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The Mad Cat Lady
The Mad Cat Lady

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  • The Mad Cat LadyBarbarella a.k.a. The Mad Cat Lady Born in 1966 and raised in Germany. From age 7 had private piano tuition. Taught piano from age 14 onwards. Moved to London in 1984. Played keyboards and sang backing vocals in various bands in London, most notably electro-goth band “Anno Lucis“. Spent a lot of nights in the 80s in the London Goth & New Romantic Scene (Batcave, Frizzby Fox/Hippodrome, Kitcat Club, Slimelight, Camden Palace etc.) Jobs in London: waitress, bike messenger, piano teacher, peepshow dancer, translator, and later medical and legal secretary. 1990s: Started recording solo music projects. 1996-7: Started to learn Web Design and moving away from making music to creating websites. Took part in a lot of Sci-Fi conventions all over the UK and one Babylon5 one in Los Angeles, always dressed up in various costumes (see Photo Gallery). 2000: Adopted Lugosi & Spider from the RSPCA March. Last music projects written and recorded in 2002/3 (Dominatrix Project). 2003: Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. 2004: Moved to Lanzarote, Canary Islands (click here for location). Started learning Photography (specialising in cats) and setting up Catnip Camera and Picture Lanzarote. 2006: Adopted Persian Princess Janelle (after her human “mummy” Teresa died). 2007: Diagnosed with…
  • Meet the CatsLugosi Bully Boy and overall Boss Cat. Likes: Fighting.  Dislikes: Car Journeys. Ruby Little Orange Spitfire Likes: Wrestling with her Brothers, Food, Playing. Dislikes: Being told off for being naughty. Spider Mischief Maker Extraordinaire. Likes: Getting in Trouble. Dislikes: The Vacuum Cleaner. Lugosi, Spider & Ruby – “Haus von Fluffenstein” – Videos Videos of Janelle too (who now lives happily with a good friend) [back to top]
    • Spider & Lugosi R.I.P. Book of MemoriesIn order to deal with my grief over losing my sweet, gentle boy Spider to cancer on 2nd September 2017, I have started a “Book of Memories” as suggested in the very helpful publication “Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers“. This is a creative way to write down all the cute and funny moments that you have of your furbaby, to which you can then come back to in later times/years.  Memories do fade over time, so I started this a few days after his passing while things about him are still very fresh in my mind. It helps work through my feelings of loss over him and turn something so incredibly sad into something beautiful, loving and creative.  I will publish more photos of each page from the book as I go along.  [gallery columns="5" size="medium" link="file" ids="9580,9599,9581,9582,9583,9584,9585,9586,9587,9588,9589,9590,9591,9592,9593,9594,9595,9596,9597"]
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  • Gothic LanzaroteYou might think that a sunny island like Lanzarote (situated HERE in the world) is totally unsuitable for Goths. What have sunshine and beaches to do with Goth, I hear you ask? Well, first of all, deep down most Goths *love* sunshine – meaning that they don’t like to be *in* it because it will damage their gothic pallor, but they love *looking* at it. Secondly, if you hate the beach in the daytime then you visit it at night. You know it’s the Goth thing to do. ;) But to get to the point now, there are actually quite a few things that will attract Goths to this lovely island. The total lack of a Goth Scene is of course not one of them, but while living here I have discovered many things that are very gothic indeed! :) Volcanoes Can you think of a force more beautiful and destructive? These are both qualities that Goths very much live for. Lanzarote is full of volcanoes, although only one is still “smoking” – this one is in the gorgeous Timanfaya National Park and you can actually eat food that has been grilled over the heat of this volcano up there…
    • A Friend’s View of Lanzarote
  • Music Projectsa:link, a:visited, a:active {color:#9E0E11;text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold} a:hover{color:white} p {padding-bottom:20px} h3 {padding-bottom:13px} The following are sound snippets (approx. 2 mins each song) from my old music projects from the early 90s up to around 2003. After that, all my creativity has gone into web design, graphic design and photography, and I haven´t written or recorded anything new since then. Also, sadly, due to bad co-ordination and pain from my illnesses (fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis) I have not been playing or singing live. My music is divided into 3 projects, because the styles are so wildly different, there was no way they would have ever fitted together. The “First” and “Endymion” Projects Under the name “SilkRush” I wrote and recorded the album “First – The Light Side” which contains all my cheerful pop and dance songs (plus some ballads), and “Endymion – The Dark Side” which reveals the darker gothic side of my music – “Shadow Dancers” (Endymion), for example, is a haunting goth piece with Kate Bush-style vocals, whereas “In the Summer Rain” (First) is a beautiful commercial ballad! The “Dominatrix” Project If you are into hardhitting industrial, trance and dark techno sounds then you might prefer this to SilkRush’s more “sane”…
