Rat Academy 1 and 2

Except in the frozen Arctic and Antarctic regions of the world, rats live everywhere on this planet EXCEPT in one Canadian province.

Yes, that's right. ALBERTA. We are the largest inhabited area on earth without rats.

For 75 years, the Alberta government has funded an extremely aggressive rat control program. Rats are highly destructive of any agricultural sector, consuming and contaminating stored grains and feed, gnawing tunnels and holes in buildings and equipment, and transmitting diseases via fleas and contamination. Even a small rat infestation can cost millions to the economy.

Alberta's official Rat Patrol Team monitors the province and eradicates rats before they can get established and reproduce. There are government hotlines for people to report any rat sightings. It is illegal in Alberta to own any kind of pet rat. Only frozen dead rats can be sold by pet stores as food for snakes. Scientific institutions, medical research facilities, and zoos are allowed to keep caged and monitored rats for authorized purposes.

So what's a poor rat gotta do to survive here? That question is answered by an excellent, laugh-out-loud theatre play which friends and I saw in April entitled Rat Academy.

Fingers, a curmudgeonly, mangey street rat, is the only rat still loose in Alberta. Or so he thinks. One day in a back alley in Edmonton, he discovers Shrimp, a happy-go-lucky, naive white lab rat who has just escaped captivity. Fingers creates his own Rat Academy to train Shrimp in survival skills -- how to sniff out food and humans, how to run, hide and fight, and how to avoid traps. In so doing, Fingers also trains the audience and reluctantly relies on their incompetent human assistance to street-proof Shrimp. The play is a crazy mix of scripted lines (including a Shakespearean soliloquy delivered by Shrimp), sassy improv, audience participation, and slapstick.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! 

Just a couple of days ago, we attended its zany sequel -- Rat Academy 2: Gnaw and Order! 

Fingers and Shrimp receive an Eviction Notice from the Province of Alberta to vacate their Edmonton alley home! Our heroes scheme to separate their alley from Alberta and make it their own country! But political infighting between the two rats scuppers that plan. Then things get worse! They receive an Evisceration Notice from the Rat Patrol Team! So what can they do except turn themselves into Lawyer Rats and go to court? Alas, they learn some Hard Lessons About Justice. This play ends on a cliffhanger, with the cop cars and sirens of the Rat Patrol closing in on Fingers and Shrimp.

Will there be a Rat Academy 3? Time alone will tell.

Edmonton and the North-West Rebellion

In the spring of 1885, the Canadian Government officially took up arms against its citizens for the only time in Canada’s history. The violent, three-month-long North-West Rebellion in what is now the western province of Saskatchewan created widespread unrest right across the Prairies. Led by Louis Riel, many Métis and Indigenous peoples rose up to protect their land and rights against the Canadian Government's acquisition of the vast North-West landmass from the Hudson's Bay Company.

Louis Riel had led a similar resistance movement known as the Red River Uprising in what is now Manitoba fifteen years earlier in 1869-1870. He negotiated the creation of provincial status for Manitoba. Today, Louis Riel is quite rightly regarded as a hero in my home province of Manitoba and our personal Father of Confederation. (I previously blogged about him here).

I never thought about Alberta (where I now live) as having much connection to the 1885 North-West Rebellion because all the battles took place in next-door Saskatchewan. But it seems that there was indeed fallout here in Edmonton and throughout northern Alberta, which I just learned about at a recent exhibition at the nearby St. Albert Musée Héritage Museum.

[Photo © Debra She Who Seeks, 2026]

The most fascinating artefact in the exhibition was one of Louis Riel's journals dating from his years spent in exile in the United States as a wanted man after the Red River Uprising. Riel returned from the States to lead the North-West Rebellion. Following its failure, he was tried for treason and executed in Regina.

