Too little Progress

 "A great man is hard on himself, a small man is hard on others." Confucius "The paradise of the rich is made of the hell of the poor." Aldous Huxley.       Not looking forward to the feast of sacrifice, all that screaming of sheep and seeing children taking their future meal for a walk. Do they understand its a living creature that suffers anxiety, stress, fear? Not my impression seeing those who were brought up without empathy, believe it is okay to abuse a cat or dog, pets are just a toy at the most. I am grateful my parents never bought a sheep, brought it to our house to be fed for approximately a week before slaughtering. I don't eat anything with a face and already as a child refused to eate an animal that I have seen alive before. Am I too sensitive? I am not the only one, thank heaven for that. Anyhow, at present there 38,000 sacrificial sheep available, it is estimated that 45,000 to 48,000 are required to meet the demand. Not a problem according to the government, prices are likely to rise by 10 to 15%. Some will be overspending, buying a sheep rather than just a piece of meat. Kids and other family members not understanding that it is wrong to put a lot of pressure on Daddy to buy a sheep like others do..... maybe they also can't really afford this, but watch and copy what you are doing. Reminds me of a cartoon: a man sitting in prison with a heavy iron ball chained to his leg, saying that he is the Johnson everybody is trying to keep up with. In the past some poor folks knocked at our door, asking politely or even demanding, a lump of sheep. The answer surprised them, we don't buy and don't slaughter sheep. The only one I would eat would be a cake shaped like a lamb or consisting of chocolate or marzipan, also okay as a soft toy. Not what folks what to hear around here, sorry, or not sorry. - Djego, our approximately 10 months old puppy, doesn't like cats, in particular not so many and not kittens that don't respect him. Further, we unfortunately don't have a garden where he could play and relax, no car to perhaps take him to the beech, no park etc. near by and one must bear in mind that he's a guard dog. So we were looking for someone with a plantation or a farm and experienced dog holder, no sale but a good home, all we want. (His breeding is not cheap in Europe). Two guys seemed to be interested, but not in a hurry, typical Tunisian style. Anyhow, a farmer who keeps sheep, turned up one morning to take our golden coloured little treasure. Two persons from the neighborhood said they know the farmer and we can trust him. I packed all Djego's personal belongings: expandable lead, muzzle, harness, warm vest for cold days, blanket, toy, bones from the pet shop, salami sausages for dogs, his vaccination book (twice fully vaccinated) and he was of course wearing a good quality collar. This happened on 11th of June. We decided to see for ourselves one day whether Djego is okay, but first give him a chance to integrate. In the meantime my husband phoned and was advised that our darling is doing fine, accepts his new home and family, sheep instead of cats. On the 19th of June a young girl knocked at our door at 9.00 p. m. She had discovered Djego at a distance of 10 minutes walk and managed to bring him back, without a lead or a collar, but our house was obviously where he wanted to go anyhow. Djego has lost weight, got neary run over by a car, (it was very hot outside) was very hungry and thirsty, shaking (still does), nervous, with fleas and he has lost trust. What happened? Did he run away, manage to find his way back home, covering approx. 15 km? Why weren't we informed? It took a while to get a reply from the farmer. His story: Djego ran away together with another lovely dog, it wasn't noticed straight away and they tried to find the dogs, therefore didn't contact us. Why wasn't Djego wearing his collar? Was he ashamed to be outside on the road wearing a collar, which shows he's not a stray dog? Or did the farmer remove it so noone seeing him on the road would wonder why he is there? Did the farmer throw him out because he couldn't sell him or was he worried Djego may get depressed seeing the sheep disappear (to be slaughtered) that he was told to protect? This is the land of many fairy tales. For days we are trying now to get Djego's items returned. We haven't got the means to buy everthing again, besides, why should it be necessary? It all adds up to approx. 300 Dinar. We keep hearing tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. I am running out of patience. Had enough of being fooled around. Guess we have to pay the farmer a visit and if need be report him to the public prosecutor's office. My husband took Djego for a walk the other day. While he barks a lot indoors (in particular when it's very loud outside), on the road he is more like a sheep and quickly wants to get indoors again. Having suffered a lot on the road, he feels safer inside our house, the internal terrace. Anyhow, a young girl seeing Djego walking on a lead, asked my husband to please not put him out on the road......... we have no intention to do this and note happily her empathy. Great girl, we need more children like her for a better world. 

