Welcome to Tasha's Rainbow Residency

Memories of Tasha

THREE YEARS ALREADY? Seems like only yesterday, doesn't it? I still have tears but not as many as before and will always have my memories. You know most of what has happened since this time last year as it's all in your blog. Max is still having fun living on the street and Tux is great. Have to admit I call him "tasha" at times especially since he's black and white like you. I will light a candle for you tonight when I get home from work. You know how much you are missed! We will always love you. Mom ONE YEAR AGO TODAY! Well, my sweet Tasha ... today you have been gone one year. It seems like only yesterday that you left us so suddenly in the wee hours of the morning. I have no words of wisdom today, only tears and memories. I'm burning a candle all day today and looking at your picture remembering all the years we had together and all we have been through. Oh Tasha ... we still miss you and not a day goes by without thinking of you. Have fun on the bridge today, baby! Think of your Mom and Dad if you can manage it? We will always love you!!! Mommy HOW IT ALL BEGAN AND MEMORIES: We had returned to Boston in May of 1994, after spending 4 years in Nevada. I complained about the "holes in my bread bags and cereal boxes" and wanted a cat. Even though your Dad was more of a "dog person" than a "cat person", he brought you to me as an anniversary present in October 1994 and you were just 6 mos. old. You were the "Queen" and not very "cuddly". Guess you were deciding if we were worthy enough to give your love to. After all you had your Dad there all day (disabled), two human siblings (Jason born in '86 and Sharisse born in '83), plus a housefull of my daycare kids to deal with. And I wanted "cuddly"??? LOL And then your Dad left us in Nov. 1997. Did you feel the pain of my children? My pain of losing the first man I ever loved and spent 27 years with? Then Roger came into our lives in March of 2000 and it took you awhile to "accept" him as your new Dad and he still remembers that day when you came up to him on the bed and laid down beside him. Roger was always a "dog person" but you wormed your way into his heart in no time. He spoiled you rotten and you became his cat. I had you on a schedule for feeding and then when he would go into the kitchen you would meow at him and he would give you some more food. You always knew what a pushover he was! I would always scold him as you were getting a bit overweight and he always said "but honey, it's just a little". Well, so much for any type of feeding schedule. LOL We both love you so much and I am so grateful for the 14 years we had together. It is fitting that he was there with you as you passed over RB. We both miss you terribly - you know how much we love you and how much you love us. Enjoy Rainbow Bridge, my Tashi! You will live in our hearts forever! The song I chose for you is "My heart will go on". I still remember the day my son, Jason, took me to see the movie Titanic. I cried my eyes out that they both were not saved and she had to go on alone. But she had a full life and at the end they were together again. This is how all of us humans will be ... back with our furbabies one day. I have included the lyrics here: Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you, That is how I know you go on Far across the distance And spaces between us You have come to show you go on Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart And my heart will go on and on Love can touch us one time And last for a lifetime And never let go till we're one Love was when I loved you One true time I hold to In my life we'll always go on Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart And my heart will go on and on There is some love that will not go away You're here, there's nothing I fear, And I know that my heart will go on We'll stay forever this way You are safe in my heart And my heart will go on and on I need to put down some memories of our time together to give others an idea of what you "were about". That's hard as you didn't "stand out" as some of the furbabies with you at RB but I'll try: ~~ I remember how you used to check on the daycare kids but never allowed them to get too close. And when one of them insisted on trying to touch you, you barely scratched him ... just to warn him. ~~ I remember how your first Dad used to wake up in the morning and find scratches on his chest and wonder. I knew it had been you during the night trying to awaken him when you felt he was in distress. ~~ There was no such thing as having a door closed in our house. I still remember when Alicia lived with us and she would be sitting at the desk with her door closed. You would tap on the doorknob and she would reach over to open the door. Then she had to reach to close it again and you would be right there taping to go out. This repeated itself for quite some time. It's like you were saying "how dare you close a door in my house? Don't you know I need to come and go as I please?" ~~ I remember when Roger made a doggie door in our bedroom door so we could have the door closed for privacy but you could still come in and out. ~~ I remember when we were getting ready to move to California we had discussions on how we were going to get you out here. Couldn't take you in the car ... I wasn't going to listen to all that meowing you always did on your trips to the vet! Imagine a week or longer of that? No way. Seems obvious, doesn't it??? Find an airline who deals with this. And find one, I did. The people were so nice and told me all I had to do for you. ~~ Remember I had Roger take you to the airport? I couldn't bear to be the one to put you on the plane. The poor man! He was so heartbroken when he had to turn you over to the airline personnel. ~~ Remember Lori? She was one of my fellow childcare providers who I knew online. When I put the call out she volunteered to go to the airport to pick you up if I could fly you out to the one closest to her. She went after she finished daycare for the day and stayed at the airport a long time waiting for you and then had to track down someone to