Buckley’s First Christmas
In memory of Buckley’s first Christmas with Amber and me:
An excerpt from Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher
Soon, it was time to get ready for Buckley’s first holiday season with Amber and me. I traditionally put up my Christmas tree during Thanksgiving weekend. It is a small, four-foot high artificial tree that I have had for close to twenty years. While I like the idea and especially the wonderful pine scent of a real tree, I also find it too much of a hassle to deal with having someone bring the tree into the house for me and then to remove it again at the end of the season, so I have been quite content with my artificial tree over the years. And since having a fake tree has even become the environmentally conscious thing to do in recent years, rather than feeling like I should be making apologies for it, I am now politically correct. The tree sits on a small table next to the dining room cabinet. The table is draped with a red tablecloth that reaches all the way to the floor, creating a perfect little cat tent underneath. Amber always enjoyed hiding underneath the tree during Christmases past, and now Buckley got to share in the fun. It provided endless entertainment for both cats, and it was a new experience for Amber to be stalked by Buckley from underneath the tree.
In addition to playtime, the tree also provided lovely moments of quiet contemplation for all three of us. Most evenings before going to bed, I turned off all the lights in the living room except for those on the tree and put on some soft Christmas music. With both cats curled up on my lap, we simply sat by the tree and enjoyed the lights, ornaments, and the profound sense of peace these moments brought. This experience has always had a meditative quality for me that was greatly enhanced by the shared energy of the two cats.
Amber had never been all that interested in the ornaments on the tree. I decorate the tree with ornaments I have collected over the years, many of them cat-themed, which should come as no surprise. Some of the ornaments have great sentimental value, such as the silver bell that I brought home after cleaning out my father’s condominium after he passed away. As far back as I can remember, that silver bell was on the Christmas trees of my childhood. Other ornaments were gifts from friends or items I had picked up while traveling. I always hung the breakable ornaments on the side of the tree furthest from the dining room table. In the past, Amber had occasionally jumped up on the table and batted at the ornaments she could reach from there. Thankfully, she had never tried to jump up on the table the tree was sitting on. I was not sure what to expect from Buckley, but she turned out to be far more interested in the tent underneath the tree than the actual tree or ornaments. I never once even saw her on the dining room table trying to bat at ornaments she could have reached from there.
Buckley’s first Christmas was a special time for all of us. This little cat had never gotten presents before in her life. Needless to say, I completely overdid it that year, and I was not the only one. Many of my friends also showered Buckley, as well as Amber, with toys and treats that Christmas. Buckley had a difficult time deciding what was more fun—the actual toys and treats or helping me tear them out of their colorful wrappings and ribbons. She had a wonderful time that first Christmas, playing with abandon and giving herself up to total joy.
Amber’s Mewsings: Amber Gets Her Teeth Cleaned
You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, I had to undergo the dreaded bi-annual exam (you can read all about that ordeal here), and Fern, my vet, decided that I needed to have my teeth cleaned. That finally happened last week. Let me tell you, it was not a fun day.
I politely waited for Mom to get up like I do every other morning, and I led the way to the kitchen. At first I thought Mom was just really tired that morning, because instead of feeding me, she just gave me fresh water. Then she made her coffee. Hello! My food always comes before her coffee! She kept saying “I’m sorry, Amber, I can’t feed you this morning.” Well, sorry didn’t quite cut it, we were talking about breakfast here, and I made my displeasure known in no uncertain terms. When that didn’t get the desired result, I tried flattery and rubbed against Mom’s legs and purred. Still no breakfast. When she took her coffee into her office and started doing her computer stuff, I knew we had a serious problem. I kept trying to remind her that she was forgetting something, but no breakfast appeared. After about an hour of this, I gave up and curled up for a nap. Maybe this was just a bad dream and I’d wake up and breakfast would be served.
