Our cat Bernie passed away recently. He went from being a playful, energetic goofball to a sick old man in just a few days. He died peacefully at home (in my lap) and is now buried under the best sugar maple tree on the property.
Bernie was the first (and only) animal I got completely on my own (well, Jessica, my post-college roommate had to agree). I got him a few weeks after graduating college. He lived with us in 4 states - including in a tiny, 13th floor apartment in DC.
I think he liked Indiana best, though, because in his heart, Bernie was an outside cat. He was only allowed out under supervision, but he took every opportunity he could to chase bugs, eat grass and sleep in the sun.
Bernie was a trouble-maker, but no one minded because he was so cute about it. He liked to sit on the kitchen table during dinner, snuggle between you and whatever book you were trying to read, and insert himself into as many pictures as possible.
He especially enjoyed laying on clean clothes.
Especially, especially if they were black and he could get his white fur all over them.
Warning...this next photo is of our first apartment together...Bill was a grad student and we were both rather messy... (see the cheap wine in the background??)
Bernie was the subject of my first foray on the internet...back when you had to code the html directly or use programs like Front Page. (if I can find a link on the wayback machine, I'll include it here)
He was a great cat and he will be greatly missed.