I also attended a lecture at the Musée Héritage Museum, advertised rather luridly (and anachronistically) as --

The lecture was specifically about how Edmonton reacted to the 1885 unrest. Named at that time "Fort Edmonton," it was still a Hudson's Bay Company fur-trading outpost with some additional white settlers rounding out its tiny population. Far away from any actual battles, Fort Edmonton was nevertheless rife with fear and rumours stoked by its local newspaper and its very real isolation -- a full day's journey from the area's only North-West Mounted Police detachment (forerunners of the RCMP). Supposed secret ambushes and a feared imminent Indigenous attack (completely unfounded) sent Fort Edmonton into a panic. All the settlers fled as refugees to nearby St. Albert. They stayed for a week, realized everything was okay, and then went home again. A citizens militia was formed and a few Canadian Government soldiers arrived by train in Calgary and rode north to Fort Edmonton. Apparently, one night a cat was fired upon as a suspected insurgent and that's as close to real danger as anyone got.

Cui Jinzhe: The 36 Days I Roam

I had an unexpected but wonderful experience last week at Harcourt House Gallery in my neighbourhood. Cui Jinzhe, a Chinese artist now based in Edmonton, had an exhibit there called The 36 Days I Roam. It showcased her work in watercolours, acrylics, calligraphy, ink, and ceramics. The gallery newsletter noted that the artist, who has taken a year-long vow of silence as part of her spiritual practice, would give a live performance of her art each afternoon. The accompanying photo showed her in action --

But something different happened. What Cui Jinzhe surprised me with was an interactive poetry and art experience. Using hand gestures, she invited me to sit across from her, cross-legged at a small low table. I demurred politely. Suddenly she got up, ran off to another room and returned with a folding chair.

"Oh yes," I laughed, "I AM much too old to sit on the floor!"

Well, now I was committed. So I sat down and she commenced, communicating via pre-printed placards in a book. We did some brief relaxation exercises (which I recognized from Qi Gong/Tai Chi) and then she gave me a small dish of black ink and a calligraphy brush. I was to write a poem on a large paper folio and then recite it. Here is what I wrote:

Tense & uncertain

But curious

Be brave --

It appears there are two loopholes to a vow of silence. Singing and chanting are allowed. So Cui Jinzhe sang my poem aloud while she played beautiful music on a kalimba. Then she sang effusive praise for it. All very nice.

I didn't say this to her but quite frankly, as a lawyer, I do always appreciate the beauty and usefulness of a good loophole.

Then I was instructed via placard to draw an illustration for my poem. Trying to be, like, spiritual, I drew a large, wonky spiral. Attempting to salvage it, I painted two smaller spirals inside it. Now it just looked like a face with zonked-out stoner eyes and a big kiss curl. So I painted a tiny little smile onto it and called it a day.

Cui Jinzhe offered much praise for that too, along with some melodic harmonies from her Tibetan singing bowl. Then we shared a nice hug and a photo op to immortalize the moment. Here we are:

I actually did enjoy this interactive experience very much. It is clear to me that the art which Cui Jinzhe was making in this encounter was the art of creating emotional connection between two beings. She was very good at that, despite the vow of silence -- or perhaps because of it.

Her final gift was given as I left the gallery. She donned a mask and drummed very beautifully with a drumstick on a handheld hoop drum. Her drum was similar to my own drum from my drumming circle days, but hers was black and had a drum head of synthetic material, not animal skin like mine, which makes sense from a Buddhist perspective. Cui Jinzhe's drumming effectively created another level of connection between us.

[All photos are from the Harcourt House Gallery newsletter, except for the photo op shot]

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This post is also being linked to

Sunday in the Art Room HERE

The Oracle of Stillness: Weaving Coherence in the Chaos

Thanks to blogging buddy Boud of Field and Fen, I attended a fascinating art exhibit last week. Boud lives in New Jersey, but she sure keeps her finger on the pulse of all things artistic, so she let me know about this exhibit here in my city of Edmonton, Alberta! As it happens, Harcourt House Gallery is located right in my own neighbourhood, so I could just walk over and see it!

The Oracle of Stillness: Weaving Coherence in the Chaos by artist Noreen Crone-Findlay features many wonderful mixed-media figurines celebrating sacred geometry and the "timeless echoes of the Feminine Divine" (as stated in the brochure). So you know it was right up my alley! Each one incorporates elements such as weaving, knitting, crochet, fused glass, paintings, ceramics, wire, beadwork, macrame, found objects, etc. to bring them to vibrant life.

