If you're not into cats, that's cool. But, you'll want to skip this blog post. 'Cause I'm going to go on and on (and on) about a cat that I loved dearly and had to say good-bye to this week. 

Minou ("mee-noo") is French for kitty.

She appears in my book:

She inspired a Sundance film:

And if you search #minouball on instagram, you'll find a cache of photos like this:

Minou was a full-grown abandoned stray that was starving when I found her. I took a photo of her (the same one that appears on the movie poster above) just before I fed her for the first time, because I knew she'd be my cat forever after that.

For thirteen years, Minou was my closest, and most faithful companion.

She was an unusually gentle and un-cat-like cat. Her peaceful demeanor was a huge comfort to me. She would often just sit close by while I worked, gently purring, with her eyes half-closed like a meditating sadhu...

Every morning, as I sat at my computer frantically working on Sublime Stitching, wondering how I'd pay bills, how I'd meet deadlines, how I'd manage it all...she'd take a spot in my lap, and every now and then just calmly look up at me:

I was so tickled (and comforted) by this, I began making a daily photo log of these Minou Mornings.

This is what I'm going to miss the most about her. That look.

I want to thank all of my friends who helped me take care of Minou over the years during my hectic schedule and many travels. Thank you for the phone calls and emails of condolences. Thank YOU who have known Minou via Sublime Stitching and inquired about her and known she was a part of my life.

A few months ago when she was first very sick, a friend inquired about her, knowing how worried I was. He said this:

"they are very small and require so little care but take up a great deal of your heart."  

And, we all know what happens next.