I'll Have What He's Having

Last week I had to do one of those tasks that you dread and put off for days....taking Manu to the vet.  He is petrified at the vet's, with muzzling a must and minimal contact from animal health professionals the result.  The poor guy, he really is scared, but it makes everything extra difficult and stressful on everyone.

Prior to this vet visit, I had had Chamois in to get some more pills for her arthritis.  Yes, we are into the geriatric years, I'm afraid.  It appears that vet visits and medication are becoming the norm around here.  Anyway, the vet had dealt with Manu a few months ago and they basically had to knock him out to check a skin condition and a lump in his mouth.  She remembered him well.  Very well. She might, in a somewhat sarcastic tone, have said that Manu 'loves' her.

Expectations....

The vet suggested that Manu may benefit from a dose of a serotonin-uptake drug before his next visit, just to take the edge off and make it less stressful for everyone.  Yes, I agreed, drugs are the answer!

With a conservative dose popped down his throat an hour before the dreaded visit (having not had this medication before, we didn't want to give him a big dose and then have me scratching my head as to how I was going to get 60 kg of mush into the car), Manu and I headed off to our appointment, me with trepidation, he with great delight at being in the car.

We didn't achieve that outcome either.

His happiness was soon squashed like a pesky ant as we parked at the clinic.  He shook like a leaf, just about vibrating out of his skin when he realised where he was.  So, the conservative dose clearly was too conservative.

As I waited in the waiting room, trying to wrestle 60 kg of yellow dog from trying to jump in my arms (I now have bruises shaped like claw marks all down my thighs as a result), I prayed that a little bit more time would soothe his nerves and allow the drugs to penetrate his anxiety.  The minute the vet came out, a low rumble emanated from his throat.  Crap.

He was not smiling.

We decided that more happy drugs were in order, so 3 times what he had already been given where unceremoniously shoved down his throat (by me of course, Manu never would have let the vet get close enough) and Manu and I were left alone in the consultation room to marinate for half an hour or so while (fingers crossed), his serotonin levels hopefully rose to delightfully carefree levels.

I think the drugs are kicking in.

As time passed, his wind loudly passed - constantly - so to me that was a sign that he was getting more relaxed.  Always find the positive in a negative, I say.  It turned out to be a poor sign, and poor logic, as farting comes as easily to Manu as does ferretting around the yard for cat poop to eat.

The drugs did appear to be having an affect though - his eyes went softer, and he would smile and wag his tail at me.  That is, until the vet or a vet nurse popped in to see how we were doing.  Then it was back to a growl, with pulled back ears, curled toes and the give-away whale eyes bugging out of his skull.  Oh dear.  Smile, wag, wag, wag, growl, growl, growl, smile, wag, wag, wag.  We gave up.

With muzzle in hand, I shoved it on his face and cradled his head tightly while they attempted to get blood from a back leg.  That was a no go as he kept trying to crouch down and cut off the vein.  So back to the front leg we went, which we were avoiding as they would be close to his head, and more stressful. Bloody dog.



Fortunately good, big veins meant easy and quick blood removal.  With that done, the muzzle was removed and he relaxed slightly (while still growling of course).  Stupid dog, we could have been in and out of the vets in 15 minutes had he not behaved like such a goose. One and a half hours later we were on our way home, medication in hand, bank account lighter and back to having a slightly drugged dog smiling at me. Covered in dog fur with the stench of Manu's farts still lingering in my nostrils, we went on our merry way.

If only the muzzles looked like this.

Or this.  That would clear the waiting room.

So here we are, Chamois on pain medication for the rest of her life for her horrifically arthritic legs (hearing bone grinding on bone as she sits or moves is something that I'll never get used to) and Manu is now on the same medication for his arthritis.  Plus he's on antibiotics yet again for that stubborn lip fold dermatitis.  Yikes.  There is a medication line up on my counter morning and night read to pop down waiting throats.  Plus we are dog sitting Mabel again, and she is on daily tablets as well.  Look at all of these oldies and their pills, it's the canine old folks home.

Maybe Clawde and Purrkins can help out?

My one blessing is that Chamois and Manu are dream dogs to pill. They come and sit when called (we are almost at the stage where I just shake the pill bottles and they come) and pilling them is easy and simple with little fuss.  I supposed the fact that they get a doggie treat after each time they are medicated helps too. 

