Stormy season!

It was exceptionally windy yesterday and then the rain began. 
The remnants of Storm Ali passing by rattling the fences and blowing over bins and patio pots. 
The trees being tossed around. 
It kind of matched my mood really. 
   When we arrived home from our holiday on Sunday evening, hubby went to collect our cat Tiger from Posh Paws Cattery as usual on Monday morning.
As soon as Tiger came indoors I knew he was not himself.
     I had been concerned a few times over the past couple of months as he was after all getting on in years for a cat. 
     This was different. 
It was as if he had lost all his strength. 
      I knew in my heart of hearts that I had to contact our vet, who had been treating him each month for awhile. 
      The problem would recede for a bit, but never actually completely improve.
      So with a heavy heart I made the call on Tuesday morning. 
 No long afterwards the lovely person who looked after him at the cattery phoned, asking how he was and saying he had not been himself at all during his stay with them. I told them that I was taking him to the vet. He actually had a scheduled check for Friday of this week. And I said it had underlined the decision which I, and hubby, had just made.    
       We took him yesterday just after lunch. knowing we would return without him. 
   They were so lovely there, and had given us an appointment when no-one else was in for a scheduled consultation. 
    It is a busy practice and we have been taking him since he was 6 months old, and a rescue cat.  
        When we arrived back home, I felt completely exhausted and wrapped myself in my snuggle blanket on the settee and dozed on and off. 
     I was in bed by 7.30pm.
This morning I got up and came downstairs as usual to quiet and an emptiness where there would have been a noisy demand for food.......then a saunter up the garden, although I rather think he would not have cared to go out in the heavy rain and wind which greeted me on opening the back door! 
         We will miss him terribly, but know it was his time to leave, even though we made the decision.
        I looked at the dripping leaves of the rose on the garage wall and took the photo. 
     Later on I went out with three friends for lunch. It had been arranged a few weeks ago. I did not feel much like it but they all knew Tiger and it was comforting to talk about him.
      We will not replace him, having been our fourth cat and the most characterful and loving. A real people cat.
        And at 70 years old I think it is hard to take on another young cat and have him/or her live to 16 or 17 years old when both of us would be in our 80's. 
           So it was goodbye to a wonderful member of the family, and as I said earlier, the weather suited  my mood  today.