House of the Seasons

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Sadie’s Goodbye

My time at the House of the Seasons has come to an end. My body became sick and despite all efforts, did not recover. But I wanted to tell you how wonderful my life was and express my thoughts in a final letter.

My first human was a soldier who was called to duty in Afghanistan. I was proud he served our country. He left me in the care of a friend, but I was devastated to lose the only dad I knew and loved. Turkish Van cats like me have only one human, and we are devoted to that person. So, I ran away in sadness and frustration.

After a month on the streets of Jefferson, a strange thing happened. A woman with a kind and loving face drove by and picked me up and then took me to her home. She fed me, brushed me, and sprayed me to get rid of all the fleas and bugs on my white coat. I was finally home, and I never left again.

She let me roam all over a beautiful house—and not just any house: but the House of the Seasons. Every day, my mom, Shirley, brought me with her to meet new people and to tell the story of this grand home. I became the princess of the palace, a job I loved. I patrolled the gardens making sure all was safe from unwanted creatures. It was a great joy to share this wonderful historic home with so many guests, even the old grouches who didn’t like cats. Thank you to everyone who pet me, gave me human food (my favorite), and told me how beautiful and special I was. You were right!

I was honored to make a museum more personal and warm. I loved jumping on the historic furniture no one else got to sit on, especially the red settees that came from Wyalusing Plantation in Marshall, Texas. My mom always tried to keep me off of them, but I was smart and sneaky. That grouping of furniture survived a move from Tennessee by wagon in 1848, sinking during a storm on Caddo Lake in 1849, a fiery meeting of Confederate Generals in May 1865, plus normal wear and tear. Sadly, it survived me, but I know I left my paw on it.

Thank you to all the guests for allowing me to show you the House I loved. Most importantly, I thank my mom for saving me and being my best friend and companion for many years. She was the great joy of my life and taught me how to be a princess (which of course, came naturally to me). I lived nine lives I would have only dreamed about if not for my mom and the many guests and friends I made. I was honored to receive more Christmas cards than the House did!

I hope and believe we have made the House of the Seasons a special place, and I was a small, furry, and important part of that experience. I loved meeting all of you, and while I cannot say goodbye to you individually, please accept my love and thanks from your good friend.
My last wish is for you to save an animal like me, to give and understand the love that can be shared.

View the Sadie Photo Gallery

 

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Four on the Floor

One of my duties at the House of the Seasons is to lead our guests on a tour of the house. In every room we visit, I weave in and out through the crowd of feet, maybe running against a leg or two, before showing off the best perch in the room.

One of my other duties is to oversee breakfast. I stand guard and make sure everyone is enjoying their meal. Should anything fall to the floor, well, I make sure it’s cleaned up post haste.

I take both of these duties seriously and I love interacting with our guests. I’ll happily accept a scratch behind the ears or a pet along my back as acknowledgement for a job well done, but please, leave my feet on the floor. I’m too mature and dignified to be picked up like a spring kitten. A lady has her limits, afterall.

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The Lawnmower, the Bug Man, and the Chimney

I like to consider myself a pretty easy-going feline. I know what I like and when I like it, and I expect humans to respect and adhere to my wishes. Simple, right? So imagine my surprise when, one day last week, three of my least favorite events coincided!

Firstly, I do not like the sound of the lawn mower. Put yourself in my shoes, or rather in my ears. What is loud to a human is a cacophony of abrasive noise to me. The grinding of the mower going up and down the lawn is not something I enjoy. When it’s grumbling over the landscape, I stay inside.

Secondly, I have a strong dislike of the bug man. He comes every so often under the pretense of keeping unwanted pests off the property, but I’m onto him. That khaki jumpsuit screams “cat catcher” and that little sprayer is clearly a torture device. When he comes into the house, I keep my distance by laying low in the yard.

So, imagine my horror when the lawn mowers and the bug man arrived on the same day. I couldn’t hide inside away from the mowers or outside away from the bug man! Trapped as I was, I did what any clever cat would do: I climbed up to hide in the chimney!

I was pretty proud of myself and thought I’d shown great resourcefulness in evading the mower and the bug man. When I finally came down from the chimney, however, I didn’t get the praise I expected. Instead, I had to endure the third of my least favorite things: a BATH!

I’m still in a forgiveness period with Mom. A few more back scratches and all will be forgiven.
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Sadie and the Great Glass Greenhouse

A year or so ago, a mysterious structure appeared on the property at The House of the Seasons. It’s a glass house, but it isn’t filled with regular house things like couches and bed. It’s filled with outside things like plants and flowers. I can’t figure it out! Why would you build a see-through house and then fill it with nature? I don’t trust it.

Mom, on the other hand, spends tons of time in the outside/inside glass house. She frequently moves things from the glass house into the regular house. Yes, you heard me right: she built a house to grow things in so she can put them in another house later. I don’t get it at all, but our guests seem to admire all the fresh plants and flowers.

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It’s a Tough Job, But Somebody Has to Do It.

sadie-sleepWhen I arrived at The House of the Seasons 11 years ago the property looked very different. Of course, I was a different cat back then too. In my younger days, it was my job to patrol the grounds and keep unwelcome guests – you know, like lizards and bugs – away from the house.

Now, with the garden finished, the landscape around the house is much less feral and so, as it turns out, am I. Now in my more seasoned years, my responsibilities have changed. Instead of pouncing around the yard, it’s now my job to purr and preen for guests and to lay in sun spots where I can be adored. It’s a hard job, but I’m up to the task.