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| Vonda's Ajax and Friends |
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| ~ Cheek To Cheek ~ Heaven, I’m in heaven And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak And I seem to find the happiness I seek When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek Ohh heaven, I’m in heaven And the cares that hung around me through the week Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek Oh I’d love to go out fishing in an ocean or a creek But it wouldn’t fill me half as much As dancing cheek to cheek Ohh I’d love to climb a mountain and reach the highest peak But it wouldn’t thrill me half as mich As dancing cheek to cheek Won’t you come and dance with me I want my arms about you; the charms about you Will carry me through to Heaven, I'm in heaven The cares that hung around me through the week Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek Won’t you come and dance with me I want my arms about you; the charms about you Will carry me through to Heaven, I'm in heaven And the cares that hung around me through the week Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak When we’re out together, out together Dancing cheek to cheek |
| Ajax |
| Joe |
| Vonda |
| Arnold |
| Ann |
| God hath not promised Skies always blue Flower-strewn pathways All our lives through God hath not promised Sun without rain Joy without sorrow Peace without pain ~ |
| But God hath promised Strength for the days Rest for the labor Light for the way Grace for the trials Help from above Unfailing sympathy Undying love. ~ Author Unknown ~ |
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| Links to Pages on this Site |
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| Vonda's son Brian & Ajax |
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| Sylvia |
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| Friend Joe & Ajax Cheek to Cheek |
| AJAX "ANGELBOY" |
| ~ The Lords Prayer ~ Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. |
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This is Ajax my Angelboy. He was born in Hawaii in March of 1985. He died on October 15th, 2002. He lived a lot in 17 and 1/2 years. He was orphaned within 3 weeks of his birth and I had to bottle feed he and his siblings. They were soon as playful and healthy as could be. He traveled with mommy a lot...He lived in Hawaii for 5 years, then Colorado for four years, then we traveled to Indiana, then from Indiana he moved to S.Carolina to be with me. I loved him as I would love a child. He was more than a cat to me. He was my best friend, he loved me unconditionally, he tolerated my singing 'off-key'. He danced with me, one paw around my neck we would pretend to waltz to the song playing now-Cheek to Cheek. As long as mommy did not make any fast turns he loved being held and dancing with me. My son was eight when he was born and because we had so many cats my son named Ajax and his siblings and yes, there was a brother named Comet. I had many other cats at the time. In Hawaii a lot of people get cats for pets, then leave the islands and abandon their cats. I was the woman that everyone began bringing their cats to. Ajax was used to the company of many other feline friends there. Simone, our Siamese, was rescued from a dumpster, he was cousins to and friends with many of the two dozen or more cats I had at any given time. However when I left Hawaii with my son in 1990 I could only take two cats on the plane with us. And Ajax was one of the two. The other a sweetheart of a cat and son of Simone, was tragically killed in Colorado a year after we moved there. Ajax was a quiet cat-not very vocal unless in distress-and he quietly witnessed all these things and he never complained. He was a very good and well mannered cat who bathed often and was a bit intolerant of other cats as he grew older. He was a 'Mommy's Boy'. In these photos you'll see Ajax loved to eat 'People food' as he grew older and his teeth grew weaker he wasn't able to eat his favorite 'crunchies' anymore. He began eating Fancy Feast and then decided to try everything that mommy ate. A few of his very favorites were cantaloupe, spaghetti ( but only from a fork), he also loved honeydew melon, steamed carrots, lobster, Provolone cheese, chicken breasts and he loved eating cereal from a spoon. Frosted Flakes were a favorite. Ajax found a good home, as did I, in South Carolina in 1996. We moved into Arnolds' house and Arnold, a very kind man, already had a cat, a very vocal black cat he'd rescued, named Sylvia, she had a crippled front right paw but managed to hobble around and ran and played. Ajax moved in and gave her a few swats and hisses even though she was twice his size at the time. Over the years they learned to tolerate each other very well. In 1998 in the late fall Little Joe joined us. Someone had dumped