I’m still in mourning for my kitty, Loki. I miss him terribly and think about him all the time. So many things trigger memories for me. Bringing home a rotisserie chicken would have him underfoot until I shared some. I don’t think I’ll ever bake a sponge cake again – for some reason, he would go crazy when I made one. As it cooled on the counter in the pan, he would stand up next to it, paws reaching, nose quivering. There was something about the scent that really appealed to him. He never jumped on the counter, though; he was such a good boy. I was folding laundry and got hit with such a wave of sadness that he wasn’t there to jump into the laundry basket or plant himself in the middle of all the clean laundry.
It’s still weird going to bed, and he’s not there. He’s not in any of his favorite spaces, and I can’t help but look all the time. I get up in the morning and go into the kitchen, and his bowls aren’t there. He was a part of my routine for sixteen years, and it feels like so many of my routines have changed now. I stopped watching cat videos; they make me cry instead of laugh now. Yes, I’m still crying but not as much and not as often. Sometimes, I just scroll through pictures, I have so many. My daughter has over 1600 pictures of Loki on her phone. She was home a lot with him, and she’s a photographer, so it makes sense.
I am so grateful that I can talk to my husband about him, and he understands – he misses him, too. My daughter, too. A shared burden lightens the load somewhat. I know, logically, that it is just going to take time, but that doesn’t really help how I feel now. Having this space helps, too.
Book News
So much book news this month!
Is listening to a book cheating?
Can books beat Trump?
Indie publisher Melville House is racing to preserve history, before the US government buries the evidence . . . they’ve just released two new reports in the US, with both following in the UK in the next few weeks: a print and eBook edition of the Jack Smith report—the summation of an investigation of Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election—and the Tulsa report, concerning the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
Trump’s attack on libraries was predictable. Its consequences could be devastating
The president wants to eliminate the agency backing libraries and museums. But the institutions do far more than lend books
We Need Diverse Books is launching the inaugural We Need Diverse Books Day on Thursday, April 3, “to highlight the importance of reading books that reflect the beautifully diverse world.”
WNDB will be recommending titles for all ages, sharing resources on where to find them, and encouraging everyone to read a diverse book. To celebrate We Need Diverse Books Day and 10 years of the nonprofit, WNDB said it is donating 10,000 titles in 2025 to schools and libraries across the country.
“We invite you to pick out and read a diverse book today–because diverse books are for everyone and these stories ought to be shared and celebrated,” said WNDB board chair and author Dhonielle Clayton.
Can Bibliotherapy Drive Book Sales?
“After two years of declines, BookScan reported that unit sales in 2024 rose by 1% . . . BookTok sales driven by the social media platform jumped 20% last year over 2023 . . . As fears about the economy grow, consumers will likely cut back on buying big-ticket items and focus more on categories that have a high perceived value at a lower price, such as books.”
Food News
A Dream of Gold and Green
How Irish butter took over the world.
The Surprising Trick for Cooking Rice That Works for Any Grain
A simple boiling method doesn’t require measuring or memorization — and you probably already know how to do it.
Good News
Teacher gives $20 to her students with one rule: Use it for kindness
Kristina Ulmer does the kindness challenge each year . . . She said students run with it.
“The first time I participated in the challenge, I didn’t think it would be possible to make a difference with $20, but I learned that’s really not true,” Sydney said. “You don’t have to have millions — anyone can make a difference.”
Other News
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.
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