Nomar the Cat Passed Away 2014

Nomar might have been the "Most Interesting Cat." Kevin rescued Nomar as a kitten in 2002 in Iowa City, the literary capital of America. Kevin speculated that Nomar's birthday was close to St. Patrick's Day, so that's the day we celebrated it. As an "Irish" cat he had appropriately-colored red hair and green eyes.

Nomar was from Iowa and enjoyed the "High Life" 2002

Kevin intended for him to be an indoor cat, but those of you who know Nomar know that he had an indomitable will. Pretty soon he was outside, doing what he loved best, killing things. He moved where Kevin moved, living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then Charlottesville, Virginia, where he had the opportunity to kill a range of species. I met Kevin and Nomar in Charlottesville. When I first met them, Nomar regularly followed Kevin and Brady on walks to the Downtown Mall. One time when I cat-sat Nomar, I found a talon stuck in his fur. I wondered if Nomar or the hawk/eagle/beaver had won the fight. Probably Nomar.

When I summered in New York, Nomar came too and stayed for awhile in Jon's Brooklyn back yard. There he grew pretentious. Eventually I moved in with Kevin and Nomar in Charlottesville, and Nomar, possibly resentful about me inadvertently pushing Brady out, tried to eat my eye one day. A picture I snapped of Nomar eating my Lean Cuisine earned him internet fame on The Consumerist website.

Kevin and Nomar in Cville 2007

Nomar was the ultimate nap accessory, 2008

We moved back to Brooklyn, and Nomar let us know that he didn't like it. He had to get out via a fire escape and we had no grass to speak of, so he acted out to let us now he wanted to go back to the great outdoors. Grandma Kathy welcomed him with open arms and extra servings of dinner. This arrangement also allowed us to spend vacations and holidays with him.

 

Nomar, on the prowl for all living things on Cape Cod. (With Grandma Kathy)

Best friends, 2011

It was only a short time before neighbors declared that Nomar had rid the region of coyotes. Bunnies and puppies now only had Nomar to fear. One neighbor was a weather man for Boston news, and featured Nomar in a Christmas special. Nomar was a local Massachusetts celebrity, and well on his way to acquiring Masshole status.

He watched the children on the Cape grow up. When he first moved there Ellen was a baby, and James wasn't born yet. But he was soon a favorite pet with all them, and only occasionally scratched them to teach them resilience.

James starting to notice Nomar, 2011

James kissing Nomar through the screen, 2012

Family picture with Nomar 2013

Going for a walk with James and Grandma Kathy, 2013

Nomar beat the odds. Indoor cats typically live 12-20 years, but outdoor cats average 1-5 years. Nomar lived a very full 12 years, half with Kevin in Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, and New York, and half with Kathy, on the Cape. He was feisty until the day before he was gone. The official cause was lung cancer, and I like to imagine it was because he secretly smoked a cigarette after all his kills.

Nomar's last picture, enjoying a sunning and an ear scratch from Beatrice, May 2014

Our 4th Wedding Anniversary 2013

We celebrated our anniversary Thursday evening with a Cape Cod dinner date. Kevin, James, and I arrived on the Cape in the afternoon, had lunch with Kevin's grandmother Ruth, got dressed, and left James with Kevin's mother. But before we left, we took pictures. Of course we did!

Taking a photo with Nomar (the original family from 2007)

Photobombed by James who is afraid of and in love with Nomar

Love has won out over fear

We had big tropical drinks at Sundancers. Then we had lobster rolls and clam chowder and more drinks at Summer Shanty. We had a blast. Here are our mandatory selfies.

Drinks at Sundancers

Omnious timer photo at Summer Shanty

Cheerier photo taken by random fisherman

Post-Christmas on the Cape 2012

My mother left early on Christmas Day so Kevin, James, and I spent a quiet day by ourselves. The next day we drove up to the Cape to see Kevin's family, and in particular, his cousin Katie who we haven't seen since last Christmas.

James, Katie, Great-grandma Ruth, and Kevin

Kevin's family spoils James's rotten and he loves every minute of it. James left the Cape with a carload of loot including a little piano, a xylophone, megabloks, plushies, books, a potty, and a ton of clothing.  Even better, Kevin's mom, aunts, and grandmother all happily take turns babysitting James while Kevin and I get a little breather here and there. We're lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives who love James.

James checks out his new megabloks

Great Aunt Nesie showing him how to play the xylophone


Great Aunt Mary showing James the snowman dance


Reading cards and opening presents


Grandma Kathy loves James so much!

The next day, we went to go see James's Great-grandma Catherine. It's a bit of drive from where Kevin's family lives and James is not a fan of daytime driving, but he was okay for the drive this time. Then he was just bad while we were at Great-grandma's. Sigh.