release you to her. And she had to do daycare the next day also. Your Dad couldn't understand how someone we didn't even "know" would do all of that for "strangers". ~~ You spent several days at Lori's house waiting for us to come. You probably didn't understand what was going on and by the time we arrived, you had found a hole in her daughter's box spring, climbed in and made yourself at home and we had to almost dig you out! Took you over a week to forgive us for that one. ~~ Then there was the time Sharisse enrolled in culinary school in San Diego. We had to drive down there with her and had to leave you behind for about 3 days. You didn't speak to us for several days. ~~ Whatever we were eating had to be offered to you also. Sometimes you ate it and sometimes you didn't but you demanded to be given the choice. If we were having steak, you definately got a good amount of our dinner. ~~ When I made something for myself to eat and I knew you wouldn't like a certain part of it, before I sat down I removed the part you would like and offered you the plate with the things I knew you wouldn't eat and after you turned up your nose at it, I put back the part you liked and you never bothered to come back. I thought I was quite clever! ~~ You loved cream cheese. When I made a bagel, I always made an extra half just for you. You also loved the butter on toast, muffins, etc. I always made extra just for you. ~~ Whenever your Dad came in with a new bag, box, computer, etc., you always had to investigate. Whenever Dad worked on laptops at the desk, you were always at the foot of our bed investigating and "helping" him. If he chose to ignore you, you would tap on him until he gave you the attention you wanted. ~~ I remember how he used to bury his face in your fur while he sat at the desk and you sat at the foot of our bed. I know you were purring. ~~ Your Dad remembers when you used to be laying on our bed and you got too close to the edge of the bed and as you turned around to "clean" your back, you ended up rolling off the bed and landing on the floor. He remembers the look you used to give him as if to say "what did you do that for?" ~~ And the times when you would be laying on the bed and all of a sudden you would scratch him. The only reason you did that he figured was to pay him back for teasing you some other day. ~~ You were always waiting when each of us would come home (I don't think it was us you were waiting for ... you were waiting to be fed). ~~ You had several "beds" all around the house. It started out with the hassock at the foot of the bed so you could jump up/down easier. Then a towel in the hall outside Sharisse's room. Then one in the front room. Then the bath mat outside the shower became your favorite spot and Dad put down a nice towel over that. Then you were in the shower and of course your Dad had to put towels down there for you. I teased him that we didn't have any towels left! ~~ I remember you chasing the stray cat out of the yard. ~~ I remember you exploring your yard and going over to the farthest corner from the house and just sitting there and when I would come out to bring you in, you waited til I had walked all the way over to you and just before I got to you, you would come running in the house. LOL Maybe your Dad will think of more and add to these as I'm sure he has several memories that just the two of you shared but it won't be for awhile yet. He misses you so much and his heart is broken. He still can't look at a picture of you. But I do thank you for coming to him in his dreams ... strutting around the kitchen waiting for him to feed you ... We love you so much, Tashi! You will always be in our hearts! UNTITLED (Gift From Above) I'll lend you for a little time a pet of mine, For you to love her while she lives and mourn for when she's dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three, But will you, till I call her back, take care of her for me? She will bring her charms to gladden you and should her stay be brief, Promise she will have her lovely memories as solace for your grief. I cannot promise she will stay since all from earth return, But there are lessons taught down there I wish my pets to learn. I've looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true, And from the throngs that crown life's lanes I have selected you. Please will you give her all your love, and not think the labour vain, Nor hate me when I come to call to take her back again. I fancied that I heard myself say: Dear Lord, Thy will be done, For all the joy my pets shall bring I'll risk the grief I'll run. I'll shelter her with tenderness, I'll love her while I may, And for the happiness I've known, for ever grateful stay. And should the angels call for her much sooner than I'd planned. I'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand. ~ Unknkown If it should be that I grow weak And pain should keep me from my sleep, Then you must do what must be done, For this last battle cannot be won. You will be sad, I understand. Don't let your grief then stay your hand. For this day, more than all the rest, Your love for me must stand the test. We've had so many happy years. What is to come can hold no fears. You'd not want me to suffer so; The time has come -- please let me go. Take me where my need they'll tend, And please stay with me till the end. Hold me firm and speak to me, Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time that you will see The kindness that you did for me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I've been saved. Please do not grieve -- it must be you Who had this painful thing to do. We've been so close, we two, these years; Don't let your heart hold back its tears. For I am now in a better place, And will be waiting to see your happy face. --- Anonymous ---

Photograph Album
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Tasha's People Parent(s), Roger & Maryalice, would appreciate knowing you have visited their Baby's Residency. Click here to Email Roger & Maryalice a message, or to send a sympathy card click here. Email this page to a friend.

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