A Magic Cat Named Pyewacket

In honor of Halloween coming up, I promised to tell the mystical yet, true tale of how a cat named Pyewacket magically appeared in my life.

I still miss Silver
(but not the pee on the beds and leather sofas)

Pyewacket crying high in the pine tree.

I used to have a cat. A gorgeous purebred silver-tipped persian. But Persians don't like little kids and dogs. Silver hid or peed on the kids beds and leather sofa daily. And pooped everywhere but his box (and yes I tried every box in the world and litter types too--spent over $100 on an automatic variety too). After six years of trying to make Silver happy, in a house with 3 kids and a dog, I decided it was time to find him an adult only home. I found him a single woman whose dream it was to own such a beautiful Persian.
 Before Silver, my entire life has been filled with cats. I always had a cat growing up and as an adult too. After Silver left, it was


the first time in my life I'd been without a pet cat.

I've been catless for about three years.They've been long years. I love cats. But then I adopted Pablo, my Boston Bull dog--a breed fond of killing small animals. Pablo sealed the deal--no more cats as long as he's my boy.

And then one day, last month, I took my girls to a pet store to buy dog supplies. My daughter Mist, insisted I walk over to the cat adoption centre to look at the kittens. I said no, it would be too painful as I really long to have a cat again. I continued on, remembering fondly--cat kisses and the precious smell of their little foreheads.

Pyewacket desperate for someone to hear his calls and help him get down.

It was painful, I truly wanted nothing more than a cat in my life, right there and then. So over to the centre I walked, to look at the kittens in the window. Seeing their precious faces made me long for a cat of my own even more. I told my daughters how much it hurt to be there, because I wanted one so badly. We left the store but the feeling of longing for a kitty to love, did not leave me.

We drove home and my girls immediately joined the neighbor girls on a hike on the mountain behind our home. Within a half an hour they were back. They'd discovered a cat, high in a skinny pine tree, howling.  The cat was at least forty feet up in the tree.
A neighbor told the girls it had been howling since before the weekend (that would be a week). No one had been able to coax it down and the fire department wouldn't help.

I headed out with the girls to investigate (upper right pictures). There he was all right, unable to come down because the pine had no lower branches. The wilderness park is teaming with coyotes--he must have been chased up too high to get back down. Each night the coyotes must have visited the tree, making an evening escape impossible too. We called and called to Pyewacket and he called back but could not get down.

Pyewacket, my daughter Mist and me, an hour after his rescue.

I rushed home to make a few calls. A neighbor-friend agreed to meet us there with his ladder. By the time we got back to the forest Pyewacket was gone. Our calls had finally gotten to him. He could not take the tree any longer and in his weakened state, he'd attempted to climb down but fallen. Our friend Dave, suggested we look in the grass, as he'd be too weak to get very far. Dave found him. His body was emaciated but he seemed to be alert and friendly. I took him home to my garage where I nursed him back to health with water in a syringe and wet cat food.The neighbor who lived directly behind the tree where Pyewacket was stranded, stopped by to say she'd been hearing the cat howl for a week but could not find any way to  rescue him. Pyewacket is magic. How can a cat survive for a week high in a tree? 

I (over the course of two hours) had wanted nothing more than a cat in my life, and then suddenly I had a cat in my home. Pyewacket was mine. Pyewacket was the most friendly, gentle boy ever. I fell instantly in love. It was as though I'd conjured him up and he appeared in a tree behind my house. I enjoyed every moment with Pyewacket, knowing I'd have to give him up eventually as my dog would most likely kill him instantly and Pyewacket could not live our garage forever.

Pyewacket has found a good home where I can visit him often. My sister is a vet. She said she'd take him and try to find him a good home with some of her favorite clients. So Pyewacket went to live in the Kootneys. But Pyewacket is magic--Pyewacket wrapped his tail around my sister's finger and she could not part with the dear boy. He is now officially the clinic cat of Cottonwood Falls Animal Clinic.

How Pyewacket Popped Into My LIfe

In honor of Halloween coming up, I promised to tell the magical, yet, real tale of how a cat named Pyewacket magically appeared in my life.

Beautiful Silver (yes I miss him still--
but not the pee on the beds and leather sofas).

Pyewacket desperate for someone to hear his calls and help him get down.

