Sunsets & Sara

I’m now deep into my holiday in Adelaide. After a fun weekend, I awoke to sad news on Monday, my beloved cat Sara had passed away in the night, after a full and fun 19 years of life. I had picked Sara out as a kitten from a shelter and she had been my companion during my early years in Academia. When I left Australia in 1999, Sara went to live with my parents.

Every time I went back to visit my folks, I always enjoyed reconnecting with Sara. She had a dominant, regal personality, the kind of cat that was happy to push you off a sofa in winter, once you had warmed it for her, or wake you in the morning, if you dared oversleep her breakfast time.

And, she was loved. Although very frail at the end, she was still walking and responding to pats on her final day. Three generations of my family spent time, making her feel comfortable, cared for and respected. A pet that lives so long becomes social glue in a family. Sara was such an important part of our lives.

I’ve been taking it pretty easy on this trip and since Sara passed, I decided to cancel a few plans (trips to wine country, cinema and museums). I’ve been checking out some local retail startups (report soon) and exploring some parks and developments.

And, not everything has gone well. I smashed my iPhone up pretty badly and while photographing on the beach I dropped my favourite 105mm lens in the surf.

Still, I’ve mostly been trying to take it easy this week, taking long bike rides, sharing stories and chasing sunsets. It’s a time to think about how much my life has changed since I took that little grey kitten home, fed her and watched her fall asleep by my side.