Mollie Hunt's Blog, page 62

CHRISTMAS WITH CATS 2017: A ROCKY TRUCE

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Christmas is different this year. Two beloved feline family members are gone and a new one has come. Little, the one remaining from what such a short time ago was a family of 4, dislikes her new brother, Oscar. To expect a copacetic Christmas was out of the question; that we managed to get both into the same room was a blessing.

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Used to be on Christmas morning, the cats would open their presents. We’d get them all catnip pillows at the House of Dreams Pretty Kitty Bazaar, wrap them loosely in tissue paper, and let the cats rip away. Harry was the best at it, having had the most practice. He’d get it between his paws, kicking with back feet and biting with fangy teeth until the tissue was but a memory. Soon enough, the others caught on. Christmas morning was a frenzie of catnip-crazed cats. 

With the loss of the others, Little sunk into a funk. Thinking she would enjoy a new companion, we adopted Oscar. Oscar had his own baggage, however, and the 15-pound boy’s obsession with Little became bullying. He thinks she’s a play-toy; she thinks he’s the devil.

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Still we have hope. We bought a toy called “Cat’s Meow” with a wand that goes around in a circle under a bright yellow cloth. Both cats are infatuated with it. As long as it’s on and going, they both sit next to each other, all animosity suspended while they contemplate this mutual prey.

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This morning, I wrapped the catnip pillows as usual, wondering what would happen when we got the kitties together. It didn’t take long to find out.

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Neither cat was interested in “opening” their presents, though we enticed them to at least give them a look.

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With much coaxing, Little got hers open, but she was always looking over her shoulder for Oscar. That Oscar was ignoring her didn’t seem to make much difference, nor did the fact that we were keeping them safely apart.

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Little didn’t pay much attention to her new toy, though she did sit on her tissue paper for a while before retiring to the kitchen for lunch.

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Guess who moved right in the minute she was gone!

Merry Christmas everyone from the Hunt family

!

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“The grief of losing a pet is acute yet inevitable. This book is dedicated to all those beloved, precious, wonderful kitties (and a dog) who are no longer with us, and to their people who made their world a better place.” —Cat’s Paw, Dedication.

 

I dedicated my recent book, Cat’s Paw, to those who have crossed Beyond. There are 73 names on the list; 73 adored, cherished darlings; 73 furry soulmates; 73 amazing balls of self-contained energy we knew as “life”.

Where is that life now, that persevering energy? Science tells our minds that nothing is lost; faith tells our hearts the same thing. Still, once those babies have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, it will be a long, lonely time until we see them again.

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It has been a privilege to transcribe these 73 names into the dedication for Cat’s Paw. I hope seeing their names in print brings some sense of relief to their people. The list is far from complete: even if there were 73,000 names, it couldn’t include all the pets we have lost. Each of those losses was wrought with heart-wrenching grief, yet we dry our tears, buck up, and go out to adopt again, knowing it begins the cycle once more.

Why?

Because we are awesome! We are the caregivers, the cat people, the moms and dads. We are the defenders and the speakers for those who cannot speak for themselves. We are the providers, the spoilers, the entertainers for our sweet cats. They bring us an irreplaceable love that, once experienced, we find it hard to live without. We need them and they need us.

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Especially awesome are those who adopt the old, frail, and ill. They know the secret: Cats will be cats until the day they die, despite age and illness, sitting on our laps, head-butting our shins, giving us blinks of love.

Whatever the age, whatever the backstory, for humans who love cats, cats are necessary, are family. But their time on earth is brief. Care for them like treasure. Remember them when they are gone.

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Thank you again to those who participated and to those who read the names. You can order your copy of Cat’s Paw, The 3rd Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery for kindle or in print here.

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CHRISTMAS IN CANADA

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When I was 18, in the fall of 1969, I moved to from the US to Canada. I went for the weekend and stayed 10 years. 

My first Christmas away from home was a little bleak. I was living in a rooming house in Victoria. The other girls who stayed in the big house had come to be friends, and up until December 25th, the place was warm with comradery. We decorated, sipped hot toddies, learned of each other’s backgrounds as girls do. There was snow and I loved that it would be a white Christmas. The old fashioned town was lit with fairy lights and colorful displays.  

Then Christmas Day arrived and everyone went home. Suddenly I was alone. I walked the quiet streets, peered into windows bright with greenery and garlands. I passed as families chattered from car to house loaded with food and presents. I called my parents. They said they missed me and loved me. I went to bed before the rest of the girls came home.  

The next morning, the resilience of youth clicked in again and I was ready for the new day. Boxing Day, a holiday not celebrated in the US, was a new experience, and a friend was taking me to her family’s gathering. The feast was as sumptuous as any Christmas dinner, and over strange foreign foods such as Yorkshire pudding, bubble & squeak, steak & kidney pie, and Nanaimo Bars, I was in love with my new Canadian home once more.

