A Story Of Love -> Taggart 2002-2020
This week was Valentine’s week, a week I usually love to blog about (being the undying romantic kinda gal that I am), but this year was rather different.
We were spending our last few days with one of our family, a bittersweet and crushingly hard week. And on Feb 11th at 4:30pm that little ginger girl departed this world, a small light extinguished that opened a huge void in our hearts. It’s taken me many days and many attempts to find the strength to write about it, but it’s a story that deserves to be told, so that’s what I am going to do today.
This my Valentine. This is my love story. This is Taggart’s story.
18 Years Ago I Asked A Question
It was August 2002 and I was sitting on the cool tile floor of Paul’s moms house in Florida. It was hot and uncomfortably sticky, as it usually is that time of year, but clear sunlight was streaming through the white lace-chiffon curtains of the side window, and the atmosphere was alive with cute, little meows.
You see Paul’s mom had taken in a pregnant stray several months back, and the result of that was 8 playful little fluff-balls, who were now climbing the curtains and creating general kitten mayhem all over her furniture. They were irresistibly adorable and as soon as we saw them, we knew that two of them would be coming back home with us to San Francisco.
So I sat cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the ruckus of tumbling kittens, reached out my hand and asked a question
“Who wants to come travel the world with us?”
All the cats ignored me, far too wrapped up in their kitten-play-world to care about such mundane things. Well all except one. A precocious little ginger tabby strutted confidently out of the pack and put her face right into my hand. That was Taggart, the girl who knew always what she wanted. She’d made her decision and she captured my heart right from the start.
She Who Would Not Be Ignored
It was Aug 2004 and I was in a business meeting in Taiwan. We were negotiating a big $$$ deal, and I was the only woman there, as was often the case back then. So I’d made an extra effort to look and act professional, doing my best to pull off the whole savvy-iron-willed-salesgal thing. It was a difficult meeting too, and the deal was touch and go, so tensions were running high.
We were taking a brief break when my pet sitter called from our apartment in San Francisco. I wasn’t expecting to hear from him, so I took the call
“I can’t find Taggart” he said, his voice nervous and tight “I’m sorry I think I lost her”
My world stopped
“What???? How’s that even possible??
Turns out the cat had been missing for over two days, and the sitter had finally mustered up the courage to tell me. I burst into tears, instantly heartbroken. And of course chaos ensued. My local sales guy ran over to see what was happening, and I mumbled some kind of excuse about a family thing, all the while sobbing uncontrollably.
“I have to get home” I exclaimed “right now”
So we left the meet, changing my flight on the way to the airport, I called Paul (he was also traveling), and then I cried on and off for most of the 12 hour journey back across the ocean. All because of the cat. When I finally opened the door to the apartment, emotionally spent and totally exhausted, I see Taggart sitting nonchalantly in the middle of the floor.
“Oh my GOD cat, where have you been????”
“Meow” she replied, obviously hurt “you left me….”
It took a week or so to figure out what had happened, but we finally got the answer one day when we crossed paths with our new-to-us neighbor. Turns out our little ginger gal had gotten bored while we were gone, so she’d jumped over the balcony railing to his flat where she had taken up residence for a few days. The neighbor, not knowing who the cat belonged to, but not being able to resist her (no-one ever could), had just given in and let her stay there. A few days later she suddenly left again.
Ah yes, our little girl did not like to be ignored.
She Wanted To Be A Part Of Everything
Taggart was a cat who never wanted to miss anything. If we had a party, she would want to meet everybody who came. If we were walking the dog, she would want to come along. If we were working on the RV, she insisted on being part of that process too. She loved participating and no-one scared her, not even other dogs. Plus no-one got away without meeting & greeting the Queen.
It was Feb 2016 and we were getting lithium & more solar panels installed on the rig at the Escapees park in Benson Arizona. Marvin (our installer) was working furiously on wiring and components, both inside and outside the rig, and we were all wrapped up in the process, filming and documenting it for the blog. We tried early on to keep Taggart separated in the bedroom, but she scratched and meowed so much that we’d eventually given in and let her out. She participated for a while in the install, and then went to sleep, or so we all thought….
Around 5 PM in the afternoon as we were wrapping up for the day, I realized Taggart was missing.
