Nearing the End of the Year.

 "Keep true to the dreams of your youth." Friedrich Schiller. "A man is not idle because he is absorved in thoughts. There is visible and invisable labour." "To die is nothing, but it is terrible not to live." Victor Hugo. "If you are going to live by the riverside, make friends with the crocodiles." Ubuntu African Proverb.  "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but becausd of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein. "A man without education is like a building without foundation." George Bernhard Shaw.                                                                                                                                        In US a German shephard dog went missing, then the door bell of the owner rang - it was the dog (caught on camera), waiting to be let back in. A knock at our door. My husband called: "I am coming." In front of the door stood a cat. Some ferals manage to open doors, if there is a handle. In addition we had a cat that used to bang the key attachment against the door, when he wanted to enter a certain room. Several cats learned this method from him. Experts say cats can approx. reach the intelligence level of a 2 year old child. In spite of the meanwhile often cold and rainy days the majority of the youngsters on my road still wear the open summer sandales. A homemade drum from an empty paint bucket and a wooden kitchen utensil, covered in plastic, ensures it doesn't get too quiet around here, it's to celebrate the starting school holiday, I am told. It never gets boring in our quarter. Poor, gentle Schmusi went over the rainbow. He lately lost a lot of weight, a sad sight, just bones and fur. The vet had diagnosed anemia. Our sweet little treasure loved to cuddle and loved his food, but it didn't stop him from getting thinner and thinner in spite of this and his medication. In Germany it was discovered that so called "chewing bones", made in China out of cows' skins, caused 50 dogs to suddenly fall sick, suffering panic attacks, cramps and sudden aggresion. Luckily it can be cured, first step to calm down and relax, keep the dog in a dark room, without noise. Plus veterinarian treatment .  Now that less folks are sending letters (mainly elderly folks), the post office in France has taken on additinal tasks, delivery of cooked meals and on 6 days per week checking that elderly folks, living on their own, are okay and don't require help. Sounds like a good idea. We can learn so much from each other, i. e. fighting rabbies. Old methods that aren't very effective, why continue (some vaccinatons are meanwhile carried out here, but not on a big enough scale), when other countries are actually successful without killing the poor, so called strays (all too often pets kicked out for convienence, to save money, owners' lacking sense of responsibility). Antoine De Saint-Exupery once said that we are during our whole life responsible for that what we have made known to us. Wise words, but how many are listening? We seem to be living in a world that usually doesn't allow the best to make it to the top. The other day Jimmy Carter, 100 years old, Nobel Peace Price holder, passed away. In my opinion the best president the US ever had and will have for the foreseeable future, highly dedicated to human rights, peace and democracy. Now politicians all over the world praise him (including  Joe Biden and Donald Trump), even though, many of them don't share his values - judging by their actions. At least the Pope condems the cruelity of war that kills children and the bombing of schools and hospitals. UNRWA says that a child is killed every hour in Gaza, more than 14,500 since the start of war. So far

7 babies have frozen to death. In view of 70 % of destroyed houses, makeshift shelters that don't deserve to be named as such, minus 10 degree centigrate, heavy rain falls, lack of blankets, food, water and medication, it is getting worse. Meanwhile all hospitals are destroyed in Northern Gaza. Alon Pinkas, a former Israelian ambassador, has a clear opinion: "Hospitals should be out of bounds, hospitals should not be targeted, period." What was or was not in the hospitals "doesn't matter."  Netanyahu sees Hamas terrorists everywhere, it's a magic word that excuses everything, but he all too often fails to produce proof. Violation of international laws and regulations are the new standards, who can say he/she didn't know? At the end of the year we always hope the next one will be better. May God/Allah have mercy with us, punish the evil and provide those in charge with wisdom, empathy and respect for human and animal rights. 

Some Days we could Do Without.

A visitor to my Cats'  Table. 

My beautiful tree. 

My killed tree, a great shock. 

