my grandparents had come to my apartment to visit one afternoon (said apartment was the second floor of a house) and we heard this loud meowing but couldn't figure out where it came from. I thought lucky got stuck in the closet again but found him on the windowsill looking at me as if to say "not me dude keep steppin". suddenly my grandfather looked up and found him. a tiny kitten on the roof. he climbed up on the railing and brought him down.

he was tiny all right we figured about 6 weeks old. he had a huge grease stain on his head presumably from crawling under a car to find some warmth at night. it was late November and the weather had turned pretty cold at night. he handed him to me and he clung to my shoulder and purred as loud as he could. they suggested I take him in but there was a problem... 2 actually one was my roommate didn't like cats and more important the 15 lb tomcat in the aforementioned windowsill.

I wasn't worried about scott I could deal with him it was lucky that worried me he didn't seem overly fond of other cats and outweighed this little guy by a LOT. so I said no I can't and put out a food dish for him on the porch and some water. he was quite hungry and went to town on the food immediately. my grandparents went home and I went inside.

a couple hours later after dark I looked out the window onto the porch and saw the food dish. it looked as if he hadn't touched it since I went in. I figured he had moved on and went out to get it. the second I opened the door I saw him huddled up between the post and the wall hiding from the wind. at that point I really wanted to bring him in but stuck to my guns. he ran over and began eating again so I petted him and he seemed very happy. I went back in and began watching tv again.

a few minutes later I looked out the window again and saw him hiding in the same spot. as soon as he saw me he ran to the window and sat there looking up at me as if to say "please??" I could take no more I decided what's the worst that can happen? so I opened the door. he walked in the house as if he'd lived there his whole life, tail in the air. here comes lucky and i'm bracing for the worst. to my surprise they sniff each other's noses and the kitten just walks by him unfazed.

lucky seems a bit confused but calm so he follows the kitten all the way back to the bathroom, where he uses lucky's litter box (one thing in the little guys favor!) lucky just watches. he then walks across the hall to lucky's food dish. now i'm on edge it's about to go down..... except it doesn't lucky again just watches... calmly. so now relieved I go back to the couch and lay down. the kitten jumps up and curls up behind my knees... uh oh you can pee in his box and eat his food but do NOT cuddle with his daddy.

lucky jumps on the back of the couch reaches out and smacks the kitten over his head. and in return I knocked him right off the back of the couch. this little scene repeats itself, then one last time lucky comes up from behind and as I prepare to defend this timy little thing again he reaches out and begins to groom him. to say i'm stunned is an understatement. it was official this little guy had found a home.

needless to say scott wasn't thrilled but just said keep it out of my room to which I reminded him that's why they invented the door. it wasn't 2 weeks before I knew my roomie liked the little bugger. I was struggling with a name for him and one day scott just out of the blue said "his name is bones" because that's all he was skin and bones. we tried to rectify that by feeding him kitten food, but as fate would have it all he would eat was lucky's diet food and lucky ate the kitten food!! so I had a skinny kitten and a fat tomcat. as it would turn he needed the calories when bones decided he was his new playmate... by playing I mean chasing him lap after lap through the apartment.

bonesy knew the moment I took him from pop that day he had found his home, he just had to convince me. or was it fate? bones was the second of my boys that I found in a 2 year stretch (chuck came the following feb) they saw me through the lonliest years of my life. scott's death and several bad relationships. when I had no one I had them and their unconditional love. the Lord blessed me with them and when I finally found happiness he began to call them home. after I met my wife he took lucky in 07, after we got married he took chuck in 09 and now that we're no longer struggling to keep a roof over our heads he's taken bonesy. they saw me through 17 years of tough times and their task is done.

the hole in my heart they leave behind can never be filled. but I hold their memory there and always will. I love all of you but I take comfort in knowing the 3 of you are together again and remember what I told you.... I will find you

sleep well bonesy you have earned it.

