Buddy the "dirt surfer'...damn I miss you

This is the first Summer without my shadow, Buddy The Cat. He became sick last Winter and, after a few vet visits and exploratory surgery, it became obvious he would not recover. I wanted Buddy to come home from the vet, for selfish reasons, but decided the vet should not let him wake from his surgery. Buddy adopted me not long after I moved into my St Johns bungalow. He was underfed and dirty but became my best friend. We had six years of good times and I'm thankful. Without a doubt, Summer was Buddy's favorite season; he would camp out in the backyard and sun himself while watching the birds. In the Winter, Buddy loved curling up on his fleece blanket, then he'd jump onto the bed and purr in the morning. When I left for work, Buddy would sometimes stand at the open door and feel the cold air...then u-turn back to the living room. I'd scoop him up to put him on the comfy chair on the back porch...even then, he'd rub his cheek on my nose.