Here are four of my favourites showing Noreen Crone-Findlay's artistry --

The artist even created her own decorative looms on which to weave items for the Divine Feminine figures. This one is called the "Rigid Heddle Band Cat Shape Loom and Heddle" --

And this "Star Loom" features hare/rabbit symbology sacred to the Goddess --

A delightful exhibit which nourished my imagination and soul! Time well spent indeed. Thanks for the heads up, Boud!

Nudists In Our Midst

A couple of months ago, I went to my city's annual Cat Festival again. When I posted about last year's event, I had raved about the hairless sphynx cats -- 

Oodles of cats and kittens too! Including the most adorable

black sphynx kittens (squeeeeeee!) They are so much more

attractive than pink-skinned ones, I think. I petted an adult

sphynx just to see what they feel like -- warm, soft and

ever-so-slightly fuzzy (probably just my imagination?)

Readers said I should have also posted some photos, so this year I had my camera ready! But alas, there were no sphynx kittens this time. And the Alberta Sphynx Rescue volunteers were not allowing anyone to pet the adults. I suspect that too much unwanted petting and fondling is stressful for the cats. Perhaps there's also liability issues to consider if a cat should happen to scratch or bite someone.

There was an adult black sphynx in its own cage, but it was mostly snuggled under a blankie. So I could only get a photo of this pair of sphynxes --

As you can see, the pink one is completely hairless and the other has a sparse, downy layer of grey hair. Apparently some sphynxes can have that much hair. They were both wearing adorable blingy tube tops, probably to help keep them warm.

You could buy those stylish tube tops too, along with other merch for sphynxes such as blankies, dishes, treats, and an assortment of handcrafted signs -- 

You can even get knitted toques to keep their heads and ears warm! Isn't that amazing? But then again, being nude in a Canadian climate can't be easy.

[Image #1 from the internet;

Photos #2 and 3 © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025;

Photo #4 from the FB page of the

Alberta Sphynx Rescue adoption society]

Be Afraid, Florida Panthers. BE VERY AFRAID.

I received an unexpected package

in the mail yesterday.

I laughed so hard when I opened it!

SO FREAKIN' HARD!

"Specially Handmade by Shirley"

the attached label says.

Yes, that's right -- a gift from the

Queen of Voodoo Dolls herself,

blogging buddy Shirley

of BootsandBraids!

Thank you, Shirley, for ensuring that next year,

the Edmonton Oilers will be victorious

in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup due to our

SPECIAL SECRET WEAPON!

And now it has pride of place

right here on my computer hutch . . . 

yes, where ALL the magic happens!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2025]

The Envelope, Please . . .

As I say every year once the playoffs are done, "Screw the NHL Hockey Awards, mine are the only ones that matter!" So without further ado, may I once more present --

DEBRA SHE WHO SEEKS'

2025 HOCKEY AWARDS

1. Best Sports Photojournalist of the Year 

Toward the end of the regular season, The Rare One was gifted fabulous tix to an Edmonton Oilers home game -- ice level, front row seats, right beside the Oilers bench, can you imagine? She took this great shot of Connor McDavid and the other Oilers on her camera phone. She really captured his intensity!

2. Most Whimsical Rendition of a National Anthem

The clear winner in this category is The Harmonica Class from K-Town Senior & Community Center in Los Angeles, who performed the American National Anthem at the LA Kings home games in Round 1 of the playoffs. These ladies gave it everything they had and the crowd loved it!

3. Worst Pre-Game Opening Sequences 

No one does eye-rollingly bad, over-the-top, goofy home game theatrics like the Vegas Golden Knights. Their gawdawful, Game of Thrones-ish parody of battling knights deserves the hardware in this category. What keeps this nonsense from being unwatchable? Simple --

It's cheesy.

They know it's cheesy.

They REVEL in its cheesiness.

4. Best Hockey-Related TV Ad

Hands down, no contest, the winner is the Penalty Box Commercial by Haribo Canada. I never tire of watching it. Giggle on, boys!

5. Hockey's Best Proud Ally Award

As always, this award goes to Gritty, mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers.

No Cup For Us *SOB*

Well, the Florida Panthers have now won their second, back-to-back Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Playoffs. And oh, how the rubber rats rained down on the ice!

So congrats to the Panthers.

This is how the Oilers will be spending their summer now until the next hockey season starts . . . 

. . . and this is how we Oilers fans will be spending ours, alas. 

