Continued: One Decade after the Revolution

"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.Wonder is the beginning of wisdom. To find yourself, think for yourself." Sokrates.

A middle-aged unknown woman knocks at our door asking for money for medication which she said her mother needs. She was not amused when this was denied. We experienced that it's better to help folks that we know, as the story you are told may not be actually true. Besides, we spend a lot on homeless/ previously with a family cats, and that doesn't exactly make us rich. Prices are rising, this applies to fruit, vegetables, coffee, bred, pet food, medicine - often imported - for humans and animals, medical examinations and treatments. On top of this, whenever you discover a product you like or which seems to be an acceptable substitute, next time you want to buy it, you may be in for a surprise, it's gone and it will be for a while. Corona doesn't improve the economy, just like in other countries. The restrictions, though comparatively mild, and most certainly not abided  by all, led to various businesses to close down. Sad to see. I remember a time when it was difficult to get a seat in a cafe or restaurant. I wonder who is less motivated, the students or their teachers. Long holidays, less hrs because of Corona, and then students on the street saying that their teacher didn't turn up or on strike for more money. Not that the kids and youngsters mind very much. More time to play football and who needs education? Some call them the lost generation. The street doesn't teach self-control, empathy or respect. In Denmark empathy classes are part of the national curriculum, brilliant idea. Much better than spanking children, which the ignorant consider to be perfectly okay, though it usually doesn't improve bad behaviour, spanked kids on the contrary are likely to develop anxiety, depression, behaviour problems and other mental health problems. Recently a 14 year old boy from the neighborhood died, he was riding a motorcycle and had a fatal accident. Hopefully this will put another boy here, half his age, off risking his life and that of others, by riding a motorcycle as well. I watched a young man with a bleeding slight injury and treated him with Betadine and a plaster. A few days later young ladies knocked at my door. One of them had a scratch on her face and politely asked for a plaster. Before folks only asked from time to time for medical aid for cats. If you help one, word spreads and 

and someone else turns up asking for the same. I am not a vet, but I learnt how to treat common health problems of the local cats (i.e. pus in the eyes, can lead to blindness, blocked nose, makes a cat stop eating, as they won't eat what they can't smell, mites in the ears, can destroy the ears, effects the balance). Some street vendors have a motorcycle to pull their cart, others have to pull it themselves, just to earn a little money to get by. A hard life.

o 

Sweet Grace, an Obituary

 "One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and be understood." Seneca.                                    When the cat passes away all her servants are in mourning. Sweet gentle Grace, grey fur, was born underneath my yucca plant in Oct./Nov. 2018, a daughter of Esperanza, a street cat and regular visitor to my Cat's Table. When I discovered the little family, Esperanza at first didn't allow me to touch her babies which she moved to a place behind my metal fencing that was difficult for me to reach. This changed after two of her tiny ones died. I made space in a small corridor for the little family. From time to time Esperanza desired to go outside. Two kittens that I found in front of my door I added to baby Grace and her brother Sami. Esperanza seemed to be happy to adopt them, but unfortunately they didn't live long. Their vice mummy disappeared for 18 days. I looked in vain for her everywhere. Then Esperanza returned, I discovered her under my Yucca plant, bleeding from her mouth and nose, broken jaw. The vet did a good job and my little treasure recovered. I was happy to see her doing so well but then she disappeared again and never returned. Being a beautiful three coloured fairly young cat she may have found a good family, hopefully, otherwise if still alive she would at least arrive at feeding time, she knows my house, so I fear she may have passed away. - Esperanza's gentle daughter Grace integrated well into my big fur community. All accepted her, but she turned out not to be very healthy, she lost one eye, had breathing problems, coughed a lot, sometimes a bleeding nose, obviously a weak immune system (like many cats here). We often took her to the vet for inhalation, to give her some relieve. Saladin developed a method to knock at our sitting room door by banging the key attachment against that door. She watched and copied him. Some cats become especially attached to my husband, so did Grace - daddy's girl! I joked "Don't know what she sees in you....." We always fear the day one of our beloved little treasures passes away. In Tunisia cats are considered to be old when they are seven, in Europe at least 15-20. Suddenly Grace acted strange, she wet herself, went in hiding, reappeared, screamed a few times. I stroked her to comfort her. My husband desperately phoned the vet. Grace passed away, we lost our unforgettable darling much too early, end of March 2021.