Footprints in my heart

This section is dedicated to all the rats who have shared their lives with us over the past 11 years. Each one was special in their own right and I try in these few words to portray their unique gifts to me. These words, compiled over the years, stand as little memorials for me, each one flooding my heart with memories of a precious little being. Individual quirks and graces captured forever.

Poetry

Words have always been very important to me, and poetry is just a vibrant organisation of words to paint a picture. I have written a few rattie poems over the years, most are remembrances too. So I have included them here.

Gonzalis
Tabitha
Hendrix
Zippy

Memorials

Rosie - Beloved first rat who paved the way for all the rest. Gentle and sweet and frail.

Nancy - First rat also, soft and round and so loving. Thank you for showing us the way.

Lily - Flower-like, petal soft, mother of many. You were our licky girl. Remember our walks in the park.

Ricki - Surprise girl, (thought you were a boy). Then you surprised us with babies. Glad you chose us.

Romeo - Our first boy, a wonderful rattie. I remember you sunning yourself in the garden.

Braveheart - My precious wee man, you overcame so much and stayed tender. I miss you.

Georgia - Sweet little girl, so gentle like your mum. Remember those days on the garage roof with the girls.

Juliet - Always such a big soft girl. You looked after the little girls so well. Surrogate mum.

Cara - Little scaredy-rat. Always plagued with sneezes and wheezes. A soldier.

Little Nancy - Our tiny white girl, keeping the memory of first rattie alive. So small and sweet.

Dynamite - Rescue girl. Furious furball, grumpy to the end. Hope we made life more bearable.

Crumble - Rescue girl. So scared, so gentle. Joanne's special friend. Sorry we couldn't erase the memories.

India - Rescue girl. Always the boldest, always leading the way. I loved your unbroken spirit.

Spice - Rescue girl. Showed me rattie pain. Screamed at first, later just whimpered. Peace now little one.

Gonzalis - My precious, precious little man, so many tears have fallen. Forever in my heart.

Fizzle - Thank you for all that you gave to us. Always so full of life ~ run swiftly now.

Herbert - Such a sweet boy, I hold you always in my heart.

Rocky - I miss your mean left hook, my grouchy boy. Inseperable brothers even in death.

Jaffa - I thought you'd go on forever, old girl. I miss your strength and courage.

Timothy - I cannot believe you've gone. My heart aches for your cuddles and kisses.

Wesley - From scardy-rat to lion-heart my precious boy. I can still feel you nuzzling your head under my chin.

Jasmin - Goodbye our roly poly darling girl. We celebrate you sweetheart - you knew how to live right...

Vashti - Beautiful queen rat, you gave us so much. Remember those mammoth nests under the armchair?

Gelert - Hey! My funny little man. Rat with 9 lives... every one lived to the full. Always the joker.

Zerubbabel - I just want you back. You filled my heart so much that the lack of you is empty. My treasure.

Sapphira - You left us too soon. Sorry I didn't get to say goodbye.

Tabitha - First Tabi rat; mother of my dreams. To say "you were special" is like saying "the sea is wet"...

Melki - Sweet, gentle giant and first dumbo. Always our treasure. You 'tamed' Joe - how clever!

Eli - No words big enough sweetheart. Thank you for it all. You too are the heart of 'Tabi'.

Tamar - Always such soft, gentle sweetness. My heart holds you forever.

Malarki - Goodbye sweet grumpy man... you died as you lived; independant - your own man.

Selphie - You came to us late, but quickly made your home is our hearts. Miss you my lovely.

Sahkyo - With us so briefly, your gentleness in your difficulties touched me.

Shadi - Precious big sister, shadowed her even to the Bridge.

Samson - Sami baby, how could you leave? My darling wee gentleman. You own a piece of my heart.

Nibbles - So gentle, so loving. What a priviledge to share your final fews months with you.

Jaikob - Huge, beautiful, our Teddy Bear rattie. Truly precious.

Bridie - Like a gentle and sweet flower, you bloomed, and we enjoyed you. Bye Honey...

Boaz - The tears still come just to think of you. I salute you; truly a rat amongst rats.

Meli - What can I say little one? You were quite simply perfect.

Shalom - Glad you finally found the peace of your name. Sleep gently.

Miakoda - What happened baby? A flower picked in full bloom. So sorry...

Braveheart - Tiny beginnings. Huge heart. You never once complained about a thing. A beautiful life.

Shimshai - Always my gentle, tender ratlet - reflecting so much of your daddy, Samson.

