A Year Ago . . .

We were in the final throes of our move from the Green Street apartment to our house in the University neighborhood. It was Bella’s second move, and true to form, she settled in in spite of the chaos. She greatly appreciated having the mattresses on the floor, and though she tended to avoid the bed in the summer heat, she joined us nightly despite the searing days ending that August. 

The air conditioning helped, I’m sure.

On a different note, we adopted Callie, a gray tortie, on Sunday. One of Traci’s coworkers fostered her after a neighbor found her under a deck. 

She’s about the same age Bella was when we brought her home in 2014, though we aren’t entirely sure just how old she is. She’s friendly, talkative, and has already dispatched a mouse in the living room. 

Last week, I said that I wasn’t sure that I was ready for a new cat. Nothing has changed. I’ve been struggling with depression and loneliness since we knew Bella likely had cancer. The empty house, cool weather, and light teaching schedule would have given me plenty of time with Bella, and I felt and continue to feel robbed of her loving presence. 

Over time, Callie might help me heal. She’s sweet, social, and very different than Bella, and I hope to grow to love her for who she is. Perhaps I’ll grow to love her as much as, if differently than, Bella. For the moment, I feel no differently than I did a week, a month, or three months ago. That will change, but I still miss Bella intensely every day 27 weeks after we lost her.