIP ALERT

I have a new post up on my other blog, Eastern Oregon Roadtrips. This time I have a bunch of pictures for you, taken along still-driveable sections of old U.S. Highway 30 where it hasn't been entirely replaced by Interstate 84. Please come take a look! I will be back in a few days to post something political or weird-news-wise. Enjoy!

http://easternoregonroadtrips.blogspot.com/