Lend me your eyes, and I’ll write you a blog…

Earlier this week, I advised you to stay tuned (I kill me) for a post that was somehow related to that overly cute kitten playing an invisible piano in his sleep.  This is that post.  Be prepared for some serious rambling ahead… both serious in nature, and seriously rambling.  After all, you know I love Memory Lane like I grew up there.

Do you ever get the feeling that the universe is conspiring to make you slow down and indulge your nostalgic side?  Recently, I found myself commenting on two different blog posts that reminded me of a very special show from my childhood.  Does anyone else remember Garfield’s Nine Lives?  (If you do, you may be my pop culture soul mate.)

If you haven’t heard of it, Garfield’s Nine Lives began as a 1984 book containing a group of short stories illustrating the various “lives” of Garfield the cat.  (I own this book.  Fun fact about me: as a child, I was obsessed with Garfield and began collecting Garfield books – including the daily strips, the Sunday Treasuries, and the specials.  I couldn’t get enough.  I’ll always have a soft spot for that cat.)

The book was adapted into a TV special in 1988.  My mom taped it for me when it aired.  (Ah, the days of VHS.)  I watched that special countless times – I could probably still quote most of it on request (such is the case with many Garfield specials, actually, but this one was by far my favorite).  The book is a bit darker than the TV special, and some of the lives differ between the two formats.

Anyway, you may be wondering what this has to do with… anything. While reading this post from Brian’s Home, I made a comment about Cave Cats (you know, a distant relative of the elusive Cave Dog).  This reminded me of Garfield’s first life, in which he was… a Cave Cat.  In addition, while reading this post from The Chronicles of Cardigan I was reminded of another life from the TV special – my favorite one, in fact.  It’s called Diana’s Piano.

Garfield describes this life as the one where he fell in love with music and when he “fell in love with a girl who played the piano just for me.”  As a child who took years of piano lessons and had a white cat (like Diana, the feline incarnation of Garfield in Life No. 6), this cartoon was catnip.  

It’s a touching story.  I just watched it again before writing this post, and needed several tissues.  Several.  Gets me every time.  I highly recommend it, but if you don’t find yourself sobbing or at least getting a little weepy… well, I just don’t know what to think about you.

My cat Buttercup wasn’t as much of a music fan as Diana (she was downright antisocial at times),  but I loved her dearly.  She was my first pet, joining our family when I was only three years old.  In my young mind, this cartoon was us.  (In fact, when Diana decides to scratch a visitor and has a look of smug satisfaction on her face, it was like they’d based the character on Buttercup.  Seriously.)

When I watched Diana’s Piano again as an adult, I realized that it also touched upon my relationship with another significant animal in my life – my dog Scotti.  She entered my life when I was ten years old

Scotti used to hang out by the piano while I’d play (she was much more of a music fan than Buttercup).  We were inseparable… and just like the woman in the cartoon, one day I had to leave for college.  (As she narrates: “That was a sad day.”)  When I called home, I’d ask to talk to Scotti on the phone, and I would ask my mom if Scotti seemed to recognize my voice.  I was always elated when my mom said yes.  I missed Scotti terribly, and I couldn’t wait to see her again.

Time passed.  I graduated and finally moved into an apartment off campus.  (One that allowed pets, of course.  That was an essential requirement.)  However, by the time I graduated college, Scotti was twelve years old – really too old to leave the comfort of my parents’ house.  It just wouldn’t have been fair to her to uproot her, move her to an apartment hundreds of miles away, and expect her to adjust to my hectic schedule.  I felt guilty that we wouldn’t be together, but I think it was the right decision.  Luckily, she didn’t hold it against me – every time I saw her it was like we had never been apart.  (She did – slightly – hold it against me when I adopted Bella and would bring her home with me for visits.  Although they only met a few times, I am sure Scotti was wondering who this interloper was and why I kept bringing her home.)

Scotti is gone now.  It’s been several years since I lost her, but I find myself thinking of her often.  She was truly my dog in a way that I’d never imagined could happen.  We had other pets when I was a kid, but the two of us were like peas and carrots.  A true team.  I can’t imagine my childhood without her by my side – she features prominently in the majority of my memories.

I realize that I’ve come to define the different phases of my life based on the cats and/or dogs that were with me during each time.  (Does anyone else do that?)  Each “era” is different, but they’re all special.  Just like the wonderful creatures I’ve been lucky to know – to paraphrase the song that inspired this blog title, I always got by with a little help from my (furry) friends.

Thanks for indulging my sentimental side… it’s funny what will inspire a trip down Memory Lane, isn’t it?

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17 thoughts on “Lend me your eyes, and I’ll write you a blog…

  1. HeeHee, my Dad is old and he remembers Garfield and his Nine Lives too…but he remembers Garfield when he was just a kitten!