Let's just not talk about pilling Mabel.....that dog has skill and definitely puts mine to the test.

Artistic recreation of pilling Mabel.

Friday Follies - It's in the Bag

Takeaway

As of 1st July, stores are no longer able to provide single-use, thin plastic bags.  Well, hasn't this created a mighty uproar amongst the privileged Aussies?  Especially for those that shop at the two major grocery stores.

I have to say that I am all for helping the environment because we truly are killing it with our disposable lifestyle, and the whole 'if you can't see it and can ignore it, it's not a problem' attitude.  I'm the first one to put my hand up and say that I am a person of convenience, and could do so much more to help the environment.

Another victim

For the record, I make sure that my cosmetic and cleaning products are cruelty free where possible.  No animal should be tortured because I want thicker eyelashes or a shiny floor.  And to be honest, it's easy as there are a lot of products available at the big chain stores, and they are often the same price or cheaper than the big brand items.  They are also good quality, so I don't feel like I'm being deprived.

However I admit to giving little thought about what I'm putting in the landfill.  I conveniently put my rubbish into the bins, don't recycle as well as I could, and then once a week it all gets removed from my sight.

The change of rules for plastic bags has made me have a closer look at my habits and lifestyle and that's never a bad thing.  I am a firm believer that even small changes can make a difference.  I dutifully bought my canvas bags, placed them in the boot of my car, and have been using them successfully at my weekly grocery shop.  I was even really good and put in the special bag from the bottle shop that has nice little compartments for wine bottles.  Thumbs up, Christine.  I actually like these bags much better - I can fit a lot more in them and the handles don't dig into my hands.  The masses cry out - But you have to remember them!  Yes, you do.  But you remember to put your undies on in the morning (sometimes inside out, but they are on!) and you manage change in your life constantly, surely you can do this one little thing??

Thumbs Up!

However, I can't help but feel a bit cynical over this whole plastic bag ban.  I still see so much plastic packaging at the shops, and the stores just sell their plastic bags now....and they are thicker plastic than the previous ones.  I'm puzzled as to how this is actually helping.  There are still a lot of plastic carry bags leaving the shops.  If there was more effort by big conglomerates to reduce packaging (why do 6 tomatoes need to be in a plastic small crate covered in plastic?  And yes, I do buy the loose fruit and vegetables, not the pre-packaged ones.), I would be more convinced that they were doing this for the right reasons.   This change could also create employment opportunities.  It is harder for the check out person to pack the canvas bags and it is a slower process.  Do you remember the days of two people at the checkout?  One to process the item, the other to pack the grocery bags?  They'll never go for it though.  It's all about reducing staff - the largest cost to any business.  They fail to see that staff are their biggest asset.

I get confused.  We can make hybrid cars, we constantly create new and different brands of mascara and other potions and companies are continually spending billions on research and development.  Why, oh why, has someone not invented a 'plastic' that is compostable or not harmful to the environment.  Wait, they have (a quick Google search will bring up pages of hits), but it's not in the economy of big business.  It's so disappointing. 

No plastic for you.

I digress - back to the whinging Aussies.  My Facebook feeds, the local news, etc has been chock-a-block full of articles about the bag ban.  How dare they? is the overwhelming theme.  Other states in Australia imposed this ban years ago.  Surprisingly, they still exist, haven't gone into economic meltdown or fallen down into a big blob of what was once flesh and bone, never to function again.  Get over yourselves.  I have seem more outcry over this than I have about the woeful and inadequate jail sentences given to murders, drug dealers, child molesters and animal abusers.  If people put the same amount of effort into the real injustices that exist in our world, the world would indeed be a better place.  And if people put the same effort into demanding a real recycling effort from business, they could really accomplish something wonderful.

We have the technology...



I think my Grandma and her generation had it right.  She always could produce a little fold up fabric bag from her handbag (something that folded and zipped down to the size of a wallet) or a string bag that I remember her using at the green grocers. 

There is hope - I see so many more companies springing up that really do care about the environment and provide cost-friendly items such as produce bags, bamboo or stainless steel straws that can be ordered online and mailed to your house. (Flora and Fauna https://www.floraandfauna.com.au/ and Biome https://www.biome.com.au/ ...just two examples.)

For those whinging about convenience - does it get more convenient than that?

Friday Follies - Who Are You?