PANIC!
We’d had the RV door open since early that morning, so by now the cat could literally be anywhere. And we were in the desert, rattlesnake country, and my kitty was out there on her own. I started to choke up, imagining my little ginger gal lost amongst the cactus, all because we’d forgotten to check on her. Oh, my poor Taggart!!!
We immediately launched a massive search party calling out for Taggart everywhere, walking up and down the RV lots, getting the neighbors involved in the search too. I hit up everyone, one-by-one
“Did you by any chance see a ginger cat”, I asked over and again, trying to keep it together
Finally, an hour later as the light was fading and dusk started to settle in, one of our neighbors answered in the positive
“Oh, do you mean this cat?” she said, pointing to Taggart comfortably curled up on her living room couch
“She just showed up this morning like she owned the place, and greeted all our guests. She was really insistent, so we just let her stay”
Turns out the neighbors a few lots down had a party that day, and Taggart, having finally gotten bored of our solar install and feeling a little neglected, had decided to saunter over and join them. I picked her up and hugged her fiercely
“Oh my GOD cat, don’t do that again!”
“Meow” she chastised “you were ignoring me….”
She Was Our Velcro Cat
Taggart decided early on in our lives that we would never sleep without her. She would glue herself to one of us every night, usually Paul, tucking herself comfortably in between his legs and meowing in annoyance everytime he turned. Over the years he became well trained, my honey, learning to sleep without movement for fear of bothering the cat.
But some years ago, Taggart decided this was no longer a challenge and she wanted a change.
I had just fallen into a deep sleep and was dreaming about a hike through the woods. It was a peaceful and beautiful setting, green leaves swaying neon in the sun, soft grass under my feet, the start of an epic dream adventure.
“tap, tap, tap” a fly landed on my nose. It must have been a big fly because I felt its fur. I wafted it away in irritation, eager to get back to my hike
“tap, tap, tap” the fly was there again, more insistent this time “tap, tap, tap”
“Go away” I shouted, turning to walk in the other direction “why are even there flies in this place?” I wondered in my dream-head. None of it made any sense.
“tap, tap….scratch”…..OUCH!!!
The dream shattered and I woke up abruptly to a ginger cat staring into my eyes, her nose inches away from my nose. Since I hadn’t reacted to her repeated paw taps, the little devil had expertly extended a claw inside my nostril and given it a quick, but effective scratch. After all, she was being ignored….
“&&%%$$ Taggart, what do you want????”
“meow” she responded, tapping my arm
I was lying on my side, so I opened up my right arm and she curled into it, her front paws draped over my left arm. As soon as she was settled in she sighed deeply and started a rhythmic purr. That was what she wanted.
“okay then, my munchkin, let’s go to sleep now”
For her remaining years this became the norm, the little tap-tap-claw a nightly ritual, unless I managed to react quicker and get into the right position first. I remember thinking at one point how nice it would be to get a full nights peaceful sleep without having to go though all that, a cat velcro’d to my side every night.
Well, I guess I finally got to try it. As it turns out, my little ginger gal, I literally can’t sleep without you.
She Won Hearts
Taggart had a special gift for winning hearts. Part of it was sheer stubborness (no-one could ignore the Queen), but I think she also saw it as her purpose in life.
My dad was a particular challenge.
Dear dad has never been much of a cat person, despite many years of our family owning cats. Sometimes you just don’t bond you know? But of course he had never met a cat quite like Taggart, and couldn’t possibly foresee how she’d succeed. When we moved to France in 2018, my ginger gal sensed this instinctively and decided she’d met her newest challenge.
She started subtly, hanging out around my dad everyday, edging her way in. And then the paw taps began with him too. She’d go to see him in his office upstairs at the same time everyday, sauntering up to his chair and raising her leg to his.
“tap, tap, tap” she’d insist, sometimes followed-up with a “meow” for extra effect
I’m not quite sure how long it took, but Taggart never gave up, and inevitably my dad finally gave in. Those two formed a bond, and became firm friends, like everyone did with Taggart. She won many hearts this way through sheer persistence and love. Literally no-one could ignore her.