  2. It often bothers me that Our Best Friend is so MY dog– I wanted him to be the kids' dog. I wanted him to follow them around and sleep in their rooms (in their beds, if they wanted). He definitely loves them, has infinite patience with them, and is highly over-protective… but I'm his person. No question. I envy, for my kid's sake, what you had with Scotti.

    And, if you've ever paid close attention to my WordPress avatar (Gravatar), it would dawn on you that I'm a cat person. Love dogs, adore cats. Cats purr. I was never a Garfield person, though. Hope you'll still be my friend. 🙂

  3. Loved reading your post!! I wll always be a Garfield fan. I still have some very old comic cllippings from decades ago. I think of phases of my life and they are based on which dog, cat, horse was with me during that time! I love going down memory lane. Lots of love, Debbie & Holly

  4. Brian – Garfield's only a little older than me… it's interesting to look at the early strips and see how much the style has changed.

    Life Student – I know what you mean. Scotti did follow me around and she did sleep in my bed. It was quite the bond. Though we had other dogs before we got Scotti – I loved them and bonded with them and have fantastic memories, even though it wasn't as deep as my bond with Scotti.

    I'm sure your kids will still have wonderful memories and will inhereit your love of animals. Perhaps your kids just haven't met their heart pet yet. 🙂 I think that connection is hard to predict. As much as I love Bella, she's truly "our" dog (me plus hubby) more than just "my" dog. It's a different relationship, but still very rewarding. Also, yay for cats!

    Holly – I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoys Memory Lane. 🙂

  5. Scotti sounds like a wonderful friend. I remember leaving my dog Corky to go to college too. At the time it maybe felt even more difficult than leaving my parents, haha. I ended up getting a hermit crab in college because it was the only pet allowed in the dorm.

  6. You are so right about the universe conspiring to make you slow down and indulge your nostalgic side – I keep doing that and sometimes get quite maudling, but most of the time it's really quite a happy time :)) Your post today has brought back a few really good memories – thanks and happy weekend!

  7. We loved Garfield. It is so much fun to remember stuff. And Garfield was one of the best. Hope you have a great week end. Take care.

  8. Lovely post… although I don't think we ever saw that Garfield programme over here.

    Nostalgia rules in our house.

    Have a relaxing weekend.

    Love and licks, Winnie

  9. I totally remember that movie! I used to watch Garfield and Friends every Saturday morning. I think the Halloween special was my favourite, even better than the Christmas one.

    Thank you so much for sharing your memories. Growing up I only had one pet – unless you count the geribils – our family dog. I still think of her almost every single day.

  10. Was never a Garfield fan. So I thought I'd be safe watching the episode of Garfield's 9 Lives you linked to. Obviously I'd be immune to whatever charms or sentiments it could contain.

    Darn you, Pup Fan. {sniff} Pass the tissues.

  11. Almost forgot–wanted to share one of my sentimental favorites that came to mind watching Diana's story. Have you ever read "Socks" by Beverly Cleary? It's a gem. And it ends happily.

  12. Bessie Mac, K9 Friend, Roo, Marg & cate – Aw, thanks!

    Peggy – I know what you mean! Somehow leaving the dog seemed like the hardest part, in a way. Not sure why. I also attempted to fill the void – I had fish. However, I don't think I was meant to be a fish mama… we didn't have much luck with them.

    Winnie – I'm always in nostalgia mode, so I understand!

    Kristine – I used to love Garfield & Friends on Saturday mornings too. The Halloween special is definitely a classic… I usually watch it every October. Even though they aren't really on TV anymore, I have them all on DVD now. 🙂

    Pamela – Yeah, I think one would have to be made of some pretty strong stuff not to tear up at that one! I actually haven't read "Socks" but I'm adding it to my list right now.

  13. Hey there. 🙂 Who knew my little post would help trigger such memories. 🙂 The world is so small sometimes.

    I think I must be about half a decade or so older than you because when you mentioned Garfield and Nine Lives, I assumed you were talking about the cat food commercials from earlier in the 80s. 🙂 BTW, I LOVED Garfield AND Odie and had a big fat stuffed animal of each.

    I had to leave three cats when I went to college, but my first heart cat had already passed a few years before that. (Since then I've had two more heart cats and a heart dog. One of the cats is still with me.) The verdict is still out on the dogs, somewhat ironically (they are sharing the bonding with all humans in the house). It's hard for me to even think about leaving any of my pets, though. Let's hope neither of us have to cross that bridge again any time soon!

  14. Elizabeth – You totally triggered a nostalgia overload. 🙂 And I'm with you… happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts!

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