Category: Fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wilbur was probably the most loyal friend I ever had. With great sadness and eyes filled with tears, I said goodbye to him this week as he crossed the rainbow bridge.  Wilbur made that passage in much the same way he did everything else…with calm dignity.

Seventeen years ago Helen (adorable wife) and I moved into a new home that we had just completed on the lake and surrounded by trees.  It was early winter and a squadron of mice decided to move in with us and take over our basement. I was building several houses at that time and complained about the mice to a brick mason on one of our projects. Buddy, my brick mason friend, lived in one of the nearby farming communities and offered me one of the thirty feral cats that he fed daily as a way of bringing the mice under control.

Always a cat lover, I thought long and hard about his offer. The problem was that Helen had professed a strong disdain for cats and convincing her to allow one into her new home would be a real challenge. At the end of the work day, I returned to Buddy and said I would accept his offer, but I had three specifications for a cat. First, the cat had to be an ardent supporter of the Tennessee Volunteers and therefore it needed to be Orange and White. Second, the cat had to have the potential to be BIG.  No scrawny wimps would be tolerated. Third, if the new addition did not work out or if Helen put her foot down, Buddy would allow me to bring it back to his feeding station. He said he thought he had just what we needed.

Several weeks passed and I had all but forgotten about my discussion with Buddy, but one Sunday morning Helen and I returned home from church to find a large cage on our front porch.  Inside the cage calmly sat an orange and white cat.  On top of the cage was a note that read “My name is Tom and I’m yours”!

Tom was a mess. Hair was missing on one-third of his body from mange.  Blood and other junk were seeping from his nose, and fleas were having a field day on his naked skin. Nevertheless, there was something very appealing about this orange mess.  When he was released from the cage, I expected him to run for the woods, but instead, he walked over and began rubbing his head on my pants leg as he chattered away in a low mutter. He had me from hello. Helen’s nurturing instincts took over immediately and said we needed to get him to a Vet and get him cured of his ailments. Thankfully, that was the only discussion we had about allowing him to join the family.

Being that it was a Sunday, there were no Vet clinics open so I confined our new friend to the basement and went to buy some cat food, a water bowl, kitty litter and litter box. Helen placed an old blanket on the basement floor as a bed. The next morning I opened the basement door to gather Tom and take him to the Vet. Sitting on the top step, was a cat and a half-eaten mouse.  I assumed he was giving me a deposit on the rent and the Vet bill.

It was a good thing because the trip to the Vet was expensive.  After treatments for mange, a respiratory infection, de-worming, and neutering, I was left holding a tab for over $400. There was no way that this cat was going anywhere until our basement was free of rodents. He was officially ours and put to work immediately. The veterinarian estimated his age to be about three years.

Over time, this arranged adoption worked out extremely well. From the day he returned from the veterinarian, he was my constant companion and followed me around like a lovesick puppy. Because he was constantly talking to us, he was given the name Wilbur from the owner of the TV talking horse of the 50’s.  Helen loved the way he chattered away and it gave her someone to talk to in the mornings when I was still in the non-contact zone. For someone who never liked cats, she soon was admittin’ to being smitten with this kitten.

Wilbur was polydactyl, meaning that he was born with six toes on his front paws as opposed to the five toes of normal cats. He also had an extra dew claw between his thumb and first toe. Mice, once caught, never had a chance with Wilbur, and within months we never saw another one in our basement. He also did a number on moles, chipmunks, and even small rabbits in our yard.  This cat was born to hunt. Surprisingly, he gave birds their distance.  I always supposed that Helen had laid down the law to him in their morning conversations.

Laid back but never lazy, Wilbur went through mice and Meow Mix in a frenzy and his weight soon ballooned from 14 to over 26 pounds.  His mange went away quickly and he was blessed with a shining orange coat and a shimmering white patch across his chest.  I was blessed with the big cat I always wanted. Wilbur was a real stud…metaphorically speaking. Although we had five animals in our household, Wilbur took the “Best Pet” trophy almost every month.

