Olive

Today's column is about the passing of our cat, Olive.

I've had her longer than I've had Warren or the boys! But at 15, she had a good, long life. Up until a few weeks ago, she was pretty active. Not nearly as active as she used to be, but she certainly wasn't suffering. It was just her time.

Although I have thousands of pictures of the boys, I couldn't find very many of Olive. I always liked this shot that Amie Vanderford took of us. You can see Olive peeking over the table. That's how she was--always in the middle of things.


Over the weekend, we had several visitors and they almost all asked, "Where's Olive?" She was extremely affectionate to everyone who ever came over.

This picture is another favorite, even though it makes her look a little sinister. (She definitely wasn't.) She was always finding new spots in which to hang out. I don't think I'll miss seeing her footprints on the dining room table!



The boys were really sweet with her during her last few days and they did a good job helping with the burial. We picked flowers from around the yard and filled her grave with them.



There was a small discussion about Jiro finally getting a parrot, but I am holding strong on that front. We definitely do NOT need a bird. We may need to do a few additional viewings of Rio.

Things are definitely much quieter without Olive around. I keep expecting to find her curled up on a chair or in the closet. She definitely left a hole in Team Oster.