Tobias - From tiger to teddy bear, it was always a pleasure to know you.

Spirit - So full of life and spirit. Such a sudden goodbye my lovely. I miss you.

Seth - Seemed like we had you forever. Even that wasn't long enough. Love you my treasure.

Bubble - My gentle, licky friend - so glad you came back to us. Sleep softly now.

Damascus - Joe's baby. Gentle giant; you cared so well for each other. What friendship... what love... what loss!

Susa - Such sweet treasure. Your legacy is the dream babies, live on forever...

Melka - Such a sense of self, always your own ratlet. Determination and strength and courage.

Just So - You were always 'just so' 'til the end... and live on in all that is 'dream'.

Caliban - Oh Cal... no chance for goodbye's. I celebrate you, my tender, precious man. Thanks hon..

Tabicat - How can I do you justice? You were perfect. Thank you for it all.

Joni - You battled against so much little man. Those last day kisses will touch me forever.

Teli - I loved your quiet, peaceful way of being. Your tenderness lives on in the Boblets.

Cimarron - Hey! Cimmi babe. Your name represented freedom and 'bigness' - in every way you owned it.

Tia - Rest easy Tia love, so quiet and unassuming. Thank you for making life so easy.

Scarlet - Big and beautiful, and always the boss. The old boys miss you... so do I.

Tabitubi - My sweet gentleness, you knew how to win human hearts. Always a people rattie.

Daydream - Gentle, tender sweetness, like a rose slowly opening. Picked in full bloom. So sorry...

Sokanon - My 'Rain cloud' - you rained your goodness into our lives. Joseph's 'Little Melki'.

Tera - In all your comings and goings you were easy. Full on and friendly... and finally so tender.

Elu - Orange fire angel... with your zest for life. I'm not sure we ever really owned you...

So many hellos and goodbyes... your home was always in my heart. Indepedance and grace.

Tehya - Precious from that moment of birth, my wonderful little man. Full of goodness.

Tabi goes forth - My precious, eager, tender, playful one. You were so perfect. The ache is huge.

Tabicus - Always yielding, never resisting... you lived well my darling. And we loved well too...

Sabu - Irresistable to the end... I'll never forget that walk in the rain, and you bruxing your goodbyes.

Excalibur - True warrior spirit. You fought on bravely, and I fought beside you... heart to heart.

Tabikit - A lily: soft, open and yielding. Plucked in the fullness of your blooming. So sorry my treasure.

Dream catcher - It was so hard to let you leave... my special tigger rat, with your gentle, generous spirit.

Seven of nine - Thank you for finding us; it was a great pleasure to share your days and your affections.

Ginny - I think you finally found peace with us, my little dove. It was the least I could do...

Tania - So soft, so gentle, so yielding... beautiful inside and out. Sorry we knew no goodbyes.

Ruth - You were so wise... my warrior princess who ruled with the gentleness of a feather.

Etta - So tiny, so scared... and so happy with your new friends and freedoms. Peace now little one.

Giles - You faded from our lives... but not our hearts. It was an honour my man...

Goliath - My tiny man with the giant heart... so precious and gentle... so loved.

Lessa - Joanne's busy, disarming minx. Your life, though short, was so full up.

Nerilka - Lessa was the minx... you were the quiet, gentle sister... Joanne's little friend.

Morpheus - My wonderful, gentle giant. So very pleased you came back to us... you belonged.

Lanta - I miss your cheerful, cheeky ways...slipping past me at the cage door - and off!

Valya - Goodbye my beautiful little man. So gentle and brave in your struggles.

Loaf - My gorgeous, soft teddy bear rattie. So pleased we 'kidnapped' you!

Rye - Your renewed youth and vigour latterly was wonderful. A splendid life... and death.

Sienna - Sweet, tender, gentle one... so patient. So loved. So difficult to let go...

Guinevere - Passionate orange fuzzball. You were always your own rattie, but you let me share you.

Reve - Always such a delight; contageous enthusiasm. You did good girl...

Tabitastic - You broke my heart baby. Snatched from a life hardly begun. So precious...

Brandon - You owned me - and we loved each other well. Always and forever my gentle man.

Laasya - Amazing tenacity... "dream on... dream on... don't give up and don't give in."

Tabi on top - Synonymous with Shunamite and totally Tabi... what a debt of gratitude my lovely.

Cunning Plan - My water baby; plodging and pea fishing with finesse. So gentle and so very fine.

