We are still looking for Miles. We still have signs up, and we may put out more fliers by the weekend. At this point, we just have to assume that either he’s coming home or not, and it might just be up to him. But I want to make sure everybody around knows he’s still missing in case they see him, or if they think he’s a stray and can take him in so that they would know he’s ours. I haven’t heard any bad news, so…

I was very sad for days, but I’m moving forward. I still hope he comes back, and if he does you will hear about it, and the whole world will, because I will be so happy, but honestly, I’m not counting on that. I’ve grieved his loss. I’ve cried many tears (including a bit right now) but I just don’t know. Whatever happens, we’ll see. We’ll welcome him back so gladly, but Muriel is thankfully doing okay without him, and life goes on. This household deals with a lot of things happening and keeps on, and that’s just what we do.

Loss is just a part of life, and a part of being a pet owner as well. And it really sucks. When this first happened, I had a breakdown one night, because I just felt so strongly all the pet losses I’d had over the past few years and I thought I had longer before the next one. But you know, that’s how things go. You can’t bring a cat into your life, a little delightful furry creature, and expect it to last forever.

Who knows though. Somebody’s eating the food—maybe it’s the raccoon, maybe not. We’ve had a few potential sightings, but who knows with black cats (and our neighbor on one side has an indoor/outdoor black cat, and not everybody knows that and can tell the difference). So we’ll keep up with the posters. One of my adult students yesterday was telling me that she’s had loads of indoor/outdoor cats and sometimes they disappear for a  long time, and then they come back. Maybe Miles is loving the outdoors right now, and the lovely temperatures and the birds. I hope he’s not scared and lost.

Anyway! This was supposed to be a relaxing last week of finishing up college classes and lessons. Instead it ended up being pretty well scheduled, with the added cat missing stress and a bit more rain than we’d wanted. I’m still trying to schedule one more student lesson, and then after Monday all that’s left are a few grades and BOOM done for the semester. It’ll be officially summer, or summer enough. The kind of fun thing about college teaching is that you mostly finish in the beginning of May, but then you get one more paycheck! (On a less fun note, I mostly funnel the majority of my college teaching into my retirement savings…though I enjoy watching balances grow and the idea that someday I will be off such a busy schedule.)

The back yard is really growing up after all the sewer work the other month—it’s only been about 5 weeks!

All the rain we’ve been getting is really helping. And those stairs probably need some work…the back porch is a bit old.

Cat pun cards from my friend Rose. My students get a real kick out of them!

I just thought this was pretty weird.

I’m off for a run. Ideally if I go sweat around the neighborhood Miles will smell me and decide to follow me home? I personally wouldn’t do that, but one thing is for sure: I am not a cat.