(no subject)

[spatch]

I cannot say with any great veracity that I am a fan of Talk Like A Pirate Day. A few years back, people would write to Abbie asking if Martha, the pirate cat herself (so named because she was fond of perching on my shoulder like a parrot) knew of the day and wondering how she was going to celebrate it. Martha's response, however, was always something along the lines of the following, in her typical writing style:

I have heard about the day but I do not understand it.
I can talk like a pirate any day I want.
And I do.
So I don't need a special day for it.

The little enigma always had a pragmatic view on things, I do admit, and I always enjoyed discovering her opinions and how she'd explain them.

But that's the other thing. This day is just too damn close to Martha leaving. Two years ago on Talk Like A Pirate Day, she was quietly dying, in the last stages of liver failure. Five days later, she was gone.

I'm not trying to lapse back into the maudlin here, but you'll pardon me if I'm not quite so crazy about the day. There may be a bunch of Gosling's tossed back in her honor over the weekend, but that's as far as I'll go.

Comments

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

I understand your reluctance to celebrate (or participate--although frankly I more often text-message and occasionally post to messageboards like a pirate on this particular day).

I will admit a certain mental joy at the thought of Abbie attempting to talk like a pirate, however, as the only pirate he knew was Martha, and he didn't really pay much attention where that was concerned.

[spatch]

I still smile a lot at the thought of Martha taking over for Abbie while he was sick, and instead of providing updates, using her time to tell the nice people about the pirates.

[babs-the-nymph.livejournal.com]

*big hugs*

[cynicalgal.livejournal.com]

Is it really two years already? I know I never actually knew Martha, but I really do miss her, too. My condolences on this sad almostversary.

[spatch]

Yeah, it's been two years -- some times I feel as if she's been gone long enough that Abbie's the only cat I've known hanging around me, other times I am walking downstairs at night wondering where she may have gotten to.


(nice to hear from you again, by the by!)

[cynicalgal.livejournal.com]

For several years after my sweet Zelda died, I could *swear* I felt her (not inconsiderable) weight on the covers at the foot of my bed sometimes when I'd wake up during the night. I was always torn over whether to be happy I'd gotten a "visit" or to be sad that she was still gone. *sniff*

Anyway, Talk Like A Pirate Day is completely overrated and, given the Martha connection, should be totally abolished. I hereby declare it so!

(Nice to be heard again, btb.)

[limax.livejournal.com]

When I saw it announced on the front page of the Yahoo website, my eyes rolled so hard that I got a cramp.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

do you have a photo of her online?

i am not into "talk like a pirate" day either, because i don't know why everyone is so into pirates. they were muggers in boats!

[spatch]

I've a few photos of Martha online, but they're from around 1999 or so. Then again, everybody uses their old photos on the Internet all the time, don't they?


This one is called "Laundry basket is secured, SIR!"


This one demonstrates Martha's best defense when confronted with trouble. "Why are you pulling the plastic from under the door?" "I don't know, but I'm cute!"


She was nuts for laser pointers and had a vertical leap that'd make her a good center on a failing basketball team.

Several years later we had a new page of pictures annotated by Abbie. Sadly, Martha left before I got ahold of my cameraphone, so I don't think I have any pictures of her after that.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

brilliant.

this is cora. your cats are and were smarter.

[semer.livejournal.com]

<3 black cats

[cloudscout.livejournal.com]

Spider Cat!
Spider Cat!
Does whatever a Spider Cat does.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I took a few pictures of Martha -- I thought I sent them to you way back. I can dig 'em up.

She was a good kitty.

[spatch]

You may have burnt them to a CD? I can't find it around though. She loved that linear rocking chair but hated the stuffed iguanas.

[hermitgeecko.livejournal.com]

She's beautiful.

[kissoflife.livejournal.com]

WHAT an adorable cat! And I am not generally a cat person, but am totally a goner for her. My condolences.

[resk.livejournal.com]

Just for you, here's a link that has absolutely nothing to do with pirates.

[dskasak.livejournal.com]

This is also one of the reasons I get a bit maudlin around the time I moved from Chicago to Saint Louis, as that coincided with Souka's passing. My arrival in STL was on July 31, 2005; Souka was put to sleep on August 2 due to complications from kidney failure.

[greenlily.livejournal.com]

*ouch* I am sorry about Martha. She looks like a sweetheart.

And I understand, sort of. The memory of the Red Sox 2004 victory isn't entirely pleasant for me; it's mixed with the memory of coming in to work the next morning and finding out that one of our freshman students had passed away the night before of a very sudden illness. It doesn't prevent me from hoping the Sox make it to the World Series again, but if they do, it'll feel kind of weird.

[sernin.livejournal.com]

On a backup cd from years ago, I have a copy of a post you made to Heinous about hell, two kittens, and a spilled box of macaroni.

[spatch]

Oh my god, I would so love to read that again.

[semer.livejournal.com]

I have specifically not chosen my "needs more kittens" icon coz hey, there are enough kittens in this post already, y'know?

I still miss my little black mischief-maker, too. Even if I grow more and more convinced with the passage of time that he was mentally retarded. In a sweet way. :) (But seriously, who gets a foxtail burr IN THEIR EYE? What did he do, open his eye and rub it on the ground? Oi.)

Don't worry, I bet Martha and Lucky are out there with all the other Little Black Cats having all sorts of adventures. We're just not lucky enough to see 'em anymore.

[amandaruth2001.livejournal.com]

I remember the posts from when you brought home those two little sibling kittens. I can't believe it's already been two years, too. Your tribute to Martha remains one of the most touching things I've ever read, postpartum hormonal surges notwithstanding.

She looks remarkably like our Mathilda, but for the little white hairs on her chest.

[phonemonkey.livejournal.com]

Your little black cat looks an awful lot like my little black cat. I think they do it to confuse us.

[cursethedark.livejournal.com]

Talk Like A Pirate Day is definitely the kind of thing that's cooler when fewer people know about it...it helps to know that it actually started as a joke between a couple of guys.

[phonemonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. I never met her, but I loved reading about the little black cat.

I hate Talk Like A Pirate Day too.

[gwynethfar.livejournal.com]

That's so sad! However, I don't think you need a valid reason for disliking the day, anyway. I routinely dislike every other Thursday for no particular reason.