We lost a dear friend on Aug 09 2021, who was from a different time and place for all three of us.
Francis, (frannie) our beloved cat of 22 years! My daughter was 9 when my daughter adopted her as a kitten, or as we say, Francis adopted us.
We first met Frannie when we took pottery lessons from a very sweet old lady, who must have had 30 cats at the time. Me and the daughters decided to adopt a kitten or two, and so the it began.
Frannie was a bit wild when we first met, her and her brother lived in the house in the kitchen .
We had to move out the refrigerator to get to these two scared kittens were doing their best to hide from the humans. We were able to finally catch them , put them in the crate, and take them home to begin the rest of their life’s with us. It was love at first sight for sure.
Frannie was funny, she had this cute funny personality, she looked at life with a cynical attitude, that came out in sarcastic humor.
Frannie had one eye that was different than the other, this didn’t slow her down one bit, she was as feisty as always every day.
Francis loved Gus her partner of 14 years they were inseparable. however in her golden years she fell in love with a much younger handsome grey named Oliver. Oliver thought she was the cats pajamas!
When my daughter went off to explore big sky Montana one summer, Francis decided she didn’t like this, and began her journey to get to my daughter, by walking down the dirt road all by herself one evening, she kept going, I kept yelling, and she kept walking towards the west.
It took many hours and much coaxing to get her to come back home. She came as close as 20 feet to the house, however she refused to come in. I went inside went to bed and said “God be with you Francis!”
The next morning, she was sitting on the front porch staring into the western sky, trying to will my daughter to come back home.
You see Francis and I never had the best relationship, it was one of situation, she belonged to my daughter and I had the house. So when the daughter was not around she was stuck in the house with me, her not favorite person.
When the daughter went off to college, Francis would walk past me, fluffy tail held high and if I tried to pet her, she would run as fast as she could down the hall, this went on the entire time we were left alone together.
Francis finally found complete happiness, when my daughter bought a house and I took Francis over one day and dropped her off, this was her home where she belonged, she never belonged with me and we both knew it.
Some say heaven is in the sky and beyond, I say heaven is here on earth, your people, your furry family and your life.
Francis found heaven on earth, we all adored her and she knew this as she took her last breath.
I know Gus met her when she arrived on the other side, I bet he was so happy to finally be with her again.
All Hail Francis!