She Led Us Places
It was May 2016 when I noticed Taggart was getting thin, far too thin. My gal was always challenging me with her health, and sometimes I didn’t notice until the sickness was quite far along.
This time it was hyperthyroidism, a disease I knew nothing about. But I learned, and quickly too. It took months of agonizing back-and-forth, struggling with meds & seemingly endless blood tests, before she finally led us to New York City, where she would be cured with I-131 treatment. The journey was an unexpected one for us that year, but it led us to an RV destination that we would end up loving and coming back to over and again, and it taught me about hyperT, which allowed me to recognize the symptoms in her sister Rand almost as soon as they happened a few years later.
Taggart was always leading, and teaching us new things that way. It was part of her gift to us.
In July 2019 I noticed something again. This time she was losing weight and her rear legs were wobbly. It was stage III CKD, kidney disease, and sadly there was no cure. I would learn a ton over the next 7 months; about CKD, meds, SubQ and even how to give intra-muscular injections. Things I never thought I could do, and lessons learned that will benefit her sister later on (who is early-stage with the same disease). But this time the journey would lead to a different place, and we would not return.
She Didn’t Want To Go
Taggart never wanted to leave this world. I think she enjoyed life far too much. She loved the challenge, the people and traveling all over. And she was a stubborn cat that could not be ignored. So, how could a piddling disease tell her to go?
Late on in her diagnosis, just mere weeks before she passed, I took her to the vet for one of her many checkups. She was doing pretty well at the time, eating, drinking, interacting, holding her weight. She looked really good too, her fur soft and smooth, her “meows” as feisty and insistent as ever. But when we ran the bloodwork it was astonishingly bad. The vet had never seen anything like it
“C’est etonnant. Je n’ai jamais rencontré un chat avec autant de force”
I’ve never met a cat with such strength….
She was fighting the disease with everything she had, and for the moment she was winning by sheer will, against all conceivable odds. She’d conquered men, dogs, parties, and every heart she’d ever met. Surely she’d conquer this too?
Her Last Day Was Good, Really Good
It was a beautiful Feb winter day in southwest France. The air was crisp and clear and the Pyrenees shimmering white with a fresh layer of snow. Taggart was weak, but she had woken up that morning on a mission, and she was not to be ignored.
After breakfast she came to see us in the kitchen with a “meow”, “I want to go out…”
So we took her out in the sunshine to sit in the grass. She absorbed the warm rays and closed her eyes in contentment. A cat in her element.
A little while later another “meow”, “I want to go upstairs…”
It was obvious, even without words, She wanted to go see dad, to lay by his side in the office and get petted. As soon as Paul took her up there, she went into a deep purr, content we had understood her wishes.
The whole day passed like that, with Taggart insistent on keeping her routine, following us around and taking us where she wanted to go, her energy levels higher than we’d seen in weeks. That night she snuggled into my arm, her purr weak but there nonetheless. Paul and I were both happy and surprised, thinking we might get a bit more precious time with our girl.
But It Was Really Goodbye
Sometime that night her energy left her, like a fountain suddenly run dry. Through sheer stubbornness and will she had poured the very last of her life force into one last day, doing everything she wanted to do. But then there was no more to give.
That following morning we all knew and I made the call.
She had enough left in her spirit that day to rest her head on my hand, insisting it be so, comforting me as best she could. We sat like that for the entire afternoon while she slept, my hand cramped, but impossible to move. It was our final time together, Taggart and I, an afternoon spent in stillness and love.
At 3:15 pm we all said our last goodbyes before I gave her a deep sedative to bring her to the vet. She left this world peacefully just over an hour later, with Paul and I holding hands, caressing her gently as she passed to the other side. When her spirit departed, my heart broke in two.
Now, Comes The Rest
There is one less light in the earth today. One piece of our souls that is gone. And a house much quieter, and so much emptier. I don’t know when I’ll be able to sleep peacefully again without her in my arms, or when my heart will stop hurting, but I know she will always be with us.
In a week or so, we’ll get her back. Our stubborn, sassy, adventure-loving ginger gal will return to us albeit in a different form, and she will travel with us once more. In her lifetime we visited 3 continents, and drove over 60,000 miles, but I think she still has a few more places she wants to go. I’m sure she’ll let us know….after all, she’s the kind of cat that cannot be ignored.
