R.I.P. Gronk

And then there were Six. What a crappy start to the New Year.

We lost Gronk in early January. He had been diagnosed with a mass on his lungs that was also compressing his trachea. Steroids bought him a few good weeks to say his goodbyes but this was a hard one.

He was born Perca on the property in May 2011 with his sister Pita (passed) and his brother Bonk (Pistol), all offspring of crazy Momma who is defying odds and still with us.

He was our dominant male after taking the reins from Jebus, and was a BIG personality. Literally, it was HIS world and we just lived in it (and served his needs). As a younger boy, he led the Nug Pile by sleeping on top of his siblings, or whomever happened to be in "his spot". 

Once he matured, he definitely also mastered the Resting B!tch Face. He also grew into his signature b!tchy meow which let you know he wanted in, he wanted out, he wanted food, or just wanted your attention. From there his name Gronk was established, and it stuck for most of his life.

He took his job of securing the property very seriously, driving off interlopers and patrolling the perimeter with regularity. He had his usual spots, and of all our outdoor cats definitely liked certain places in the barn or garage to curl up and sleep.....and MAN could he sleep. We've never had a cat that slept deeper than Gronk when he was "out". We were constantly amazed he was able to sleep so hard and survive outside.

 Also unique - he fished in our ditch every spring. We used to think he was crazy, but then we saw him actually attacking fish in the water. We even found a half chewed fish up on the bank, proving that he was a successful angler at least once.

On his last day, with newfound energy he took one last patrol around the whole property and even out into the neighbour's field and halfway to the corner. We spent his last days cuddling a lot on the couch, a luxury we don't always get. He slept harder than normal in his weakened state, but he also had a number of "good dreams" in our laps as he chased his final rabbits and bagged one last fish.

Farewell sweet boy - you are already missed and have left a huge hole in our household.

R.I.P. Gronk (Perca), aka Gronky, Grump, Grrrrr, Grrr Digivens, G, G-Dogg, Big Nug, The Rump, The Fisher King, Garnk, Grim/Grimmy, Grimiss Daladay, Grimiss Jackson, Grimmy Poliver, Grimmy Po, Grimpel, Ronkers.....and Nuggles Nuggington the 3rd (of the Wheatley Nuggingtons).

Baby Gronk in 2011

Early feedings in the garage with his siblings

Nug Piles!

He was a paddler at the door when he wanted in....

Sleeping hard with brother Bonk

Out like a light!

Fishing in the ditch

Who does that???

Surveying his domain

One wet and angry boy!

Marking his turf

Beautiful boy

Let me in!

Comforting Pennywise

Bromance with Vincent

Snuggled up with Pinhead

One final patrol before signing off duty

Quality time on his final night

Bands in Town!

We took advantage of a couple of killer shows lined up at Caesar's in Windsor to hit the town and get our retro rock on. 

In late November, I Mother Earth and the Matthew Good Band hit the stage for a double bill. 

A few weeks later, we were treated to a three-peat of Headstones, Finger Eleven and hometown rockers the Tea Party. While there were no true headliners for the show, Tea Party definitely took the spotlight and brought a little something extra to a special night.

Still tapping my feet and humming the tunes....

R.I.P. Uncle Kevin

We got some sad news in late November, that crazy Uncle Kevin passed away suddenly. He was my father's younger brother, and our last living tie to The County.

He was the fun younger uncle when we were kids, as a big kid himself. I also remember his Mustang fastback in the lane at the Farm. He was off to Alberta in the late 70's to find work out there. He returned to Ontario in 1984 and hung around Barrie area for a number of years. 

In my late teens, I spent a summer living with him in his camper van and working construction jobs around Simcoe County. There was only an 8-track for music in the van, and stuck in it was Jim Croce's greatest hits. So for the entire summer, we could listen to Jim Croce, or nothing. I'm probably also lucky to be alive.

He returned to The County and helped ensure that my grandmother could stay all the Farm for as long as possible, all the while managing to drive her crazy. 

One time, as we waited for the ferry, after a few too many beers he decided to use the nearby porta-potty. It seemed to take a long time. The ferry made it across and unloaded. Then began loading up. My dad and I drove on, figuring he would just catch us on the other side after the next crossing. Suddenly he exploded out of the john, still doing up his pants, and ran/stumbled down the dock and dove aboard the Glenora Ferry as it pulled away from the wharf. As he clung to the side, the burly ferryman yanked him aboard and was just about to give him proper hell when he stopped and instead yelled...."Kevin? Kevin Cole???". Of course they were old high school buddies.

If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Right out of a movie.

After she passed, I would still visit him at Farm and help him stock wood for the winter, cook meat on strange devices, or putter around his workshop in the barn crafting cabinets and cutting boards from wood off the farm. 

Jane consigned him to make me a special writing desk one year for my birthday, with "elven" flair. He crafted the top from butternut, and used 200-year old cedar roots from the property to make artistic legs.

He was a unique and colourful character, who saw the world through his own eccentric lens. While his personality could be challenging at times, he was clever, witty and big-hearted, as evidenced by his circle of longtime friends. Gone too soon, but oh the stories he left behind.

His trademark smile

The laneway out to Kevin's shop

Dropping some knowledge

Our fun young uncle in the 70's

A drink and a smoke behind the wheel - on private property!

In the living room at The Farm

Tea and burgers the unconventional way!

At my other uncle's wedding

The long shadows of autumn frame my uncle and I in the back field