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SNOW-MAGEDDON 2016, THE STORM THAT SHUT DOWN PORTLAND

 

 

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Yes, it’s true. An inch of snow brought Portland, Oregon to its knees. People took hours to crawl home on the dusted freeways; cars were abandoned after the first slippery slide. All schools and most work closed up tight. This is my first trek out in 3 days.

Today the sun shines, though it’s still well below freezing. On her introduction to the cold white stuff, Little thinks there must be better (and warmer) things to do.

 

WHAT I’M WATCHING: GLITCH

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GLITCH

Drama | TV Series (2015– )

When Senior Constable James Hayes, a police officer in the small town of Yoorana, is called out to the local cemetery in the middle of the night, he makes a discovery that turns his world upside down. Six people have inexplicably risen from the dead in perfect health.

Season 1 of Glitch begins with the rising of the dead from a bush-town cemetery somewhere in outback Australia. Witnessed by a young teen and a constable, it’s a diverse and unrelated smattering of folks whose deaths occurred in different eras throughout the century. These are not zombies but actual people, naked and mud-covered, who don’t have a clue why they’re there. The undead include the policeman’s wife who after discovering he has remarried, is looking at an impossible triangle.

In spite of the action, the shocking opening, and the subsequent complications surrounding the plight of the risen, (people long dead can’t just come back and say, Here I am!) the show seemed to move slow for me. The story line is not quite dramatic enough, and the characters lack a certain depth. Still, I found it captivating and watched the 6 episodes of the 1st season in short order. As I got further into it – the entanglements, spectacle, and lurking terror lurking beneath – the characters became more real to me, maybe because they are somewhat underplayed.

The attention to small visual detail is well-done: bruises, dirt, clothing stains, and marks remain constant throughout. The scenery is lovely, unusual to someone living halfway across the globe, and I wish I they had showed more. The scenes are understated, laying out a background for the action rather than making a statement of their own. Only once did they show one of Australia’s strange animals, a mammal with big eyes and a rat tail curled up in the eaves of a cabin. It was so astounding that it seemed like they should have either shown more fauna or none at all.

Glitch has been picked up for a second season which is good because there were few questions answered in season 1. It is, however, somewhat satisfying as a stand-alone, leaving the watcher to draw their own conclusions.

I enjoyed watching Glitch, and though I’m not breathless with anticipation, I look forward to season 2.

 

 

 

 

LUX: AN OFFICIAL (& NOT SO OFFICIAL) UPDATE

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I’m happy to announce – finally – an update on Lux, Portland’s own 911 cat.

As most of you know, 2 1/2 years ago, Lux frightened a couple with a baby into locking themselves in their bedroom and calling 911. For anyone who wants to catch up, here is the original story from the Oregonian, March 10, 2014: Aggravated Cat Is Subdued By Portland Police After Terrorizing Family  

Like you, I really want to know what’s happening with my sweetie, Lux, so a short time ago, I checked the internet and found this interview with Jackson Galaxy.  The interviewer, Stephanie Stephens, M.A. (Digital Health, Lifestyle, Celeb Journalist/Producer/Host) asks Jackson: 

SS: What’s the toughest cat situation you’ve ever faced on the show?

JG: It has to be Lux, “The 911 Cat.” He scared his family into locking themselves in a room and calling 911. Yes, really. He challenged me, and that’s a tough one for someone like me. He’s in a sanctuary now, living a great life.

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I was glad to see this admission from Jackson, because for so long there has been no official word. I know we all want to see Lux “fixed” and normal – that may never happen but his future is looking brighter all the time. 

Last year, I was able to visit Lux in his sanctuary and saw for myself what a wonderful place it was. The peaceful environment was a perfect place to address his triggers and phobias. He had a lovely, large space and a throng of caregivers to cater to his needs and whims. Everyone loved him, and he was making great strides. 

What made Lux act out in such a divergent way? We will probably never know, though many possibilities have been suggested. When Lux had the full-body MRI in 2014, it turned up no abnormalities, but it is still possible there was a physical cause that the tests missed. For a while, he was thought to have a form of feline hyperesthesia syndrome, but that was pretty well ruled out by the doctors at the sanctuary. (Lux takes no medication now and hasn’t for approximately 2 years.) 

So if it wasn’t physical, was it mental? Cats hate change. Was the introduction of a husband, dog, and baby into Lux’s life too much for him? Most commonly, a cat stressed by change will become reclusive or adopt inappropriate litterbox habits, not turn into a wolverine. 

Lux had definite triggers that spurred the onset of an episode. He hated when a person turned away from him to walk out of a room. The drive for a cat to attack when someone leaves the room is not unheard-of. Though most cats aren’t as brutal as Lux, I’ve since been told of several cases. Simply put, kitty doesn’t want you to go. 

Clutter was another no-no for Lux, which made my house with its many rooms of knick-knacks and collectibles a bad fit. He liked to see what was going on around him. When things blocked his line of sight, he became nervous and unsure, and then an outburst could occur. 

