Goodbye to Noomi

Here are the last pictures of little Noomi - he was a wee little guy and light as a feather:

This little guy wasn't even ours. But he was a regular visitor, and often we would find him snoozing in the basement on a pile of old comforters, or we'd come across him in one of the many baskets available. He was a master at sneaking in without us seeing him. His owners had asked us not to encourage him to come into our place, and he seemed to know they would not be pleased - but he came - just the same. He is ok, just gone: his owners have moved.

They used to live an apartment just behind our fence, just a "hop, skip and jump" away for the little Noom - we'd find him on our porch most mornings. His owners recently told us not to worry if we see Noomi no more, as they have bought a house. Hurray for them, but not so much for little Noomi: you see the house is on a busy street, so he will be indoors mostly, perhaps out on a leash now and then. No more running free, no more sleeping under a hedge on a summer afternoon. My last glimpse of him: he was playing with the long grass in  my yard, near the tree he would love to climb and scratch. I somehow felt that that was the last time I would see him, and so it was. One morning, he did not appear. Gone. I miss the little guy, and my big tabby Chaiyka seems to miss him as well - he would often get treats at Noomi's house. "Come over to my place - it's great!" Chaiyka must have said to Noomi, a couple of years ago, when we first spotted shy little Noomi in our yard.  Lately, Chaiyka goes to the old apartment, but no one is there. I feel sad.

Here is how I like to remember him: Noomi last spring

This is my favourite photo of him, taken last year at the height of the unfolding spring. He loved our garden. Goodbye little Noom. Be well.