Cat Problems

 Loki has decided the bed is a good place to pee.  Which is difficult for me.   I finally figured out that the pee spots on the bed were from Loki.  I caught him in the act finally.  I need to research "inappropriate peeing".

I have several alternating layers of sheets and blankets on the waterbed, so washing them all takes a lot of time and effort.  I did that today and placed a plastic tarp on top.  Let him pee on that and see how he likes it!

And he likes chasing Lori.  Unlike Laz (who chased Lori viciously toward the end) Loki wants to play "chase" (I hope).  But Lori doesn't like that either.

Binq thinks my hands are toys to grab at with claws out.  And that my legs are scratching posts.  But she is getting better about that.  

Lori still hates both newbies.  And still has diarrhea after almost 3 months.  It is less than it was, but sometimes suddenly bad.  I have a new med for her and will hope that helps.  She is struggling with the last few months of insanity and the arrival of the "Unwanted Newbies" (from her POV).

Marley is staring to resist his kidney food diet.  I add some regular food on top, but he stops below that.  Putting him in The Mews Room with his bowl usually works.  

Lori gets the bedroom for her mealtimes lately.  The peace helps her eat.  I may have to isolate Loki for meals too.  Binq eats everything quickly and takes Loki's bowl too.  He has lost weight, so I have to get him to eat more.  Oddly, Binq isn't gaining any weight.  Maybe that is because she is very active in playing with toys.  

So there are problems here.  Not everything is bad.  The bad parts are infrequent.  There are good things too.

Each of The Mews love me individually.  If I stand in a room a few minutes, they are all there.  Loki follows we around the house constantly and seems distressed by any separation.  He even sits in the bathroom when I take a shower, and few cats like to be around heavy running water.

Binq doesn't want to share the bed at night, but she nearly attacks me in the morning for attention.  She just has "her time" for wanting me to pet/scritch/stroke her.  She is not a lapcat, but stays on the chair (top or arms) near me when I watch TV.

As I've said, Loki follows me around the house everywhere.  Nothing stops him.  If I'm putting laundry in the dryer, he jumps in there.  If I pull him out, he sits in the washer.  He sits on my lap when I am watching TV, sits on the newspaper when I am reading it during lunch.  The only time he is happy away from me is at meals.  

Lori wants to stay near me too.  She has always been close to me most times.  If Loki isn't near me, she is.  And on my lap if she doesn't see Loki or Binq nearby.  

Marley is always perfect of course.  Lapcat, tolerant friend to all.

I may have made a mistake bringing Loki and Binq into the house.  I thought "playmates" after her once-good relationship with Laz.  But it isn't working well.  But they are all here and it is my responsibility to try to get them all adjusted.

Driving me damn near crazy though... 

Not About Injuries Today

Today, I want to discuss a National Event.  I don't want to get TOO political about it.  I have mine, you have yours and they may differ with both of us caring about our Country.

I am writing this "before", but will schedule it to post 15 minutes before the event.  So I will write as if in that moment. 

Today is Inauguration Day, the official day of peaceful transition of one civilian Presidential administration to another.  This event has continued for over 2 centuries in our democracy.  It is an event to honor and be proud of.

In about 15 minutes, Joseph Biden will become President and Kamala Harris will become Vice President after that.  Donald Trump will no longer be our (legitimately and duly-elected) President.

I have (figuratively) been holding my breath since Election Day, waiting for this day.  I will (figuratively) exhale finally when the oaths of office are completed.  It has been a difficult and unpleasant 4 years for many of us both here and abroad.

Many have asked how could we not get rid of Trump sooner.  Well, some countries are based on various forms of government that suit them (or are powerless to change).  Some are ruled by dictators or merchant oligarchies, some are led by religious leaders, some are lead by powerful or figurative monarchs, some are lead by a judiciary focussed on a sense of general justice (some good, some arbitrary). 

We are guided by rule of law.  The distinction may not be great.  But it generally means that, if we elect an idiot as President for 4 years, we are pretty much stuck with him.  Several Presidents have been "impeached" by the House of Representatives, but that only means the Senate holds a trial afterwards.  No President has ever been convicted of charges in the Senate, Trump included.

As was said after Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 (and only after the major political leaders of his OWN party said they would vote to convict), "our long national nightmare is over".

A new Presidential administration will take charge in about 15 minutes.  Some will be angry, most will be relieved.  I expect things will improve in many ways:

1.  The struggle against the covid-19 pandemic will be more scientifically and logistically organized.

2.  The US will attempt to rebuild damaged international relationships and treaties.

3.  We will examine the partisan divisiveness in our country and begin to examine how some of that can be resolved.  There are more angry citizens than people like I realized.  Perhaps they have some legitimate grievances that can be addressed.  Or maybe there is "something in their water" that just makes them crazy.  We will have to find out.  It won't be easy or quick.

