The cats are absolutely desperate to get out but we dare not let them until we feel it might be safe. Talk about stir crazy! They’ve gone to every door, every window, even climbed up high on shelves trying to find a way out. Have put a little harness on Kepple and walk him in the garden on a lead. He took to it like a duck to water, well like a very intelligent cat to a lead! But it really isn’t enough. The other two haven’t left the house and it is so unfair, but how do you explain it is for their safety? A cat growing up in a flat that has never experienced total freedom might accept its situation but these animals are used to roaming and are now imprisoned. For how long I really can’t tell.
I’ve riffled through some back issues of the Athens News trying to find the name of the guy who heads the ministry of food and rural development but without success. I know it was mentioned in relation to the June 24th circular put out by the ministry in which Greeks were informed that pets are to be restricted to two per household. There are questions to be asked here. Firstly where on earth is this man’s mind? It can’t be situated between his ears and behind his eyes that’s for sure. Secondly are we heading again towards a junta type fascist state? You are allowed two pets only. You can have two dogs or two cats or a dog and a cat or, if preferred, a cat and a dog. Any more than this and you will be taken handcuffed to ministry headquarters where you will be severely beaten and fined a sum not exceeding one million euro most of which will go into the pockets of myself and my cronies. At the same time your extra illegal animals will be impounded and we cannot guarantee what will happen to them next. Any attempt to smuggle an animal out of Greece to a better life in Denmark or Germany will result, if convicted of this offence, in the death penalty so foreign animal lovers be warned. This is an edict and Greece is not to be trifled with.
With this kind of nonsense, apart from taxes and scandals involving land deals and greedy conniving Cypriot priests, it is no wonder Pasok has surged ahead of new Democracy in the polls and George for the first time in ages has a smile from ear to ear. Don’t blame him. He has taken a lot of stick as leader. I like George. He has a lovely face. I also liked Simitis (have I spelled that right?) who always seemed to have a smile from ear to ear. Old chubby Karamanlis also smiles but there is something strangely disorientating about his smile. Maybe he has more than two pets and is hiding the fact.