Fly free and rest in peace, my beautiful gal, there will never be another quite like you.
So very beautiful! I’m sorry for your loss, but this is a truly lovely eulogy for her.
Oh, I am so very sorry for your loss, and across the world I weep with you.
Someone who see’s nothing wrong with leaving an important business meeting and flying home to another continent when their cat is missing, is my kind of person. I am so sorry for the loss of Taggart. If there aren’t animals in Heaven, it wouldn’t be Heaven.
I’m so sorry. This was a beautiful tribute. I’m crying.
I might have to wait till I stop crying to say something reasonable. There are cats, and then there are Cats. I had one with my Jeremy who also passed at 18 and you had one with Taggart.
Tears streaming, my heart broke reading this. I have been on this journey and the hole in my life is always there. Thank you for sharing and the reminder of what gifts our kitties truly are.
Me too, can’t see my own words, blurry teary eyes . . . on the farm as a kid, we had 26 cats and kitties and I loved them all, even the aloof ones.
You tell a wonderful story of love even in your sadness of loss.
RIP, Taggart.
sob
So sorry to hear about Taggart. My heart aches for you guys. We just lost our last dog a month ago, and our trailer is so empty.
If I could stop crying I would write to you how very very sorry I am that you lost your Precious Kitty. I thank you for your deep and involving sharing about Taggart’s life with you. You are who , by your sharing, educated me in kitty hyperthyroidism which caused me to bring my 16 year old Ricky to the vet because he had so suddenly gotten skinny. Because I knew what to ask my vet for, Ricky has gained weight and is enjoying life. His medication even comes in a dispenser tube that I can put in his inner ear flap . So we don’t have to wrestle to get pills down him. It is so very hard when the end finally does come. My heart hurts with you for your loss.
Oh Nina and Paul I am so so sorry for your loss! What a beautiful tale of a beautiful little soul. You were blessed to have her for such a long time and make all those precious memories. What an incredible life she led! You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I am so heartbroken for you and Paul. I remember meeting Taggart and Rand in Oregon, 2014. One was stretched across your bed, the other peeking out from a shelf in the closet. Both so comfortable with the RVing life and the good home they lived in. I hope you find solace in your many memories and in the knowledge that you gave Taggart an amazing life. Hugs to you both!
Oh Nina, I am so sad for you and Paul and Dad. My husband and I are crying along with you and feel your loss deeply. What a beautiful tribute to your sweet ginger gal. Gentle hugs for all of you.
This is such a beautiful piece about your sweet, vivacious, independent, loving Taggart. She was a beautiful soul and will always be with you. I wish you peace and hope the wonderful memories you shared here will help you get through the tough times ahead. Hugs to you both!
I am sooo sorry to read this. It was great to meet you and Taggart twice in your US travels – once in Colorado and once at my home in South Carolina. I went through the same thing with Chief so I understand your pain.
You made cry we will miss her so sorru
For your loss
Oh Nina and Paul, I am so terribly sorry. I had to read this post in two installing as the tears were to much. What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful cat. I know how long it takes a heart to (almost) heal after a loss like this and my heart and thoughts are with you. Thank you for taking the time and finding the strength to share her story.
No words can lessen your heartbreak, but when we first get a pet we think about how we will feel when they pass. I had to say goodbye to some of my best friends (all cats), but now at my age I have to ask whether I will be saying goodbye to them or will they be saying goodby to me☹️.
We are all here for the journey as we all know where the final destination will be just not when.
So glad you had all the great times with Taggart. You need to feel that satisfaction knowing the journal was so great!
Bleesingsto you and your family!
Your story is a beautiful tribute to the Queen. I’m so sorry for your loss of dear, sweet Taggart. Our fur-babies take so much of us with them when they go.
Big Hugs,
Lisa
Taggart. Your ginger loving baby. I’m so sorry. She was gorgeous and wanted to stay with you forever. We’re crying for you here, we understand…our ginger cat Mip was the same. Peace to you…
Susan & Sam – Aix-en-Provence
My heart breaks for you. We lost our precious dog Gracie 4 months ago and I still haven’t stopped crying so I can empathize with you. Yes, we gave her a good home and lots of love but I still miss her so much. Best wishes to you as you go through the grieving process.
