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Hey!!!!!!! What happened to all of the leaves on my baby? Just kidding. She looks alright. Just give her plenty of light and remember to keep her on the dry side. Congrats again Mike! Glad you finally got one. And glad we were able to work something out. - Matt

In the last few days, I finished the third book in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I thought the books were very well written and imaginative, and I loved every moment. Yesterday I read a book I read about somewhere here on RP. I'm thinking that perhaps it was Cindy who recommended Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis, so when I saw it sitting on the new acquisitions shelf at the library, I grabbed it. The book definitely depends on the reader's willingness to suspend disbelief, but what a wonderful reward it was. I very much enjoyed it. If it was you that recommended it, Cindy, I thank you. Today I finished a book that I even hesitate to mention since it is not at all my usual reading fare and I only have it in my possession because it was on the library sale table for a quarter. After the stress of the holidays, though, I must have needed something light and fun and have to admit that I actually became totally engrossed in Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, which is about a young woman granted a reprieve from execution if she agrees to become a food taster for the Commander (in a very fictional medieval-fantasy-era setting) to make certain that he is not assassinated by poisoning. Evil plots abound and magic flows, and I have read compulsively only to find that there's a sequel. Sigh. Sometimes it's nice to overdose on sweets, so I suppose I don't feel too terribly guilty about indulging in something that's pure entertainment.

Sadly, there isn't much that can be done. Horses are considered livestock. I will say this.....the attempts that were made by well meaning people to shut down horse slaughter in the USA, was a horrible thing for horses. It did not benefit horses in one single way. It never stopped slaughter. It just caused the horses to suffer much more by being transported to Mexico and Canada. I don't know how Canada does it....I can't stand to watch the videos, but I do know that Mexico is very inhumane and there is no over sight. True, there were problems here but at least here, they could have been addressed. Sending the horses out of the country has made it so much worse. They are usually in trucks for two days...no feed or water. They can wait for days at the border before crossing. Some horses are rejected at the border and left to die in pens there. I would never sell one of my horses and I will put them down when the need arises. But, it would be for the best interest of the horses, if slaughter returns to the US, which I have heard it is returning, and it is strictly regulated and over seen. Because this is a fact.....they will never stop it. There is a big market for horse meat in European countries and the Orient. It doesn't matter whether we like it or not. I don't like it. But, I also know that it will continue, one way or another. The place where I got Val and Bane is bad enough....but there are some that are worse. There is another one that I know of, that is better. There are many people who are very, very opposed to buying horses from kill pens. They say that people who do that are part of the problem because as long as we buy them, they will continue to sell them at exorbitant prices. They get really, really nasty on Facebook about it. I tell them to go pound sand. If I want to buy a horse, it is no one's business how much I pay for it or where I buy it. As the saying goes, "It won't change the world, but it will change the world for that one horse." I wanted a ranch horse. Val rode good in the video and he was nice looking. He isn't nice looking now, but he will be. I am sure if Val could talk and understand, he would rather have gone home with me than to go to Mexico. They also say people need to stop breeding horses....that will never stop. You know, you wish people would be more humane and care more about their horses and make them a life long commitment....most people won't. I wanted to get another horse from a kill pen because I knew the horse would need extra care and I knew it was expensive. I expected all of that. It is very satisfying to take an animal that is in poor condition and bring it back to good health. We got a little lost on the trip to go get Val. My husband was talking about the route and said, "The next time we go back...." I said, "There isn't going to be a next time." I don't have the room or the funds to do this over and over but I will enjoy taking care of Val and bringing him back from what would have been a horrible end.