Remembering Barney & Fluffy

WELCOME to an all-new weekend of blogging ! This weekend I’m remembering Barney and Fluffy. They passed away during this same week of April 5 years apart in 2001 (Fluffy) and 2006 (Barney). They were the childhood cats of me and my brother (8 years younger than me), but I should clarify that a bit.

We found Fluffy (a Manx) outside on our elevated patio deck on a bitter cold and icy Northern Virginia morning on the 23RD of December in 1983. We brought her in, gave her some milk to drink, loved on her, and then she refused to leave. She remained with us (our family) for over 17 years – until 2001 – long after me and my brother had become adults and moved on with our respective lives.

Barney arrived about 4½ years later in 1988 while I was living here in Homestead Florida (where I’m still living today). My brother was still living at home. I’m not sure where exactly we got Barney, but it may have been from a coworker of our Mom. Barney remained with our family for about 18 years – until 2006.

Both cats lived long, fat, and happy lives. Fluffy was the most lovable feline I have ever known in my entire life. I had never heard a purr in my life until I heard it from her. Barney was simply “the cat that didn’t like me” – although during his last year (of perhaps senility) he came over to me and purred on me as if to ask me for my forgiveness for all of those years in which he didn’t care for me. Barney loved my brother more than anyone else.

Here are some classic photos of Barney and Fluffy. The first one has a date imprinted on the back of it of ‘APR 89’; however, I suspect that the photo was actually taken around Christmas-time of 1988. That would make Fluffy about 5½ to 6 years old and Barney less than a year old. The second photo was taken several years later well into the 1990s. Same wall and location – different couch.