I used to have a cat. A gorgeous purebred silver-tipped persian. But Persians don't like little kids and dogs. Silver hid or peed on the kids beds and leather sofa daily. And pooped everywhere but his box (and yes I tried every box in the world and litter types too--spent over $100 on an automatic variety too). After six years of trying to make Silver happy, in a house with 3 kids and a dog, I decided it was time to find him an adult only home. I found him a single woman whose dream it was to own such a beautiful Persian.
 Before silver, my entire life has been filled with cats. I always had a cat growing up and as an adult too. After Silver left, it was the first time in my life I'd been without a pet cat.

Pyewacket crying high in the pine tree.

Pyewacket, my daughter Mist and me, an hour after his rescue.

I've been catless for about three years.They've been long years. I love cats. But then I adopted Pablo, my Boston Bull dog--a breed fond of killing small animals. Pablo sealed the deal--no more cats as long as he's my boy.

And then one day, last month, I took my girls to a pet store to buy dog supplies. My daughter Mist, insisted I walk over to the cat adoption centre to look at the kittens. I said no, it would be too painful as I really long to have a cat again. I continued on, remembering fondly cat kisses and the precious smell of their little foreheads.
It was painful, I truly wanted nothing more than a cat in my life, right there and then. So over to the centre I walked, to look at the kittens in the window. Seeing their precious faces made me long for a cat of my own even more. I told my daughters how much it hurt to be there, because I wanted one so badly. We left the store but the feeling of longing for a kitty to love, did not leave me.

We drove home and my girls immediately joined the neighbor girls on a hike on the mountain behind our home. Within a half an hour they were back. They'd discovered a cat, high in a skinny pine tree, howling.  The cat was at least forty feet up in the tree.
A neighbor told the girls it had been howling since before the weekend (that would be a week). No one had been able to coax it down and the fire department wouldn't help.

I headed out with the girls to investigate (upper right pictures). There he was all right, unable to come down because the pine had no lower branches. The wilderness park is teaming with coyotes--he must have been chased up too high to get back down. Each night the coyotes must have visited the tree, making an evening escape impossible too. We called and called to Pyewacket and he called back but could not get down.

I rushed home to make a few calls. A neighbor-friend agreed to meet us there with his ladder. By the time we got back to the forest Pyewacket was gone. Our calls had finally gotten to him. He could not take the tree any longer and in his weakened state, he'd attempted to climb down but fallen. Our friend Dave, suggested we look in the grass, as he'd be too weak to get very far. Dave found him. His body was emaciated but he seemed to be alert and friendly. I took him home to my garage where I nursed him back to health with water in a syringe and wet cat food.

I (over the course of two hours) had wanted nothing more than a cat in my life, and then suddenly I had a cat in my home. Pyewacket was mine. Pyewacket was the most friendly, gentle boy ever. I fell instantly in love. It was as though I'd conjured him up and he appeared in a tree behind my house. I enjoyed every moment with Pyewacket, knowing I'd have to give him up eventually as my dog would most likely kill him instantly and Pyewacket could not live our garage forever. The neighbor who lived directly behind the tree where Pyewacket was stranded, stopped by to say he'd been hearing the cat howl for a week but could not find any way to  rescue him. Pyewacket is magic. How can a cat survive for a week high in a tree? 

Pyewacket has found a good home where I can visit him often. My sister is a vet. She said she'd take him and try to find him a good home with some of her favorite clients. So Pyewacket went to live in the Kootney's. But Pyewacket is magic--Pyewacket wrapped his tail around my sister's finger and she could not part with the dear boy. He is now officially the clinic cat of Cottonwood Falls Animal Clinic.

A Haunted Okanagan Halloween

Auntie Griselda has arrived for another Halloween visit! If you want to know how I made her, check out The Making of a Witch October 29, 2010 blog.

Tabs as a French Girl in the school costume parade. Her zombie costume was deemed too gory for school.

Pip in the school parade.

Our Jack-o-lanterns

Mist as Misty from Pokemon

Mic, Nem and Tabs as Zombie school-girl triplets

Mist again, as Misty

Pip as Flamenco dancer and Artemis as a vampire bat.

Pip and Artemis

Halloween has become a very busy day for moms. Perhaps it always has been so busy. With all of the decorating and costumes and school parades, I got no "work" done. That is, writing work.
I was soooo tired yesterday too. I had to have a nap because I felt like collapsing around 2 p.m. I let myself collapse for an hour as I was up all weekend. Friday night I was up because Peter kept calling me from the Vancouver airport to say he was bumped from the flight and thus would not be home (I went down stairs and locked the door from the garage to the house). Next a phone call awakens me to say he's back on the flight (I went downstairs to open the garage door). And then he finally did arrive home and of course that woke me up too. And then Saturday night I was up all night in the emergency ward as Peter had a kidney stone.  So, I did let myself succumb to a wee nap to make myself feel better.
Today it is work all day on writing that is due this week. As well, I must dance right away--I alternate each morning dancing my adult Zumba routine with my ZumbAtomics kids routine--keeps it all fresh in my mind when I teach each week. Gotta get to work. Later.