His ability to capture mice notwithstanding, it was his charm that warmed Wilbur to everyone.  He was a people cat.  Unlike most cats that are indifferent and downright disagreeable, Wilbur never met a stranger.  After we downsized to a smaller home, I was concerned as to how he would react in a neighborhood with a lot of folks out walking the streets. My concerns were unfounded.  Wilbur soon got to know everyone and sought out anyone who would permit him to rub his head on their ankles as he had always done to me. 

Time marched on and seventeen years after arriving at our doorstep as an orphan, Wilbur, at age 20, began to let us know that it was time to say goodbye.  Instead of sleeping on our feet and leading me to the treat basket the first thing every morning, he began sleeping in a closet.  His weight dropped precipitously to around 12 pounds, and suddenly he did the one thing he had never done–he stopped using his litter box. Time and kidney failure had taken a toll.

On Monday of this week, knowing that the inevitable was coming, I did everything imaginable to avoid making a call to the Vet who had first treated him so long ago.  Finally, I placed the call, made an appointment, and cried all the way there.  We diverted to pass by our former home where he first came to us. I suppose it was to recall some great days and perhaps another way of stalling for more time.  

I entered the veterinarian’s office where I was greeted warmly by the staff who spoke in hushed tones.  The Veterinarian led me to an office and left me alone with Wilbur for a few minutes together.  When he returned, he was extremely comforting to me and incredibly and professionally humane to Wilbur.  Within a few minutes Wilbur passed quietly, and my loyal friend was now a memory.

So long, Wilbur, we’ll try Easin’ Along without you.

It is so very strange not having him around…I miss him more than I can put into words.

Special thanks are extended to Dr. Bihl and Volunteer Veterinary Clinic for many years of professional care for our animals and for the kind comfort extended to me this week during a very difficult situation. We remain eternally grateful.

 

An active retirement has a lot of moving parts.  We focus on four of them—Faith, Family, Food, and Fun—as the center of Easin’ Along and try to hit on one of them each week. When we have a week to experience all four, we’ve had a great week. Such was the case recently when Helen (adorable wife) and I took Bertha to Middle Tennessee for a few days beside Percy Priest Lake at Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort.

Family

It all started when my sister, LeAnn, and brother-in-law, Marty booked a week at Nashville Shores to spend some time in their new motor home, a 36-foot luxury hotel room on wheels. We thought it would be a great opportunity to enjoy some family time while giving us another opportunity to get Bertha a bit more organized before we take off on another extended road trip. We secured the last space available for the week, but the space we were given backed up to Percy Priest Lake and we had a great view from our patio.

Another reason for LeAnn and Marty to visit Nashville was to help their son, Rob, move into the new home that he and his wife, Melissa, had just purchased. On our first night, we went to the new home where we were joined by Melissa’s Mom and LeAnn’s twin daughters and their husbands for a cook-out. Even though Rob and Melissa had barely moved in, we had a delightful family gathering and a great start to the week.

The next morning began with coffee on the patio area behind Bertha.  Although it would later prove to be a very hot day, the morning was wonderful. We watched a family of Canadian geese swim by and also watched the family next to us pack up their motorhome. The RV had Florida tags and I couldn’t help but ask where they were going next. They explained that their business involved working with polo horses and they spend each winter in Florida and then spend a month driving to Aspen, Colorado for the summer. You meet the most interesting folks in RV parks…   

Soon LeAnn and Marty joined us. I was eager to try out my new camp stove and griddle and needed no prodding to whip up some pancake batter and cook some bacon for breakfast. Everything turned out ok, but more practice is needed with the new stove. LeAnn and Marty were kind enough clean their plates of the overcooked pancakes but left quickly to do some kayaking on the lake when I offered second helpings. My family is a very thoughtful bunch.

The rest of the day was devoted to casual activity. Helen and I walked around the resort for exercise while LeAnn and Marty spent several hours in their kayaks.  The rest of the morning was spent getting Bertha a little more organized. We also replaced the old bedspread and sheets with a new and more colorful selection.