4.  I think we spend too much on military armaments, but maybe there is a good reason.  We became "the arsenal of democracy" in WWII; old habits die hard.  But there ARE powerful anti-democratics countries.  The whole military situation bears evaluation.

5.  We can't keep helping other countries as much as we used to.  We have poverty and hunger here too. More international cooperation and more efficient use of food and medical help is required.  Volunteer organizations might help to improve the effectiveness lof government efforts.

6.  We can't keep burning fossil fuels which raise global temperatures and greenhouse gases.  We (internationally) have the technology to make low and zero emission  technologies more widespread.

7.  International sex and enslavement activities are increasing.  We need to reduce/end that.

That is a start.  I expect the Biden administration to address all of these issues soon.  That doesn't mean they will be solved in his 4 or 8 years, but he has to start them here and rejoin international efforts to solve them.

It's still 15 minutes to his inauguration in this (slightly imaginary) post.  15 minutes until a new day, a new way, and a better President than we had before.

I now have some hope for the future.  I am financially stable; if taxes need to be raised to help fix things I will pay gladly.  If I can help in some government program (I have some experience) I will volunteer once I can get around and drive again.   

I have always trusted humanity in general to move towards improving life.  It seems a natural arc for us.    Think of some good idea, tell your neighbors, "pay it forward".  Because they gave your tribe a good idea last year.  Help each other.  We are all on this one planet together.  That drug we created is worth giving to others.  Not just because they helped you with something else LAST year, but because they needed it.

We are all in this together.

And in 15 minutes, the US will change for the better.  And hopefully, with a hard lesson learned...

Mark

Garden

Between one thing and another, I got SO behind on my gardening this year.  But I'm hoping to catch up.

I only got my tomato seedlings planted last week.  Granted, they were in large pots after 2 transplantings and 18" tall, but I can only hope there is time for fruits to grow and ripen.  They should.  Most take about 85-90 days and I have 120-150 days before first frost.  But this will not be one of the great tomato years for me.

I also planted corn, and that will be "iffy".  I planted pole beans and cucumbers, and I'm not sure how they will grow.  All the cucumber seeds came up.  The pole beans are about 50%.

But for once. I am on a Fall planting schedule.  That is best for some crops.  They grow faster on the Summer heat and mature in the Fall coolness.  The cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts prefer that.  Root crops are protected from early frosts, bein underground, so I may finally get carrots and beets larger than a single bite, LOL!

I need to plant more carrots, beets, radishes, celery, and lettuces

I would provide pictures, but a 1" corn plant is not very impressive.

Baby Fish

Baby Fish survived!  I mentioned in a few weeks ago. 

In a community tank egg-layers don't even try much.  Livebearers can't help it.  But for them. thhe babies are expelled and immediately eaten.  It is probably healthy for the othher fish.  But it always bothers me.

So I mentioned when one seemed to be hidden among the live plants.  2 large eyes on a tiny body.  Then I didn't see it for a week.  I assumed it was caught and eaten.

WELL GUESS WHAT?  Baby fish is still here!  It is larger, but still small enough to be eaten (fish mouths open wide).  But pretty soon, it will be of safe size.  I just hope it doesn't get over-confident too soon. 

Here is a bad picture (but the best I could get).  It is almost 1/2" long now.  And I have been crushing some regular fish flakes around the top for it...

Keep hiding in the live anachris, Baby Fish!

ConVid19 Update

I am changing some of what I said in the previous posts.  I am now very concerned about CoVid19.  Things have gotten far worse than I expected just 2 weeks ago.  I thought it might last several weeks and then those people who would catch it would catch it and hospitals would take care of most of them.  OOPS!  Serious pandemic experts say that it won’t end in a few weeks with a few thousands deaths but maybe late Summer with 100,000-240,000 deaths in the US.  THAT is scary.  

Worse, the experts specifically said that if you think you are immune because you don’t catch the flu or other viral illnesses, you are wrong because no one is immune because it is new.  That is REALLY SCARY!  I was kind of depending on having a genetic resistance to viruses in general (through experience).  I still suspect they might be “somewhat” over-stating it.  I know from reading some medical articles in the past that descendants of people who survived the Bubonic Plague in Europe have a general genetic resistance to viral illnesses.  Or maybe they were wrong then and know better now and I am just as vulnerable to this new one as anyone else.  That is REALLY REALLY SCARY, and I have adjusted my habits accordingly.  Not that I was wiling to tempt fate all that much before today, but I am being more careful now.