Well, things only went downhill from there. Mom woke me up from my nap – and I immediately knew it wasn’t for breakfast. She grabbed me off the nice and soft window perch I’d been sleeping on and stuck me into my carrier. I knew resistance would be futile, but I still complained at the top of my voice. I know it upsets Mom when I cry, but I was spitting mad! Before I knew it, I was in the car and we were on the way to what I knew by now would be to the dreaded cat hospital. I could have cried all the way there, but I decided to go easy on Mom and just grumbled occasionally.
Once we got there, I refused to come out of my carrier, knowing full well that they have ways to get me out, but I wasn’t about to make it easy for them. Fern was there, and two other women who, okay, I’ll admit it, had good kitty vibes, but I wasn’t feeling too friendly, so I ignored their pathetic attempts to make nice with me. Mom dragged me out of the carrier while one of the women was holding on to it, and then Mom put me on the scale. She was happy with what she saw there, so at least that was good. Apparently, the measly rations that have passed for breakfast and dinner around here are working and I’ve lost a couple of pounds since my last visit to the cat hospital. After being weighed, Mom put me on a table with a soft towel on top that was really nice and warm. I have to admit, that felt pretty good, but I also knew it was supposed to give me a false sense of security. Sure enough, seconds later, I felt a needle being stuck in my hip, and something cold and burning was injected into me. A few seconds after that, I started feeling really weird – fuzzy and kind of tired. I don’t remember much after that.
When I woke up, Mom was holding me in her arms. My mouth felt strange – a little sore, and there was this odd flavor coating all my teeth, nothing a cat should ever have to taste. It smelled like what Mom’s mouth smells like after she brushes her teeth. I shudder to think they used that paste stuff I’ve seen her use on me while I was asleep. Mom says it’s called a fluoride treatment, but I say it tastes and smells nasty. My throat was sore, like something had been shoved down it and then pulled out again. Mom told me it was a breathing tube, but I don’t really know what that means, nor do I care to! I felt really weird – I wanted to wake up but I couldn’t really control how to move my head or the rest of me. But at least Mom was holding me, and that really helped. Eventually, I felt a little better. I was able to lift my head and look around a little bit. I can’t say that I cared much for what I saw. Fern and the two women who were responsible for everything that was done to me were still there. They were now torturing another cat on the table I had been on earlier.
After what seemed like forever, Mom put me back in the carrier. This time, I wasn’t putting up any fuss about going in there – I’ve been through this enough to know it meant we were going home! Once we got home, I still felt pretty crummy – just out of sorts, restless, tired, but yet not able to relax. My eyes felt strange, and I couldn’t see all that clearly. The things I did see don’t normally exist in my house, so I’m not sure what that was all about. Mom says it’s the drugs they gave me. Finally, after a few hours of tripping like this, I was able to relax enough to take a nice long nap.
I know how important it is to keep my teeth nice and clean, but I sure am glad that this is over with for hopefully at least another six months. And in all fairness, I know this is just as stressful for Mom as it is for me –she worries about me, and I love her for that.
Amber’s Mewsings: Amber Gets a Check Up
You may remember that I’ve managed to keep the dreaded check up at bay for quite some time, but – even a powerful creator cat like me can only do so much when she has a caring mom who wants to be sure I’m healthy and stay healthy. So Wednesday, Fern, our vet, came to the house, and this time, I knew it wasn’t just for a visit with Mom. I knew immediately what was up when Fern didn’t even come upstairs, but headed straight for Mom’s Reiki room. That’s where they do my check ups. Go figure – I guess Mom thinks the energy there is good so it’ll make it less stressful for me. Yeah, nice try. So Fern heads downstairs, and Mom grabs me and carries me downstairs – never a good sign. I made my displeasure known, but did she let me go? Of course not. She kept telling me “it’s okay, sweetie.” Sure it is – do YOU think it’s okay when someone comes at you uninvited and pokes and prods you, and then sticks sharp needles into you and steals your blood???
