There were times after my dog, Sparkles died (and, prior to that, when her puppy, Princess--Princess Leia, to use her full name [Mom's idea, lol]--died), when I would sometimes hear claws clacking on the kitchen floor. And, living over here, Mom swears up and down that she sometimes sees a cat crossing the kitchen.

This has just been a crap year, all around. Mom has had a great year, and she feels guilty for it, considering everyone else she talks to has had such a sucky one.