Okay, we all know that how we perceive ourselves is completely different than how other see us.  I'm definitely not the Lone Ranger in this one.  I think many people would be surprised at how far apart others' perceptions of ourselves are from our own.  Sometimes I wonder if we would even recognise the person that other people see.

Yikes! Who IS that?

At a family lunch on the weekend, a off-the-cuff remark was made about me that took me completely by surprise.  I've never lacked in confidence??  You HAVE to be kidding me.  I have been fighting insecurity my whole life and, in my eyes, I'm completely insecure - never good enough, never thin enough, never smart enough, never motivated enough....you get the idea (never have enough cats....but maybe that's a different issue?).  Don't get me wrong - I'm not completely insecure and have come an awfully long way since my teen years, but it still lurks in the background.

I can't say that I'm upset that I'm seen as confident, pretty happy about it actually, but I really don't get it. 

As a child moving between countries, I was the chubby kid with the accent.  If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.  I think it did help me to develop a sense of humour though.  And, as a wise man often tells me  - it's character building.  To that I answer - I have enough f*&*ing character, thank you.  Inside, sometimes I still feel like the kid I was in Grade 6....ugggh.

Ugghhh.

As the older sibling, you would think that I had learned to do a lot of things for myself.  The entry of a baby brother into my life was a blessing at one stage, as I could get him to ask a question, buy something at the store, interact with an adult, etc so that I didn't have to. He did wise up eventually and stopped doing my bidding, but he's always had a better knack at being social than I have.

Ooo, maybe I could have a lion?!

This insecurity and fear of failure was probably the reason that I was often too scared to have a go at things I maybe would have excelled at.  I remember thinking in my late 20's that it was too late to study to be a vet, because I was so old, and 7 years of study would be so long.  Now, at 50, I think about what an idiot I was.  Oh well, we can't regret these choices.  I don't like living in the past, and our choices make us who we are today, and I'm pretty content at this stage of life.  Don't get me wrong - being a multi-millionaire would make me even more content and in a better position to have more cats!  There are still things that I wish I could do, but I am my own worst enemy.

I have tried to address this fear of failure by trying new things.  When I was single, I made a vow to myself to try at least one new thing a year.  It was pretty successful - I took cake decorating courses, started volunteering at a zoo, took bellydancing (and did it for many, many years) and learned to ride a motorbike with a friend (and ended up buying one because it was so much fun!).

So where does this perceived confidence come from?  The following comment was that I definitely have opinions.  Yes, I sure do.  But believe it or not, I keep an awful, awful lot of them to myself because I either hate confrontation or think the other person isn't worth me getting my knickers in a knot about.  The latter is usually the one that applies to the work place.  I find that a lot of people are not worth the energy it would take  (hmmm, are my anti-social tendencies showing?).  I am confident enough to know that everyone does not have to have the same opinions and ideas as me and that no one is necessarily right or wrong.


You would think at 50 that I would become more accepting of myself - my inadequacies and weaknesses as well as my strengths.  I always hear about how a lot women hit their stride at 50.  Some days I get it, some days I don't.  I'm guessing most feel the same as me, I just don't see it because we all wear a mask to hide our raw and honest feelings most days.

As the saying goes, I hope to be the person that my dog thinks I am (Manu, not Chamois - I think Chamois feels she is superior to all of us).  

Manu doesn't think I'm a bully or a nag like my husband does.  I prefer to call it facilitative behaviour modification technique, but tomayto, tomahto.  A rose by any other name....our perception is reality, but reality is not necessarily perception.  But as I get older, I hope that perception and reality are not so distant from each other.

Facilitative Behaviour Modification Technique

Baby It's Cold Outside

Brrrrr, there's a chill in the air lately.  I know, I know, winter in Queensland isn't Canada-cold, but it's still cold and I acclimatised years ago.  The houses here aren't built to keep in the warmth, so if it's cold outside, it's definitely cold inside. Thank goodness winter is short here.

Okay, Queensland isn't THAT cold.

Us humans aren't the only ones that feel the change in the weather - the pets are all feeling the cold too.  Some more than others.

Someone likes a winter cuddle.

I admit, one of my favourite parts of cold weather is that my cats are very cuddly again.  Purrkins is always cuddly, but he is super cuddly in the cold weather.   And Clawde, well, Clawde doesn't cuddle much when it's warm, but when it's cold, I'm his new best friend.  He snuggles up to me morning, noon and night, his favourite place is on my legs curled up into a little ball.  Cat paralysis is a big winter affliction in this household - the fear of disturbing the cat's slumber if you move.

