Demelza and the Unigoat

Since Piper died Demelza has become clingy. For the past few weeks she has been joining me in the office early morning while I do my writing but always sitting by the heater or else up on top of the computer station. Since Piper died a week ago she has been curling up on my knee which is most unlike her. Demelza is an incredibly beautiful cat (I think) with such unusual markings but as she is so reserved I can never properly capture her in a photo as she'll always look away as I snap the shutter. I guess being left at the dump aged six weeks takes its toll somewhere along the line.

Tobermory has become a whole lot less cranky since he lost his horn. The wound looks gory but clean. I was telling my friend Gina about the event and mentioned wanting to turn him into a unicorn. She informed me he is now a "unigoat" so that's what I'll tell people he is from now on. Roll up and see the eighth wonder of the world- the magical unigoat!

Horny Goat

I didn't see Tobermory the goat when I went out to feed the chooks early yesterday morning. I had seen him Thursday evening and he was fine so I wasn't too concerned that he hadn't come to say hello. Later that morning as I went to clean out the hen house I noticed Toby walking towards me. I kept looking at him and thinking something wasn't quite right and as he neared the gate I noticed blood all over the right side of his face. Then I saw a bloody stump where his right horn used to be.

How he lost it is any one's guess as it was very strong. I checked the boundary fences to see if he'd got stuck in the wire and pulled it off in fright but there was no sign of it. He must have one hell of a headache. It's fortunately still cold though so no flies about but I will keep an eye on the wound to check it doesn't develop an infection. Of course being me I was trying to work out a way to pull his remaining horn into the middle of his forehead so I could tell everyone he's actually a unicorn........

Keeping Occupied

I've been trying to stay busy to keep my mind off Piper. When a chronically ill animal dies you suddenly realize how much you did for them and how much your day revolved around their care. No more daily washing of Pipe's bedding or getting heart meds into her twice a day for example. One nice note though is that on Tuesday I received a bereavement card from CHB Vets who'd diagnosed her with renal failure.

The day after Piper died I went to town. My big excitement is usually going to the library and I found myself just getting more and more books until my bag was so heavy I could barely lift it- eleven in all. The Wednesday morning was art group at Otane before a lovely lunch at Abbottslee Tearooms in Waipawa. All this activity took my mind of losing her.

I now have a little man to mow the lawns here. He's profoundly deaf so I have to yell my conversations- it's a wonder my family can't hear us in Napier. He also looks like a hobbit which is mildly disconcerting. However he made an excellent job of mowing the grass although he says the lawnmower is about on its last wheels (literally as one is falling off) plus the blades are bent and not cutting properly. Next time he will bring one of his own. All that for $15!


Early mornings while I'm on the net Demelza sits with me quietly in the warmth of the office while Gypsy and Peaches go crazy running up and down the hallway. When I go out an hour later I usually find the mat halfway across the kitchen and pens and any other small objects on the floor where they've been used for footie practice. Usually Peaches is a quiet cat who poses beautifully for photos and keeps coming to check how I'm doing. She stands up and puts both paws on my knee before reaching one right across, placing it in my lap as if to ask if I'm OK. Well that's what I like to think anyway. She probably is asking when her next meal is.

RIP Piper

Piper died an hour ago. She really fought to stay with us as I had expected her to pass away Friday. I moved her bed along mine and when she called out during the night would pat and talk to her until she settled. Over the weekend she wouldn't eat or get out of her bed but I carried water to her and kept her clean. This morning she couldn't meow or raise her head and by lunchtime she was breathing through her mouth. I decided if she was still with us tomorrow morning I would take her to the vet to have her put to sleep but typically Piper had other ideas and beat me to it.

I have buried her by the front carport overlooking the fields towards where the sun rises in the morning. I laid a pink camellia flower in her grave and one more on top and said a prayer that she's finally in a place with no more illness and where she will have the fine long tail she always wanted. Her sweet soul will be sorely missed around here.

Nearing The End

It was a freezing cold day yesterday- the coldest this winter. I was inside by the fire wearing two jerseys and with a hot water bottle on my knee and I was still chilly. Most depressing though is that Piper has finally gone off her food and I can find nothing to tempt her with any more. This morning she didn't want to get out of bed so I carried her into the sitting room where it was warmer. I feel she won't even survive a car trip to the vet and that she's nearing the end. She has been inside three days now and I know she'll never go outside again.

I realize people would say that at least she lived fourteen months more than the vet originally envisaged but even so I can't help reflecting on how unfair it is that a cat so young should have been born with so many problems. Through it all she has remained remarkably good tempered. Piper has certainly earned her angel wings.

