Farewell to Willy

Willy is gone!

[drawing from just one hour before his disappearance]

This weekend, we had the whole family(IL) for dinner around and the little fellow chose to escape into the night instead of taking a rest in one of the unfrequented rooms. Nothing wrong with hanging out outside, I would say, normally. Unfortunately, this night was one of the coldest and ghastliest. Icy storm roared and forced powdery snow drifts round and round.
Well, Willy, who is also know as Willy Haarlos (hairless), does not like snow very much but had to stick his nose out of course once in a while. We were at first quite surprised and shortly after worried what would keep him out so long. - We still don't know but it kept him until now. Lost for 48 hours! In weather conditions like this, it can sadly only mean one thing. My hopes were high for him being trapped inside a garage, cellar or garden shed, the only way to survive the deadly cold. But, the time is running for poor Willy in this kind of refuge, too, if he hasn't been discovered and released by now.
I think, it's time to face the facts.

Willy will be so painfully missed! Even though probably not the prettiest cat on earth, he was the perfect one. At least, the cat with the best character I have known so far. In his short life, it would have been his 1st birthday on 9th April, he was always entertaining and cheerful but never a nuisance (well, there was the bird). Not once did he use his claws to hurt either one of us nor our furniture. Unbelievably, he also just wouldn't touch anything that was not meant for him, like juicy meat left on the table. He was unbelievably cute and made me smile in the mornings when he was waking me up exactly one or two minutes before the alarm clock would go off. I will miss how he would come home from one of his strolls and in his loquacious manner tell me exactly what was going on outside. Or inside, for this matter, as in the last shot I took of him in purpose of blogging about him. A neighbour cat came for "visit" and Willy the coward rather called me indignantly for help as taking the matter into his own paws, fangs and claws.

As for the knitting memories of Willy, it has to be said in his honour that he never played with yarn except it had been especially labelled as toy for him. He was in particular fond of the Lizard Ridge as you can see here in his appreciating pose.

Yes, good news. The Lizard Ridge is finished, all sewn up, blocked and very, very beautiful. It just needs an edging now. I have not have had an enlightenment about that (Noro or another yarn). It will not only be the biggest and undoubtedly prettiest thing I ever knit but also a Willy memorial blanket, because I will always remember how he spent his last night here cuddled up sleeping on it.