***btw, if you haven't voted for me today yet, please press the 'Top 25 Circle of Moms' button up and to your left. Then scroll down until you seeModernista Mama and vote. Thank-you so very much my friends :)

The Rise of the Druids

In honour of the season, let all of us whose ancestors were the original Druids, take a moment to honour the first organized religion that truly celebrated the power of women.


I found this quote in the BBC News Online. I think organized religion could learn a lot from the Druids. Some of my family surnames come from the Druids. Hart means stag, which is the most sacred symbol of the Druids. Thus, the Harts were Druid royalty. Also, Rowan: the Rowan tree (also know as the Mountain Ash) is also very scared to the Druids. Thus the Rowans, were also high up in the Druid religion. It means my ancestors were big time Druids. I think this is where I get my passion for feminine strength.

Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at Bristol University, says Paganism is partly a reaction to a perceived discrimination against women, practiced by mainstream religions.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We've come to a time, after thousands of years of dogmatic religion... for human beings to take hold of their spirit and become free”

Tony JamesonDruid Bard

Me as Griselda's sister: The Wicked Witch of the North

He says: "It's feminist. Women have an automatic place... and in some areas of Paganism they are actually in charge. And they're working with a goddess or goddesses who are just as powerful as gods, if not more so."

Auntie Griselda with her broom, shouting nasty things at the neighborhood children

Mistaya as Ziggy Stardust

Tabitha as a fashionista bat

Pippi as a werewolf

Ready to trick or treat with cousins Anemone and Artemisia

The Making of a Witch

Paper Mache on a neck made of a swimming 'noodle' with a mask, balloon head and paper mache nose and chin.

Finishing the eyes and gesso applied to the entire head.

Painting the face. I modeled her after The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz.

Body made from 2 sets of nylons sewn together at the waist and stuffed with fiber fill. The body includes bendable wire armatures inside and tennis-sock stuffed boobs.

Introducing Auntie Griselda with Pip (the woman is 6 feet tall!)

Griselda and Pip. My what big hands she has!

Dr. Mix and Ms. Hart

Here is me as my evil creature-building alter ego. Griselda in almost complete. Will post pics next post.

Feel triumphant as I found  Werewolf costume bits and pieces yesterday at Value Village. Tomorrow night is the school Halloween Fair I will take my girls (Mist is volunteering) and my nieces and the Klironomos'. John's parents from Montreal:Pitsa and Nic are visiting and I will invite them along for the
night. Pip also has skating tomorrow night, just before the party and skating is way far away. It will be a busy night. Take out for supper will be a must!

I have been fighting an odd virus that leaves me tired, cranky and a slightly irritated throat plus bad asthma. I haven't been sleeping that well (up at 5 AM no matter what!) So I decided this morning to have a lie in and miss working out for one morning. I need to do that once in a while. It gives my mind a chance to rest. The thing about regular strenuous workouts that most people don;t realize is that one needs the occasional rest from them, not for the body but for the mind! To not have to get out of the house at the crack of dawn and rush around in the morning, really gives me a sense of relief. One day is enough though, tomorrow back at Zen Studio.

I have had requests to video a workout from Zen Studio and share it with my blog; I am working on that. It will be a simple workout that one can do three times a week and see fantastic results. The Zen Studio Work Out. But be aware: it's not meditation, it's not yoga, it's serious weight lifting for muscle defining results! Tee Hee--I had to write that as a fitness guru "Tony" who does workout videos always makes those type of macho disclaimers.

Preparing to start my MA study as soon as UBC ethics gives me the green light. Waiting sucks! If I didn't have my novel to edit I'd be going MAD.

