Empty home

It's sad coming home to an empty house.

I spent the day with my aunt, and we did some shopping, and eating of cupcakes, and watching of movies. It was a good day, and a good way to spend my first day back home after a week in Texas at a very busy sales conference.

But while I was away in Texas (and I feel very guilty for being there and not here at the time), my cat Punkin passed away. It was sudden (he had a stroke), though not entirely out of the blue (he was 19 years old, at least). Still, it was hard to come home to my brother and his dog waiting for me, rather than loud and insistent meowing. I regret that it was the brother who had to deal with all of that, without help. I regret that my Smelly Old Man (as I'd taken to calling him) was alone, even if it was for a short while. I loved him, and I'm going to miss him.

Especially when I come home, even after good days, to a very quiet apartment.