9/3/15
hi bear, only 2 days I haven't even gotten you back yet. I keep expecting you to pop up on the desk for a drink then I remember. so many people saying so many nice things about you here. you were always a charmer never needed my help there. I find myself remembering so many things I haven't thought of in years. like when you used to pick fights with your own reflection in the screen door window when you were little... till one night I realized there was actually another cat outside (one of ted's got out). or when you just a tiny thing I used to play SOOOOOOOO BIG with you... you acted like you hated it but always jumped right back up on my chest. maybe scott can come visit you he really did like you although he insisted he didn't like cats. I remember having to close you guys out of the bedroom at night because SOMEONE (can't imagine WHO) kept knocking everything over on the dresser. and every morning you'd stick your little paws as far as you could under the door like you were reaching for me. yeah I know that didn't last too long, I think that ended when I brought chuck home. when I came home today I almost went to the bedroom to check on you, then I remembered. it would be easier if mommy was home but I couldn't ask her to cancel on aunt kim and she's having a good time at the shore. she'll be home tomorrow and we'll make room for you next to chuck in the secretary. we'll just have to move lucky and chuck's candles over a bit I think. come to think of it we need one for you and for stevie too. have you bumped into ol boo boo up there? I should tell you freddy knows your gone he's been sad. but he's a beagle he'll bounce back. speaking of fred I need to feed him now and try to eat something myself. I love you bear.

9/13/15
we brought you home on Thursday. I put you next to chuck in the secretary. the paw print they gave us came out really nice, i'd like to get it painted and maybe a little stand for it so we can see it better. right now it's on top of your box. i'm going to pick out a picture of you to get framed and put with lucky and chuck's pictures. i'll have to dig up the flash drive most of them are on there i'm sure we'll find one, one from when you were young and such a little troublemaker :) I haven't gotten a handle on you being gone yet, strange not having you sleep next to me. obviously none of the other cats care to they all sleep with mommy. I should tell you freddy isn't doing well, he has trouble getting up and needs help to go up stairs. I know you didn't like him much but be nice for me when he finally comes to the bridge ok? he'll likely want to give you a big wet kiss and I know you hate that. you can always hide behind lucky you know HE will put fred in his place. but seriously I don't know how long it will be but I think the next few months will be tough. I love you bear I miss you so much.

10/1/15
hi bear... was thinkin about you and when I came home someone nice had signed your guest book. everyone tells me how handsome you were, as if I didn't know that :) freddy is doing better lately although I think those hind legs will do him in before too long. the rest of the gang is good. none of them will come sleep with me it's like they still think that's your spot (well to be honest it will ALWAYS be YOUR spot) but peanut and garfield sleep right at my feet... ok a lot of times peanut sleeps in between mommy's feet haha. house just isn't the same without you in it... I don't think I've had a good night sleep since you left.. just can't get used to no bear cuddled up under my chin. I miss you, every day I miss you. now go on back to lucky i'll be there before you know it. I WILL find you.

12/28/15
merry Christmas bear. 1st one without you in a long time. had to renew chuck's page so I couldn't come here without stopping by to see you. freddy isn't doing well his front legs are starting to give out, but he's too stubborn to give in he keeps hobbling along. we miss you so much. there's so much I want to say but I don't have the words. keep lucky in line till I get there and try to get along with stevie. my love to all of you

3/24/16
hi bear :) had to update info... again. but I wanted to say hi while I was here. stopped in to leave chuck a note. keep him out of trouble ok? give my love to lucky and stevie too. I miss you boneseroni. mommy sends her love too.

