Wie lieblich sind Berts Wohnungen

I want to thank everyone who has shared a thought with us on Bert's death. I don't know how to say it any better than just that it has meant a lot, getting all the emails and messages and calls and comments, and we appreciate it truly. I wish you all had had a chance to meet him; he certainly would have wanted to meet you. He was a social guy, always friendly and amiable, inquisitive and adaptable, internationally renowned for his courtesy and particularly fine coat.

Last Labor Day weekend, as I entertained myself decontextualizing Anna Netrebko quotes in front of the computer, Bert found his amusement outdoors in the garden, where he was having his last big weekend romp. We had herded the cats into the car for a ride up to our friend Mr. T—'s Healdsburg bungalow, where Bert could have a fun-in-the-sun vacation.

So it felt fitting when Mr. T— offered to let us bury Bert in the garden, and agreed to play the role of gravedigger. We placed Bert in the ground with his little green honeysuckle cushion, which has indisputably been his favorite possession since F&J gave it to him as a present nearly a decade ago. (I recall us laughing that day at the ridiculous cartoon cat on the packaging, which was pictured hugging the cushion. Then we looked down and saw Bert lying on his side, trying to hug the damn thing to his chest.) We replaced the dirt with our hands. He's under an orange tree now.

I heard/sang a bunch of music last week—both New York Voices sets at Yoshi's, a vocal jazz class, a Holy Thursday service, Dudamel leading the SF Symphony in the complete Firebird, Flicka and Jackie in a Pauline Viardot tribute—good extramural excursions, all. But home is a little quieter now, and it is interesting to find ourselves so keenly aware of absence instead of presence.

Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras

Comments

[Lisa Hirsch]

Aw, this is such a lovely tribute to your Bert. And the Brahms is for me the most comforting possible music when I'm sad.

[gregory]

Such a handsome kitty. Thinking of you as your lives take new shape.

[Marc Geelhoed]

Lucy and I send you our best thoughts and hopes in this sad time. Bert looks like a very deep cat.

[Steven Davies]

Dudamel leading the SF Symphony in the complete Firebird.
I want to learn more about him because I like his piano music very much.
It is amazing.