Lisa Q. Mathews

Aloha to Aloha: Mystery Writer’s Muse in Training

Lisa here, furiously writing—and welcoming a new furry writing companion: a little black cat who flew all the way from Texas to New Hampshire via feline rescue transport. Come say aloha to Aloha!

I know, I know. I shouldn’t even be looking up right now, but I have to introduce you all to the latest addition to our household. It’s okay to take a quick break to look at cute cat photos, right?

I didn’t post this on social media, because it was too sad, but I lost my faithful Kitty (aka Lucy), an independent but loving short-haired black cat, in early July at the age of 15. I’d adopted her from the Pope Memorial SPCA back in 2015, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Of course I was heartbroken. So was our 8-year-old golden retriever, Farley, who missed his best friend.

I’d planned to adopt a new kitty (preferably another black one) later this month, but of course I started watching the local rescue websites for potential adoptees right away. My favorites all went very fast, and I began to worry that I might not be able to adopt a black cat so close to Halloween. I was too restless to write.

Then I saw this:

I was off to Pope Memorial like a shot on the next adoption day, arriving 20 minutes early. I sat on a bench outside, waiting for the doors to open. I knew I had to be first in line for such a sweet, adorable cat. Sure enough, there she was, waiting right at the glass door of a cat condo about eye-level to me, the first kitty I spotted. Here’s a photo of me reaching out to pet her. She nuzzled up and I burst into tears.

On the way home I considered new names for my kitty, for her fresh start. Aloha was pretty, but we live in NH—not exactly a balmy, chill environment. (Well, it is chill, but in an entirely different way.) Earlier I’d planned on “Salem” for a boy—and “Sabrina” for a girl. (Yes, big Sabrina the Teen Age Witch fan here.) But she made guinea-pig-crying sounds in her carrier on the way home, so I sang  my own version of Tura Lura Lural (an Irish lullaby–see Frank Sinatra and Jim Morrison) to her. She liked it, so I thought maybe she could be “Lura.” (Spoiler: We went back to “Aloha.”)

When we got home, I opened her carrier door down in the basement, where her food and litter box were waiting, and put out her blankie and toys from the rescue place for comfort. She stayed down there for about 5 minutes before skittering up the steps and emerging in our kitchen.

Soon she was stretched out on the living room carpet. (Don’t red and black go nicely together, mystery fans?)

Watching TV with my hubby.

Investigating her new play cube. (It came folded and sprung out across the room when I took the band off, startling the heck out of both of us. (Yes, I saw the warning label, but it seemed a little overcautious.)

And of course she made friends with Farley.

Yesterday she found her favorite “writing” place. (Was it ET who hid in the toys, or those pesky Gremlins?)

And here she is just now, ensconced on a sill in our 3-season porch, observing her new kingdom. (Like Lucy, she will be a strictly indoor-only kitty, as we live near the woods.)

Hope you enjoyed meeting Aloha! Many thanks to Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord, NH and the Feline Flight Crew of SPCA in Dallas, Texas. And now Aloha and I will excuse ourselves, because “we” have a manuscript to finish—but we’ll see you on the flip side!

Readers, have you ever rescued an animal, or know someone who did? And if not, do you enjoy looking at pet photos (or reading about animals in mysteries)?

36 thoughts on “Aloha to Aloha: Mystery Writer’s Muse in Training”

  3. All 5 of the cats I have had have been rescues. 4 from my local SPCA and one from a rescue in Indiana who traveled to me via a transport chain of human volunteers.

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  6. I’m sorry for the loss of your kitty, Lucy. They leave such a hole in your life and in your heart when beloved pets pass. Congrats on finding your new heart-kitty. Aloha looks like a beauty. I’m glad she’s fitting in already.

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  7. She is so cute! I am big on animal rescue. When we decided to get a dog, I said my one non-negotiable requirement that it be from a rescue. Enter Koda. The Girl and The Very Nice Boyfriend have two cats: one black and an orange tabby. Both are rescues.

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    2. Same here, Liz. We’ve only had rescues.

      Lisa, I always wanted to get Nala a kitten because I think they both would have loved it. Hubs and I probably would not, though, because we’re allergic. But I swear, there is NOTHING cuter than a kitten!