 "No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself." "Time is the only critic without ambition." John Steinbeck.  "Fear is the mother of morality." "Success has always been a great liar."  "A casual stroll through the lunitic asylum shows that faith does not proove anything."  "To forget one's purpose is the commenest form of stupility."  Nietzche  "Hounds follow those who feed them." Bismark.  "The highest we are placed, the more humble we should walk."  Tullius Cicero. - It is getting pretty cold, feels like freezing. In most European  countries Christmas school holidays have started. In Tunisia also - oh waite a minute, I guess it's called something else here. Pity many kids don't know what to do with all that spare time on their hands and books seem to be out of fashion. Several years ago I planted a tree in Kairouan and it grow up healthy, strong and very beautiful, ideal to help improve the environment and reduce the temperature (up to 5 degree scientists say). I was very proud of my lovely tree that now required trimming, cutting off lower branches and a bit on the right of the top (near a neighbour 's window). A woman whom we paid in the past to keep an eye on the house (and do a bit of watering) said she found an experienced man to do the job for 45 Dinar. Knowing that one doesn't always get here what one ordered (i. e. if you say "in the middle," it is understood as either mainly to the right or left), we stressed that we want to be present to control the performance, therefore we would need to know the suitable time a day in advance. Blow and behold, this was too much to demand! Unfortunately I allowed my husband to persuade me to pay in advance - which I really didn't want and I would strongly advise against it, if you don't enjoy having tradesmen "dancing on your nose". Anyhow, when we arrived on the scene I felt close to a heart attack, why do ignorant folks hate trees? For me it was an "environmental crime" and in many countries it is against the law to do this to a well grown healthy tree, so important to reduce air pollution and create oxygen! There was a "corpse" of a tree, a sad view, I was close to tears. Those responsible are lucky that trees cannot scream. I hope Allah will punish them. Well, we failed to read the "writting in the sky", a warning, when the aforementioned woman informed us last summer that we won't have any grapes to harvest (should have been more than a bucket full) as 300 birds (!!!) suddenly appeared and ate them all. Strange, birds normally leave marks of their picking, did they all swallow complete grapes? We are convinced that she was simply too lazy to water the plant. Someone famous ones advised : "Trust is good, control is better." Daily collection of household garbage worked perfectly well for several years, though often an unpleasant job as not all landes in the right place and some folks are too inconsiderate to care. Anyhow, in Sousse  waste disposal vans no longer arrive every day. I tried to work out the system as no official data is suppied. Seems to 3 times a week, not on one or two weekend days. Wonder whether the employees (as a special peek) can choose the relevant days at short notice. 

Those are our Days

Myriam

 "The future influences the present as much as it does the past."  "He who fights monsters should see to it that in the process he doesn't become a monster."  "If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."  "In an individual insanity is rare, but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."  "Those who cannot understand to put their thoughts on ice, should not enter the heat of debate."  Nietzsche.  Sweet, gentle, beautiful, 3 coloured, Myriam has disappeared. She sneaked out one evening, unnotiiced until the next morning, breakfast time. I called her to serve her her special meal of sliced sausage with salmon oil (good for the fur). She loves it, but didn't turn up. I searched every corner of my house and in the neighborhood, called her in vain. My sweetie didn't have an easy life. Approx. 5 yeas ago a neighbour showed me her photo and asked whether I can help her, following a car accident. The vet discovered a broken jaw and one eye so badly injured that it had to be removed. After a little while Myriam integrated well into our big family. Some months ago she sadly started to develop daily cramps. For a few seconds she then moves in a circle, wets and sometimes injures herself. I fear that ignorant folks seeing her outside, may think Myriam is a stray and maybe having a contagious sickness, therefore should be killed. I had her examined by our vet, an x-ray made, but the reason for her cramps remained in the dark. She received Tetra B vitamines to strengthen her. I miss my little treasure, feel depressed, hope and pray she's okay and can return back home. There is a small chance a kind soul took her inside, but unfortunately most Tunisians only want a "perfect" cat, at least the cat should be perfect in the house. I love her as she is, but can others see her true beauty? My feral family as well as the guests visiting my "Cats' Table" lately developed a larger appetite (plus probably some folks "helping themselves" to free pet food from my bowls outside). In addition an unknown person stole yet again the pottery bowl in front of my house. As experts recommend to avoid plastic bowls for cats' food and drink (can cause brown spots on their gum), I used it to provide fresh water in addition to the croquettes, even though I was well aware that the bowl is likely to disappear quickly, sadly the same applies to any other nice piece of decoration. - Not only in my opinion, we have too many school holidays in the country. Around here these kids and youngsters then spend most of their time on the street, playing football with a lot of screaming, not caring about possible damages to house walls, throwing stones "just for fun", getting up to no-good, lately also playing with lighters and a rope emitting sparks when hurled in a circle, looks like lots of little fires - some kids showed me resulting holes in their clothes and one boy burn marks on his skin. Trying to advise that this is a dangerous toy, produced the usual reaction from the neighborhood children, for revenge stone throwing and breaking bricks (fitted to stop cars from parking on our pavement) . Luckily one of our neighbors knows the concerned youngsters. Speaking with the parents - if they are senseable - can be the solution and it seemed to work here. One doesn't always need to call the police. Still no sign from Myriam, I fear the worst. Nonetheless we will try to gain information about her fate. We got some leaflets printed with her photo and offer a small reward. Our poor little darling really has suffered enough in life. Chances she has been taken indoors by someone are minor since there are more beautiful cats outdoors around here. Why do animals have to suffer so much? Their character is often better than that of humans. They don't start wars, create or buy horrible destructive weapons, don't torture, don't lie...... In Aleppo young  guys meet to tidy up their town, they want Syria to become again a good and attractive place to live. Much can be achieved if more persons would adopt such an attitude. Would be a good idea also for Sousse and other places. Butter is available again and also sugar for a short spell. Coffee and honey prices have gone up quite a bit, some medication and sweets also as well as other items. We won't grumble as long as essential products remain on offer and are reasonable priced. 