Anyway. Mom puts me on the Reiki table, and Fern pretends she’s petting me. I know petting from what she was doing! She squeezed and poked at all my organs. Then she took this weird metal disk and put it against my heart. The disk had rubber tubes attached that went into Fern’s ears. Humans are so weird. And then she had the audacity to look into my mouth! Apparently she didn’t like what she saw there, because she said I have to have what they call a dental – an innocent little word for me being put in my carrier, having to ride in Mom’s car to the cat hospital, and being poked, prodded and stuck with needles while I’m there. Granted, then I get to take a nice long nap, but when I wake up, my mouth feels icky and I feel out of sorts and groggy and just really weird. It always takes the rest of the day for me to feel normal again. But I know Mom stays with me through the whole thing and she holds me while I wake up, and she takes me home as soon as she can. Mom has explained to me before how important it is that we keep my teeth and gums healthy, and I understand it – but I don’t have to like it!
But back to the check up – even after checking out my teeth, Fern still wasn’t done, sigh. I knew the worst part was yet to come. Mom kept hugging me and telling me it was okay. I growled and grumbled – I know Mom meant well, but I’m not an idiot! So then Mom put me into this seriously uncomfortable position and held on to my front leg, hard, and Fern came at me with a needle. I tried to be good, but it really hurt, and I let loose with a loud scream. I didn’t want to, because I know it upsets Mom when I cry, but yowza! After what seemed like an eternity, while I was watching my precious blood trickle into two small tubes, Fern said the magic words. “We’re done!”. Mom held on to me for a little bit longer – I know it was to make sure that my leg wouldn’t continue to bleed where they stuck the needle in me, but I was so ready to just get out of that room and away from them! I know why it’s important that they get my blood, Mom wrote an article about it a while back, but I sure wish it didn’t hurt so much. And of course the results were all perfect, just like I am. I could have told them that they would be without having to endure all that poking and prodding and being stuck with needles. Humans!
In Mom’s defense, once Fern left, I got lots of treats, and I know she felt really bad that she had to put me through this. And I do understand that it’s important to make sure that I’m healthy.
Anyway – that’s all I have to say for now. That dental thing is supposed to happen in two weeks. You can be sure I’ll have a thing or two to say about that!
Amber’s Mewsings: Thanksgiving Reflections
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and got their fill of turkey! I got a special yummy Thanksgiving meal yesterday, and for once, Mom didn’t spend most of the day on the computer, so it was a really good day. I’m so thankful for my mom – she’s the best.
I also know that this holiday weekend is difficult for her this year. It was this time last year that my sister Buckley passed away. The actual anniversary is tomorrow, but I know Mom has been thinking about this time last year for the past few days, remembering Buckley’s last days with us in physical form, and I know that it makes her a little bit sad. Humans make such a big deal out of this death thing. I miss my sister’s physical presence, but I still talk to her all the time. She never left us, and she comes and visits all the time. She and I have a lot to talk about. We talk about what it’s like for her to be in the non-physical realm, about how happy we are that Mom’s book about Buckley is so well-received, and about how we can help Mom. Mostly, what we want Mom, and all other humans, to know is that nobody ever really dies. We just change form. The connection that we had while we were together in physical form continues beyond this lifetime. The love never dies. It’s just that when humans are so sad about not having a loved one with them in physical form, they tend to disconnect from that part of themselves that allows them to feel their connection with something greater than themselves. Humans have different terms for that – some call it Source, some call it Spirit, some call it God. Cats don’t really think about what the right word for it is. We *are* it. And it’s through that close connection that we are able to communicate with those who’ve passed over into the non-physical dimension. We cats know, and have always known, that the bond that exists between us and our humans is unbreakable.
And that’s why I’m the wise one – because I know stuff like this. It just takes humans a little bit longer to get it. My mom is pretty evolved as far as humans go (and that’s a high compliment, coming from me!), but even she gets caught up in the sadness of missing Buckley. Sometimes, Buckley and I feel like we need to hit her over the head with evidence of Buckley’s presence, and we have fun messsing with her head because she doesn’t always get it right away. But she’s coming around.
So Mom and I are spending this weekend remembering Buckley. The photo above was taken during one of our morning play sessions. I do miss those. But we still play together – it’s just different now.