So very heart warming and gut wrenching at the same time. Thank you for sharing her story – it was so sweet to hear her back story! She certainly won the Kitty Lottery going home with you all. That goes for all of your paws. I love how much you include them in your blogs and look forward to more stories once you have been able to grieve for beautiful Taggart. Sending furry love your way….
Awww, I’m so sorry! It is so hard to lose a beloved member of the family! Hugs and more hugs to all of you!
RIP Taggart. A fantastic cat who lived an amazing life.
Nina, Paul, Polly, and Rand, I’m so sorry for your loss.
The tears I weep. I am so sorry. I met Rand in Desert Hot Springs several years ago, alas Taggert was otherwise occupied. Take Care.
A beautiful, loving tribute to Taggart who will always be a part of you. You will often find her, peeking around a corner, a ginger flash ahead of you on the path, and always, in your heart. Thank you for sharing her with us.
I am so sorry for your loss, Taggart was indeed a special cat and she will live on in your memories and your heart. This was a beautiful tribute to her.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. It is very hard to lose a loved one. I am glad you were able to share her with us. She was so lovable. Now, I am once again, missing our cat who passed many years ago. The heart only sort of heals but the pain does decrease.
Your story brings tears of sorrow for your loss, but also for happiness for all the many years and good times you shared with your little girl.
Tear…a beautiful tribute to a wonderful ginger kitty, Taggart. Our fur babies live much too short lives.
We only get to enjoy their company for such a short time, but our love continues forever. Such a beautiful tribute, bless you and your family in your loss..!
Such a lovely tribute to your delightful ginger friend!❤️
What a beautiful essay. My heart is broken for you. My lost our 18 year old dog this summer and I still listen for her to run to me when I walk in the door. Hang in there.
Blessings,
Angie
Nina and Paul,
So very sorry for your loss…my heart was breaking and tears are flowing as I read Taggert’s sweet eulogy. She was a truly special girl with so much personality and zest for life.
Animals are such a gift to have in our lives …enjoy those precious memories.
HUGS for the entire family…sniff, sniff!
My condolences, Hun. I’m all choked up right now. Such a great tribute to your fur baby, Thanks for sharing.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I recently lost my dog of 18 years. I know how painful it is. But I know I will see her again, and I believe she will run to greet me when I do see her again.
Isaiah 11:6-9
And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.read more.
They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.
I just finished a book called “imagine Heaven”. It’s a book about people temporarily dying and then coming back to life. There are stories in there of people reuniting with their pets. I think it might help you if you read it. May God bless you and keep and help you through this hard time.
Sincerely, a long time subscriber, Stephanie
I know this pain and ache. Tearfully sending virtual hugs to you and Paul. HOPEFUL that your heart will heal, you will once again sleep – and then Taggart’s ‘magic’ will be felt, beckoning you onward.
Nina and Paul, I am so sorry for the loss of one of your fur-babies. Wow, what a long and happy life your ginger gal had. Her love for you will always be in your heart! It’s heartbreaking that they don’t live a longer life with us!
Oh Nina, this is such a beautiful, loving, and touching celebration of Taggert. She was such a great kitty, and with so much personality!!! How lucky that she found you, and that you found her. I hope the memories of all of the wonderful times you shared bring you comfort. Sending hugs to you guys.
I’m sorry. I’m as sad as you. It’s a loss for all of us.
I’ve got a similar story for another time. The loss is painful forever. I’m still trying to get over some of my cat friends that have passed away. The loss of their friendship and companionship is forever a pain and ache that never goes away.
It took me a while to be able to read thru the entire tribute. I recognized myself in your comments. I’m glad I’m not alone with these thoughts. I’m so upset.
Nina and Paul
I was fortunate to meet Taggart and she is a force to be reckoned with. Your tribute was amazing – we send all our love
Nici and Toby xxx
I cried when I read your email and I’m so very sorry about Taggart. Your tribute was exceptional! It is obvious she was very special and you have wonderful memories. I’ve had to put 4 cats to sleep and cried like a baby every single time.
