Postscript Living with Changes Everywhere

 "The secret of freedom lies in education people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant." Maximilian Robespierre.                         At present it is very hot, but temperatures are similar to those in Europe, feels different, though, with high humidity in the air. Sugar, rice and cheap oil are difficult to obtain, other items also, not just food, like e. g. some medications and cosmetics etc. No sugar available is quite a problem in a country that loves lots of it, not just with coffee and tea, fruit juices, cereals, etc. are often too sweet for my taste and of course not good for all those who suffer from diabetes. - A man who has been vaccinated 4 times in Germany caught Corona here. Strange, I read Germany doesn't acknowledge the vaccination in Tunisia if it's from China. Folks are slowly starting to wear face masks again, not easy during this hot season. - Of the 5 a few weeks old kittens that a woman brought approx. 4 weeks ago (2 disappeared outside without a trace, 3 I took indoors) there is only 1 survivor. All were very skinny, Chiquita still is, not too well. I hope my sweet little Babe will be okay, on vet's advice I give her 1/8th of Doxy, vitamins and Mamy milk, etc. She seems to be happy to have me as her vice mama. She sleeps a lot, but actually just about all my little treasures are flat on the floor where they find a little shadow. Some manage to have a running nose in spite of the heat. It is bad enough in winter. Fleur, one of my regular visitors to my Cats' Table, allows me to clean her blocked nose, she even speaks to me, seems she wants to say "thank you". She loves cuddling, can't get enough of it. The little darling looks as if she had blond streaks made. In the past she used to arrive with her mother, who looked just like her, but one day disappeared, sadly most probably dead, "passed over the rainbow." - Japan donated 1 Million dollars for 3 historical towns in Tunisia, Kairouan, Kasserine and Siliana. France suffers a shortage of staff, in particular in the hotel and restaurant trade. They offer to Tunisians 4000 jobs for 5 months. The payment is the same as for other citizens in that country, 1472 Euro per months, with a 39 hrs week. It seems a lot, but prices are high, in particular in Paris. Still, it's a chance for many, we have well educated French speaking folks with appropriate experience. Should be a win-win situation. 

Living with Changes Everywhere.

 "Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good." Bertholt Brecht.                                                                                    Good news for a change, we took lovely Janina to the vet, who suspected kidney problems (not uncommon among ferals of her age, 4,5 years) and suggested a blood test. It turned out that her kidneys function well for her age, thank heavens for that. Janina's gum problems can be treated with injections and avoidance of the poor quality water from the tap. My little black Diamond, the latest family addition, simply loves his mamma milk (and so does sweet little Moses), I am very grateful to an animal protection organisation that donnated the expensive milk powder. My babies seem to be happy with their vice mum (me) and I hope we make it together. Dainty Shakira doesn't want the milk, even so still quite tiny. Two young men went past our house with a group of 8 young, fit looking sheep. Knowing their destination depresses me. The farmer who picked up Djego on 11th June, to guard his sheep, after some training, will he come to Sousse? One of his stories, several days ago, his car is getting repaired.... We are still looking for a good home for our slowly growing up puppy, since he is a guard and not a lap dog, not easy. Many say keeping a dog is too expensive for them and one needs some experience for an untrained dog. The farmer, by the way, still hasn't returned Djego's personnel items. He, his sons and the neighbor who recommend him as a truthworthy person, suppy us with changing excuses, hoping we will eventually give up and they can keep or sell all items, maybe even his vaccination pass (2 x fully vaccinated). - A friend went with her husband to the Friday market. Afterwards she discovered that her backpack had been slit and her mobile phone stolen. This unfortunately also means losing all photos of the various development stages of the kids, sadly unreplaceable. One woman told me her mobile phone was stolen of her while she was phoning outside, the thief just grabbed it with force and run away. Only a small percentage of those street robberies are reported to the police,  all too often regarded as a waste of time, police won't trace the thieves, they are not much interested..... I don't think these comments are fair. If only a few are reported, how can the police know the extend of the problem? It certainly is not good advertising if tourists must fear they will be robbed or tricked on the street,. though of course Tunisia is not the only country with such problems. Much needs to be done, the police is more active under the new government, changes take time. We need more solidarity and folks with courage that won't look away. Poverty is no excuse for stealing, or greed, one can be poor and keep one's dignity. We continue to have approx. 3 - 5 year old kids playing football on the street until midnight. Don't they need their sleep at night? Scientists say that the human body is designed to sleep during the dark hours, this of course doesn't mean it's okay to stay up as long as there's electricity. Lack of sleep at night effects the brain of kids, it is not different for those living in North Africa. 

Postscript Too little Progress

 "The general population doesn't know what is happening and it doesn't even know it doesn't know." Noam Chomsky.                                                                     A woman tried to persuade my husband to take a maximum 3 weeks old black baby cat as apresent, as she is poor and cannot pay for the food..... Pity I wasn't there, I would have explained to her that at present all the little one needs: mamma milk, love and education is for free, provided by the mother. One can buy substitute milk, it is not as good as the original and it is quite expensive, 54 Dinar. We can't afford that and besides, it doesn't make sense, it means quite a bit extra work, besides having a baby crying for its mother leaving behind a depressed mother whose baby has been stolen from her loving paws. In addition the little one may yet die under the given circumstances. I hope and pray that the new constitution that is presently being drafted will include respect and protection of nature and animals, for a better society. Bad habits die hard and many will only change their actions if forced by law. Pets can teach kids empathy and responsibility. Stroking a cat can lower a too high blood pressure. My personal highlight every morning is seeing my sweet Malek come running downstairs from the roof, when I call him, in order to have breakfast with him on my lap and being surrounded by other beauties as well. But first of all I check whether my "big family" is okay, no sudden sickness, or even worse, death. Life expectancy is unfortunately so much shorter here than in Europe. One man from the neighborhood told me he's got several amazing cats and he trusts them more than humans. A woman arrived with 5 kittens, 2 - 3 weeks old. She wanted me to take them. I told her I can't, I am overwhelmed and besides, they need their mother. She asked whether she can leave them outside and I provide them with food in front of my house. I advised her that they are much too young for that and they would quickly get run over by cars. A little time later I discovered she left the little ones nonetheless, but 2 had disappeared. Couldn't find them anywhere. I felt forced to take 2 black and whites and 1 multi-cloured one inside. Shortly afterwards a young boy knocked on my door. The family had decided to keep the kittens. I went looking for a cardboard box for transport, but the boy thought I am taking too long and left. As the little ones are rather skinny, I would suspect that their mother's diet is rather poor and she's probably still very young. Anyhow, they loved the salami, the croquettes for baby cats and I still had a tiny bit of mamma milk pwder. One of the black and white ones was very lively, my husband named her Lady Gaga. Sadly, she and her sister, Nena, suddenly died over night, "passed over the rainbow". The gorgeous kitten with orange, yellow, white, a bit of black, Chiquita, is the only survivor, still skinny, but hopefully she'll be okay. As a matter of fact I have another cat, a few weeks older, that looks like an older sister and they stick a lot together. Tiny, skinny Moses was looking a bit lost in front of my door, felt sorry for the little darling and took him indoors, I have reached my absolute limit. It is not just a question of food and toilets, it also means getting those old enough spayed and neutered, paying for dental works, blood tests, x-rays, perhaps special food e. g. because of kidney problems (unfortunately quite common among adult cats, due to bad water, weak immune system etc.) and a lot of sadness whenever a member of "my big family" passes away. -