I still remember all of this as if it were yesterday, and it still hurts.
Overnight--Apr. 27th/28th, 2003--Socks and Jerry both disappeared.
Monday, Apr. 28th, 2003: I had overslept slightly, so I really didn't have time to count kitty noses as I flew out of the house to go to work, but I did notice that two of the cats were missing--Socks and Jerry.There was really nothing I could do, though, until I got home from work. So when I got home, I asked my roommate/boyfriend if he'd seen either Socks or Jerry, because I hadn't. Nope. No sign of either.So the first thing I did was to go out on the patio and do everything that I could think of that might get one or both of them back. I swept the patio. Jerry loves to chase things (i.e., a moving broom), and I think Socks did also. Then I gave them a small saucer of milk, which either missing cat would have loved and come running to get. Likewise with the crunchies I gave them. Both missing cats loved crunchies. Jerry still does. Nothing worked. Nothing brought either cat out of hiding. So, my next idea was that if I went for a walk through the neighborhood and called their names and looked in every corner that I could legally get away with looking in, maybe they'd come home after they heard me calling their names. But...again, no luck.I went to bed that night feeling like I didn't even want to go to sleep. My Jerry, and his brother Socks, were missing, and I was afraid that if I let myself sleep through the night, I'd miss out on being sure that they returned home safe and sound. It was the beginning of four and a half weeks (as it were) of feeling like a walking, talking wreck.
More later.
Oh--here's a picture of my Tony and Jerry at about 3 months old...in 2001, and also a picture of Mup and me, from 2004 (sorry for the poor quality!!).
Well, here it is. Apr. 27th.
This is the 6-year anniversary of the last time that I would ever give kitty dinner to all 9 cats, because overnight that night--or early Apr. 28th--both Socks and Jerry disappeared.
A month later, I would get Jerry back, but Socks never made it back. I hate to admit it, but the truth is that I really only had enough time and energy on my paws to search for one, although two were missing. And Jerry was the one I searched for, because he was the one I'd known since his Day One. I'd have loved to be able to search for Socks too, but between working full time and being so tired always, (evidently from kidney failure), my resources were limited.Speaking of all of this, next week I'm planning on going to San Diego to visit my friend (ex-boyfriend/ex-roommate). I'm looking forward to this. THIS 38 year-old has got to fly the coop, even if it's just for a little while. I plan to leave on Cinco de Mayo...oh boy, that should be fun!! I just remembered, Cinco de Mayo in South San Diego is much like FIESTA NIGHT!! But maybe not this time, since it's a work night for many. Well...I survived Cinco de Mayo when I lived there; I'll survive it when I'm there to visit. But the thing is, I've been in need of a vacation for a long time now, and I've been meaning to get out there since February. If I can leave here on the 5th, or even if I have to wait till the 6th, either way, I'll be sure to get back on the 18th--in plenty of time for the pre-op on the 19th, and my transplant on the 20th. Yes. Audrey was right. May 20th will be here before we know it!!! And it'll only be for a week and a half or so, but I really need this vacation!I'm planning on coming back here tomorrow...or later today....so, till then...
Here's a picture of Socks Clinton. Our Socks looked a lot like that, except with no black on his chin or nose. 
OK, now I'm outta here for a while.
Love ya!!