A beautiful tribute to Taggart! I’m so sorry for your loss…
Such a lovely and loving tribute, Nina. What a privilege to have known her. Thinking of you all today…
Guess what? My heart breaks with yours.
A truly beautiful farewell post … and thank you for doing that, as I’ve enjoyed Taggart’s presence in prior posts over the years. Peace to you in your grief and continuing love for her.
What a moving tribute! I crying now for you, Paul and Taggart as well as my first Travel Cat, Walter, that came to the end in Tucson in 2015. I am crying for my current Travel Cat, Cora, who is getting older and is such a source of joy and comfort to me. I hope she will be with me for many years to come.
Much love to you and Paul in this time of transition.
I knew when I clicked over I was going to be in tears by the end. Such a beautiful tribute to the life you shared with your ginger girl. She captured my heart too, and I weep in sadness with you my love.
Thank you for sharing this, and thank you for giving Taggart an amazing adventure with the rest of the paws.
My heart goes out to you. Your story and tribute to sweet Taggart brought tears. We also lost our 18 yr old tiger stripe kitty, ‘Tiger’ in 2016. I feel your pain and your reflections on your sweet kitty and know how much love they brought us. Peace to you.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful tribute to your beloved cat.
Thanks for sharing your special bond with Taggart.
I’m so very sorry to hear about your loss of dear Taggart. I, too, had an orange kitty – he was part Orange Tabby (possibly Maine Coon) and tortie shell Siamese. So Taggart reminded me of our kitty. 18 years is a long time for a kitty to live but not nearly long enough when they have the personality of Taggart and our Columbus – almost 20 years old when he passed away.
Thank you very much for sharing your grief with us.
Farewell, beautiful Taggart.
And Nina you are such a awesome writter.
This is such a beautiful tribute to your loving and well-loved Tagamet. May you find peace and comfort in the warm memories and the love of your other fur babies.
Taggart was so fortunate to have chosen you. Your story especially touched me, as we lost our beautiful Moxie last summer. Thank you for sharing your story. You are definitely good people.
Such a beautiful love story What a girl! I understand the pain in your heart Only time will heal. Bon voyage chère Taggart, until you meet again
GREETINGS. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND MANY THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND INFO. WE ARE NOW FULL TIMERS AS WELL AND LOVE IT. AND I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M SITTING HERE CRYING OVER A CAT THAT I NEVER KNEW BUT YOUR STORY WAS SO TOUCHING I COULD NOT HELP IT. SWEET DREAMS TAGGERT AND MANY THANKS FOR ALL YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ALL OF US IN THE RV WORLD AND BEYOND. AND AS FOR YOU AND PAUL, KEEP ON TRUCKIN AND VIVE LA FRANCE! CHEERS!, JON & LYNDA MILLETT.
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful girl. Fly high sweet Taggart, you were so well loved.
I laughed and I cried, then I CRIED at your lovely tribute to Taggart. That’s always the fun part of having kids (human or fur kind) watching and seeing their personality develop over time and making all those memories that you will carry with you. It’s never an easy decision to make deciding to help your fur baby across the rainbow bridge. I’m so sorry for your loss – Taggart was definitely one of a kind!
Oh, my gosh… that was truly beautiful… Our babies…. love them, so dearly
Take Care and God Bless
Hard to type through the tears. Taggart was part of the family so of course a difficult loss. But what a marvelous life.
I’m so sorry for your great loss ❣️
A beautiful tribute to a beautiful soul. Keep Rand closer to you. She will miss Taggert too.
Your exceptional writing brings all of us right there to you. Thank you.
Oh, Nina, what a heartbreak! I am so sorry for you, Paul, and Polly. I can’t imagine the ache you are all feeling, missing your girl. Taggart’s story was a Valentine indeed, a beautiful story as only you could tell it.
Sending you lots of love, Suzanne
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us. She was also a part of everyone who read the blog and we will all miss her too. It’s so difficult to say goodbye but they never really leave us in our hearts. God bless all of you.