Cocoa - Your brother Tango always stole the limelight... you were content to steal my heart.

Alta - Aww honey, you always seemed to have a mountain to climb. But you never climbed alone...

Gwendolen - Orange fireball, to sedate middle age to tender ancientness. Magnificent.

Tabi o menino - My rat amongst rats. Constantly seeking relationship... we loved each other well. No regrets.

Revelet - Keeping the dream alive. Spirit of Reve... always cheerful and happy with life.

Revel - Such fun and such a friendly soul. My little 'Snoopy' doing your happy dance.

Rhoswen - Precious, tender lily-rat. Gentle in everything... our little princess.

Tango - You won so many hearts my lovely snuggle rat. I ache to think how near we came to not knowing you.

Silhouetto - Spirit and passion. You knew yourself well. Thank you for sharing that gift with me.

Selphie - Such a sweet, lady-like ratlet. Always pleasant, always yielding. Content.

Nonette - Big and bold and beautiful. My loafy lady with your 'bad hair day' curly loveliness.

Tabi dream on - Precious tabiness... beautiful inside and out. So sorry we didn't get to say goodbye.

Boblet - Amazing resilience, full of spirit and joie de vivre... I miss you honey.

Baldrick - So hard to say goodbye; so many tears. Such precious living; gallant to the end.

Helki - Little naked ball of tenacity. Fire and thunder and lightning. Helki rules... ok!

Vladius - Such a gentle soul... your ruled your kingdom with a silk glove. So easy...

Ben - My gentle, gentle teddybear ratlet. Huge and tender and soooo cuddly.

Chance - We met only by chance. You represented all the goodness that is 'RAT'. Forever grateful honey.

Tabi textbook - My orange fire: warmth, creativity, passion, rebellion, enthusiasm, energy and inspiration.

Tabi on the tiles - Tiny tinkerbell. You touched the world with tenderness and grace. Adored by rat and human kind.

Waggledance - Waggle the wonderful - you came... you saw... you conquered. We salute you!.

Jenny - You chose to return here - you taught me so much about friendship, tenacity and overcoming.

Bobbie - Bobbie the brave, the beautiful. My lovely, tender girl. Three years of pure pleasure.

Indigo - Joanne's little livewire, catapulting in and out of life. How could you not be missed?

Brioche - Soft gentle curls, soft gentle heart. It was a joy to be your friend my treasure.

Elysian - Heroic and virtuous just as your name decreed. Beautiful inside and out. So easy in everything.

Catherine - Joanne's big and beautiful one. You lived graciously and with a good heart.

Nirvana - Always cheery and giving and fun. Thank you for bringing colour and joy.

Tabi off the hook - Soul-rat. Mutual understanding. Too precious for words to contain you. Carpe deum - it was all splendid.

Paula - Special child, passing for normal. I hope I read you right and made life bearable. So unique.

Tabi Hoppy Daze - Joy and passion, exuberance and intelligence. I am stunned by the loss of you. No cage bars now...

Trick or treat? - Wild child, mellowed into generous middle age. Always a player. Fun and faithfulness fused.

Emma - ahh Emma the explorer, always pretending not to care. Lovely independant spirit, fresh as summer rain.

Lord Flashheart - from the unconquerable bloom of your youth to the fragility of your last days, thank you for sharing your beautiful life. You were splendid.

Jannah - so hard for words to be enough. You were so full up with loveliness it spilled out of you. A good life.

Black beastie - Cheerful from your funny white nose to your cute white toes. Never a grumpy word... so happy!

Tabilicious - baby girl of enduring beauty. Delicious in every way. You were so quietly tabi. So tender. Au revoir my darling.

Poltergeist - Beyond the tragedy of a goodbye, so young, I celebrate your gentle tenacity. Peace now, precious little man.

Doppelganger - Disbelief. Not you too, my tender child. Such a hard goodbye... no words, just tears.

Mr Rainbow - Hey dudey man. So easy to be around. Left with a wave and a backwards glance... fittingly normal goodbye.

Hat trick - You were perfect, my special curly fella. Questions and pain - Why? I miss you so much...

Casper - ghost rat, slipping between shadows - you learned to trust. Hauting me in life... and death.

Tabi 42 not out - as with your mother and your son, we shared so much understanding; similar souls, celebrating each other. I love you baby girl.

Makenzie - Joanne's lovely girl, you left home the same week she did... run free little ones.

Hop Blossom - always the gorgeous flower rat, unfolding, becoming. So grateful for those last few weeks.