The Holiday Adventures of Oreo

The cat came over the mountain to see what she could see in 2005 when we went hiking in Phoenix, Arizona.

It appears that Oreo was bigger than life in 2004 when she went hiking with us on the Superior National Hiking Trail near Grand Marias, Minnesota.  She still holds that larger than life image in our minds.

In 2006, we traveled to Brazil to visit our friends, Mary Boutain and Colleen Haas.  Of course, Oreo was curious about the sights as well.

And once again, some would say that she was larger than life with these adventures.

Oreo stayed home in 2007, and Mary Lee and Bob hung out with her on the Christmas tree.  (Oh, and did you notice my name--yup, unofficially took back Mary Lee in 2007 and it has stuck ever since.  I was called Mary Lee when I was a little girl.  It makes me happy to use that name now.)

Bob and I took a vacation in the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2010.  Oreo liked the view from up there.  (I can't remember what happened in 2008-2009.)

We had some fun biking adventures in the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge.  Oreo liked to sniff the air.  This was 2012 holiday greetings.

Kayaking became a very fun sport for us in 2013.  I won the kayak that I'm paddling at the Frozen River Film Festival.  Very lucky!

We were checking out the Redwoods in California.  Bob and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in 2015--a crystal year.  We took in lots of ocean views.  And Oreo had to check out all the interesting smells.


Oreo took a really big adventure this summer and was gone for a day and a half.  We were not sure if we'd see her again.  Luckily, a kind woman took her to the Humane Society.  We had left a sign about Oreo missing and the kind people at the Humane Society cared for her until we could come.  She was on her last hours, and did not take in any more water or food.  She could not walk very well, and was panting and her breathing was labored.  When we took her to our vet, he recommended that we let her go.  And we chose to do that.  We buried Oreo on July 24, 2015.  I painted a memorial stone on her grave.  What a great cat; who was so very loved by all of us.

Oreo's Memorial Stone

Today, I got her name, Oreo painted on her memorial stone.

                                          Oreo
                                          Beloved Kitty of Mary Lee, Bob & Amaliya
                                          July 1995 - July 24, 2015

 

The stone had been place on July 24, 2015 and I'd written out what I wanted to paint on the stone.  It was the right day to paint all of it on the stone today.

 

 

The stone surface was irregular and the painted letters look child like.  It makes me happy to have painted it in her honor.  She was such a special cat.

 

 

Her grave is located on the east side of our house.  Many cats in the neighborhood come around and pay their respects.

 

 

May you rest in peace, my dear kitty girl, Oreo.  You're good energy is around us always.

 

Memories of Oreo

Our little old Oreo sleeping on one of her favorite pillows, made for us by Margie Donndelinger.  Oreo had good taste.  2015

She found her way into a wrapped up quilt--a present for Amaliya, our daughter.  She liked all the coziest of places.  2001

Oreo liked to sit on a quilt that I was working on.  This is the cutting table; she relaxing on a quilt with other tools and materials all around her.  

 Amaliya giving Oreo some love.  1999

As a younger kitty, she was very curious about water.  Or maybe she wanted to give Amaliya support in getting her Halloween makeup on just right.

Oreo helping Amaliya with a wrapping project. 

Bob, Amaliya, Oreo, Mary Lee hanging out.  2000

Oreo, rest in peace our dear little kitty.  We love you so very much.

July 4, 1995- July 24, 2015.

Oreo, Our Cat Who Lived a Very Fine Life

July 4, 1995 – July 24, 2015 

Our dear kitty girl, Oreo left this world on Friday, July 24, 2015.  She had some fine adventures and travels.  Today, to celebrate her life, I’m sharing a few pictures and stories.  As I look at the pictures, I shed another tear.  She was a dear member of our family—for Amaliya, my daughter and I; then Bob came into our lives and Oreo came into his life.  We all loved Oreo very much.  Amaliya grew up and moved to make a home; Oreo stayed living with Bob and I.

Oreo is sun bathing on a winter day on the cat tree that Bob built for her. 

She is cozy in the bed covers.

 She kept track of the goings on in the neighborhood.  Here she looks out the window in my lower level studio of our house.

Bob and I loved Oreo so.

 She had some favorite napping spots.

    

A guitar case was a very good spot of a nap.

 Bob's lap and chest were the best spot to get comfortable.

They liked to send me messages!  I liked it too!  They were cheering me on with my graduate studies.

Oreo loved to dive into wrapping paper when she was young.

Bob and I have gone on some adventures and Oreo would appear along on our annual Holiday card.  More of Oreo antics to come.  These photos are from 2008-2012. 

Oreo and her Tooth Fairy Pillow

Oreo, our cat, has lived on two farms and two houses in Winona and gone on many adventures.  Now, she is relaxing on her favorite tooth fairy pillow.

Here's a close up of the pillow.  The lost tooth would be placed in the plaid pocket in the hope that the tooth fairy would come, replacing the tooth for a coin.  Oreo, keeps hoping for a treat in that pocket.

Oreo has adopted the tooth fairy pillow.   The Tooth Fairy Pillow was created by one of my students. The pillows were part of an economics project that the students created at Bluffview Montessori School in 2009.

Oreo has a few poses that she enjoys while hanging out with the tooth fairy pillow:

"Tired, don't mess with me."

"What did I hear?"

Oreo has her fore legs tucked under herself.  It looks like she is praying.

 

She likes things orderly and neat.  The pillow is leaning on the arm of the couch, the tooth fairy pillow beside it, my Mother’s favorite quilt on the back of the couch and Oreo sleeping in the middle of it.  More antics of Oreo coming soon.