To all the humans who are missing a feline or other furry companion this holiday season: find quiet time, be still, and listen with your heart. Your departed friend is never far from you.
Thanksgiving ABC’s 2009
Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends, but it is also a time for reflection on the many things we have in our lives that we are grateful for. Gratitude is a wonderful way to raise your vibration and shift your energy. The vibration of gratitude is a powerful force. It can shift your mood and your thoughts from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance.
I’ve come up with a whole alphabet of things I’m grateful for this year:
A – Amber, for her loving, wise and gentle presence in my life, for being the inspiration behind The Conscious Cat, and for reminding me to slow down and appreciate each moment.
B – Buckley, for opening my heart and changing my life in ways I never could have imagined, and for inspiring me to write her story so that her lessons can be shared with the world.
C – Cats – I can’t imagine a world without these wonderful creatures.
D – Dogs – my friends’ dogs, my Reiki clients – dogs are so much fun to be with.
E – Eating out – one of the great pleasures of life, especially when shared with good friends.
F – Friends – I am richly blessed in that area. Since I no longer have any family left, my friends are my family.
G – Google – what did we ever do without it?
H – Health. The fact that mine is excellent.
I – Inner peace – when you have it, life makes sense.
J – Joy – it’s what we all strive for. There is joy in life’s small moments, as well as in the big ones. I’ve had both this past year – in spades.
K – Kindness – being kind to others, whether human or animal, is what matters most.
L – Law of Attraction. It makes everything so simple.
M – Music. Everything from classical to hard rock.
N – Novels – the best way I know of to escape reality for a little while at a time.
O – Openness – being open to new experiences allows life to grow and expand beyond self-imposed limits.
P – Passion – especially the fact that I finally discovered mine.
Q – Quiet time. It’s essential for my personal balance and well-being, and I make sure to carve out time for it each and every day.
R – Reading. I usually have at least two or three books going at the same time.
S – Social Media – I’ve made so many wonderful new friends, and reconnected with old ones. What an amazing world we live in where keeping in touch is made so easy.
T – Tea on a cold day. Current favorites: Celestial Seasonings Sugar Plum Spice and Mandarin Orange Green Tea.
U – Unlimited possibilities – the fact that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
V– The color violet – this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me!
W – Walking. It’s the one exercise I’ve stuck with consistently for decades. I love the combination of exercise and contemplation.
X – No matter how hard I try, I can’t think of anything starting with X!
Y – You! My readers, my friends – thank you for all you bring into my life.
Z – Z-Rock (the tv show) and the real life band ZO2 whose lives the show is based on.
Writing this blog post and coming up with this list turned out to not only be fun, but a very powerful example of how focusing on gratitude can shift your vibration. I encourage you to consider making a gratitude list for yourself this Thanksgiving. What does your Thanksgiving alphabet look like?
Amber and I would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Amber’s Mewsings: Keeping Mom Organized
I know all of my fans have probably been wondering what happened to me – it’s been so long since I wrote something here. I’ve been busy keeping Mom organized – things have been crazy around here! Mom’s book about my sister Buckley (and me! I’m in the book, too!) has been really well received and is generating quite a bit of buzz around the internet. I’m so happy for her – I love it when Mom is happy, it makes me feel happy, too.
What I don’t like quite so much is that Mom is busier now, and there seems to be a little less time for reading, cuddling and watching tv. She always makes sure that we have time together, and I really look forward to bedtime now and snuggle next to her all night long. It seems to be the one time when I have her undivided attention! But I understand why she’s busy, and that it makes her happy to be this busy. And I try to do my part. I sleep on the perch next to her desk most of the day because I know that my presence inspires her writing (see photo above – that’s me, being Mom’s Mewse). I help with packing up books to mail to people – I’m really good at playing with the tissue paper she wraps them in (Mom says I mess up the tissue, but what does she know!). I also remind her when it’s time to take a break and to give me a treat or to feed me. It’s important that humans take kitty breaks every now and then.
