There and back again.

It's a miracle!

Lazarus has returned to us, seemingly no worse for the wear. Stanzi is home.

I was watching the commentary track on Amadeus when I heard a persistent meow at the door. I thought that it must be Rocky, who I had let out several hours before. But it was Stanzi, my favorite cat!

Somewhere in our backyard is the remains of a very, very similar looking cat. My wife and I had spoken a couple of times about the possibility that we had recovered the wrong cat, but I was unable to believe it - I needed closure, and since it had been over a week since I'd seen Stanzi (who was on her own for the first time, after finally getting her "outside" shots), I believed too strongly that the remains that we recovered on that terrible, windy afternoon were hers.

I was unable to shed a single tear, from the time that we thought we found her body, until the time that she came home.

I lifted her up (much against her will, as usual), and despite her growling and flaying brought her to where my wife was sleeping in our room. I was just able to toss the cat onto our bed and let my wife know that Stanzi was finally back, before I started to weep uncontrolably. The guilt and stress that I'd been carrying was suddenly lifted, and I was unable to cope with the emotion.

Welcome back, Stanzi. I know I must lose you again someday, but today is a good day. A very good day.

We love you.

life