It is a great improvement

When we go out in the car Georgia likes to sit with her head on the console between the front seats. To do this she has to sit with her bum on the back seat and her front paws on the floor in front of the back seats. This looks every uncomfortable so I made a little wooden platform so that she could lie flat out and did not have to support herself with her front paws. This was a fine piece of carpentry - with a covering of carpet. It was built for comfort.

This was not a success. She got in the car and discovered this awful thing and tried to get away from it by shrinking into the corner. When I got into the car she tried to climb on top of my head and then sat on the front seat and would not move.

As she wears a harness and is tethered to the back seat belts – this was quite a feat.

The car was very unhappy that something was in the front passenger seat and not wearing a seatbelt – so dinged during the entire trip. The next day she would not even get in the car so I have removed the offending object.

That same day she had a horrifying experience when the Christmas tree was delivered  and I put the cardboard box on the back porch. She was terrified of this box and regarded it with great suspicion from the corner of the back garden until I chopped it up and put it in the recycle bin.

I am beginning to doubt Georgia’s capacity to be an effective guard dog – although she is an excellent barker. She barks loudly for no particular reason and this is particularly exciting at about 3:00 AM when we are all fast asleep.

Having scared the shit out of everybody – cats included – she just rolls over and goes back to sleep - leaving us in a state of some disarray.

However – I have changed her diet and have reduced her farting substantially. She no longer gets rawhide things and this seems to have reduced her level of flatulence no end. Of course we still have to be wary of naked flames - but it is a great improvement.

I will pray for that

After today I am never going to blog about guns ever again. I promise.

Yesterday the Republicans in the Senate voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (yes again) and to defund Planned Parenthood.

On the same day all the Republicans except one (1) voted against measures to strengthen gun control laws.  

The Senate rejected an amendment that would deny people on the federal terrorism watch list the ability to purchase guns. It also rejected an amendment that would expand background checks for guns purchased online and at gun shows. It also rejected an amendment that would have delayed suspected terrorists from getting a gun for as long as 72 hours.

WTF?

Suspected terrorists can buy guns? Congress is OK with this?

Anyway at least all the Republican presidential candidates prayed a lot for the latest victims and their relatives. They did rather more praying than they did for the Planned Parenthood victims - when there was a deafening silence in Republican land.

Carly Fiorina said the first thing she did when she heard about the shooting was pray. As we all know prayer works wonders.

I wonder if it can cure Carly from  being a congenital liar? I will pray for that but I am not confident. 

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.