Goldie

A year ago, 12/13/2011, I received an e-mail with the subject line saying, "Goldie is gone." Even though she had had health problems, it was still shocking to read that. Over and over I read it before I went on to read the message, as though I had somehow read it wrong. As a matter of fact, for a split second when I first saw it, I thought it said "Goldie is green" and remember wondering how Goldie got green. But reality soon took over as I read about her last few hours.

Since it was such a shock to me, I still can't imagine how it must have been for Nance and Izzy, Nance who had been with her since Goldie was a kitten, and Izzy who had spent years with her, too, loving her and expecting her to be a part of their lives forever because the alernative is nothing we ever want to think about. It's never easy to lose them, but to lose one so suddenly and unexpectedly compounds the grief.

A year has passed, and she is still missed. Izzy was nearly inconsolable and needed a companion, and Stevie has stepped into that role. I don't think it's the same for Izzy but serves a purpose to have someone to snuggle with sometimes, just like Goldie did. Nance, of course, still misses her and always will. Goldie's pawprints are in her heart, and it will never be the same without Goldie.

Rest in peace, Sweet Goldie.