We could have 37 cats

I'm sorry I cost so much - I will get a job

I got a reminder from the vet that Georgia was due for another vaccination so yesterday I took her along. Coincidentally she developed a wonky eye a few days ago so I was going to get that sorted out as well.

I got her out of the car but then had a titanic struggle getting her into the vet’s office. She now weighs 45 pounds so when she does not want to go somewhere it is difficult to persuade her. When I finally got her inside she tried to climb on top of my head. This did not work so she tried to hide under the chair. The bleeding on my head was not to bad and I told the vet that no medical work was necessary.

The vet gave her the vaccinations and looked at her eye – and her back knees which are also wonky – with patellar luxation – which affects labradors -  and her skin - which is itchy.

The vet also noticed that she has a broken tooth. This is hardly surprising given what she eats – or tries to eat.

I left with pills and potions after being relieved of $305. She has drops for her eyes, glucosamine for her knees, pills for her allergies and pills for her skin.

One of the prescriptions says – “give two tablets every day for two weeks – and then one tablet a day for life.”

The vet also sent me a quote to have her teeth cleaned and her broken tooth removed. This was for $600. After this happens I can then get a new tooth for her to break. This will require specialist dental work and they wont tell what this will cost until you are lying down and have been sedated.

I have figured roughly that for what it costs us to keep Georgia we could 37 cats.

Is anyone surprised?

So we met the relatives – who incidentally are Mongolian. Most of them live in the USA but we had a few from Ulan Bator who brought us up to speed on a city about which we know nothing - but we have been assured that we should visit. It is apparently the world’s coldest capital city and also one of the most polluted.

The Thanksgiving dinner preparation was quite exciting as the new oven in which the turkey was being cooked did not work properly and there was some panic and a bit of shouting. I had to leave the kitchen on a couple of occasions as the tension was giving me a headache.

It was all sorted out eventually and the calming influence of wine settled everyone down.

On the way in to Washington I took some hand cream and toothpaste and these caused no problems in Indianapolis. They caused great consternation in Washington and had to be confiscated – and my bagged checked for explosives.

Cate – at the other security line – brought through two bottles of water without anyone noticing.

On the plane Cate read an article about how the head of the TSA was sacked because there had been 70 tests to see if explosives and firearms could be taken through security without detection. 67 of these tests failed to detect the explosives and firearms.

Is anyone who has ever been though security surprised about this?

The photo is of the tree starting to shed its leaves. You cannot see the hundreds of leaves fluttering to the ground so you will just have to take my word that it is happening.

There is a little bit less to wash

I have been too discombobulated by everything to think about blogging.

Anyway my daughter in Paris – Molly – has had another boy – Puggles – brother to Biggles. This is my fourth grandchild and I will go to Paris soon to see him.

Our mulberry tree has finally dropped its leaves. Each year – on a particular day – it decides it is has had enough and all the leaves flutter to the ground. It takes a few hours - and it is quite a sight.

That meant that next day was leaf mulching day and to celebrate the occasion my leaf mulching bag broke. So I mulched the leaves and fired them into space and then collected them and many unmulched leaves and put them in bags.

When my new bag arrives I shall mulch all he leaves and put them on the garden.

Tomorrow we are going to Washington for Thanksgiving with Cate’s brother and sister-in-law.  This will be an event of epic proportions as my nephew has just had a baby and there are 16 relatives of the mother coming. I know that seems rather a lot and I am not sure why it is happening – but I have learned that it is better to go quietly with the flow.

Fortunately there are plenty of places in the house where one can sit quietly and have a glass of wine without being disturbed too much.

The dog has gone to be with Michelle and her two dogs for a few days. Today she is called ‘the dog’ because last night she ate a squeaky rubber ball and then vomited it onto the bed at 5:00 am this morning.

Yesterday she ate my beanie and before that it was a remote control. I take full responsibly for this because I should keep a closer eye on her. I should know that whenever she is quiet – and is chewing – it is likely to be something that I really don’t want chewed.

Cate would like to replace the sheets and bed cover because they are full of holes but I am not replacing them until Georgia has grown up a bit and is no longer in full time chewing mode. In the meantime I just wash what remains of the sheets and the cover – and each time there is just a little bit less to wash.