FAREWELL TO SWEET INDIGO

INDIGO WHEN HE WAS JUST A KITTEN

First off, I want to make it clear that this post is NOT about Summer Girl, even though the pictures look like her.

We got the sad news Wednesday that Manners and Susan’s furbaby, Indigo, had to go over the Rainbow Bridge. Indigo was named after the color “indigo“, which is a dark purplish blue, almost black. Indigo, also known as “Indy“, was a Black Cat Ninja, just like Summer Girl is, and like Oz (Emily’s furbaby) and Cosmo (Wendy’s furbaby) were. So all of us in the family had a Black Cat Ninja at one time, but now Summer Girl is the only one left. Indigo looked so much like Summer Girl he could have been her twin, but he had much larger eyes than Summer Girl. He was such a sweet baby, always so affectionate. I am so glad that we got to meet him when we visited in 2019. Since we were there, my sister and her partner have lost so many of their furbabies. They lost their precious chihuahua, Mimi, just a little over a year ago, and now Indy is gone. Indy was Susan’s baby and slept on her bed every night. I know their hearts are broken. It is extremely hard to lose a furbaby, and if you have ever had any pets that were like family to you, then you will understand.

INDY ON HIS BLANKET

I read something just a couple of days ago that said cats and dogs do not die…once they go over the Rainbow Bridge, they live on in our hearts forever. I think this is a good way to look at it. While our furbabies are with us, they provide us with unconditional love…and I mean totally unconditional. They impose no limits on their love, no conditions or requirements. They do not hold grudges or dwell on our many shortcomings, they just give us love. So it makes sense that when they go over the Bridge, they become pure love, which is pretty close to what they were when they were here with us. You see, there is nothing but pure love over the Rainbow Bridge. There is no dislike or hate or disagreement, just love. That is why cats and dogs and all sorts of other critters get along once they cross over.

So we had to say goodbye to sweet little Indigo. In time, Manners and Susan will feel the heartbreak lessen and feel the love of Indigo grow in their hearts. We know that he is now playing with Mimi and all the other pets that they have lost over the years. Rest in love, little Indy.

HUMMINGBIRD UPDATE

After all that bad news, I thought making a hummingbird video would be a good thing to maybe cheer me up. Linda alerted me to one sitting outside our living room window the other day. Since he was sitting still, I decided to video the little guy. At first he was busy preening his feathers, but then he settled down and just rested and looked around. I was able to see him breathing, he was so still. Near the end of the video he was looking right at me, then he stretched his wings and took off. So sweet! (Turn your sound on for music).

I THINK HE CAN SEE ME!

FLASHBACK

My cousin, Lynn, sent me this picture a while back which shows some of my immediate family members. Back row (L to R) is my Grandmother Ivey and my Aunt Mimie. Next row is (L to R) my sister and me. Sitting on the couch are (L to R) my cousin Rob, his brother Lee and his Grandmother (my Aunt Ina Ruth), who is holding the newest addition to the family, Lynn. I was glad to get this picture as I don’t believe I had ever seen it before.

What I found interesting about it, many days later when I was looking at it, is the picture on the wall behind everyone. That was a paint-by-numbers painting that my mother did. Paint-by-numbers was apparently a big thing around that time, and my mother did this painting and at least one other, which I now have. I wish I had the one of the geishas as well, but I remember that she took it to a guy who did picture framing in Lumberton back in the 70’s or 80’s to have it re-framed. When she went to pick it up, it was nowhere to be found. Such a shame because I always loved that picture. The one I have that she did is of…hummingbirds (see below).

PAINT-BY-NUMBERS DONE BY MARY IVEY (my mother)

PARTING SHOT

Summer Girl has graciously agreed to let little Indigo have her spot today. She was so sad to hear that her look-alike cousin had gone over the Rainbow Bridge.

GOODBYE, SWEET BABY

Join me here every week (barring any unforeseen circumstances) for more from the Southerner in the Northwest.

Advertisement