On one side of our street sits St. Joseph's cemetery. In the colder months the wind howls off the gravestones. It is a perfect place to celebrate Halloween. Booty and I are writing a play with Gwinna the Wind Fairy,  Ug-Witch and Ghost kitty. All Booty's lines she is writing.

Ug-Witch: Along St. Joseph's Cemetery
We will scare up some ghosts.
The houses here are haunted.

Gwinna: So lets blow down some posts!

Royal of the forest. Royal of the back porch ledge. Royal of the toe nibblers. Royal of the furniture sprawl. Royal of the purr engine. All these Royals and many more. We will long for you and feel the lack of your generous being-ness and know we have been blessed.

Good bye Royal. We loved your loving, handsome ways.

Good bye dear friend. We will miss your handsome face and loving ways!

One week ago today I began my journey in letting go of my beautiful class of Third Graders and the school. It has been a strange and painful week. Today at about 9 am I received a knock on my door from my neighbor telling me someone struck my cat Royal, with their car. When I went out he was still in the middle of the road, very much dead. He was a mess.

Royal was a true man. Loyal. Handsome. A natural hunter. Relaxed and playful. He was only 1 1/2 years old. And very much loved by Sanbate, Lulu and little J.

And me.