The problem with Cat Paralysis

Not only do I like the attention from him, but nothing is warmer than a furry hot water bottle.  They keep me nice and warm too.

Sometimes Clawde helps Manu to stay warm.

My chickens seem to survive the cold and must snuggle up together during the night in their protected coop.  They have voracious appetites, and they have stopped laying eggs, so all of that energy must go into keeping warm and cosy.  However I have one stupid chicken that has decided that she will not roost with the rest of the chickens, but has chosen to sleep about 8 feet up a tree next to the house.  I'm not sure how she survived the windy, cold night last night, but she did. Silly girl.  She's stubborn though, and my attempts to retrain her to sleep with everyone else have failed miserably, so out in the open she stays.

I think I'll resist the temptation...besides, I can't knit.

Manu doesn't seem to be as affected by the cold. He has what most would consider a normal amount of fur for a dog.  I suspect that as he is already 9 years old (getting up there for an extra-large dog) with arthritis, the coming winters will affect him more and more.  We have a doggie jacket for him, but he doesn't like it and tends to walk sideways when you put it on him - or he freezes in place like a statue.  True, it does entertain me enough that I do try and put it on him at least once a year. The only time I have seen him actually tolerate one is when we've been camping with very cool nights and we are sitting outside.  But that's it.  No jacket for him, thank you.  I didn't even buy him a sissy looking one, but no, he likes to be clothing free.

Chamois is another story.  Her distinct lack of fur on her stomach and poor coverage on the rest of her body makes her an ideal dog for the Queensland heat...just not the cold.  She can't tolerate the cold and curls up as tightly as she can to conserve body heat.  She's old too, but she's always been like this with the cold, and her creaky, arthritic old joints don't like it either.

She has always liked wearing a coat, even when she was 'little'.

Unlike Manu, Chamois does love her jacket.  When she sees me get it out, she sits up so that I can put it on her and then snuggles in for the night.  She'd benefit from a doggie onesie, I think, but I couldn't bear to humiliate her like that.  Or could I?

It may be more fun to get a cat onesie!

Chamois love of her jacket is almost as great as the love of her me taking her jacket off in the morning.  All girls know what it's like when the bra comes off at night - a big scratch and a stretch at the sudden freedom is always in order.  I indulge Chamois in a big all-over scratch after the jacket removal, and I think we may just bond a little over that shared experience.

Friday Follies - Summit Strange is Going On

The biggest news story on the planet this week is the summit with Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un.  Or otherwise known as 'Dumb and Dumber'.  The fact that a) this has actually happened and b) these two are actual leaders is one of those mysteries that will never be solved in our lifetime.

I've put together some things that happened in their secret meeting, the things that haven't been revealed to the world at this time.  And may never be.  But you heard it here first.

1.  "Look, we've written secret notes in class because we're new best friends".

He likes me, he really likes me!

2.  "I love what you've done with your hair!  Tell me who styles you!"

3.  "Yeah, I know, I  met with the wrong Kim in the Whitehouse the other week.  The good news is - we made a deal too!"

"Whoops, so this isn't the leader of North Korea??"

4.  "That's two for two.  Now, I need to make a deal with Kim Basinger and Kim Cattrell."

Only if your name is Kim.

5.  "I think this new TV show is a great idea.  We just need to change the phrase 'You're fired! to "You're tortured!'."

6.  "Don't you just love being on the front pages of all the newspapers around the world?  In two months, let's insult each other again and then have another make-up meeting.  Maybe somewhere a bit less humid though....my hair, you know."

"Yoohoo, Trumpy.  It's time to be in the news again."

7.  "Oh, no, I think you misunderstood.  I said 'Give up your nukes', not 'Give up your cukes'.  I have enough of my own cucumbers, thanks."

8.  "Ha, they think we are working out a deal, but the truth is that I'm kicking your ass at Pictionary."

"I win."

9.  "Did you see what I said about Trudeau?  I thought you'd like that."

Um, he's the Prime Minister, not the President...



10.  "I've only ever played Hangman on paper, but I like how you've incorporated it into your regime."

"Settle down, we don't want everyone to know my tricks."

I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes open to find out what really happened at that meeting!