Beautiful Barley Black-stockings

[Sootyca]

So Sorry Sue.  She had the best life with so much love and joy in it.

[heather sullivan]

Oh so so sorry to hear that, life is bloody cruel, RIP Barley

[Rosella moggy]

The most beautiful young girl inside and out.  Such a delightful nature. 

Am so very sorry for your dreadful loss Sue and hold you, Ken, Moray and Malt in my heart at this horrible time for you all.

Run free adorable darling Barley  you will be missed more than words can express xxx

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Thanks everyone.  Still can't believe she's gone.  I miss our daily exchanges when she would tell me all about her day, and I would tell her how much I loved her. 

[souffle]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Run free at the bridge beautiful Barley x 

[alisonandarchie]

One more star in the night sky Sue for us to marvel at

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

There are shooting stars in the skies tonight.

They celebrate  "Barley's here!  Barley's here!"

How wonderful.  Sparkling stars of "farewell" and "welcome."

[Judecat (Paula)]

Sue, I can't think of anything to say that hasn't been said already, but my heart goes out to you both. I remember your despair at the start when the Gurlies first came to stay, The Velociraptors, your perseverance, how they so slowly came round, as has been said, your wonderful descriptions made them feel like your cats are part of our family as well.

I truly grieve with you both.

Play hard on The Bridge, darling Barley.

[Liz]

Sue our hearts are broken with you and Ken on the loss of your beautiful wonderous Barley x

[Kay and Penny]

you bring your cats to life so much with your descriptions, Sue, that we truly mourn their loss when they leave you

we cat lovers live our lives surrounded by the ghosts of those who have gone, and time and again we punish  ourselves with grief - but we go on because we are cat lovers, and the world is full of cats needing people like us

loss is the end, but not  the substance, of  being a cat owner

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Oh Sue! We know that heart-break all too well and share a little of your pain 

RIP beautiful Barley-Girl. Run free and safe at the Bridge.

 

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[dawnf]

oh Sue I'm heartbroken for you, I really have no words 

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

Oh Sue. 

I daren't even try to imagine how you are feeling, it's just too overwhelming.     You are in my thoughts and in my heart.   

[Tan]

Oh Sue  my heart goes out to you. Lives so so dear to us cruelty taken away.
Rest easy sweetheart Barley gurl together forever with your brothers and sisters.

I am thinking of you all and sending hugs.  If only they could be with us forever. 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

So.  Another autumn day.  Another unwelcome phone call to tell me that our beautiful Barley Black-stockings was gone.  Struck by a car, Just as we lost Tinks, Ross and MacBeenz MacSquee before her. 

My brash, bold, sparky, gentle girl.  My affectionate bundle of Barley-ness. 

So nervous and wary, but not wary enough, in the end.

I can't imagine life without her, though we're beginning to live it.  While she does not. 

Her love of life, her love of food, her love of sessions with the slicker brush, treadling away on Mammy's ratty old pink onesie, so beloved of our gurly. 

Her yells of outrage when Malt or Moray surprised her in a game that was a bit too rough for comfort.  All of those things are gone.   

Watching her, poised gracefully on the fencepost, limned in the late afternoon sunshine - tawny, honey and gold.

Stealing our hearts in a moment.  Leaping and twisting and turning, chasing Da Bird, expending her energy efficiently and joyously.

Surprising her, slinking through the cat flap, sporting a mouse moustache.    What?   

All of those things have gone. 

Christ, my heart is breaking. 

Only the day before yesterday, I held her gently, stroking her and whispering nonsense to her.  The biggest of which was when I told her how much Mammy and Daddy loved her, and how her job was just to be happy, healthy and safe.  How could I have been so stupid?  I tempted the fates, and Barley paid the price.

I will never forget our beautiful Barley Black Stockings.  She taught us so much.  She gave so much. 

Gently into the night, beautiful baby, and know my heart goes with you.