Bottom left - Rosa 'Westerland' - Right-  Rosa 'Meikaquinz' and top - Rosa 'Dr.Huey' 14 May 2026

 The Death of a Friend & Companion

When my cat Niño died on the morning of the 12^th, I was in shock and awfully sad. I wrote about it and it sort of ameliorated my grief.  His sister, not having any competition for my attention, has been very cuddly with me.

But today that shock became a terrible emptiness in which I see Niño looking at me with those stable eyes and I think, “Why did you leave me?” At the same time I understand he went on a very long walkabout the evening of the 11^th and I kept going around the block calling his name. I wonder if he just wanted to go and die somewhere. But he did come back and provided me with comfort on our bed to the last.

I have been removing black spot leaves from my roses and fiddling around trying to keep busy. Invariably whatever I do makes me remember the absent presence of the love of my life that was my Rosemary.

I saw these two very large (over 5 inches wide) roses, Rosa ‘Westerland’ and a rose that Rosemary never got to see Rosa 'Meikaquinz'. The third rose, not as large is the root stock rose Rosa ‘Dr. Huey’ that rosemary salvaged from our old Kerrisdale garden lane.

The orange Westerland, which I say smells like synthetic apricot jam, was the rose that finally made Rosemary appreciate a colour she hated which was orange. She would have been ambivalent of the pale yellow and odd-named Rosa 'Meikaquinz'.

Scanning my roses in my oficina brings me some peace. But a few days ago on the 10^th and 11Niño was on a high chair next to me as I worked with my computer. He liked to give me company. Only once did he walk on my keyboard and took me hours to get everything back the way it was.

Niño I miss you. You are here in the garden as an absent presence with that of my Rosemary’s.