she loved water that much - a ramble

She hated to have her picture taken and would never look at the camera.
You could get a profile but never, ever a full face shot.
She wouldn't drink still water until near the end.
Water was her favorite toy, if there was a body of water around, she'd find it.
She used to [in much younger days] jump in to the bath or shower with me, she loved water that much.
When we lived on the island in Lake Champlain, she would jump in and out of the rowboat until someone took her out into the bay, at which point she'd jump out and swim back in.
She made friends with the beavers there.
She tamed a pit bull.
She killed a racoon.
She was a mighty huntress and would leave prizes on the doorstep.
She never bothered the chickens or guinea hens, but let a weasel around and she would face it down.
She did kill songbirds and suffered for it once, contracting songbird fever. She left them alone after that.
She wouldn't stay outside if the coyotes were around though.
She was smart.
She didn't miaow very loud, just a tiny noise to let me know she was there, but her growl scared most people until they realised it was her.
She was never 'just a cat', she was Kiki, the mistress of all she surveyed.
She lived in 5 different states and has died in the same one she was born in.
She liked sitting on my lap while I was reading, purring like her engine was stuck.
She never did eat a mouse, however lizards were another matter.
When I was sick [which has been a lot since the Lyme disease] she would lay right next to me until I was better.

I wish I could have done the same for her.