But next year, we'll get that Cup! NEXT YEAR! *shakes fist*

Stanley Cup Rematch

The Edmonton Oilers have made it back to the

Stanley Cup playoffs round!

They will be playing the Florida Panthers again

for the Cup, just like last year. But hopefully

this year's outcome will be different!

The best-of-seven series starts

tonight with Game 1. 

LET'S GO, OILERS!

Canada's Hopes And Dreams Rest With The Oilers Now

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, all the Canadian teams are gone now except the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have made it to Round 3, the Western Conference Final, against the Dallas Stars. If they defeat Dallas, the Oilers will advance to Round 4 and play for the Stanley Cup itself, against whoever wins the Eastern Conference Final. Fingers crossed!

Now's the time for all fans of the other Canadian teams to get on the Oilers bandwagon! Everyone is welcome! And all you Americans whose teams have been eliminated are welcome too!

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final is tonight! Play La Bamba, Baby!

I'm Not Cheap, I'm Thrifty . . . D'oh!

I know you'll all be thrilled to hear that Round 1 of this year's 4 rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has now started, and that the Edmonton Oilers are once again making a run for the Cup (in Round 1, they're playing the Los Angeles Kings, as per usual).

You may remember that last year I shelled out a positively obscene amount of money to buy a lucky official NHL t-shirt to spur my team on to victory --

But I'm one smart cookie, see? I don't need to spend that kind of money again this year, thanks to my trusty black Sharpie --

Alas, though, my clever thriftiness has been summarily thwarted by an unexpected development!

My other beloved hockey team, the Winnipeg Jets (who have been #1 all season and are playing the St. Louis Blues in Round 1) have just recently acquired a new player from the Seattle Kraken -- Brandon Tanev, one of my favourite Hockey Hair Gods. Here's his new official player photo wearing a Jets jersey while sporting his trademark stunned expression --

This unexpected development has now forced me -- forced me, I tellz ya -- to shell out another positively obscene amount of money to buy a new lucky Jets t-shirt to wear while watching their games too.

Jeez, has the NHL tagged me as a pathetically easy fleeceable pushover or what? (Rhetorical question only, NO need to answer it, thank you very much).

And The Award Goes To . . .

Now that the Stanley Cup playoffs are over, it's time once again to hand out the only Hockey Awards that really matter! Screw the NHL's Hockey Awards, who needs 'em?

DEBRA SHE WHO SEEKS'

2024 PLAYOFF HOCKEY AWARDS

1. Best Promotional Item 

**The Connor McDonut**

Produced by a local Edmonton donut shop, these big sugary confections in the Oilers team colours of orange and blue were only available for sale on game days. Diabeetus on a plate!

2. Best National Anthems Singer 

**SoulBear at Winnipeg Jets home games**

SoulBear is an openly gay singer from Winnipeg with an outstanding voice! In the absence of a video yet to be posted from the Jets' 2024 playoff run, here's one from the Jets' 2022 Pride Night where SoulBear sings, a cappella, both the American and Canadian national anthems:

3. Best Superfan 

It's a three-way tie among these intrepid Edmonton Oilers devotees:

**Superfan Magoo (Blair Gladue)**

**Banjoguy55 (Dave Steil)**

**Mama Stanley (Mary Loewen)**

And here's a snippet from a profile of Mama Stanley by the St. Albert Gazette --

Being Mama Stanley is no easy feat

for St. Albert’s Mary Loewen.

Two Oilers blazers, check. Chrome makeup, check.

Tinsel wig, got it. Finally, the crowning glory:

a homemade Stanley Cup hat she wears

on her head, adorned with 3,500 sequins,

each individually pinned on with little nails.

“It took my daughter and my grandson’s girlfriend

a long time to make that,” she said.

“Every time I go to Rogers [Arena], it’s always

my head that sets the security off.”

4. Most Heartbreaking Haircuts of 2024

Two of my former Hockey Hair Gods have cut their hair! Behold the Before & After Pix of my poor shorn sheep:

**Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)**

**Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers)**

I'm devastated.

But not for long . . . .

5. This Year's Hockey Hair God

**Sergei Bobrovsky, Russian goalie for the Florida Panthers** 

Feast your eyes on those luscious locks, golden highlights and all!