JOSEPH HARVEY-APRIL 23, 1997-MAY 13, 2007

Joey was an irresistable kitten. Johnny and I went to "look" at him when he was about 6-8 weeks old. We really were just planning to look...he belonged to friends of ours...the last one left of their litter. But, when we saw him...we just couldn't resist...just too, too adorable. After a phone call to Jack, begging and pleading (we already had one cat at home), we brought Joey home with us. Leiah, our resident cat, HATED Joey initially...we had to keep them in separate rooms, because we were afraid she'd kill him. But, slowly but surely, she tolerated the "little runt", and eventually, they became friends. It wasn't long before Joey became much bigger than Leiah, but when they "wrestled", Leiah always had the dominate position...assuming her seniority, and Joey seemed to know that he needed to comply Noelle used to call Joey "psycho-cat", when he would race back and forth across and up and down the stairs. Another favorite past-time when he was a kitten, was to climb the grass-cloth wallpaper in our office, walk across the top of the door, and then "meow" to alert someone to come and get him down. He was so little when we got him, that he fit inside a hat. And, one of his "tricks" was to "run around the track" (our kitchen island), before he ate in the morning. He would also pretend he was covering his food when he was done eating.

But, he grew into a big, beautiful cat, retaining his lovable and fun personality. He was my baby and my pal...always, always, always at the door to greet us whenever we came home. In the morning, when I would let him out of the laundry room, his goal for affection and attention superceded his need for food. Then, he would almost always be in the family room with me while I excercised. I tried to convince him that he needed the excercise, too, but I never did get him to see the importance. He would, however, swat at my hair when I did push-ups...one time he attacked my head, and I had to scold him for getting carried away. He knew how to get just about anyone to say, "awww" and pet him...all he would do is flop down on his side and turn his head upside down...compelling anyone to pet him. I swear he understood English, and he would look back and forth when we had conversations. When I would hold him like a baby, he would relax and stretch out, like he was 3 feet long. And, his favorite thing was to be on my lap...the epitome of contentedness...sometimes he would stroke my face with his paw, all the while, purring, purring, purring. It was a very special connection. And, now, the walls of this house are so, so silent.

We have 10 years of blessed, wonderful memories with Joey, and for that, I am very grateful. He will always have a very very special part of my heart.