A Memorial to Puddin

She who lived here for so long
Who left her old realms, trusting us, to seek a new life

She came to us from Milpitas, Ca in 1993, after living there for at least six years, as local residents recalled for us.  She's been matriarch of our family for a decade now, through four homes and three new cats.  She blessed our marriage in 1996, and approved our final home before we bought it.

Her favorite position was what you see here - firmly melted on milady's chest or lap.  She slept with us for years, though in recent years it was too much work to climb onto the bed.  We woke up every morning at about 3AM to the roaring of her purr in our ears, demanding the attention that a matriarch deserves!!  After a few minutes of scritching, she'd go back to sleep, and we would try to as well.

Almost as good as a lap, is a warm spot in the sun to rest, and bake her old bones!!  Wherever she rested, though, she always seemed to end up near us, which led to her nickname, "Nearby".

Over the years, our family grew to four cats total.  While they sometimes bickered with each other, they always treated her with the respect she deserved.

In later years, she couldn't climb up on the bed anymore, or even up onto the sofa where the alpaca rug lay, that we got for her years ago - she was the only one of our companions who would even touch it!!  But even when she couldn't reach her places, she could still mooch for a lap, and we'd gladly lift her up and plop her there; there's nowhere in the world that she'd rather lay, dozing contentedly...

on February 27th, 2003, our Puddin passed away...

Puddin was deeply loved here, and will be sorely missed.  She brought much love and beauty into our life, and we are grateful for the years we had together.  We like to think of her, freed from her old creaking back legs, running happily in the sun... but always Nearby.