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  • The Mad Cat LadyBarbarella a.k.a. The Mad Cat Lady Born in 1966 and raised in Germany. From age 7 had private piano tuition. Taught piano from age 14 onwards. Moved to London in 1984. Played keyboards and sang backing vocals in various bands in London, most notably electro-goth band “Anno Lucis“. Spent a lot of nights in the 80s in the London Goth & New Romantic Scene (Batcave, Frizzby Fox/Hippodrome, Kitcat Club, Slimelight, Camden Palace etc.) Jobs in London: waitress, bike messenger, piano teacher, peepshow dancer, translator, and later medical and legal secretary. 1990s: Started recording solo music projects. 1996-7: Started to learn Web Design and moving away from making music to creating websites. Took part in a lot of Sci-Fi conventions all over the UK and one Babylon5 one in Los Angeles, always dressed up in various costumes (see Photo Gallery). 2000: Adopted Lugosi & Spider from the RSPCA March. Last music projects written and recorded in 2002/3 (Dominatrix Project). 2003: Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. 2004: Moved to Lanzarote, Canary Islands (click here for location). Started learning Photography (specialising in cats) and setting up Catnip Camera and Picture Lanzarote. 2006: Adopted Persian Princess Janelle (after her human “mummy” Teresa died). 2007: Diagnosed with…
  • Meet the CatsLugosi Bully Boy and overall Boss Cat. Likes: Fighting.  Dislikes: Car Journeys. Ruby Little Orange Spitfire Likes: Wrestling with her Brothers, Food, Playing. Dislikes: Being told off for being naughty. Spider Mischief Maker Extraordinaire. Likes: Getting in Trouble. Dislikes: The Vacuum Cleaner. Lugosi, Spider & Ruby – “Haus von Fluffenstein” – Videos Videos of Janelle too (who now lives happily with a good friend) [back to top]
    • Spider & Lugosi R.I.P. Book of MemoriesIn order to deal with my grief over losing my sweet, gentle boy Spider to cancer on 2nd September 2017, I have started a “Book of Memories” as suggested in the very helpful publication “Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers“. This is a creative way to write down all the cute and funny moments that you have of your furbaby, to which you can then come back to in later times/years.  Memories do fade over time, so I started this a few days after his passing while things about him are still very fresh in my mind. It helps work through my feelings of loss over him and turn something so incredibly sad into something beautiful, loving and creative.  I will publish more photos of each page from the book as I go along.  [gallery columns="5" size="medium" link="file" ids="9580,9599,9581,9582,9583,9584,9585,9586,9587,9588,9589,9590,9591,9592,9593,9594,9595,9596,9597"]
  • Blog
  • Photo Gallery
    • Myself & Family
    • The Kitties
    • SciFi, Horror & Fantasy Conventions/Events
    • Bands, Clubs & Music
    • Places I have Been – Holidays
    • Airplanes & Helicopters
    • Fireworks
    • Cemeteries[album id=2 template=compact]
  • Gothic LanzaroteYou might think that a sunny island like Lanzarote (situated HERE in the world) is totally unsuitable for Goths. What have sunshine and beaches to do with Goth, I hear you ask? Well, first of all, deep down most Goths *love* sunshine – meaning that they don’t like to be *in* it because it will damage their gothic pallor, but they love *looking* at it. Secondly, if you hate the beach in the daytime then you visit it at night. You know it’s the Goth thing to do. ;) But to get to the point now, there are actually quite a few things that will attract Goths to this lovely island. The total lack of a Goth Scene is of course not one of them, but while living here I have discovered many things that are very gothic indeed! :) Volcanoes Can you think of a force more beautiful and destructive? These are both qualities that Goths very much live for. Lanzarote is full of volcanoes, although only one is still “smoking” – this one is in the gorgeous Timanfaya National Park and you can actually eat food that has been grilled over the heat of this volcano up there…
    • A Friend’s View of Lanzarote
  • Music Projectsa:link, a:visited, a:active {color:#9E0E11;text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold} a:hover{color:white} p {padding-bottom:20px} h3 {padding-bottom:13px} The following are sound snippets (approx. 2 mins each song) from my old music projects from the early 90s up to around 2003. After that, all my creativity has gone into web design, graphic design and photography, and I haven´t written or recorded anything new since then. Also, sadly, due to bad co-ordination and pain from my illnesses (fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis) I have not been playing or singing live. My music is divided into 3 projects, because the styles are so wildly different, there was no way they would have ever fitted together. The “First” and “Endymion” Projects Under the name “SilkRush” I wrote and recorded the album “First – The Light Side” which contains all my cheerful pop and dance songs (plus some ballads), and “Endymion – The Dark Side” which reveals the darker gothic side of my music – “Shadow Dancers” (Endymion), for example, is a haunting goth piece with Kate Bush-style vocals, whereas “In the Summer Rain” (First) is a beautiful commercial ballad! The “Dominatrix” Project If you are into hardhitting industrial, trance and dark techno sounds then you might prefer this to SilkRush’s more “sane”…
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Tag: bereavement

