Professor April McGonnegal

This is April taking a cat nap on the ironing board. Isn't she adorable?

She came straight from heaven. Well, FarmBoy Gary says she was kicked out. In my other life I used to manage apartment buildings. One day a resident heard tiny little "mews" coming from the wall. I had the maintenance guys chop a hole in the wall where we found an entire litter of kittens that had fallen three stories. I found homes for all of them; yes, April came home with me.

FarmBoy Gary and I took turns feeding her milk from a doll bottle every 3-4 hours. She was just too cute with her little paws on that bottle sucking away. That was in 2004.

The problem with "bottle babies" is they bond with humans and forget they are animals. April loved us but hated any other cat that came near her. During the last ten years we have had a plethora of cats. Number one: we love cats. Number two: we live on a farm and need serious rodent control. So, yes, April hated each and every one while simultaneously giving us lots of love.

Here she is working on her Doctorate in Cat Napping. She got very good at it; in fact she was the top of her class.

For her first five years April was an indoor city cat. For her next five years she was a bona-fide indoor/outdoor country cat. She surprised us by loving the outdoors; she especially loved, you guessed it, cat napping in the greenhouse which she cleverly entered via the window.

Cat napping on FarmBoy Gary's lap.

We do love our baskets...big and small.

April also loved sewing. She especially loved to UNthread my serger. Can you see her initial M on her forehead?!

A couple of weeks ago I found April curled up in a little box...she died in her sleep. Professor April McGonnegal went back to heaven. Rest well little sweetheart, you were loved.