Au Revoir Portia

I have a small, miniscule in size enormous in heart clan to which I belong. We stick together - we back each other up - we would live and die and kill for each other. That is how our clan exists. Today we lost a 20 year member and it hurts.

Portia McGee joined us one day on the front porch during lunch, she was scrawny, about 8 weeks old and HUNGRY. She continued to jump on the table and be swept off til finally I went inside and got food. She preferred the tuna salad we were eating and so it began. She explained that she had lived in France, gone to Cordon Bleu and was a saucier. She was, but she was so much more.
She became Sadie, our black lab great dane mix dog's best friend. They would lay on the chaise lounge on the front porch dog on bottom with cat laying on top of her and survey their world. Portia, like me, was never at a loss for words. And her tales of cooking and France and joie de vive - have kept us entertained for 20 years.
During law school she stayed up late, kept me going when I wanted to quit and loved learning all about antiques. During Lyme disease she laid next to me when I thought I would die and purred and sang to me and kept me going. She never tired of taking us under wing and showing us a more dressy side of life - she loved French wine, sterling silver, crystal and of course she though copper was a MUST to cook in. She believed everything should have heavy cream and butter and be cooked at 350. She made cheesecakes to die for!
When we moved 10 years ago she wound up having both back knees rebuilt by the dearly missed Dave McGee - her vet - and never missed a meal.  She was a friendly, happy beautiful cat who we loved dearly. A lot of memories get crammed into 20 years. There will never be another Portia.

As we are apt to do, I made her promises the last few days - we both knew the end was near - to go back and start trying new recipes again, to publish her cook book, to remember to live and to always know that we were a huge part of each other's lives. Mostly that whatever waits on the other side - we would search to find each other again.
She has sung me to sleep each night for most of those 20 years. My greatest regret is that I don't have a recording of it. I can still hear it in my head and hopefully that will get me through the coming nights.
I will love you forever and miss you until we meet again. I do not know your destination but I hope your travels are adventure filled and can't wait to hear about your exploits at our next meal.

Au Revoir Portia, until we meet again!