They say one of the best ways to manage grief is to keep yourself busy. We've certainly been trying...
Last night we went to a birthday party at Rodízio, which was super nice in terms of the company and the food, but the service was lamentable. When you are paying about US$35 per person in Maputo, you expect the service to be decent, but this was really a let-down. Still, it got us out of the house, which was good.
Today Rico and I ran errands. We bought paint for the bathroom and kitchen (pale mushroom, a tan-pink color for the former, and pastel green, a spring green with a bit of yellow, for the latter) from my old paint client from my days doing investment analysis at the BIC. We went to Casa Paris and bought fabric to re-upholster our living room chairs (heavy brocade with shiny tan stripes - Rico is doing the work himself). We went to the plant nursery at Kaya Kwanga and I bought rosemary, chocolate mint and parsley for my herb garden, as well as a beautiful oversized orange hibiscus. We also stopped by GAME for some wine, an upholstery gun, and toilet paper.
This evening we are going to go for a drink at this new bar/café that opened on Av. Julius Nyerere with a few friends...keep ourselves busy.
I am still super sad about Parceiro, but am over the hump of crying every minute of every day. Now, I miss my boy, but I'm mostly worried about Pria. She's definitely realized that Parceiro is gone, and wanders around the house crying and trying to find him. It is heartbreaking. I can't wait for the requisite 1-2 months to pass so we can get a new kitten. It will not be a replacement for Parceiro - far from it - but I think a new spirit in our lives will be a good way to move on. I just wish it could be now!
4 comments:
Ali-I'm happy you're feeling better. You're right that a new kitten won't be a replacement for Parceiro. I totally agree with your sentiment that a new kitten will be a new vibrant spirit around the house.
When our first cat ever (who was one of the best cats that ever lived) Babu died my parents waited a week to get our new little kitten (whom they have since grown obsessively attached to). He was never a replacement, no one could ever replace Babu, but it helped my parents feel like they were giving a new little one a chance for a pampered life. Also, his antics cheered them up a lot.
I like to imagine Babu moved on to life as a monk or something and that the universe felt it was wrong to keep him the body of a cat for much longer.
Yes, it's interesting how much our pets mean to us. The last comment spoke to me - I always called my dog Selma my Bodhisattva. She was so far evolved - though not very patient with us lower spirits - and I too imagine her moving to a life that lets her do even more than she did as a dog.
Though, she'd probably be a drill sergeant. Evolved spirit she was, but BOSSY and utterly unsympathetic with whining. She was the goddess of the "Get over it!" church, and reminds me of some Buddhist monks and Catholic nuns I've met in that respect.
It was her time to go because she'd done all for me that she could at this time. She gave me all she could, and I am forever grateful for the time we had together. I am a much better person now for having been her person - because she chose me and loved me.
Poor Pria - it's hard to imagine the bewilderment animals must feel in situations like this...
Hi Ali,
I'm glad to hear both you and Rico are getting back into the swing of
things. It will take a while and of course you will never forget. Pria will feel her loss for sometime, I feel so bad. I thought about you guys all weekend. Especially, when I was watching Oprah, and she did a tribute to her dog Solomon which pasted after 14 years. She was crying I was crying. These lovely creatures come into our lives and change them forever. Take care, Julie
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