8/8/16 hi bear.... they say your aniversary is coming up... almost a year, i still expect to find you next to me at night... just today i saw a kitten at the ARL that was your twin... i had to tell myself it wasn't you but it was hard. speaking of kittens we have 5 at home. we took in another hard luck case but she fights with all the other cats so she can't stay. sucks because we like her a lot but she's just mean and nasty to the others. we're going to get her fixed and find her a nice farm to live on she'll be happy there i think. i know she'd make a good housecat but she could only be with one of her kittens and it's hard to find someone to take a cat AND a kitten. makes me sad of course but who knows maybe in the next 5 weeks she'll calm down. the kittens are cuties :)i named them tigger, patches smokey and dusty, i still need a name for the 5th one haha... we think we're going to keep tigger... ok forget the think part. i miss you bear i'm glad you didn't have to meet missy but i wish you could meet the kittens... give my love to chuck, lucky and stevie boo boo. i miss all of you so much

12/26/16
heads up boneseroni... Freddy is on his way to the bridge so be NICE to him, please?? mommy and me are heartbroken but it would help if we know you'll look after him for us. i told chuck to look for him but he doesn't know ol stinky. so you be brave and help chuck out ok? and keep his nose away from lucky you know how HE feels about doggies. we miss you so much bonesy, give our love to lucky, stevie and lulu. i'll see you again some day we love you.

1/19/17
it's Chuck's 8th anniversary today... these things always make me think of the 3 of you, and how much i miss you all. of course i miss all 6 of you but you 3 were my 3 stooges before mommy came into our lives. you were all i had for so long and once you were all sure it was forever you went home one at a time. you stayed the longest but it seems like i lost you all just yesterday. my heart is still broken from Freddy but it never healed from any of you. speaking of Fred i hope he's behaving... and he hasn't felt Lucky's wrath... who knows maybe the ol' fatcat has mellowed a bit at the bridge. give everyone my love bear, i'll be there before you know it.

8/7/19
hey Bonesy... been a little too long since i visited you. sorry about that it's been a bad year. maybe you already know, you might have even met some of them. Since Freddy left us, Dad lost Thor, Marie lost Beretta (he likes cats so maybe you met him, Liz lost Jerry Lee (you two were the same age) and Amy lost Riley... yeah i know, all dogs just what you needed haha. The kittens are all grown up now, i think you would have liked them, peanut kind of adopted them as her own. even though i don't visit so often i never stop thinking of you. i hope you and Lulu learned to get along, that would mean so much to us both. mommy misses you too never doubt that. we love you Bonesy

9/1/17
Boneseroni... my little buddy, 2 years? doesn't seem like it. hell it seems like last week, me and mommy were just talking about you a few days ago. so many faces have passed through our house since you left but it will never quite be the same without you, or your brothers. how is ol stinky butt? and the fatcat for that matter... i miss you guys so much. i think that's why we have so many cats, i keep looking for one like you and Lucky with no luck. I suppose there are no more like the 2 of you. they're all good cats and the loooooooove mommy, but i'm just kind of there for the most part... we're thinking of getting a new beagle soon, and i'll hope he's like Chuck (with a little Freddy mixed in there of course) but he'll be the dog he is and we'll love him for that... i know you were never a fan of Freddy but you DID like Chuck... Freddy isn't still chasing you around up there.... is he?? he just wanted to play with you so be nice to him. i miss you bear so very much. soak up the sun and be patient, they say time has no meaning there so we'll see you before you know it. we love you

12/26/17
merry Christmas Bonesy... hope all is well at the bridge. How is the ol fat cat? ornery as ever? bet he still looks out for you too. it's Freddy's anniversary today, try to be nice to him. i know you didn't like him much in life, but mommy and daddy loved all of you so much. tell Lucky i still think of him, as i do all of you. Buster is doing pretty good all things considered. pretty sure you wouldn't have liked him much either, he's a little rambunctious for your taste. you'd never know he's 9 he acts like a pup. you hang on till mommy or me comes for you buddy. we love you so much, and we miss you.

