This morning I saw a news report on a shooting at a school in Richmond, VA. I’d been offline most of Saturday and Sunday alternating between writing and caring for a new kitty and playing with a jigsaw puzzle. More about the news item a bit later in the blog post, but first, here’s Max a stray kitty that chose Dusty as his new best friend.
People who know a lot about cats often say that a cat will choose the human with whom to live, and that has certainly been true for several cats we’ve had. But I’ve never known a cat to choose which dog he or she would like to share space with.
Enter Max. My new cat that loves my dog.
One day early last week when I was walking Dusty past a neighbor’s house, this kitty that they’d been feeding came running up to me and the dog. Kitty touched noses with Dusty, who’s a really chill dog and accepted it, then rubbed all over Dusty and me. I tried to put the kitty back on the porch and it took three tries before he would stay.
The next day I saw my neighbor outside and asked him if he and his wife were attached to the kitty, as kitty really seemed to want to come live with me. Neighbor gave his blessing, and then joked about seeing me trying to steal his kitty. Neighbor has a Ring on his house and saw my attempts to return the kitty to the blanket the neighbor had on the porch.
Max has been with us since last Thursday, after I got a place set up for him in the guest bathroom, and that’s when I discovered that he was covered in motor oil. That’s why his coat is all spiked. I tried to wash it out best I could, and it’s better, but not great. Off to the veterinary hospital today to get checked out and maybe get thoroughly cleaned up. He washes himself, but ingesting the motor oil isn’t good for him.
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Okay, now the news of importance outside my house.
The shooting at the school happened Friday when a 6 year old shot 25-year-old teacher Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School. When I read the initial news story this morning, I was sure the age of the kid was a typo. Surely it was an older child. But no. The boy is only six years old. I can hardly get my brain around that one. You can read a full story at the AP Website, but here’s some information from the story:
“Police Chief Steve Drew said the boy shot and wounded the teacher with a handgun in a first-grade classroom. He was later taken into police custody. Drew said the shooting was not accidental and was part of an altercation. No students were injured.
Police have declined to describe what led to the altercation or any other details about what happened in the classroom, citing the ongoing investigation. They have also declined to say how the boy got access to the gun or who owns the weapon.”
The teacher is in the hospital and is expected to recover physically. What it will do to her emotionally is another thing. I’m sure like so many other teachers, those in my family included, Zwerner got into the profession because she loves kids and was excited about introducing them to the joys of learning.
A classroom should be a safe, fun place to learn and grow and mature. Is it no longer even safe from the youngest of the young students?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As if that news isn’t enough to make me get out the whiskey, the debacle that played out last week that was euphemistically called “Electing the Speaker of The House” certainly is. The whole process, including McCarthy’s desperate need to win, was a shameful disgrace and a huge disappointment to many. Not only is McCarthy among the least qualified person for that role, the concessions he made to get that coveted gavel weaken the system of government. And now because the former president wants Congress to attack the Biden administration, that’s just what they will do. The following are snippets from his acceptance speech as reported by AXIOS:
“As Speaker of the House, my ultimate responsibility is not to my party, my conference, or even our Congress. My responsibility — our responsibility — is to our country,” he added.
NOTE* Considering how much he has vacillated as a lawmaker throughout his career, always kowtowing to those in power so he could have a piece of that power, I find that statement hard to believe.
“Our system is built on checks and balances. It’s time for us to be the check and provide some balance to the President’s policies…There is nothing more important than making it possible for American families to live and enjoy the lives they deserve.”
UMMM, most of us are living the lives we deserve, and maybe even enjoying them. 🙂 And what would happen if the House and the Senate and the President all worked TOGETHER to make our lives better. Just a thought. 🙂
Finishing his remarks, McCarthy added, “Our nation is worth fighting for. Our rights are worth fighting for. Our dreams are worth fighting for. Our future is worth fighting for.”
Okay, I’ll give him that one. But I still believe that his fight to win was not worth the cost. Not so much in the concessions he had to make, although the one that weakens the ethics committee of the house is a really bad one, but in what it cost the millions of Americans who now think so much less of the government we used to respect. We didn’t always agree with what was done, but, for the most part we respected and supported the women and men working in Congress.
I wonder if Lee Greenwood is still “Proud to be an American.” I’m not sure I am.
That’s all for today folks. If you want to comment on the content, please do. I just ask that it be done with courtesy and respect. Thank you.
Absolutely love the photo of Dusty and your new kitty, Max. I have used Dawn dish soap to remove oil from cats who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Works great.
I can’t imagine why a 6 year old would ever do something so awful. This fiasco in Washington is unbelievable and doesn’t do anything for our country. It’s shameful and discouraging.
Thanks for stopping by, Jan. I did try bathing kitty with Dawn – Ummm, didn’t work out well. LOL Poor kitty was covered with oil from neck to tip of his tail, so I wanted to get as much off as I could. Vet tech suggested just combing Max with a comb dipped in a weak solution of soap. I’m going to try that a bit later. Got some meds to help with the stomach upset, so hopefully Max will be doing better in a day or so.