Bucket List

From here on this blog is F with her own voice - sans the inspiration that Tigger provided with his interest, curiosity and facial expressions.  There were three posts that we drafted together in preceding weeks that awaited final editing, or photos, or a suitable time to publish and I might publish them anyway.

Forgive me if that seems crass but posthumous publication is a thing.


I have changed the Blog Owner to Tigger's Mum, but I am keeping the avatar icon thing.  I drew it with my finger on a touch pad when we started this blog back in 2012 and when I had no idea how to do anything really of technical stuff.

Anyway I like to think that Tigger is watching - at least checking on me from time to time.  'Stay true' - he is saying.  When I went to clear his basket from the garage workbench this morning (he slept on a cushion on top of it more than in it) a beautiful peacock butterfly was sitting on the edge of his cushion sunning itself.

Wiki photo
The window was open so it must have come in that way.  I was delighted and jumped for joy and to my shame shut the window so that I could rush inside and fetch Mr B.  When I came back it had disappeared.  The door was open.  I opened the window again.  I hope it went free with the message of joy and peace that it had delivered.  I am not one to believe in signs, but it is hard not to when you have never seen a Peacock Butterfly in your garage before, resting lightly on the bed of a friend who departed just yesterday and would have been sunning himself right there, right then in better times.  I would have been delivering his breakfast.

The rain has gone and the sun has returned.

Do you have a bucket list? I wondered this morning if Tigger did.  A couple of weeks ago his climbed onto the dining room table and refused to be removed, every lift down just saw him climb up again.  He has never been allowed on the table and he has respected that (at least when we are around).  We relented, put out a plastic covering with bright sunflower designs and a striped cushion off a patio chair (you might have seen that combo of striped cat and striped cushion in some of the Greek era posts),  and he used that as his napping place for about a week.

I will move on eventually and not every post will be about Mr T.  In fact in time very few or none, but I will continue to wonder from time to time what he might have made of our behaviour, of the world he could observe.  I find myself unable to imagine how I gave voice to Tigger, because I can't imagine writing in that way from now on.  Of course they were my thoughts not his, but he had a way of seeming so sage, of asking the questions that prompted me to think....and write, look for quirks,....share

Comments

  1. Cathy7 August 2023 at 10:21

    Oh bugger, it’s 8pm and there are more tears….before bedtime this time!
    Do write F, write whatever you want, whenever you want, about whatever you want.
    We all know Tigger will be there to direct you, in fact he will always be there as you begin to find your way . Your last paragraph is as it should be. So Ms F ‘let the words begin’
    (And what do you mean….it wasn’t him speaking in all those blog posts?) 😎😘 xx

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    1. Tigger's Mum7 August 2023 at 12:49

      Sorry about the tears before bed. Of course it was Tigger speaking but he had to be the Master of mind projection. HIs last projection was that I take his ashes to NZ, plant a life giving tree in a reserve somewhere with the ashes underneath, and tend it all my remaining days. The idea only came to me moments before he passed - it must have been his. After he went I found an old (long discontinued) NZ 2 cent coin in a very strange and unexpected place. The image on those old coins was of a Kowhai - a tree with nectar rich bright yellow flowers that supports some of our most iconic nectar feeding birds. I'll take any sign there is today. If the place is right, I'll plant a kowhai.

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  2. JayCee7 August 2023 at 10:44

    I admit that I was initially bemused when I first came across your blog but quickly became used to reading posts written by a feline!
    Your skill at giving voice to him made each blog post a joy to read. They certainly brightened my days.
    I hope that beautiful butterfly is flying high somewhere warm now. Did Mr T send him? Who knows ....

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    1. Tigger's Mum7 August 2023 at 12:45

      For this occasion only, we will tell ourselves it was a messenger from Tigger's angel and rejoice in its bright colours and cheerfulness.

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  3. Yamini MacLean7 August 2023 at 11:03

    Hari OM
    Dearest F
    You have answered my silent call - that you keep writing the blog and bring us the thoughts, the garden, the observations, the crafts, and the remembrances. It is not at all crass to use the posts already in draft and they will be welcomed. And I totally believe the butterfly was bringing you the message that all is well and as it should be, even as it still wrings the heart.
    Yours Lovingly,
    YAM xx

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    1. Tigger's Mum7 August 2023 at 12:42

      I should have simply stood and breathed in its message, but I was so struck by its unexpectedness and beauty. I rush at stuff; Tigger would have said that's my failing, that I needed to sit down for longer, contemplate... (so that he could sit on me and possibly contemplate too).

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  4. Tasker Dunham7 August 2023 at 11:09

    Please to see your mention of cats' facial expressions. Some people think they don't have them - they don't have the musculature one said. How wrong.

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    1. Tigger's Mum7 August 2023 at 12:39

      So true Tasker - and I believe cats have more facial expressions than dogs, they use their ears more expressively (I was told, but am not an anatomist so cannot confirm) that cats can rotate their ears through a wider arc than dogs and use that to great expressive effect. Tigger certainly did; that and the shape and pupil size of eyes....

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  5. Boud7 August 2023 at 11:53

    Im so glad you're continuing. And you can write about dear Tigger all you want, as far as I'm concerned. I did love reading in his voice. One of my friends adopted a Shade of Smoky voice to continue inserting a feline opinion now and then from her departed siamese

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    1. Tigger's Mum7 August 2023 at 12:40

      Thank you for the encouragement ... maybe the odd eyeroll from dear Tigger's angel then.

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  6. Anonymous7 August 2023 at 12:45

    Tigger knew you needed a lift from sorrow, the beautiful butterfly reminded you. I do hope you will post the already prepared posts and leave them as they were. we all loved to hear his thoughts through your reporting. I need to know how the allotment goes and what the two of you are up to. not sure why i am anonymous, Sandra MadSnapper

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  7. Amy7 August 2023 at 21:16

    I do believe that our pets keep an eye on us, I feel like I've had visits from various dogs and cats we've had over the years. Fly free Mr Tigger. Sending hugs to you guys.

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  8. angela7 August 2023 at 21:38

    YES. it was a sign sent from him to you. He has grown his wings and he is happy and free from this mortal coil. I’m so very happy your choosing to keep writing. Keep talking about tigger. We all loved him

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  9. Pollyanna_H8 August 2023 at 08:40

    Such a lovely post. What a lucky cat Mr T was, to have humans who loved him so dearly, and how fortunate you were, to share the life of such a marvellous feline. Thinking of you and him from Aotearoa. Arohanui, Christine from Wellington

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  10. jabblog8 August 2023 at 09:27

    As others have said, I, too, was pleased to see your post today and glad to know you are continuing to write. Too many signs from Tigger to ignore - it can't all be chance.

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  11. Tigger's Mum8 August 2023 at 12:38

    Gardener you don't need to write a blog to be a valued ally and fellow participant in life observations. I have been astounded and humbled by the comments that have been contributed this week. I have lost my muse and don't know how to write on yet but i will try to do so in any event. I don't know how to convey the kinked view Tigger represented without sounding like I pat myself on the back, so I will have to find something else. Deeply shall I miss having the warmth and 'humanity' of his face to finish off the pictorial communication in each post. Without that, views of buildings, scenery, even gardens, will all be lifeless.

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