Age of Reasons as well as Double Standards.

 "Man is the only kind of varmit sets his own traps, baits it, then steps in it."   "A sad soul can kill quicker than than a germ."  "The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty."   "I have seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing  look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think that humans are nuts." "Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts..... perhaps the fear of loss of power." John  Steinbeck.                                                                                                                                                Winter  is gently starting, usually after 4 p. m., lasting until round about 9 or 10 a. m. thus still sunny during the day. Autumn and spring only make a brief appearance in our time and age. Now in November, those who wish to send X-mas greetings to other countries, may be starting to do so, hoping it will arrive punctually. After the revolution, for some time, Tunisian postal service left must to be desired (delivered by "snail mail" or may be getting lost in transit, "Barmuda triangle" ). Well, this very much improved, but now the German Post's services are often of a "Third World" standard, so it seems., more than 26,000 complaints, notifications often unreadable, wrongly delivered letters and parcels. Have they employed too much cheap, unmotivated labour, folks who need glasses? As the British say, if you want to pay peanuts, you end up with monkeys. Well, it can only get better. Possible problem : many elderly postmen retired and are replaced by new employees who may be require training in reading various types of handwritting. On the other hand, I just found out, it is also possible to get mail delivered from Tunisia to Germany in just 11 days, normal letter without extra charge, astonishing. - Precious, the lovely street cat I recently took to the vet, looks as if she could be the mother of our gorgeous Ali, fluffy, well fed, long hair (some Persian blood) big paws, gentle. Only the fur has a different design, but after all the mother usually has only one kitten looking like "a copy of mummy". Anyhow, since I started to offer Precious separately her own sausage, with Marbourcyl medication hidden inside, she now sits in the morning on my pavement, waiting to be served, lets the others chase their share of delicious pieces of "salami". She is so sweet, I love cats with their own character and feel honoured to serve this lady! The latest hit and presently the most expensive cat in the world is a very special breed, cats without fur. Apart from thus removing the beautiful protection that nature gave to the poor little treasures, isn't it cruel? And why, just to create something exotic and make extra money from those that regard animals as expensive toys to show off? These naked cats' skin must be very sensitive, poor creatures. Hope this fashion won't last long. -   According to UN officials Palestinian children have per capita the highest amount of amputations in the world. Lord have mercy. Wondering why US is not a member of ICC supporting countries, those that signed when it was founded, but nevertheless wants to dictate the ICC policies? In the 2002 Hague Invation Act the United States actually threatens invation of any state complying with an ICC warrant for US citizens. Guess they don't trust their army members always abiding by international laws and regulations. What do they fear? Strange, as long as their country investigates and proscecutes possible war crimes the ICC won't act. While the international arrest warrant was fairly quickly issued against Putin - even though not a member (it was considered important against which country war crimes were committed) - some countries want to apply different conditions concerning Netanyahu and Galant. Now that at long last the international arrest warrents are issued (even several Israelian politicians call it war crimes and genocide against Palestinians), not all western countries seem to be willing to act in line with the ICC rules. They are loosing their credibility. "All are equal and some are more equal than others." (George Orwell). Even Marcon doesn't want to cleary say that Netanjahu would have to be arrested should he visit France, seems to be a reaction to demanded conditions (from Netanjahu) for signing a cease-fire deal for Libanon. Amnesty International doesn't state any accusations as facts if they haven't been thoroughly investigated, listen to their clearly worded reports. Doctors without Borders are shocked by the continued attacks against hospitals, patients and medical staff. This is unprecedented. All this senseless suffering must end. The world deserves better politicans, diplomatic not weaponry solutions. I hope and pray for a two-

states solution, money spend on urgently required aid, reconstruction, and environmental protection. Hate and revenge only destroys our world, we should be more advanced.