So I looked around the house to see what I had.  I found a large bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol which I will use carefully (because good luck finding any of THAT at Walmart).  I found a bottle of hand-sanitizer left over from when Dad was here.  And Wonder Of Wonders, I found that the box of 19 “dust masks” (it was 20, I used one) I bought a few years ago to help avoiding inhaling sawdust when I cut boards in the basement were N-95 respirators!  They must have been on sale at the time or I was thinking “why not the best"…  

I haven’t left the yard for 10 days, but I need fresh veggies and fruit.  One mask every 7-10 days grocery-shopping will me last 4-6 months.  Or maybe longer.  The medical folks say that the virus doesn’t survive more than 9 days under perfect conditions, so if I set 1 aside, it can be re-used in 2 weeks safely.  And I have 2 boxes of 100 latex gloves (one stays in the house and the other stays in the car) to handle them carefully to hang them in the garage (where I seldom go since I’m not driving anywhere these days).  

So I’m going grocery shopping tomorrow.  The Safeway stores have “senior shopping" from 7am to 9 am Tues and Thurs.  I won’t be there then.  First, who is most likely to be contagious?  Second, who is least likely to be careful with sani-wipes and masks?  Third, I’ll go right after lunchtime when the store is least busy.  And I’ll go with a handkerchief dampened with the 91% alcohol packed in a ziplock bag, 2 latex gloves, and a dishtowel to wrap around the cart handles (in case they are out of the sani-wipes they promise will be at the front door but weren’t the last time I shopped).

I picked a rotten time for my indoor-grown lettuces to be used up.  I grow several kinds in trays under daylight bulbs and when you cut them an inch or so from the base, they re-graow several times.  I just used up the “several times" and had to replant.  At least they grow fast.  In 6 weeks, I can start harvesting again.  And that matters because leaf lettuce doesn’t last long in the fridge and I LOVE my salads!  Running out of lettuce gets me going to the grocery store faster than anything else.  I have some crops planted outside.  Spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, snow pear so far.    And broccoli and related crops, leeks, celery, garlic, to transplant out soon.  Tomatoes and peppers to follow in 3 weeks.  But those take time to mature.  If I have to depend on harvesting tomatoes for food in dire straits, we are ALL in SERIOUS trouble.

MD, VA, DC, and several other States here have declared lock-downs the past few days.  The govts are all working out which businesses have to close and which can stay open (is 7-11 a “grocery”?) and is a liquor store “essential”?  What about a hardware store (if you need replacement parts for a toilet?) and what about if your TV dies?  TVs are important methods of communicating govt decisions.  

Restaurants here are doing free delivery just to keep staff employed.  Some places are converting to CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where they deliver a box of fresh veggies for a monthly subscription.  I might consider that.  There aren’t many fruits and veggies that I don’t like.  But I’m fussy.  I want my apples and peaches ripe but my bananas green.  Not choosing individual items would be a real change.  But maybe if I organized a neighborhood group, we could exchange (from 10’ away) what we like and don’t.

There is good news.  While I tend to view “American Exceptionalism” with some suspicion, it appears from today’s news that we do have it in some ways.  Researchers have developed the first blood test that can accurately detect more than 50 types of cancer and identify in which tissue the cancer originated, often before there are any clinical signs or symptoms of the disease.  And with an error rate of .07%! 

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), delivering positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes.  Previous tests took 3-4 days to show results.

3M has in two months doubled global production of N95 masks to about 100 million a month.  Some manufacturing companies that produce ventilators are going into 24/7 production.  Some other machine-oriented companies are changing machinery to produce more.  Based on some ideas from China, shelter companies are producing “one week wonders” to construct safe temporary hospitals on sports fields, in convention centers, and city parks.

FEMA is going full on.  The military is going full on.  The US actually has the worst infection statistics in the world.  It is hitting here hardest because we don’t allow the govt to declare total lockdowns (we just won't allow it “yet”).  But we are also responding to it in medical and technology ways that will have benefits here and around the world.  This virus is serious and it will reoccur for many months if not years.  But by this time next year, we will probably have a vaccine and it will become “just another” seasonal virus that will kill some people (as routine influenza does now) and become part of the background fight with viruses we have fought for a century

Many people will die, but most of us will live.  And fewer will die the next season.  We are about 325 million people in the US.  if 200,000 die from this it will be a tragedy to those who die, those who know the ones who die, and to society in general of the people who died who would have done great things in the future.  That is .06% of us (did I add the % inaccurately?).  It is tragic but not existential.  We will get through this.

 

It's going to be hard, but beatable.