him out near our home and I heard him, then found him scared & hungry in a nearby field. I lured him in and Uncle Arnold took him to the vet. Little Joe a small gray tabby kitten grew quickly. He loved to pester Ajax. Ajax did not like it very much and had to show Joe who was boss, so Joe learned his place and all was well. Three cats from 3 states together under one roof. In 1999 Sylvia fell ill and after visiting several vets it was determined that her enlarged heart was causing her pain and she could not breathe. We had no choice. Sylvia crossed The Rainbow Bridge in December of 1999. Little Joe and Ajax were not the best of friends, not for lack of effort on Joe's part. He wanted Ajax to play with him and frolic around but Ajax preferred to eat, sleep and sunbathe alone. My "Little man" Ajax went by several other nicknames. He was called Ajax-Boy, Ajax Aromas, Mr. Magnificent, and most of all he was mommy's 'AngelBoy'. He loved to watch t.v., he liked the Discovery channel and any shows that featured birds or animals. He and I moved out of Arnold's home in July of 2001. Ajax hated riding in cars but the 400 mile trip brought us here, to our own little home. He quickly found the sunny spots and sunbathed, but the move, at age 16, was difficult for him. It was difficult for us both. He didn't like the cold snowy winter weather. But he did have a nice arrangement inside. He had his choice of places to sleep and 'catnap'. He played musical chairs often. He had a choice of two love seats, a long sofa, 4 dining room chairs with padded seats, or of course, mommy's bed. At Christmas time he patiently waited for mommy to finish decorating the tree so he could sleep under it. He loved snowglobes, music boxes and he loved to listen to Christmas carols with me. But his health took a turn after we had lived in our new home for a year. We'd had a scare with possible renal (kidney) failure in the summer of 1996. But this time he howled oddly and would not eat. I rushed him to the vet on August 23rd, 2002 at 8:00 a.m. for an emergency visit. The vet found nothing wrong and said most of his symptoms were common in older cats. He was re-hydrated, then sent home with anti-biotics, and vet's orders to drink lots of water. He seemed to be on the mend. His appetite returned and he ate well. But he had a bit of trouble seeing, and hearing. He wasn't sleeping well and he became more vocal. It was soon obvious that he was getting worse, not better. He and I both knew the end was near. I was in complete denial and gave him every home remedy I could think of. I fed him chicken soup from a spoon, and he continued taking vitamins, and drinking water. But on the morning of October the 15th he woke me up howling so loudly it frightened me. He'd suffered a stroke and could not walk. He tried, but he couldn't get his balance and attempted to hide from me but could not. I frantically called the vet and they said to bring him in. I knew he would not be coming back home. It is very difficult to write about this, so I will just say that I was with him every minute, I would not leave the room. The vet and his assistant were very sensitive and respectful to the situation. The vet, though, had to keep a rather stern and somber face as I was sobbing and praying and asking if there was any other option than the one...the final one. He said no, that I was doing what was best for Ajax who was obviously suffering then. I cried out the Lord's Prayer, I tried to remain calm but I could not stop crying -I could not stop hoping that he's be okay -that a miracle might happen... but I did pet Ajax and in trying to console him I sang to him, off key but from my heart...a tune he knew so well, and I wanted my voice to be the last thing he heard... and it was. I sang the first verse of the song playing now... Just the first verse over and over. 'Heaven I'm in Heaven and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak and I seem to find the happiness I seek When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek... Ajax, the Magnificent, the most handsome, adoringly loveable loyal friend I have ever known, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge at noon on Tuesday October 15th, 2002. He was gently placed in the palm of God's gentle hand. No more suffering no more pain. But left me here alone, I know he did not want to go but he could not stay... His time had come. And when mine comes I will see him again...in heaven. Until then I will go on. My world forever changed for having him in my life almost 18 years, forever changed now that he is not with me. I miss him deeply and will never love another cat the way I loved My Angelboy. My heartfelt gratitude to Magicwolf and Lobowolf and to all of you who have shown your love and support. I thank you, and Ajax would have loved each and every one of you. ~ written by Vonda, Mommy of Ajax, November 2002 ~ |