I know underneath all this excitement, Mom is also a little bit sad, because it’s almost a year ago now that Buckley transitioned, and it brings back a lot of memories for her. For me, too, I do miss my sister. I’m just better at understanding that she never really left us, she just changed forms. I still have long conversations with her and I know that she’s hanging out here with us all the time. I only wish Mom would feel her more often. She’s getting better at it, and I try to help her.
That’s all for today. It’s time for another nap. Being Mom’s Mewse can be very tiring.
Amber’s Mewsings: Amber’s Check Up Gets Postponed
I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was excellent! Mom had told me a couple of days ago that her friend Fern was going to come over on Sunday. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love it when Mom’s friends come to visit, because they usually fuss over me and comment on how beautiful I am. But Fern – well, she may be a really nice person, but she has one major flaw that I just can’t get past. She is a cat doctor. And she is my cat doctor. Mom says she’s a great vet, and I believe Mom. She was really really wonderful with my sister Buckey, because she really got Buckley. She understood that, given a choice, Buckley would just as soon not have anyone poke and prod her. Mom always knew that about Buckley, and it really helped Mom deal with Buckley’s illness to have a vet who respected not only Buckley’s wishes, but also my Mom’s. You can read more about Fern and how she helped us during Buckley’s illness in Mom’s book.
But, I digress. So, Mom, being the good cat parent that she is, knows how important it is that I have regular check ups. And Mom, being the terrific Mom that she is, also knows how much I hate being in my carrier, and even worse, in the car, so she asks Fern to come to the house to do my check up. It still means that Fern is going to examine me (what an innocent little word for being poked, prodded, and otherwise touched in ways that are so not acceptable!), and she’s going to stick needles in me to get blood and other bodily fluids that shall remain nameless, but at least it saves me the stress of having to leave my house. But – as luck would have it, Fern couldn’t make it yesterday. Gee – what a disappointment. Not! The cool thing is that this is the second time that something came up and Fern couldn’t make it. What Mom doesn’t know is that I made this happen. Twice. I’m surprised she hasn’t caught on to me. Mom totally gets that our thoughts create our reality. Of course, cats have always known this. And clearly, we’re masters at living this. I’ve been picturing a quiet, relaxing Sunday all week – and that’s exactly what I got! It really can be that simple, humans. Now mind you, I could have focused my attention on thinking about not wanting Fern to come – and then, I can guarantee you, she would have shown up here yesterday morning. Why? Because the universe doesn’t know the meaning of the word no. What you think about is what you get. It doesn’t matter whether you think about wanting it or not wanting it. So rather than letting any thoughts of Fern into my energy field, I focused on having the kind of Sunday I love: me snoozing in the sunny spot on the rocking chair in our living room while Mom sits on the loveseat reading. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
As for my check up – I know it’ll have to happen sooner or later. But rather than wasting my time worrying about it, I’d rather focus on finding a sunny spot to take my next nap in.
Amber’s Mewsings: Cat of The Week
I know it’s Saturday, and we don’t usually blog on weekends, but I told Mom that this called for a special update. I was named “Cat of the Week” on The Boomer Muse’s Cat Saturday Feature! I think that’s so totally cool – I’ve been feeling just a little bit under-appreciated lately now that my mom’s book about my sister Buckley is getting all the attention. I don’t begrudge Buckley the attention, and I love that my Mom has been so happy and excited since the book came out last week, but it does a feline good to know that she, too, gets her time in the spotlight. Layla Morgan Wilde put together a beautiful photo montage of me – aren’t I gorgeous? Mom says it’s not okay to brag, but I think that only goes for humans. We cats aren’t shy when it comes to singing our own praises.
Anyway, go visit The Boomer Muse for the full story, and add it to the list of blogs you visit regularly, especially on Cat Saturday!