Halloween 2009

Top pic- Tabs as Queen Elizabeth the I, Pip as Rapunzel (she refused the long wig) and Mist as Mary Poppins.
-Mist and friends ready to trick or treat.
-Tabs, Pip and friends.
-The pumpkin and squash carving.
A beautiful day in the valley today. Sunshine and warm temps. We went on a family hike along Mission creek.
Last night was very busy as all the trick or treaters descended upon our house by 6 PM. We ran out of treats--we only bought 140 this year. Next year I must remember 200 treats.
Saturday morning Miranda and I ran up the mountain I usually cycle up--challenging but great. Once you reach the top, the lake views are incredible. Unfortunately the road was littered with many dead salamander bodies--poor creatures unaware a new development is destroying their habitat.
I am excited about my career plans. Still PhD in English--creative dissertation but with a lovely twist. I will spend my days traveling the earth, volunteering in various ecological/humanitarian locations. I will write an autobiographical account of my travels or a novel inspired by each travel and paint a series based on my intimate experiences with fellow creatures. My "research" will be the book writing and paintings. These pursuits fulfill all my career dreams: travel, writing, painting and compassion for earth's creatures in need. Don't worry, I will only travel/volunteer, once every one-two years and take my darling children with me every chance I get.
I will do a little paper writing tonight and then watch the movie "The Brother's Bloom."

Home Alone on a Friday Night

Peter, Pip and Tabs tonight on their way to the school movie/Halloween party. Their cousins could not attend because of a possible flu bug.
 Mist and her friend Ashley volunteered at the school tonight, but had already left for their duties before this picture was taken. All arrived back home recently, except Mist has gone out again to a friends party (as Mary Poppins--she looks so stunning as Mary Poppins!) I will post pics tomorrow of the gang.
I asked Peter if he would accompany the girls tonight as I just didn't feel up to it. I had a confusing, stressful and boring day all rolled into one. I couldn't concentrate on any work. Pip was unable to stay at her cousins house today with the nanny as Nem had a fever. And later we found out the Nanny was near death with the flu! She came over to babysit the girls sicker than a dog. When Miranda found out, she sent her home and rushed her girls to the doctor. This story actually started yesterday...a most stressful, convoluted story indeed...
I awoke at 5:30 AM and trotted up the dark, wet, cold street with a water bottle in one hand and Fernando's lead in the other (at this point I wondered if I was insane--who gets up at that hour to run in the dark in cold, rain?) I called at Miranda's window at 5:40 and we hit the trials.
By 7:00 AM all our kids were dressed and in the van and the 6 of us were off to Vernon to crash the swine flu clinic (BC gave certain communities the vaccine first and we were not going to sit waiting for it to come to Kelowna!--too many of us have asthma). We arrived at about 7:45 to a manageable line up. By 10:30AM we were all set to be vaccinated against the swine flu and seasonal flu at once. Tabs had a melt down, Pip and Artemis screamed and cried, Mist was  a perfect angel and Nem lost it. There was no way anyone could vaccinate her--she needed it the most as she has the most severe asthma. Finally we'd given up--ready to leave without her vaccs. At the last moment I suggested Miranda take all the kids to the car and leave Nem with me--I'd try one last time.
Luck would have it, me bribing her (with the thought of how proud her mom would be) worked--she agreed to one vaccs. Pip, Tabs and Nem only got the swine flu vaccs, the rest of us got both.
So, many hours later, after a stop at Starbucks for something to fortify Miranda and I (caffeine, although we really needed something MUCH, MUCH stronger) and sugar for the girls. We arrived back in Kelowna thoroughly exhausted and went our separate ways. My girls and I felt ill and our arms ached.
I arrived home to a blessing--the workers had finished my backyard fence and it looked fabulous!
After settling the bill, I went inside (BTW, fences cost as much as a good second hand car these days!)
This morning I could not attend Bikram's  yoga as I needed to help get the girls get their costumes ready for school. Also, my arm is quite swollen from the shot and I felt off--so it was a good thing I missed class--I get nauseated on a good day!
At 9AM Pip and I arrived at M's to find Nem and Nanny ill--took Pip back home with me. Was too stressed to concentrate on work. Then Tabs called to say she'd forgotten her Halloween costume at home (the shoes) I drove down to her school to drop them off. The afternoon was quiet, I read books with Pip, took Tabs over to a friends after school and then picked up Mist and Ashley from after-dance-clean-up at their school (2 dances at two schools today for Mist--all this and a party tonight while recovering from 2 flu shots--a trooper!)
And so, tonight Peter took the girls to the dance while I stayed home alone--thinking, so this is what it would feel like to be a single gal home alone on a Friday night (although I decided I'd have organized an outing with a friend if it were true). Anyway, I ate a bean burrito in bed and watched Bewitched. The episode that Endora doesn't think Darren is good looking enough and rearranges his face with Samantha's help--so good!
 Hopefully I will get my zip back tomorrow and be bursting with enthusiasm once again...one must never give up hope!
And on a lucky note, Peter won some movie paraphernalia from"Public Enemies." Tabs went down to the theatre with him to claim the mugs, t-shirt, faux leather bag and magnets. The irony is that none of us even saw the movie! Oh well, Johnny Depp does look rather manly and dangerous on the magnets.
Man, can I ramble on about a quiet, rather dull night at home.

Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary

An interesting coin sculpture created by Mistaya.
The Minstrel Cafe was wonderful--the viola(Veronique, Cedric's wife) ) and piano classical duo was beautiful and Cedric (Miranda's friend from Bordeaux) sang a French song too. Miranda and I shared Summerhill Ehrenfelser spritzers and enjoyed the lovely music. Is was a though we were in France for an evening.
 Tomorrow I will wake up Miranda at 5:45 for our run as we want to be in vernon by 7:30 AM with all the tots in tow for flu shots--I hope they don't turn us away due to crowds or because we are from Kelowna. It has caused me so much stress worrying if we will be able to get the flu vaccs before the bloody flu hits. The Canadian and BC governments are horribly negligent. Secrets and lies. The flu vaccs will be available. Oh, sorry, we lied...next week...maybe :P!
And that poor young Toronto girl--mauled and killed by two coyotes! We back onto a park teaming with coyotes. I've always been cautious of the children outside in the evening alone. Especially since the other night something took the lid off our garbage can  and dragged a huge HEAVY stump into our back yard. So odd--a child couldn't lift it??? But great news--our fence is being built, it may even be completed as early as tomorrow. So exciting for Fernando--he will go nuts running freely around the yard like the little Tasmanian Devil he is.
A busy week. Halloween parties, costumes to assemble etc. Last year at this time I was in Florida. Oh it was so much fun! Cocoa Beach, Disney World...
Adopting 2 orphaned orang utans for my girls for christmas. They live at the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary in Northern Borneo. The girls will see photos of their babies and support their release back into the wild. Mist and I are going to volunteer there for 2 months as soon as she turns 17. An amazing dream of ours!

OK...I'm a TREKIE!

30th Anniversary addition from 1996. I couldn't resist because, after all, Peter and I have played the rolls of Yeomen and Kirk for two Halloweens to date! (Tabs and I stalked any bidders trying to outbid me and in the end we "hovered" over the barbies for the last 2 minutes pretending to take forever to write our bid)!
 Top--Catherine and I at Halloween party in Nelson,BC. 

Below--Peter as Kirk and Me as Yeomen with Tabs as Tinkerbell and Mist as Hermione--same party thrown by Theresa in Nelson, BC 2004. 

Note: James Kirk actually wears two different shirts in the episodes--one is more mustard colour and the other a puce green. The logo's are placed differently too. I studied past episodes to replicate Kirk's shirt exactly.

Halloween at Downtown Disney

Waiting for the elevator before we're let loose on the unsuspecting Disney tourists. PJ was our photographer for the night as he didn't dress up--he was a Canadian Wierdo after all.
A little break at the World of Pooh Store. Mist and Kyran freaked out a lot of kids with their ghoulish stares.
A noisy but fun restaurant.
Trick or Treating in crowded Downtown Disney.
A fun time despite being exhausted from Magic kingdom earlier in the day.
I didn't take any pictures of us at Blizzard Beach but I can tell you that three out of four children say it was their favourite Disney park. Tons of cool  water slides and raft rides. Also a water obstacle course for kids. It was a really hot day luckily--a perfect day for being in the water. And Kyran, Peter and Mist all tried out one of the fast, steep runs. Tabi was very brave also and went down many a slide on a raft and tube. Even the Pip was able to join us on the family raft ride. (I was terrified though, that she'd be thrown from the raft on one the turns)!

The thing I love about Disney is my anthropological study of all the different families. Disney World is teaming with Europeans (Russians, Germans, Italians, French, Spanish),British ( I began to think I was in Disney London because of all the English accents everywhere), South Americans (Argentinians, Brazilians), Japanese. I found it a fascinating study of so many people from all over the world. And the Disney employees are also from around the globe on a year long exchange: Ghana, Norway, Russia, Canada, France etc.

All in all, an unforgettable week of fun, face paced action, Florida sunshine and cozy family times. Kyran was such an incredible big brother to the girls. And a real help to me keeping the troops in order when I was baching it at all the parks for the first half of the day.