Little White Balls and The Tornado

While sitting watching TV last night the wind came up suddenly and with such force the cottage shook and the windows rattled. Cats scattered in all directions and the dog spent five minutes barking. Strangely it seemed to come in from the front of the cottage before switching to a norwesterly which battered us all night. At 3am I got up and listened to something crashing out the back and had convinced myself that the hen house had taken flight before first light finally came.


Part of the roof on the tack shed had lifted so I've placed a small piece of wooden pallet up there to try and hold it down. Couldn't manage a large piece without bursting my Fufu Valve. The chicken house was battered but still standing. The walls had buckled badly and the catch on the door ripped off which accounted for the crashing sound as the door kept slamming itself. The worst damage was the trellis at the side of the cottage (left) which has been blown in against the lemon tree. I can't move it back so will have to wait for someone strong to visit. Grateful the damage wasn't worse I spent five minutes picking up fallen branches off the drive for kindling and just got inside before heavy rain began pelting.

Yesterday I decided to wash Mishka's denim bean bag he sleeps on at night. Put the machine on gentle cycle and headed off to do some housework. When I returned half an hour later there was water on the laundry floor along with dozens of tiny white balls. The denim had ruptured and spilled its guts. Took the whole thing out half dry and sewed the holes shut and dried the bag on the clothes airer in front of the fire for the day. Now I am living with the aftermath of little white polystyrene balls which I can't flush out of the washing machine. They get everywhere and stick with grim determination as if they have minds of their own. Mish's beds are a constant concern as he now needs something soft as he gets stiffer in the hips with increasing age (don't we all!). If he lies on the floor he seems to have to psych himself up to get back on his feet which can take a while. You need your home comforts when you get older and that's for sure.

Little Moments Mean Alot

Tuesday night it became bitterly cold despite the fire and yesterday morning there was a frost plus snow on the foothills at the back on the cottage (pictured left one day when it was just raining). I rushed out at 7.15am and took photos of the snow on the ranges turning pink in the sunrise plus the dusting on the hills. Just as well I did because two hours later it had melted.

I spent most of the day at Otane at the painting group I attend once a week. I really look forward to these days out as not only do I get alot of painting done but I get to meet really nice people. There is a spinning group as well but I haven't managed to get to that yet. In fact I have done very little spinning at all lately which I feel badly about.

World War III continues with the cats. Kit knows she's doing wrong hurting them and will run out of the room when I tell her off but she seems consumed with jealousy. Piper couldn't give a hoot. She is so improved this week that she is eating all her meals and wanting lots of cuddles while we sit on the sofa.

The other morning I was washing out one of the litter trays as you do (a horrible job) while enjoying looking at the beautiful camellia tree which grows by the backyard. I noticed a bellbird hopping amongst the pink flowers feeding and it actually came within just three feet of me. I watched entranced for ten minutes until it flew away. Those little moments make life worth living.

The Answer To The Killer Donkey Episodes

Briar made another attempt to murder Toby the goat on Friday. This is the scene of the crime- the side paddock seen in grassier times (Autumn) with Mishka the dog and Demelza The Phantom Sprayer checking their Pmail. The good news though is that yelling abuse at the donkey out the sitting room window appeared to do the trick and she pulled on the brakes and pretended she'd never chased him in the first place. I was talking on the phone to John at the time and he asked how long it was since the first attack. Well it's a month. That gave him the answer. Apparently mares become extremely nasty when they're in season so Briar's crankiness is due to the fact that she's "in the mood". Great- so now I have a randy ass to deal with as well as everything else!

Piper Back After Chasing Rainbows

Piper turned up at the back door Sunday evening yowling at the top of her voice. Terribly skinny she wouldn't touch her food went straight to sleep. Monday morning she vomited up a mixture of kitty litter (yes that's her latest habit) with some black muck which a visitor felt was a dead lamb. She fasted all Monday but by Tuesday she still wasn't eating so in desperation I gave her Homeopathic Nux Vomica. Shortly afterwards Piper began meowing to go outside- in fact she whined and yapped for an hour until I gave in. Thinking I wouldn't see her again that day I was surprised to hear her wail at the door a few hours later. In she marched and when I gave her a dish full of her special dry food she began wolfing it down! I think I will give her some more Nux Vomica this morning to see if she continues eating. Not only is it effective in digestive disturbances (constipation and lack of appetite) it's great in cases of poisoning.


We get alot of rainbows up here and this shot is facing south west towards the ranges. I just thought it was a beautiful view worth commemorating. Perhaps that's where Piper was on the weekend- away chasing rainbows.