9/1/18

3 years... can't believe it's that long. sometimes I still feel you curled up next to my belly at night... we miss you so much. we talk about you like you're over on the couch and not gone. keep an eye on Chuck for me ok? and give our love to all your brothers and sisters... we miss you all... love you bear

9/1/19

hi Bonesy... not doing so good visiting you guys as i used to... haven't forgotten you though. still think of you often. guess you know we finally got out of Reading. you'd love our new house, lots of windows. I miss you bear... i miss all of you so much... be good i'll try to do better visiting you. love you

12/1/19

hey Boneseroni... look at this less than a year between visits... Garfield has taken to sleeping next to me the way you used to... sometimes i wake up and reach down expecting to feel your fur... i need you to tell lucky something for me... how sorry i am that we left him buried in the woods at Poppy's house. never in my life would i have believed that house would ever leave our family. i hate that i can't visit him... but he's sleeping next to Pepper (you guys never met her she was our dog many years ago) and i can't visit her either. i love you guys i'll never be over you 3. hugs bonesybear

12/26/19

merry Christmas bear. it's Freddy's anniversary today so i wanted to wish all of you a merry Christmas and tell you i love you and i miss you. i'm very sad today thinking about Freddy, makes me miss you all the more. a good Bonesy hug would have been just what i needed. miss you boneroni

8/4/20
hey Bonesy how's my grumpy old man? Mommy told me you came to visit her the other night, and you brought your friends :) that made me smile. you know me and mommy aren't smiling much these days and i think that's why you came to see her... thanks you bear. I hope you and Buster are getting along ok he likes cats and he needs some friends. we miss him so much it's terrible. he left with so much life left to live. I'm sure Freddy and Chuck are keeping him company. I hope you and Lulu are being nice to each other. Give my love to the whole gang, sooner than you think I'll be holding you again. all my love Bonesy

9/1/20
where has 5 years gone??? it seems like you haven't been gone but a few weeks some days. Mommy and I are doing a little better, but we haven't come to terms with Buster yet... it was too fast and too soon. Cancer sucks.... right? guess you would know :( we miss you so much, no one really sleeps with me. louie lays behind my legs sometimes but that's it. i love you

6/21/21
Bonesy bear... God i miss you and Lucky so much. I'm guessing Garfield found you guys ok. He left too soon, just like Buster. I know Lucky will look after him and you help out. You were the sweetest cat Bonesy, I still feel you even though you never saw this house. I feel you snuggled up to my belly at night. I wonder, did you teach louie that? He slams himself down in the same spot sometimes, just like you used to. I love you bones, give chubby a good rub from Daddy and tell him I think of him often. Love you all

9/1/21
so today is 6 years, it's so hard to believe. I still have you as the screen saver on my old phone, Garfield is on the new on but you understand that. How is Baby bear doing? He's not fighting with Lulu is he... or Lucky for that matter. I'll bet the boys were happy to see him, his beagle buddies. I need you to pass on to all of them how much we love and miss all of you. I could really use one of your hugs right now. I love you Bonesy

12/26/21
today is Freddy's 5 year anniversary... wanted to stop in and see all of you bear... christ I miss you. things aren't very good for me right now I miss my 3 stooges, tell the fatcat I'd give anything to hear his overblown MEOOOOOOOW... I miss you guys so much I think I need you now more than I ever did but you did your job and went home. I'm trying bear but it's getting harder. I miss you and i love you

4/28/22
hey Boneroni... I'm still here, still struggling, still missing you guys. It's Garfield's anny today, more tears. I'm trying Bonesy I really am, somehow knowing if I leave here early they won't let me see you guys is what keeps me going. I just wallow in my darkness and go through the motions but it's all I've got. I love you guys tell Lucky how much I miss him. Until I see you, I love you

5/21/22
hey bear, I guess you've met Mollie. she's my baby girl please be good to her she's so gentle and sweet. even Peanut liked her. mommy and i hurt so bad right now I miss you. I wish I had you to snuggle with at night. Mollie loved to snuggle. we love you so much bonesy bear. I'll see you soon

Please also visit chuck.