1.  Seven went in on Monday to get neutered and it’s been a roller coaster since.

2.  Here are some post surgical truths in our world:

3.  Seven clearly doesn’t grasp that he just had surgery and should be taking it easy.

4.  He’s not a fan of letting me squirt pain meds into his mouth.

5.  Discharge instructions read ten days on “restricted activity” for a five month old boy kitten who knows no fear. SERIOUSLY??

6.  The other animals have been mildly curious but seem willing to respect his privacy.

7.  After going balls to the wall (can I still say that about a neutered cat?) Seven finally passed out yesterday afternoon. Poor guy was tuckered.

8.  Here’s hoping he doesn’t feel like he’s got to make up for lost time today.

9.  I have a sneaking suspicion the procedure won’t be calming down this cat. Oh well, they’re all quirky fur babies.

10.  Congress has been busy.

11.  Rep. Liz Cheney survived a challenge to her leadership position after she had the temerity to vote to impeach Donald Trump.

12.  I shouldn’t be surprised considering state or local Republican parties in Washington State, Wyoming, Illinois, South Carolina, and Michigan have censured their representatives for voting to impeach.

13.  Vote-your-conscience my ass.

14.  Lest the GOP be accused of being too conservative they also decided not to strip their own Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of committee assignments.

15.  It seems that brandishing an AR15 next to three congresswomen with “Squad’s Worst Enemy” splashed across the bottom, suggesting the Parkland school shooting was pre-staged, peddling 9/11 conspiracy theories, and indicating support for executing prominent Democratic politicians is not a bridge too far for the GOP.

16.  I got curious so I went wikipedia surfing.

17.  “Contemporarily” (more on this in a moment) the Republican party believes in free market capitalism, deregulation of corporations, gun rights, the death penalty, abortion restrictions, anti-LGBTQ protections/marriage rights, and immigration restrictions.

18.  So pretty much everything counter to what I believe. You’d think it couldn’t get worse, right? But then you wouldn’t be factoring in the MAGA takeover.

19.  Because ACTUAL contemporary beliefs bow down to America First without regard for our allies, xenophobia, chronic dishonesty, sexism, fascination with dictators, win-at-all-costs ethics, and a cult-like devotion to all things Trump.

20.  I felt hope right after January 6th. I thought finally – finally – they’d pushed it too far and those responsible “adults in the room” we’ve heard about for four years would step forward to reclaim the GOP.

21.  But here we are only four weeks later and the vast majority of Republican members make decisions designed to save their political careers instead of our country.

22.  It’s disgusting. It’s discouraging. It’s impossible to believe this is where we are.

23.  So why do I moan and groan about it? Why don’t I just pack it up and move along, secure in the knowledge I cannot find common ground with the Republican party?

24.  Because next week they’ll begin Trump’s second impeachment trial in the Senate. Now isn’t the time to look away.

25.  It all matters. Which Senators keep their oath to be impartial jurors and which find it more politically palatable to genuflect to a Trump base that still refuses to acknowledge the sitting president.

26.  I wager exactly 0% of us are shocked Trump’s refused to testify at his own trial.

27.  Next week will be pretty intense. Maybe I ought to stock up on chocolate and coffee.

28.  Plus plan plenty of comfort food dinners.

29.  I haven’t been doing great with my sleep schedule. Seems this magic “oh, I’ll just set a goal on my fancy schmancy watch” thing isn’t doing it.

30.  I need a fancy schmancy watch that shocks me until I’m lying in my bed.

31.  We’re in the bitterly-cold-but-nope-you-don’t-get-pretty-snow period of NC winter here.

32.  Few things piss me off as much as a twenty-three degree morning with nothing gorgeous to look at.

33.  I guess I should count my blessings that I don’t have to go out there to pee.

34.  We joke about wanting a dog’s life but that part is just ugh.

35.  Nature! Yes, okay, we love the nature, but not for peeing.

36.  You won’t be shocked to hear I’m not a big fan of camping.

37.  I did a mother/son camping weekend with T-man once and still have flashbacks.

38.  If that supersonic pulse ever knocks out civilization and we all end up living in tents I’m seriously screwed.

39.  My sister was actually a girl scout troop leader for her kids. She not only went camping, she did it more than once and looked after other people’s kiddos on the Great Outdoor Adventure™.

40.  And this, friends, is how I know my sis has earned gold point status in the sainthood department. Bless.