That afternoon the empty spot next to us was filled with a young couple and their two children who arrived from West Tennessee towing a 30-foot Classic Airstream trailer.  Although I love Bertha, this Airstream left me filled with envy. The owner skillfully maneuvered the trailer into the campsite and hooked up the utilities with practiced precision. After the setup was complete, we introduced ourselves and had a very enjoyable conversation.  Throughout the next few days, we had the chance to get to know them and found them to be quite charming.  Their children were well-mannered, energetic, and fun. I have posted a precious picture of their daughter taken by her Mom at the water park.

The couple was gracious enough to give Helen and me a tour of their Airstream. I’ve seen some elegant RV’s lately, including the one owned by Marty and LeAnn and the Airstream ranks right there with all of them. Although it is called a Classic, everything about it is ultra modern including marble countertops, LED lighting, and leather reclining couches. We fell in love with the many large windows that provided an open, airy feel to the interior.  I found a floor plan and posted it below for anyone considering a travel trailer in their future.

Fun

The next day we were treated to the use of LeAnn and Marty’s kayaks for a ride on Percy Priest Lake. These kayaks are propelled by fins on the underside and are driven by pedals similar to a bicycle.  Marty spent some time giving us an orientation then turned us loose.  Helen was somewhat limited by her knee issues, but we had fun nonetheless and it was great being on the water.

That afternoon, we decided to hit the water park and the Lazy River.  Just as we were purchasing tickets (Senior discounts…always ask) four bus loads of school children arrived for an afternoon of fun in the sun.  Nashville Shores Water Park is huge and able to absorb a large crowd with relative ease, but on this day it seemed that the large crowd all wanted to join me on the Lazy River.  I managed to get five trips around the course before I gave up and found a lounge chair for some people watching…almost as much fun as River riding. Next, it was back to Bertha for a nap in the air conditioning.

Food

Readers to Easin’ Along know how much we love good food and Papa Turney’s Barbeque at the Marina filed the bill. We went there to try it out and were not disappointed in the least.  In fact, the barbecue ribs were, and I’m not exaggerating, the best I’ve ever had…ever! They were coated in a scrumptious rub then smoked to fall-off-the-bone condition, and served hot. We ordered them to go and took the meal back to Bertha’s patio to enjoy them next to the water. I savored every bite, but could not eat the entire order.  In fact, I save three ribs to enjoy several days later and they were still as good as fresh.  This little restaurant is one hidden gem.

During our last night, the remnants of a tropical storm moved into the Nashville area which required that we load up and drive back to Knoxville in a heavy rain. I hooked up Bertha and received some very welcome help from the Airstream owner which reduced my time in the rain. I thanked him profusely for the help (and the cookies brought over by their son the night before). We gave LeAnn and Marty a goodbye hug and drove on. Bertha handled the rain and the traffic without difficulty.

Faith

On Sunday we experienced the Faith component of our very pleasurable week by attending church on Sunday then joining the members of our congregation in a farewell picnic for our departing minister. Our minister, one of only three in the 70-year history of our church had accepted the call of a church in his hometown of Charleston, SC and this was his last Sunday with us. We’re going to miss him very much. Eternally energetic and blessed with an engaging smile, Dr. Seigling has served God and our church superbly in the six years he has been with us. Although there was an air of sadness about his leaving, everyone was happy for him that he would be returning to the area that he loves.  There also was some great fun at the picnic when the staff and assistant ministers brought out a new kayak and a life jacket and presented it to the very surprised and very grateful recipient. A good time was had by all.

This event topped off a delightful week for Helen and me. We had shared in the love of family; we enjoyed fantastic food (ribs – not pancakes), had a bunch of fun with Bertha at Nashville Shores, and joined with many fellow church members to send well wishes to someone who had contributed much to our walk of faith. 

Yep…that’s a wonderful week with all the components covered. Retirement is a great gig and it’s a good time to be Easin’ Along.