Betty's beginning

I'd like to repost some posts from and about when Betty was first

Annie Wxill...

Tak,

Takayuki...

In my mind, it was always Betty who was special and magical. She
would have been all that independent of me. Or at least, I hope. I
had a great deal of respect and admiration for her, and to me, part of
that was acknowledging that out of necessity, our relationship was
asymmetrical, and that she had graciously sacrificed some freedoms to
be bonded to her hoomin, but that despite that, she remained her own
individual.

jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt...

Betty was special and magical independent of you, yes. But if she had
ended up with someone who didn't appreciate her, they would not have
had the magical connection she had with you. That takes two.

I've always loved your posts about you and Betty. Reading them again makes
me a little sniffly because they are so sweet.
I'm so glad that you are now able to remember and enjoy the memories. These
are the essence of Betty. These memories will always keep her alive in your
heart and in ours.
Annie

Takayuki...

I always get the sense that you knew her well. Like a lot of people,
you saw this from the very beginning to the very end.

adopted. I've thought so much about Betty's end that I feel that I
need to revisit the beginning too.

Marina...

I think that is a very good idea, Tak. Every once in a while, I go back
and re-read Frank's chronicles to relive some of our adventures and
revive my earliest memories of Frank and Nikki.

Takayuki...

That's all properly recorded now as history. Frank's parentage, his
adoption, his getting lost. Nikki in the stables, trips to the
island, walkies in-between, etc.

Hazel Az...

Tak,

I'm very sorry for your loss. I didn't know your girl passed on to the
Bridge. Please accept my sincere sympathy.

I remember these posts when you first got Betty, believe it or not. This
was a great idea and a wonderful way to honor such a special little lady.

Hazle Az

Takayuki...

Thank you, Hazel. That's right - you were here during that time. For
some reason, it always feels like you're gone for such long periods.
But actually, they're fairly short - a year or two at a time.

Kathryn...

Thanks for posting these, Tak. Betty was such a sweet girl. I'm glad that
you have these stories to remember her by and I hope you enjoy reminiscing.
Sometimes its all too easy to forget the details.

CATherine...

That was a lovely walk down memory lane. I am glad you are healing.

I'll never have any more new experiences with Betty. These memories
are all I have left. So this is me being selfish, about my need to
work backwards to reintegrate and recover what I lost.

I've sometimes doubted that there could be any recovery from losing a
kitty. Betty's ashes weren't going to reconstitute themselves into
the purry companion I knew. Day after day, it was the same. There
was no progress, no change, no process for healing.

But when the time came that I could recall the beginning on its own as
the joyful time it was, I found I could cut my pain in half. Because
half my thoughts were of Betty's end, and half my thoughts were of
Betty's beginning.

If it is possible to halve the sorrow, maybe someday it will be
possible to halve them again. I'm beginning to think that it is okay
to remember and rejoice in the precious moments Betty and I had
together. This was the way things began for us.

Randy...

Thanks for posting these Tak. I enjoy reading them very much. You have such a
kind soul. Betty was lucky to have you in her life.

Randy...

Thanks for posting these Tak. I enjoy reading them very much. You have such a
kind soul. Betty was lucky to have you in her life.

Marina...

Definitely, it's OK. It sounds like you are finally on the path to
healing. I'm so relieved for you. And thank you for reposting the
beginning of your life with Betty. It made some nice, though
bittersweet, reading. Have you revisited the young black cat that you
met on Thanksgiving? I think you should. ;)

Takayuki...

I met with several important fur personages over the holidays, in the
course of attending the various obligatory holiday functions.

tanada...

I want to read about the VIFPs, Tak. I also enjoyed re-reading about Betty
and your introduction and bonding in her forever home. Your stories have
made me smile and remember myself what an exciting time it was for us all as
surrogate aunts and uncles.

Pam S.

Marina...

Oh, I'm glad you have been meeting furpeople. Any of them affect you as
strongly as the young black cat?

Takayuki...

I'd gotten over that hump, so things have been normal after that. I
mention one of the more senior ranking ones in my reply to Pam. The
little black one when I saw him, was actually being frolicky outside
because of some unseasonably warm weather, but it was good to see him
again too.

Christina Websell...

I have found that the grief of losing a very special companion animal to
which you seem to have an almost spiritual bond is no less than losing a
human family member. In some ways it's worse - if you've had to make what
I call "the awful decision." Then you get the guilt to go with it.
I almost never admit this in real life as most people cannot understand. I
feel that it's okay to say it here.
I've had two special dogs. I've had others that I have loved but not in
that all-encompassing way that I cannot explain. Both times I couldn't see
how I could recover from the grief. It seemed to go on for ever.

One day, out of the blue, instead of the sad memories of the final illness
etc..a happy memory popped into my mind about taking her on holiday to the
seaside and how impressed the hotel owners were with her good behaviour. And
I was proud.
I am so happy that you are starting to get the nice memories back, Tak. The
process of healing has started.
I hadn't discovered the group when you first got Betty. I'm enjoying
reading about it.

CatNipped...

I'm so glad you posted these, Tak. A the time you were adopted by Betty I
was off on a sojourn to the mothership and I didn't get to read about the
beginning of your relationship with her. Thank you for the lovely stories,
and thank you for loving and caring for Betty so very well - it ended up
that she needed someone very special and you fit the bill perfectly.

Takayuki...

I'm glad you could read those. I have a bunch of your Prissy stories
in my head, you know.

Betty would have been an easy cat for most people to care for. She
was never shy about imposing on you, but she was a careful,
understanding cat.

Pat...

It does sound like an ideal match, and I too appreciate the early stories.

I wasn't quite here yet at the time, either; I arrived a few months after
Betty adopted Tak. Now, I can't help wondering why Tak was here, since it
appears that prior to Betty he was not previously owned by a cat. He must
have really wanted a cat and needed some encouragement to find one.

meeee...

Thankyou for sharing these with us Tak; it is wonderful to hear about all
the lovely things she did. Betty will always be very special.