Of Groundhogs, cataracts and other sh*t

Today has been the pits. I found out that our city council and their minions have been killing groundhogs at a park that I used to enjoy visiting. I don't know why.

And I found out that I have a cataract starting in each eye. Now if that isn't a topper for the day, I don't know what is. I'm only 55 for crying out loud. My mother-in-law just had her cataracts operated on and she's 78. I asked the doc how long from now she thinks I'll need to have something done about mine. She said, 'Are you trying to get me to look into the future?' Well, er, yes. How about just a ballpark, doc? Oh, 10 to 15 years. Heck. I'll be 65 in 10 years and that's way young to have cataract surgery. Ain't it?

John said to make sure I told her that I'm going deaf in my right ear. This may have something to do with the fact that the other day when I was watching tennis on TV, I realized that the court looked deep marine blue if I used my left eye, and mauve if I used my right. I told John that ears and eyes are not connected. He said to make sure to tell the doc anyway. I told the doc and unfortunately she was interested. Wants me to come back in a month.

Ugh.

But it was the news about the groundhogs that really has me bummed out. The city councillor who revealed this news to a friend of mind seems to think that the groundhogs were a victim of their own success, as is the park in general. People had started feeding the critters who were adapting just nicely, thank you, to having their groceries brought to them instead of having to forage. They would eat out of your hand if you were brave enough. I never did get up the nerve. I'm also not sure how I feel about feeding them. They could probably get enough food on their own and didn't need human intervention. But, there weren't that many groundhogs and it's not like they were telephoning their friends and telling them to come on over, there was free food enough for all. They did have babies this summer and that's as nature intended. What I do know for sure is that nature did not intend for them to be killed as they were.

Two species can interact in various ways. Sometimes it's disastrous for both. Sometimes for one of the two. Sometimes it benefits both and I have a feeling this was one of those times. The groundhogs were happy but still wild enough, I think, that had the food source dried up, they would have been able to feed themselves.

I'm rambling. I know. I know. But it really is beyond me why someone at City Hall thought these animals should die. Their homes were creating hazards for the patrons of the park, they say. Park visitors were in danger of being bitten, they say.

What about the garbage and litter these patrons leave behind them in the park? What about the danger of being run over by rude boys on bicycles and skateboards? There are children poisoning geese and chasing ducks until they die of exhaustion.

I am not feeling very well disposed to Ottawa just at the moment - not to the ones who call themselves city leaders, nor to those who destroy the parks and its wildlife.

Ugh. This is very disorganized and rambling. I'll have to come back and do it all over again. Perhaps tomorrow. Perhaps the next day. Perhaps not at all. It doesn't really matter anyway, does it? I mean, people are still going to go on hurting each other and animals whether I like it or not, no matter how many letters I write to city hall. No matter how loud I scream. The human species is going drag us all down.