Nina, what a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to your (and Paul’s) dear Taggart. As our dog enters what will probably be her final days, weeks, months, we never know, I will try to keep your spirit and strength in mind. Losing a beloved pet (who is, after all, a family member) is something that most of we mere humans share and understand and empathize with, for who hasn’t lost an animal s/he loves in the course of a life? Thank you for taking the time and love to share Taggart’s life and death with us. I feel like I knew her!
Aaaah Nina & Paul, your tribute is Beautiful! With tears & a swollen heart
I am so sorry for your loss!
Take care,
Love
Margaret
Dear Nina and Paul –
Recently, several dear friends have lost their beloved fur beings and I have felt their loss deeply. The way in which you’ve written about Taggart encapsulates those feelings to the core. When I read your earlier post about not making any plans this year, I nodded the whole way through, understanding how our path is often guided by “tap, tap, tap” of our hearts. You and Taggart were blessed to share so many moments together.
My heart wraps you all in a blanket of love and this poem by Irving Townsend …
“We who choose to surround ourselves
with lives even more temporary than our
own, live within a fragile circle;
easily and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps,
we would still live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only
certain immortality, never fully
understanding the necessary pain.
Love, Imkelina
Thanks for that beautiful poem, Imkelina.
A lovely and cathartic tribute to a special girl. She was so, so lucky that the head-in-hand nudge her kitten-self gave you paid off in an amazing, love-filled life! Her spirit will not be ignored and you will feel her watching over you in your continued journeys. My heart goes out to you and Paul as you wrap your grief in loving memories.
Oh Nina, I sobbed all the way through this. I loved your travels and photos with Tag – she was definitely a character. My husband and I had a convo recently about how hard it is to say goodbye to our furballs – more so even than people, in many cases. I think it’s because they become such a part of the pattern and fabric and routines of our life. We love people, but they come and go, in and out of our days. Our connection to our two dogs has become even tighter now that we’ve retired and are home with them so much, so I know your lifestyle traveling with your babies and being with them so much, must make that parting even more difficult. My prayers and virtual hugs are with you.
Hi Nina and Paul,
So very sorry about Taggart. You wrote a beautiful story of love. I know the pain all too well. We lost our 2 dogs within less than 2 years of rving. Words done express the pain of such a loss. But Polly and Rand will be more than happy to help soften the loss. And Taggart’s spirit hasn’t left you so keep your hearts open to his “hellos”. You’re in our thoughts and prayers.
Nina, I’m so sorry! I love kitty cats and have a soft spot for them and I knew I had to read your story. It breaks my heart to think of such loss. Taggart was a lucky kitty and y’all were lucky to have shared a life with her. It’s hard to read when your eyes are leaking. Happy trails Taggart!
I am so sorry for your loss. She was lucky to have you as her parents on such a grand adventure.
Cried, Cried, Cried some more, still crying! This story as you told it, brought all the memories back to me of all of our lost pets (all dogs). I don’t know what to say other than I’m sorry and we will keep you and your whole family in our prayers! Lots of beautiful memories and they will live forever in your blog. True love for Taggert!
Nina and Paul…I’m so sorry for your loss. You were the best parents ever to Taggert. Those fur babies get you every time. My doggy passed and broke my heart. I can’t go through that again. Best wishes for you and your family.
I am so very sorry. We experienced the same loss, our sweet ginger kitty Rookie left us on December 27th, same cause, kidney disease. I absolutely love your tribute to Taggart – what an amzing story of love, travel, and companionship! Sending you both hugs- pets are your children and family and are so hard to say goodbye to.
Nina and Paul;
So sorry for your recent Loss of your travel companion Taggart.
It is incredible how our pets are able to touch our hearts in ways that few humans can. Their inevitable departure is terribly disconcerting.
We share your pain.
Nina & Paul…so sorry to hear that your beautiful ginger gal has passed. I never had the pleasure of meeting you or your fur kids, but like so many others I feel that I know them through your blog. Rest In Peace Sweet Taggart
We are all crying her departure with you. She was an amazing cat, a dear friend. Much love to you as you adjust to the big whole she left in your life.
What a beautiful tribute. You have done a wonderful job of sharing her life story. However, this is not a story one should read on break at work. My coworkers are noticing my tears. I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Taggart.
What a wonderful recap of your time with Taggart. So very sorry for your loss. Hold on to all your great memories…..