Presenting Gadjo

We are safe from fire and didn't have to evacuate, though the evacuation area stopped just five blocks from our house.

The Husband showed up yesterday with a big, unauthorized surprise: this little muffin, from the Longmont Humane Society. After our tragic experience with Basho, I had decided against getting another.

But if you saw this little creature show up at your door, would you be able to say no?

Gadjo is a Rom (gypsy) word meaning foreigner or outsider. It's amazing how much he resembles Basho, minus of course Basho's Snowshoe-breed white markings.

Poor little Basho will live in our hearts always. We had several talks with our Humane Society and they have spoken to their staff and everyone has agreed that Basho's legacy will be for them to be more cautious in the future with all sick kittens, knowing the little creatures may be more gravely ill than suspected.

And Gadjo is warm and soft and funny and sweet, and strangely, I seem to have forgiven The Husband pretty quickly for his transgression.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

Basho

Oil and cold wax, 16" x 16." Sold.


Painted the second night we had Basho the beautiful kitten. His coloring (minus a wink of brilliant blue eyes) and the poet we named him for both contributed as inspiration for this painting, which features calligraphic marks perhaps evocative of Japanese poetry.

I want to thank you all so very much for your warm thoughts and consoling words. We are both terribly sad and wish he were still with us. It helps immensely, though, to have you all out there whose hearts are also touched by him and his story.

Both photos in this post are inspired by Basho's beautiful coloring.

We have now named two cats after Buddhists (Roshi and Basho) and they both died young. In a bittersweet, laughing-through-tears kind of way, I wonder if that was a mistake...perhaps Buddhists take this life just a little too lightly.

Our other kitties were unfortunately never allowed to meet Basho, as he was in isolation for his illness. But The Husband said that Rumi caught a glimpse one time and looked really excited about a potential new playmate. And I know how much Miss Lemon would have loved finding a new baby in her house: every time we've gotten a kitten, Miss Lemon finds it is her duty to immediately slam it to the ground and give it a really, really good washing. Many, many times a day.

Thank you again for your prayers and wishes.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com

The saddest news

Friends: the sweetest, sickest little kitten, who was with us just a few days, has died this evening.

I am so sad--and so angry with myself for not bringing him to the emergency vet in time, in spite of the fact that the vets kept telling me on the phone that he would recover and that it was not an urgent situation, as long as he was eating and drinking all right. The worst is that both The Husband and I were out for an hour or so this evening and he died alone, which makes me so furious I don't know what to do with myself.

I hadn't blogged about him until today because I was afraid to "jinx" his health when he seemed so touch-and-go. Then yesterday he had a pretty good afternoon...

Friends, please give your kitties an extra hug tonight and pray that his dear little soul has moved on to live in a healthier kitten body somehow.

More art on my website: jalapfaff.com