As I write today, my cat is curled in a little ball of fur between my arms. She’s seated on a blanket (placed specifically for her, of course) on the table where I do most of my writing, and right now she is gazing at the computer screen.

My cat’s name is Koko, she’s 13 years old, and she’s very sick. We’ve known for over a year, she has difficulty breathing and is on a battery of medications that don’t heal, just help. She doesn’t seem to be in pain, she sleeps peacefully and is still playful and eats and drinks joyfully, but she won’t be with us for much longer.

One year ago today, her sister, Donut, decided to leave us for the giant tuna fields in the sky. Donut was almost 20 years old, an ancient and wise creature who was loved and loving in equal measure. She is still missed… occasionally I will see a shadow down the hallway or a flicker of movement by a door and still think “Oh, there’s Donut!”

Today is a good day, though. I’m going to sell a few books to a friend, which is nice, I’m finishing up a novel I’m reading, and going to put a few thousand words into short stories and my own novel. It’s a sad day, but also a happy day. Auspicious, one might say.

Hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!