Great-grandma Catherine, James, and me

It was a pretty fun visit. I dragged Kevin to see The Hobbit. Grandma Kathy made us delicious dinners. We drank some good wine and watched some pretty hilarious home videos. We spent some quality time with Dolores, Ellen, and Fran. James spent hours giggling while torturing Nomar with love. I already can't wait to go back.

James and Great Aunt Fran


Nomar tolerating James

Nomar and James- July 2012

James chasing Nomar

People occasionally ask us about Nomar. Sometimes they know him personally, sometimes they just remember we used to have a cat and no longer do. Kevin got Nomar as a kitten when he was living in Iowa.

Nomar at about 8 weeks old, May 2002

Nomar was Kevin's cat before I met them, and I've always had a complicated relationship with him because though I love some cats in particular, I am not much of a cat person in general. And Nomar is a tough cat. After a year or so of living together and taking adorable naps together, one day, completely unprovoked by me, Nomar decided to bite my EYE. Not cool, Nomes, not cool.

Taking adorable naps together in Charlottesville in 2008

Still, he was the one who broke up with us when we moved to Brooklyn. The short version of events is that Nomar is an outdoor cat, and when we moved to Brooklyn he didn't like anything about it. He was miserable. At the same time, Kevin's mom was about to get a cat, so the solution was simple. Nomar especially loves the Cape because there are lots of cute baby creatures to torture and murder. I admit that despite his abusive tendencies towards me, I got teary-eyed when we left him at the Cape.

Nomar hating Brooklyn in 2008

Nomar loving the Cape in 2008

We still visited him regularly on the Cape, but things got a little trickier when I got pregnant. I was concerned about getting toxoplasmosis from him, particularly because outdoor cats are more likely to have toxoplasmosis, and it's dangerous during pregnancy. I tried to keep my fears in check. After all, I had already lived with Nomar for several years in the past. But you can see from this picture, that it's not the same romance that it used to be.

Nomar taking a nap on me while I watch him suspiciously, 24 weeks pregnant, 2010

It was rough going for Nomar when James was born. On James's first visit to the Cape we didn't let him come in the house. That sounds mean, but need I remind you that he tried to eat my eye and likes to kill baby woodland creatures?

Sorry, Nomes, no killers allowed near our baby.

As James got older, little by little we let them inhabit the same space and get closer and closer.

James at 1 Month: no eye-contact with the cat, please.

James at 4 months: you can look but don't touch!

James at 7 months: Napping in the same room is allowed but not encouraged

No, no, no! (Also at 7 months)

James is 14 months now, and he can walk and talk, and even swat at my face like a champ.  So with much supervision, we've allowed him near Nomar.  This is bad mainly for Nomar. However, when we were out the other day, Nomar took a little scratch of James's leg.  Nomar, you're lucky I didn't witness that.  This is your one and only warning.  Consider yourself on notice, cat.

Learning to pet Nomar softly ("Suavecito, suavecito, suavecito.")

Cape Cod- August 2011

This post might cause you to suffer from picture-overload (cute-overload?), but I just couldn't leave anyone out. It's like James is a famous person, and everyone needs his or her photo with him! Okay, I admit, these photos are mostly at my request.

Visiting Great Grandma Catherine again, but James is so much bigger now!


Our family


James, you are right to be suspicious of Nomar's cute tricks


With Great Aunt Nesie


Flirting with an older woman (looks like it's working)



With Great Uncle George (and his Red Sox infant bodysuit)


With Great Aunt Fran on the beach


Enjoying a little beach snooze


Kiss attack from Grandma

Fourth of July 2010!

We had a fabulous time on the Cape this weekend with Kevin's mother "Ma," and got home a little early to do some more home shopping for the new place and work.

On Saturday, we had a delicious lobster and calamari lunch at Chatham Bars Inn, then walked around the beach and checked out the Chatham lighthouse. Then we went shopping around-- The Christmas Tree Shops are a requirement every time we go to the Cape, though it's always tough to decide which one. Kevin had a Cape Cod League game high on his to do list, so I bravely sat through a game between Orleans and Brewster (this might provoke another TMWCA). Ellen had a fabulous Spanish-theme party for her third birthday complete with paella and sangria. Then various local renegades set off fireworks around Follins Pond. It was quite the show.

The Tavern at Chatham Bars Inn

The birthday girl is three!

Fireworks on Follins Pond

Sunday, the three of us set off early for the beach but many of the beaches, even the residents-only beaches were really backed up by 10 a.m. We finally ended up sunning and swimming at West Dennis Beach. Actually a pretty roomy beach and the sand wasn't as rough as usual and the seaweed was somewhat under control. I swam around with tiny schools of fish and jellyfish. Finally, finally, the thing that I had been waiting for-- Moose Tracks Icecream at Lil' Caboose. We rounded out the weekend BBQing with Ma, Fran, and George. Perfect.

West Dennis Beach on the 4th

West Dennis Beach

Nom nom nom nom.

BBQing burgers and ribs- yum

Fran, George, and Kathy

Saying goodbye to Nomar