Update Link: Chain Reaction – Part 26
In Case You Missed It: These Small Hours, Chapters 1-3

Note: Most of this blog post is personal and may contain some trigger warnings for pet illness, but here’s some story news: These Small Hours is scheduled and ready for release on Tuesday morning. I anticipate at least one Flash Fiction update midweek while the Phillies play the Brewers — the start time is pushed back an hour when they go to Milwaukee. I’ll update the sidebar as soon as I know. We’re in the final weeks of the season, so Flash will get a stable off-season time slot soon. See you for the next flash update.

Thanks for your patience these last few weeks as I got back to work and battled some real life issues. I picked up a really nasty cold that laid me absolutely flat last week — I used pretty much all my energy to finish the edit for These Small Hours. I started to feel a little better as the week got underway, but Wednesday morning, I woke up without a voice! I made it through Wednesday & Thursday without much of a voice, but teaching high school — it was really taking a toll on me. I was already planning to take Friday off to rest it, catch up on some sleep, and just generally kick the last of the cold.

But, well, it wasn’t to be. I did make it to the doctor on Thursday and I’m feeling better that way, though the voice isn’t entirely back, I’m good enough to get back to corralling students. When I got home on Thursday, I had to kind of face something I’ve been avoiding for pretty much the entire summer. I didn’t talk about it here, other than mentioning her vet visits. I think I just wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening. We got lucky — the tumor grew very slowly and literally, Sasha was her normal, cuddly, interrupting, keyboard stealing self on Wednesday night, just a little bit slower and eating less. But at some point over that next 24 hours, the tumor just — it took over. If you’ve ever had a cat with a nasal tumor, you might know what I mean, and I’ll leave it at that. And by Friday morning, it was clear I was down to days if that, before her condition deteriorated rapidly. I never wanted that for her, not for my sweet girl who deserved much better. So I made the choice to let her go. She passed, just before 5PM on Friday, in my arms, sleeping, after one last round of treats.

I appreciate all the warm thoughts and wishes sent my way. Sasha was a regular feature in my updates and tweets, and it’s already been unsettling these last few days not to be interrupted at my desk, or to protect my egg yolks from her begging eyes (would have bathed in yolk if I’d let her). Or leaving my laundry on my bed, folded, but without a sheet pulled over it because Sasha loved nothing more than laying across fresh laundry and leaving some cat hairs behind. I had fifteen amazing years with her, and I know she felt loved until the end. I just wish it had been longer. I wish I had hugged her one more time, but isn’t that always how it goes?

If you have any pets, give them hugs and kisses, and tell them I said hi. <3

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