On Saturday, April 18th 2008, a very dear member of our family, one who will be loved, cherished, and missed terribly, has passed away. Born on June 1st 1989, she entered my life before I was even aware she existed. There are countless pictures (that are lost at the moment) of me as an infant, with Patch cradling my head as I lay in my crib and slept. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a good memory of her. Like this one; whenever my mother went out and bought McDonalds for dinner, she'd always get me the chicken nuggets because they were my favorite. But I had a contender for the chicken nuggets sitting right beside me at the dinner table. There sat my pure white, fat, happy persian cat...her tail swishing left and right and her eyes wide at the scent of the delicious chicken nuggets that was right before Patch and I. She would wait for an opportune moment, or make one herself, to snatch a nugget and run away to eat it. One time I remember that she knocked over some newspaper to make a distraction. So while I was cleaning up the papers off the floor, she had pawed one, and ran behind the TV to go and eat it...today, April 20th, 2008, we will be burying her near our garden with McDonalds Chicken Nuggets as a memorial.

Another fond memory of Patch is when my brother was punished in my room, for god only knows what. He wanted some company to relieve his boredom, so he let Patch inside. A few minutes later, I hear my name being called by him to come and see Patch. So I walk up the stairs and go to see what was up. Little did I know that Wayne (my brother) had put Patch in a hamper, which she was scared of. Anyway, I'm walking towards Waynes room, and all of a sudden, a fat white blur comes bursting out of his room, and right towards me. It hit my right leg, knocked me down, and sped off down the stairs. Patch had come full speed out of his room and right at me. Mind you Patch was 20 pounds at the time...how a cat that fat goes so fast, I don't think I'l ever know...and I was 110+ pounds. Wayne looks out of the room, sees me knocked down on my ass, and Patch tearing down the stairs. Me and Wayne broke out in so much laughter, we couldn't stop giggling and joking about it for the next hour.

But one of my greatest memories about my beloved Patch, is whenever I would be feeling sad, or lonely. For example, when my Grandma died, I was devastated. I would cry on and off for weeks after her death...but whenever I was home, there she'd be. Patch would ALWAYS come and find me whenever I felt sad, or needed comfort. Sometimes, she'd just come up, look at me in the eyes, and mew...then hop up in my lap and purr and knead. She always had a knack for cheering me up...I consider her more of a family member, best friend...and of a human than a "pet". She had the personality, and the compassion of a human, without all the evil and suffering humans can harbor. She never bit, scratched, or hurt us in any way intentionally. Of course she'd always play bite us, but that was all in good fun.

So this journal goes out in memoriam to my Sister, my friend, my confidant...my dearly beloved, and dearly missed cat; Patch Russell.

May you rest in peace and find all the chicken nuggets that you could ever want, wherever you are.

I have posted some videos of her on YouTube. [link] Click here if you want to see them.