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      1. Some dogs and kitties really do bond–it probably helped that Farley met Lucy when we brought him home as a puppy, and then he grew, lol. Aloha was pretty much nonplussed tho. Sorry about the allergies–my hubby and daughter are allergic to cats as well, or at least to some. I do a daily brushing/anti-allergen wipes deal on our kitties–maybe it helps?

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    1. Ha, she does have a mischievous streak, ha. But this morning she got her first glimpse of a huge flock of gobbling wild turkeys below that porch. She hardly blinked.

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  9. Aloha is so cute!!! Lisa, congratulations! I love how she immediately made herself at home.

    All four of our pooches were rescues. Current dog-child Cammie is a character. Extremely independent and yet also demanding. She’s got a lot of attitude, which is how she earned the nickname “Beyotche.” But we love her dearly.

    All my dogs have inspired pets in my books. I predict the same for your Aloha!

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  10. Congrats on the addition to your fam, Lisa.

    We have both purebreds and rescues. We have a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and a Maine Coon cat. We also have three adopted stray cats. The big news is that we’re welcoming an 8 week old Viszla puppy into our home on Friday.

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  13. hestia here

    I don’t really do pets, because I don’t understand furbaby language.

    my Nanowrimo group is vests with showing pictures of their pets every day. To the point if someone posts a picture, there’s at least 3 more within 5 minutes. It’s like a contest of who has the cutest pet. Every day!

    I don’t mind having them in a story, but I don’t see Ashley ever having one. Maybe you as my editor might coerce me to. Lange my mind, but we’d have to debate on how much care Ashley would remember!l to do!

    but Aloha is Adorbs!

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  14. Yay! I am one of the members of the transport team at SPCA of Texas in Dallas. We pulled Aloha from a small local city shelter, who was out of space to take in more. She is such a beautiful girl and I thought her name was so cool!

    I’m so happy to see what a wonderful home she made it to!

    It looks like she is taking her job of muse and companion very seriously!

    Thank you for sharing. Updates, especially ones like these, make our day!

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    1. Hi Kelcie, Wow, thanks so much for commenting–and giving more info about Aloha! And thank you again for all you and your colleagues do–you’re true heroes!

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  15. How wonderful that you and Aloha found each other! I’m very happy for you.

    We’ve rescued six cats—2 brothers who passed away years ago, then 2 more brothers we named Athos and Porthos, and a brother and sister my daughter named Vienna and Zanzibar.

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    1. Ooo, a writing cube would be fun! (As opposed to a cubicle.) Our college library sort of had cubes. And of course they were my top choice to write papers in.

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  17. You mentioning “Tura Lura Lura” made me almost cry because that was my father’s favorite lullaby to sing to us. He wasn’t Irish but loved that and “Danny Boy” which was sung at his funeral. I thank you though for the memory. I am always sad to hear about the loss of beloved pet. So sorry that you lost Lily, but it was fate of Lily’s ghost leading you to find Aloha. She certainly took to you all well (again the ghost of Lucy helping) and made herself right at home and loving Farley. I have rescued several dogs and 1 cat in my lifetime. We have a Golden named Texie (not a rescue as they are hard to get). She is our third Golden and the ghosts of Punkin and Needa have taught her many things that we had taught them, but not taught her yet. So, when I mentioned ghosts that is because our Ghost Dogs live in our house. A neighbor even told us that he saw Needa in her window looking out at the street when he was driving by. We had yet to get a new pup. They never replace the one that went before but they help heal the pain of the loss and fill you with new adventures. God bless you for taking good care of god’s creatures.

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    1. I’m so sorry for the loss of your dad. And how wonderful that he loved Tura Lura Lura! One of my faves also, and Danny Boy is played at all of our family services. Your ghost dogs are beautiful–what a comfort. I have no doubt that Lucy is here at our house, too. Also, so true on the golden rescues. I did adopt one (a senior) when I lived down South, but there are practically zero available in shelters here. There is a golden rescue in MA that I know of, but the wait list was years long when we moved to NH. Sending hugs.

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      1. Thank you. It is the same with Golden Rescues here. I was a Daddy’s girl, and I thank you for the condolences. it has been a while, but it seems like yesterday. I just wrote an article on him and my connections to him for RGV Memories, a newsletter that is published online with stories of our connections to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

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  18. Welcome to your new family member! I also lost my feline best friend recently, she’d been sick for some months but it was still a sad farewell. I wish you many years of joy with Aloha!

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