SammyJo and Calli - Matriarchs
SammyJo was our first Matriarch, one day in June 1987 I had just come out of hospital after having surgery and was laying on the sofa feeling very groggy, when my husband announced he was going out for a bike ride...! When he got back an hour or so later, he looked like a sack tied in the middle, the belt of his jacket pulled really tight. Then he put his hand inside his jacket and pulled out a tiny bundle of fur...SammyJo, she was just six weeks old, a tiny tortoiseshell kitten with huge worried eyes.
We still had Caruso then, and he just loved her to bits and would cuddle her, she would protest with tiny high pitched squeals and try to run away and hide under the Welsh Dresser. After we lost Caruso, we had other cats join our family and SammyJo was always 'The Boss.' She was a beautiful cat with a lovely nature, and we often called her 'velvet paws.' She finally died on July 23rd 2010 at the grand old age of 23 years, 2 months and 9 days.
SammyJo with kitten Tabitha
When Calli came to live with us she was also a tiny frightened little kitten, she was born out in the fields to feral parents. Calli is a beautiful long-haired Calico, now aged 12 years. She has inherited the title of Matriarch from SammyJo. SammyJo was quite a bossy cat, but Calli is rather shy and timid, especially around strangers.
Calli’s Friend!
Last night Calli woke me
with her soft chortles and chirps,
With a friend on the landing
she canoodles and flirts,
Whispering sweet nothings
in some poor mousie’s ear,
She only wants a playmate
but he trembles with fear.
Be brave little mousie
make a dash across the floor,
You can hide in our bedroom
behind the closet door,
Then in the morning
while Calli’s fast asleep,
I’ll set you free again
just be sure not to squeak!
Jackie S Brooks (c)
21st August 2004
“I WANT”!
(SammyJo's Lament)
She’s as mad as a Hatter
Her eye’s spittin’ fire
As she stands here
Just screaming at me.
“I want to go OUT!
I want to go PLAY
In the garden
NOT tomorrow, TODAY!
You just sit here all day
On that wretched machine
I’m neglected, forgotten
Do you HEAR what I say.
I want YOU to come too
Give ME some of your TIME!
Pay attention to ME,
FORGET about rhyme.
I want to go play,
It’s a nice sunny day
And if you don’t come too
I WILL phone the RSPCA!
I’ll tell them you neglect me
How you treat me so mean,
That you love your computer
Much more than you love ME!
If you don’t come out NOW
I might run AWAY,
And you won’t see me
Till the END of today!
Come play in the grass,
I’ll roly-poly for YOU!
Just for YOUR enjoyment
(and mine too!!)
You can make me a necklace
Of a pretty daisy chain,
And I promise to wear it
Until I lose it AGAIN!!”
Jackie S Brooks (c)
