Goodbye to Miri; Sade at The Palm
It’s hard to write this morning. I spent Mother’s Day saying goodbye to my last kitty. Miri was 19 and failing and was ready – we were both ready, for her to join her two sisters, Diani, who lived less than a year, and Dulce, who was my darling for 17 years, and my irreplaceable boy Rayne, who adopted me – us – twelve years ago.
Miri and I have had an unusual alliance for the past two years—she said jump, and I asked how high. It was an unthinkable relationship—Miri was the antithesis of the other two cats and bided her time until she became the only cat left standing in the house.
We were all we had left. I did everything to make her feel loved even though she didn’t want the usual cat things. She hated being picked up and would turn into a block of ice – hilariously stiff-legged and eyes fixed somewhere in the middle distance, anywhere away from mine. I kept trying; she kept denying.
Until Mother’s Day.
Doctora Claudia came to the house, and I went to find Miri. I picked her up, and she settled into the crook in my arm. Together, we sat across from Claudia. Miri growled at her a couple of times, remembering the things that happen when the Vet comes over. Claudia so gently slipped in a sedative that Miri didn’t even flinch. But she purred and snuggled deeper into my arms finally.
And now I am all that’s left.
My deepest thanks to Doctora Claudia, who has been an amazing vet to my three over the years, and to Heather Wilson, who, almost two decades ago, heard some muffled cries coming from a garbage bag on the street and saved three newborn calicos that eventually enriched my life immeasurably.
My melancholia was replaced by joy and hope as I sat with David Sabella at a pop-up interview over at the Cigar Factory on Saturday evening. David is back from performing in NYC and London, ready to tackle his new job(s) at Act2PV Theater. The changes he envisions so clearly for the entertainment complex lifted my spirits no end; much more on that conversation in a day or so.
Sade fans were elated with Pearl, a tribute to the Nigerian-born singer, at The Palm Cabaret and Bar Sunday evening. Again, the Palm pulls out all the stops at the end of the season, teasing us as to what might be in the fall line-up. Georgina—Gina—Ibarra epitomized the smooth, silky voice, gestures, and sultry, unhurried calmness that Sade delicately projects.
Kevin and I first heard Gina perform an Eagle/Fleetwood Mac tribute show at The Palm. When I read Debbie White’s article about this upcoming show a week ago and saw it was Gina, we jumped at the chance to see and hear this great singer once again.
Alison Lo was splendid as a backup vocalist, and the band featured guitarist Gilberto Luna, who is married to Vallarta Mirror columnist Leza Warkentin. She and their daughter were in the audience, as were Chiara and Tom Montante, glamour couple Art and Angela Curley, and Patti Gallardo and Wendy Johnson. Quick hellos were exchanged with Matt Karimi and Gary Beck, whose reviews of Sade will hit the pages of Vallarta Mirror and Vallarta Calendar soon.