I know I have been totally off the blog scene and at my favorite time of the year. I have missed great holiday cooking and wine posts, gift ideas etc. but in December we lost our dear sweet rescue cat Rudy, and the last few weeks of his life (which happened to coincide with Christmas) became all consuming.
In this blog I write about things I love, healthy cooking, good wine and gardening. I also touch on my great loves, the Sweet Boy and Running Daddy, but over the last twelve years there was a four-legged boy in our house too, his name was Rudy and he was a white rescue cat. For the first couple of years, it was just Rudy and me and I realized when he was very sick last month, that he really was the start of my family. Two years later I would meet Running Daddy and he honestly was the only guy I dated that not only Rudy liked…but Rudy loved Running Daddy and well the feeling was mutual. Running Daddy and I got married and a little bit after that the Sweet Boy was born. Rudy and I truly had what we were looking for now, a real family.
Rudy was 2-3 years old when I adopted him and therefore was about 15 when he passed away. The last month was tough for him and frankly for all of us. He was a fighter and pushed so hard to stay alive until the day after Christmas. During those 16 days when he was in such bad shape several things ran through my mind. The first is that I kept telling him that if it was his time, he could go and if not then I would take care of him. As I did everything we needed to for him over those last days I kept thinking “there are no limits” and truly there are no limits for people I love. I have realized that Rudy taught me a lot. Rudy taught me a lot about love and he taught me a lot about friendship and there were no limits on his love for us either.
When Rudy passed away a close friend sent me a text and one of the thing she reminded me was that I saved Rudy‘s life. As I look back at the last twelve years I am very proud of the life that Running Daddy, the Sweet Boy and I gave Rudy. He truly had the life and family that every rescue animal should. The night before Rudy went to the emergency vet will always be of my fondest memories. I had just had one of my monthly treatments at the hospital and I am usually pretty wiped out by 7pm on those days. All four of us (Rudy, Running Daddy, Sweet Boy and I) were snuggled up in bed in a “sandwich” hanging out, laughing and reading. That was love. That was my family. Those were my boys….two legged and four legged.
While I am not giving you a new recipe to try or a wine find in this edition I do want to encourage you to think about animal rescue if you are looking to add a four legged love to your family…or help you start your family. It has truly been one of the Best things I have ever done. As we start to think about the next member of our family (four legged) I am truly overwhelmed by the number of rescue groups out there and the number of animals looking for a forever home. Anything you could ever want is available as a rescue. Literally just yesterday my sister rescued an 11 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from a shelter and I know she will give him an amazing forever home.
It’s an end of an era but we are looking forward to the next chapter in the Good Better Best household. Not sure when or what breed (or mixed breed!) but there will be four footed love in this house again. Maybe even a girl this time to balance things out for me. So in this blog I am not recommending a Good recipe or Better wine but the Best kind of love you can and give….the love of a rescued animal. Rudy, you simply were the Best.
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