Postscript No Time to get Bored

 "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." Albert Einstein.                                                                                  A  man gets woken up by a burglar. "Are you looking for money?" "Of course, what do you think." "If you wait a minute, I'll get up and help you. I have been searching for money in my house for weeks......." New visitor to my Cats' Table, a young lovely cat lady, doesn't want to eat, but me to follow her. It turned out the clever mummy has 4 kittens that she wanted me to feed. From time to time a cat brought her little ones to my place, or carried off a bit of sausage. So this amazing darling decided to bring the "waitress". It is close by and fine with me. Mummy leaves the "salami" for her babies, she prefers croquettes. Often felines don't get old, many die within the first few weeks or months because of a poor immune system, the traffic, injuries inflicted by other animals, stone throwing or other abuse. Crying young girls knocking on my door, saying their kitten is very sick, can't walk, won't eat, a dog attacked her. I went to check, she seemed to be under shock, decided in order to give her a chance it would be better to take her to our vet. She screamed a few times, seemed to have cramps, her temperature was too low, in spite of red light treatmend and warm water bottle, the poor little treasure died, went over the rainbow.        

At least it happened peacefully, leaving 4 young girls crying. She was obviously a loved family member. Very sad, but such folks give me hope. It is good to see that guys in the neighborhood understand that I will help if I can, though my husband fears we may be overwhelmed. Many can't afford to see a vet, in several cases, in particular the very common "sealed eyes or noses", I know what is required, treat also guests attending my table (if they let me) , learned from vets. This is my life now, main occupation and expenditure are cats. Last night I dreamed we gave asylum to an elderly donkey. Nice thought, a forever home for elderly and handicapped, helpless animals. Unfortunately I can't afford to buy a farm or some other suitable place and meet all the other involved costs. In order to protect our house against local hooligans we had to exchange lovely flourishing plants (in front of our house, behind a barrier) against cactus plants. This was some time ago. A small, difficult to access area seemed to in particular attract ignorant heartless persons to throw feline babies between high cactus plants. So we sealed off the top with chicken wire. It worked for quite some time, yet today I heard a crying kitten from there. How can it be? Late at night a good-for nothing opened a corner and dropped the poor helpless little cat. If you wonder why, it is their sick sense of humor, some kids laugh when one of their comrades falls and injures himself. I am afraid we have many neglected disturbed kids in our neighborhood. Much needs to be done. Kindergartens, free of charge for children from poor families would be ideal, but where would the funds come from? Tunisia needs money, IMF demands cutting of state expenditures, freezing wages, reducing subsidiary paymants, which would especially effect bred prices. IMF, sitting in an ivory tower, have their standard demands, ignoring the special situation of the country in question. Higher bred prices means starving for those with low or no income. In North Africa it is very dangerous, when it was tried in Algeria, years ago, demonstrations ended bloody, many died. The biggest union declared they want higher wages and lower prices and called for a strike to demonstrate their power. The usual procedure. No easy solution. Hopefully enough folks  don't have a blinkered attitude, understand the problems, appreciate the importance of this beautiful country and are willing to fight against corruption, fraud, crime and greed, practice solidarity, try to protect nature and animals. 

No Time to get Bored

 When you meet somebody for the first time, you are not meeting them, you are meeting their representatives." Chris Rock                 Trail of thoughts: Year 2030, scientists develop a way to transplant brains after death. They are auctioned off to provide the less fortunate with a bit of money. High biddings for those from a certain area. Says one man:" I didn't know the people there are so brilliant, are they genies? " "Well no, those guys' brains are like new, hardly ever used..." -       At present (not only Tunisia) bred is difficult to find in shops and bakeries, the loaf is shorter and on the black market sold for 1 Dinar, instead of 220 Miliem. Carrefour is no  longer allowed to sell any for 2 months now, only rolls because of the shortage of grains, which is due to the war in Ukraine, one of the main suppliers of the African continent. Putin promised the head of the African Union secure shipment of wheat from the ports there. The Ukraine president says: " The Russians stole our grains."- Lovely puppy, Djego, approx. 10 months old now, was never planned as part of our big fur family, but finding him close to death near our door step, mend we couldn't walk away. He is fully vaccinated, but not a lap dog. Djego would make an excellent guard dog on a plantation or farm, though yet needs some training. We had no experience with dogs and can't offer him a place to play and relax as we have no garden, no car, too many cats that in addition, without need, want to drink his water, eat his food. So Djego decided that maybe he can convince our little fur angles that they have come to the wrong place, all we need is one dog and one or two cats at the most. Actually tomcat Fritz likes to play with him, the others more or less ignore him. It seems Djego wants to educate the children, youngsters and adults in our neighborhood that they should stop screaming, (kids play football with a lot of it), banging doors and shutters, creating unnecessary noices and polluting the air with their motorbikes and cars, constantly running idle the vehicle engines. (Petrol must be too cheap). So Djego barks frequently, unfortunately trying to reduce the noice around here is like fighting against windmills, poor little darling. At least no one tries to rob us since we have this golden coloured guard dog (Atlas breeding). We wish him a good family that trains, understands and appreciates Djego. Not easy to find. We don't intend to sell our little treasure, a happy adoption is all we are looking for. 

