Quiltnut4ever - thank you so much for the incredibly thoughtful and generous gift. I will post a photo this evening. It was definitely a bright spot in an otherwise solemn day:
I lost my best friend and sidekick last night. He was more than a cat, and as I like to remind my husband, my longest relationship. He was not ill and so was quite a shock. He simply climbed into my lap and purred, and that was that.
I will send my SP's package in the mail tomorrow.