Welcome to Our Family Farrah

    Gracie is in grade 8.   I can't believe that little miracle of ours could be in grade 8 already.  So far she is loving being a grade 8.  In our school we have a small group of "leadership" students.  This is a group of around 10 grade 8s.  It is a very prestigious position.  Leadership students are grade 8's who act as "leaders" to the other students.  They organize activities for the other students, and generally encourage the other kids to get involved in the school.  In the last month of the school year Gracie wrote an essay telling why she should be a leadership student.  She was accepted. She was over the moon.  This was something that she had wanted from the time that she entered what was then Tweed Hungerford Senior School.  One of the benefits of being a leadership student (other than the gratification of a job well done) is that they get to attend WE Day in Toronto.

    In the weeks leading up to We Day, Gracie was excited (I'm going to be honest here, to say she was excited would be a kin to saying that someone would be happy when they won a lottery).  They would listen to inspirational speakers and they would be treated to musical entertainers, they would leave inspired to do more, be more.  They would also have to leave the school at 4:15 a.m.  That's right kids, she had to leave the house at 4:00a.m.  My first response was I will say goodnight and then tomorrow night you can tell me all about your fun day.  Of Course I got up early with her to help her get ready (and yet still no engraved Mother of the Year trophy... maybe it's still in the shop).  The teacher who is in charge of the leadership students generously offered to pick Grace up and take her to the school.  When I was sure that Gracie had everything that she would need, and her hair looked good, I kissed her good-bye and climbed back into bed.  Her much nicer than me father waited with her.

    Have you ever noticed that when you have to get up ridiculously early and you get the opportunity to go back to sleep you never can.  I think it's a curse.  I lay in bed in that state that lies between awake and asleep.  I had just drifted off when I heard some idiot's car alarm going off.  I looked over at the alarm clock, 4:15 a.m.  For heavens sake, why wouldn't anyone shut off their car alarm, it's just rude people are trying to sleep.  I then heard the hysterical screams of teen girls.  Just great I am thinking they are screaming over God knows what, under the window of the neighbour's one year old daughter.  Oh we are really great neighbours.  Finally the girls stopped squealing and Gracie and her group were off, but that car alarm wasn't.

    As you may now be suspecting having looked at all the adorable kitten pictures, that annoying car alarm was not a car alarm, it was a kitten.  Unknown to the teacher, a stray drop-off kitten had climbed up under the hood of her car to warm up.  It had then ridden under the hood of the car, probably touching the hot engine from the teacher's house to ours.  The ear piercing screams of a terrified little kitten sounded like a car alarm.  I honestly feel a little sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

    Christopher was pretty implicit that we were not keeping that kitten, it was not coming in the house.  I'm not sure why, but for some reason Christopher hates cats.  Being an obedient and dutiful wife I brought the kitten into the house as soon as he left for work.  That poor little baby was so scared, and I was not about to let it sit outside and be frightened.  I should add that "Farrah" has not left the house yet.  It's funny because I was in total agreement with my husband, before I laid eyes on Farrah that is.  I did not want another cat.  My Percy was an amazing cat, but cats are destructive, and we have new beautiful leather furniture.  No matter what the litter company claims, there is no such thing as an odour free cat litter.  For so many reason I did not want a cat.... until that tiny little bundle of adorable arrived at our house.

    The kids are in love.  Luckily for us, Farrah likes to be carried like a baby.  Also lucky for us, and for her she is a loving little girl who likes to be handled.  By that first night, Riley had made her sequined cape.  I knew it was just a matter of time before the pets started getting dressed up in doll clothes.  It was seeing that little kitten happily in a blue sequined cape, that I knew she had found a home here.

    For the first week or so Christopher would do his obligatory irritated sigh about the kitten, and under the breath grumbles about hating cats.  He had to save face, he was out voted.  As for me, I fell in love as soon as I set eyes on her.  She was so terrified, and yet once I had her in the house she just snuggled in and slept for the day on my lap, that was all it took to steal my heart.  I caught the man who "hates" cats smiling at her and petting her the other day when he didn't think I could see him.

    Why is it that all baby animals get you with their adorable cuteness and then sucker punch you with their less delightful qualities once you have fallen in love?  Right now Farrah is still adorable ... when she is asleep.  The rest of the time she has entered into that "what was I thinking having a kitten stage". I keep thinking about watching the Peter Seller's Pink Panther movies.  Cato was always hiding and attacking him.  Farrah reminds me of Cato, maybe we should have called her Cato...
When I am going to bed at night, my feet are attacked.  When I am walking anywhere, she hides, and then jumps out for a sneak attack.  There is kitty litter all through the house and even in my bed (she thinks it's a sand box).  I am concerned about having a Christmas tree, and having it stand with ornaments for more than a minute.  All of these less than desirable qualities, but still, she makes me smile, even when she is attached to my pant leg.  We found a new family member, or rather she stowed a ride to us.