The post I really needed to write.

I need to say goodbye to our beloved, annoying pussycat. I've tried to write this too many times and stopped, but I think I needed to take time to write it.

I don't think that there have been many moments in the last 10 years when we haven't been aware of his presence.

When we haven't known that somewhere in the neighboring sections he was looking out for us,
keeping watch over us,
waiting for us,

or that on one of our beds,
or beside the fireplace there was a silvery gray figure curled up, half awake, half waiting for someone to give him a cuddle, go for a wander or do something interesting.

I didn't think I ever saw you lift a claw in anger or defense against a person, and yes you should know that at the end of the ten years the baby whose cot you slept in, whose bed you snuck into finally decided that having you there was good.

Annoying,

Well you always knew what he wanted, normally because he spent half of the school days and almost every evening trying to get our attention off the books and onto him.

You could remove him on his desk and have him jump up, back before you re focused on what you were doing.
Often what he wanted was to go outside after hours, stalemate....two strong willed creatures meand him refusing to give way - ok at 3 am sometimes we would give in to the incessant crys, when it was quiet out there and there were no cars of the road. Road sense never was your strong point.

Truly you were always in the middle of things, comforting my daughter when she was sick, putting up with the boys attempts to box you or cage you - umm why were they so slow to realize you would stay put for hours if someone would just scratch behind your ears.

We will miss you Zeke
 

And then there was a snowboarder

Every year since my youngest was 5 we've been able to head up the mountain for a few days of skiing, thanks to an amazing package that they put together for the local school kids. I think the highlight of my winter is to enjoy a beautiful blue-sky day on the mountain, and the co-0rdinator of the group is good at waiting for those blue-sky days.

Over time we left the beginner slopes behind and found that we could enjoy racing each other through the snow. Well, they can enjoy, I can hope to catch up with them at the bottom.

But along the way one child has consistently wanted to add snowboarding to his options. To board rather than glide down the mountain. So this year we left him behind in the beginner slopes, and with a little bit of help and a few lessons...

He made it top to bottom of the mountain. Not fast, and totally exhausted each day, but he made it.