Postscript Trying to Think Positive

 "You know, some people say life is short and you could get hit by a bus at any moment and that you have to live each day, like it's your last. Bullshit, Life is long. You're probably not gonna get hit by a bus. And you're gonna have to live with the choices you make for the next 50 years. " Paul Auster  Two men talking: " I don't like to do this, but I have to warn you. It seems your wife is unfaithful to you." " My wife? Never, what makes you think that? " " I overheard her say: "My sweetheart, I love you so much, you are the apple of my eye. You are so beautiful, you are heaven sent, couldn't live without you, my sweet gentle habibi....." I know you weren't even in town. "  " Did she use a name? " " Well yes, Malek. " Relieved laughter: "She was talking to our cat. He loves to cuddle with me and my wife, it's so relaxing." If you want to judge you need the full picture. At present lots of unwanted cat babies - unwanted by humans, not their mothers, are getting kicked out again, in a cardboard box, a plastic bag in garbage containers or in front of various houses. It is not unfashionable to keep a cat, preferably an expensive exotic breed, but most folks don't want to pay for vets, etc. thus sick cats, also real beauties, are put out on the street.... Getting the cat spayed and neutered they call Haram, while killing the babies, one way or the other, seems to be "okay". I call it brutal, criminal. By the way, not all you see outside are strays, some may have just run out of a house, intending to return after a short while. Before you take them, inquire whether they have an owner. From time to time I lost cats that way, or should I say they were stolen? Jasmina who decided one day to live with her baby, Sunny, behind my barrier, was still feeding her milk to her golden coloured kitten, when someone took her little one. I can only hope the kitten hasn't become the toy of an ignorant child and will be dumped in the trash when no longer of any interest... I am afraid I had a lot of bad experience. More than once I even viewed a child, still or no longer wearing pampers, attempting to hit a peaceful cat. Wouldn't it be more natural for a child to stroke a cat? Guess it depends on where you live...... According to a study by the Institude of Competitiveness and Qualitative studies, Tunisia is far behind its competitors in the EU market. "Bloated administration and insufficient public operations constitude powerful brakes on investment and development of competitive industry." A lot needs to be done, I have frequently been surprised by "strange demands" in the administration section, complicating what can be simplified. I often wondered how uneducated folks cope. What happened to that brilliant North African smile that can knock you off the feet? Nowadays I view people walking with their head down, are they searching for the lost big smile? Generally speaking the citizens are better off than in the past, when many lived very modestly, an egg maybe once a week, no car, proud to possess a bike, of course no mobile phone, many without TV, flea market selling rather low quality clothes, cats on the street skinny, etc, unless I am mistaken less theft. Not enough jobs, various young women who found employment increase their income by stealing, so do tradesmen as I know from own experience. Most cases are not reported to the police, "waste of time". Wrong attitude, how can the police know the extend of crime if only a small percentage gets recorded? Tunisia-Ahmed Sassi study of 1250 folks 18 to 29 year old, concerning the mental health of young people and riks of behaviour, brought to light that most young people suffer from anxiety. The majority wishes to be treated but cannot find specialized institutions. High unemployment and rising prices doesn't help. Lots of jobs could be created, in particular in the field of education, environmental protection. While everybody seems to be grumbling about expensive petrol, there is no end to this stupid custom to keep the car or motorbike engine run idle during discussions on the street, a bit of shopping, etc. It stinks and pollutes the air. Driving schools should teach their clients how to switch the engine on and off (I wonder whether these guys fear they can't handle that....) and the health risks created by exhaust gas. 

In Europe some let their vehicle engine run idle because of freezing temperatures, in Tunisia you encounter the same behaviour with 40 or          more degrees C. Wonder why? Nothing is impossible here and bad customs die hard!