For a normal cat, none  of those things should be traumatic enough to throw him into all-out aggression. According to his original family, there had been no hint of what was to come previous to the 2014 outburst. If this is true, what made a 4-year-old cat suddenly change his disposition? Usually by 4, a cat’s personality is somewhat set. According to the Cat Life Stage Table, 4 is “Prime”, approximating an age of 32 in human years.  

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Luxie is now 6. I hope to visit him again sometime soon. I hope even more that Jackson Galaxy can finally solve his mystery or at least conquer his demons once and for all. Jackson hasn’t forgotten Lux. The story is still playing out. Meanwhile I’m thrilled at the news that he is happy, and gratified knowing he is safe and loved. 

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THE CATS OF LYNLEY CANNON

I recently put together a book of photos of the cats of Lynley Cannon, the heroine in my Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery series, for a book presentation I was giving. I passed it around the room and talked to the audience about all the cats. It brought to life a little bit of Lynley’s world and was a great success so I though I would share it with you too.

      

~Dirty Harry: An older gentleman who likes to sleep in his donut and sometimes laze around the fenced back yard.

      

~Little: The ambassadoress who always greets Lynley at the door and tells her all about it.

      

~Big Red: 17 pounds of muscled tabby dynamite but is a bit of a scardycat.

      

~Tinkerbelle: Registered Pet Pals therapy cat who visits hospice patients with Lynley.

     

~Solo: A singular beauty who lives her life out of sight of human eyes (but that may change soon! Stay tuned for Cat Cafe, 2018)

      

~Violet: The large girl with the beach ball shape and an attitude of cattitude.

      

~Fraulein Fluffs (Fluffo): A sweet older lady on hospice from Friends of Felines shelter.

      

~Mab: The Siamese kitten Lynley rescued from a nefarious breeder in Copy Cats.

      

~Emilio: Lynley’s latest with whom she bonded at the Cloverleaf Animal Sanctuary art retreat in the San Juan Islands. (Cat’s Paw)

Coming in 2017, Mufasa & Misto: Lynley finds herself “wrangling” this pair of actor cats who star in TV and film in Cat Call.

I hope you have enjoyed our brief tour of Lynley Cannon’s clowder. They all feature prominently in the Crazy Cat Lady mystery series. (They wouldn’t be cat mysteries without the cats, now would they?)

WHAT I’M WATCHING: MARCO POLO

 

MARCO POLO, a Netflix Original Production

Adventure, Drama, History | TV Series (2014–2016 )

In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry, “Marco Polo” is based on the famed explorer’s adventures in Kublai Khan’s court in 13th century Mongolia. —IMDb

Violent, stunning, brutal, the Netflix production of Marco Polo is not for the faint of heart. It begins with a mesmerizing set of ink-wash credits, and moves quickly into merciless deaths and gruesome dismemberments, steamy silken sex scenes, and an opulence not seen in today’s world, even in the richest of places. The detail is so vibrant and real, you can almost smell the horse shit and spices that pervade the ancient streets. Costumes and sets are beyond extravagant in their tiniest elements. When they’re not loping of heads and other various body parts, the scenery is a feast for the eyes.

Lorenzo Richelmy, the young Italian actor who plays Marco Polo, is also a feast for the eyes. It is the job of his character to tie all the many plot threads together and create a believable world, which he does well. Benedict Wong is powerful as Kublai Khan, and Tom Wu’s Hundred Eyes, the blind warrior monk, is nothing short of transcendental., Prince Jingim (Remy Hii) is hot, as is his nemesis, the dark-souled Ahmad (Mahesh Jadu). Polo’s women are, of course, gorgeous, wily, and versed in the art of deception among other, softer arts, but I prefer the men.

Blood-baths, sword play, haunting music; intrigue and betrayal. Is it history? Probably not. Is it thought provoking? Certainly. Season 3 has yet to be confirmed, but I’m ready to re-immerse myself in a period of history in which I would never want to live.

Be sure to check out Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes (TV Short 2015) which tells the story of Khan’s assassin, Hundred Eyes.

“Before he lost his sight. Before he pledged his service to Kublai Khan. Hundred Eyes saw what made him into the deadly assassin who trains Marco Polo.”

 

 

Silent Samantha Sunday, reblogged

A beautiful picture to help us through the most difficult of times.

Musings of PuppyDoc

To the friends we have recently lost…we will miss you.

Sending hugs over the Bridge,
Samantha & Puppydoc

THE JOURNEY OF FARAWAY NIGHT

Faraway Night is a small cat who lives on the streets of a future city. She has lived there all her short life so she knows nothing different. Still, there is a quest in her, an imbalance that makes her edgy and tense.

One day she sees something she doesn’t understand shimmering in the ever-present rain. It is her reflection, but not. Not her small camouflaged form but large and bright and leonine. It speaks to her from mind to mind.

Hark, it says with thoughts like thunder. You are the future of our people.

“How?” asks Faraway Night. “Why?”

Because we all are, the lion replies, mending their souls into one.