Remembering Spider
  • Spider

Remembering Spider

  • 2 September 20192 September 2019

2 years today since you left us, Spider. I still miss you (and your bro Lugosi) every single day. Love you, Always.  Spider von Fluffenstein 31.07.1999 – 02.09.2017 ?????????

Happy 20th Purrthday to my Angels Spider & Lugosi
  • Lugosi
  • Spider
  • Spider & Lugosi

Happy 20th Purrthday to my Angels Spider & Lugosi

  • 31 July 2019

My boys would have been 20 years old today. Happy purrthday, my angels. Miss you and love you, always… Lugosi von Fluffenstein 31.07.1999 – 09.03.2019 Spider von Fluffenstein 31.07.1999 –…

Remembering Spider
  • Barbarella
  • Instagram
  • Spider
  • Videos

Remembering Spider

  • 22 November 201722 November 2017

It’s almost 12 weeks since my Spider died (on 2nd September), and I’m only just coming to terms properly with him not being around anymore. I still cry every other…

All Nine Lives Well Lived
  • Barbarella
  • Spider

All Nine Lives Well Lived

  • 7 October 2017

I hope that this is what Spider would think…. Rest in peace, my sweet little boy. Missing you and loving you forever. 

Lugosi grieves for his Twin Brother
  • Barbarella
  • Lugosi
  • Spider
  • Spider & Lugosi

Lugosi grieves for his Twin Brother

  • 12 September 201712 September 2017

Since Spider’s death 10 days ago, things have not been the same around here. I know that animals grieve the loss of a family member or close friend as much…

Late Pictures of Spider R.I.P.
  • Miscellaneous

Late Pictures of Spider R.I.P.

  • 11 September 201710 September 2017

These are some photos of the late Spider, who passed away on 2nd September 2017, that I never got the chance to post. I also still have a backlog of…

Spider’s Ashes
  • Barbarella
  • Spider

Spider’s Ashes

  • 9 September 2017

I picked up Spider’s ashes from my vets in Tías yesterday. Driving home, I “talked” to him and cried all the way home, and had to make a stop because…

Dealing with my grief after losing Spider
  • Miscellaneous

Dealing with my grief after losing Spider

  • 7 September 201712 September 2017

As you can imagine, the last few days have been hell for me, after losing my beautiful furbaby Spider to cancer last Saturday.  The kind support from so many people…

R.I.P. Spider – The last 13+ years in a 10 minute video
  • Barbarella
  • Spider
  • Videos

R.I.P. Spider – The last 13+ years in a 10 minute video

  • 5 September 20175 September 2017

In memory of my amazing SpiderCat – I miss you so much, my baby. It’s hurts so bloody much to not have you here ever again. 🙁 🙁 🙁 

An Altar in Memory of Spider
  • Barbarella
  • Spider

An Altar in Memory of Spider

  • 5 September 2017

I bought this e-book called “Soul Comfort for Cat Lovers” yesterday, which is a really big help for bereaved cat parents. Amongst a lot of other helpful advice, it suggests…

R.I.P. Spider Memorial Slideshow and Song
  • Barbarella
  • Spider

R.I.P. Spider Memorial Slideshow and Song

  • 3 September 2017

I wrote this song about 20 years ago before Spider & Lugosi were even born, and even though it’s about a person who had died, it seems fitting right now….

R.I.P. Spider – Forever Missed and Loved
  • Spider

R.I.P. Spider – Forever Missed and Loved

  • 2 September 20173 September 2017

Today I lost my baby, my friend, my soulmate and “husband“. Spider left this world very peacefully at around 13:20 hrs today, 2nd September 2017, in the comfort of our…

My Other Websites

  • Canariaspace Web Design in Lanzarote
  • Catnip Camera – Feline (+ Other) Photography
  • My Tokyo 2010 Blog
  • Picture Lanzarote Photography
  • The Mad Cat Lady´s Personal Blog
  • YouTube: Haus von Fluffenstein

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Cat-egories

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