Sophie's gone.

The vet said six months ago that she probably wouldn't last much longer. During those six months, Sophie was skinny and weak but still cuddly and playful and interested in things. Last night she was more wobbly than usual and this morning I found her lying awkwardly by the window breathing hard and drooling a lot. She was clearly in pain, so I took her to the vet. The vet examined her and said her body was shutting down and she was trying to go.

I expected that this would be her last vet trip, but it was still really hard to see her go. At least this time I know did everything right. I took good care of her and didn't let her live in pain. I already miss her lots, though. Usually when I'm sad I cuddle up with Sophie and she helps me feel better. :-(

Young Sophie

My kitty Sophie is very sick and may have to be put to sleep within the next month, according to the vet. I wanted to post some pictures of her, including some of her when she was younger, so I scanned and uploaded some of her kitten and adolescent kitty photos.

Here are a few relatively recent photos of Sophie:


And here are a few of Sophie as a youngster (the quality is lower, but she is still supercute):


And, finally, here is one of the last pictures I have of my mom, my brother, and myself together. We're holding all three of our kitties (from left to right: Heidi, Sophie, and Lucy). This was taken sometime in 1999.

Day Three Hundred and Sixty-Two: Pretty Sophie

This is my last kitty photo of my project 365. Both Sophie and Gracie made lovely models over the course of the year and saved me from several days of otherwise uninspired photography. Hooray for kitties!

Day Three Hundred and Thirty-Six: Alert

Sophie sees something behind me--or at least pretends to. It makes me so nervous when she does that.

Day Three Hundred and Twenty-One: One-Eyed

Another day of interrupting Sophie's naptime to take pictures.

Day Three Hundred and Six: Sunbeam

Sophie's my little sunbeam. My grumpy, demanding little sunbeam.

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Three: Grump

Usually, my kitties are nice models, but on this day they were resentful and twitchy. This was actually the only decent photo I took of either of them.

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Six: Beckoning

“Never have I found the limits of the photographic potential. Every horizon, upon being reached, reveals another beckoning in the distance. Always, I am on the threshold.”

~W. Eugene Smith

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Two: Out of the Depths

Gracie prepares to attack Sophie.
Sophie prepares to defend her position.

Day Two Hundred and Forty-Two: Up Close and Personal

I was so sick. I stayed in bed all day (even skipping a rehearsal) with my kitties and some crackers and Sprite.

Day Two Hundred and Twenty: Partial Sophie

Sophie makes a good model, even if only in part.

Day One Hundred and Seventy: Sophie

I just realized it had been a while since Sophie had been featured in my Project 365, so here she is!

Day Sixty-Two: Intense Cat Is Intense

This is the best shot Sophie would let me get of her today.

Day Fifty: IV

My poor Sophie is still at the vet, taking IV fluids and medicine. She has hepatic lipidosis and needs to start eating, but she hadn't been when I went to visit her today and I couldn't get her to eat anything, either. If she doesn't start eating by tomorrow, she may need a feeding tube in her stomach, which will cost a lot of money. If my pet insurance won't cover it (and I'm not sure yet if it will), I don't know how I'll be able to afford it.

My poor kitty.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog (better than the old blog): Squirlaraptor!

As I explain in the final post of my old blog, Fashion Explorations, I was just done with the narrow focus of that blog and wanted to be able to write about a wider variety of topics. So instead of trying to turn Fashion Explorations into something it was never meant to be, I figured I'd just get a fresh start with a new address and a new name.

And what about that name? Squirlaraptor is a word I made up as a nickname for my kitty, Sophie. She is a little bit squirrelly in coloring and she has a mean raptor-style kick with her back legs. So: Squirlaraptor.


When I decided I wanted a new blog and a name for an etsy store I'm developing, something more inventive than my usual handle (cmt2779), I couldn't think of anything better. Ultimately, it really does describe some key elements of who I am. I don't think I look squirrelly, but I do have a curious nature and a tendency to hoard. And I don't think I'm particularly mean (and I haven't tested my kicking skills lately), but I can be fierce and I have a real love of the hunt. Well, I love the hunt for awesome clothes and new ideas, anyway. (Since I'm a vegetarian and am concerned about issues of environmentalism and animal rights, I don't so much love the kind of hunting that involves guns and death.)


So this is just to say hello. I hope that if you're reading this post today you will come back for more later and that you will check out my new etsy shop, too, as I get it started over the next few days.