Ani
April 2010 Outside Raleighwood, NC
____________________________________

In an as-of-yet still unfinished letter to sakkijarvi I've written

"While LJ has not been abandoned, I've all but dropped it of late. This is largely because every time I think about writing something there, all I end up wanting to write about is my cat, Ani, and how -- despite all expectations -- she's still alive, still getting around as well as ever, she's still eating, drinking water, etc. All this despite having a growing number of open cancer sore running up her front right leg (parts of that leg are swollen to almost twice the size of the other) I've had other stories come to mind that I'd like to write up for LJ, but every time open the LJ app to write, I think of Ani and that's all that wants to come out"

I have always loved and respected Ani, but never more so than these past months. She has endured great pain and done so with more grace and a steadfast intent to have it impact her life as little as possible. In the early evening she seeks me out, wanting me to go to bed with her, wanting to have some time away from the other cats, alone with me. It's hardly that much to ask.

...