And I think that guy Domino is a really handsome boy…
Buckley’s Story – Release Day
Even though Buckley’s Story has been available online for the last few days, I choose to make today the official release date. Today would have been Buckley’s “birthday”. I don’t know her actual birthday, so I designated the day she came home with me as her special day. I think she would like the idea of her book being announced to the world on this day.
This has been a whirlwind week for me. On Monday, I received the first softcover copy. I can’t even describe the feeling of opening the package and holding an actual book in my hands. I’m not given to overly dramatic displays of emotion, but I jumped up and down and danced around the house! On Tuesday, the hardcover arrived. I didn’t think it was possible to get even more excited than when I received the softcover the day before, but apparently, it was. The hardcover is the most beautiful book I’ve ever seen. Okay, so I may be a bit biased, but the glossy cover is perfect, the interior design and the photos came out crisp and nice. The overall effect is exactly what I had hoped for.
My publisher had told me it would take four to six weeks for the book to appear on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com, so when I got an e-mail from a friend Tuesday afternoon telling me he had just ordered the book online, I just about fell off my chair. My hands were shaking as I entered amazon.com on my keyboard. And oh my gosh – there it was! My book. On Amazon. And on BarnesandNoble.com.
The book will be available at bookstores nationwide eventually, but it’ll take a little while for that to happen.
Meanwhile, as if all the excitement about the book wasn’t enough, my brand new website, http://www.ingridking.com, also went live on Monday. This is my first professionally designed website, and I’m so happy with what my wonderful web designer came up with. I feel that the site perfectly reflects me, and the book.
What an incredible week. It still seems surreal at times. And in the midst of all this joy, there is a bittersweet component. While the book is a lasting tribute to my sweet little cat, it also makes me miss her all the more. But since Buckley’s message is all about living a joyful life, I know she’s celebrating right along with me.
Amber’s Mewsings: New Camera
It’s my turn to write on here again! Things have been pretty exciting at our house these last couple of weeks. Mom’s book Buckley’s Story is almost finished and should be available online in another week or two. Mom is eagerly awaiting her first copy. I think she’ll probably start chasing the UPS truck down our street any day now, that’s how impatient she is to finally get her hands on the actual book. The book’s website is almost finished. I sat on Mom’s lap when she looked at the most recent design last night, and even though my sister Buckley is the star of the site, I have to say, it’s really beautiful. I love that Mom is so happy – it makes me happy.
There’s been more excitement around here. Yesterday, Mom bought a new camera. And I’m sure you can guess who she took the first picture of. She hadn’t quite figured out all the settings, so the colors don’t look quite right, but don’t you love how I positioned myself to help her get such a dramatic shot:
I think it nicely depicts the depth of my purrsonality, the yin and the yang, the light and the dark – well, you get the idea. Of course, after a while, all of this photo taking got kind of old – she kept trying to take more pictures of me, and all I wanted to do was take a nap. Didn’t I suffer enough when I patiently sat through the professional photo shoot for her book cover? You can read all about that experience here. The things I will do for my Mom!
Fall has arrived here, and with it, the new tv shows have started. Mom doesn’t watch a lot of tv, but she has some shows that she really likes, and now that they’re all back on, she’s been watching a little more tv than over the summer. Buckley used to be her tv buddy – she’d spend entire evenings just stretched out on Mom’s lap or curled up in her arms. I would occasionally join them, but I also like my space, so sometimes I’d prefer just sleeping somewhere else while they watched tv together. But I know Mom misses having a tv buddy, so I’m doing my best to fill that gap for her. So we’ve been cuddling and watching tv together, and I can see why Buckley liked it so much.
Mom likes to watch shows that she calls medical dramas – I don’t know why anyone would want to watch that, so many sad things happen on those shows. Why humans find that entertaining is beyond me. I can feel Mom’s energy change when she watches those shows, and sometimes, she’s so moved by the story that she even cries. I don’t like that at all. I know it’s only make believe, but I don’t like it when Mom is sad. I like it much better when she watches happy shows. But I know she finds watching her shows relaxing, so I guess that’s good.
Well, that’s all I have to say for today. It’s time for a nap now!