Take Care.
Dan.

The two candidates I’d get behind are Paul and Huntsman. Both are far more reasonable than most of the others. I like Gingrich’s intelligence but he does not look like a President to me . . . he also signed that ridiculous “I will not commit adultery pledge” saying that he wouldn’t do it _any more_ (in essence) as in his three marriages, marriages 1 and 2 were broken up by the 2nd and 3rd wives, respectively. And Gingrich’s explanation for cheating was priceless: it was because he was “too patriotic,” which makes no sense at all. (Just admit you have hormones, man, and needs. And apologize. Then get on.)

I’m with you all the way about how these folks are turning Indys and many Rs off, as well as just about anyone who could remotely be called a Democrat. These folks are _not_ leaving much of a choice for the American electorate; we’re going to have the guy who’s already in there (tepid at best, and while he’s intelligent, he hasn’t exactly been the leader I’d been hoping for) or we’re going to have someone the hard Right has picked for us — someone 85% or more of the American electorate will never like. So you’ll have people who really despise the current POTUS voting for that other person, along with the hard Right — and if you’re a Republican or right-leaning Indy, you’re doomed to failure as Ann Coulter put it herself: “You nominate Mitt Romney, and you lose.”

As for stallions and what they may or may not be awaiting . . . I don’t know. Barbaro was a valiant stallion and the hope was that they could save his leg (I know you remember the story) but ultimately, they couldn’t. (He would’ve stood at stud, but never would’ve been able to race again.)

IOW, whether it’s for an animal or a person — animals often seem to have purer souls, to those of us animal-lovers who observe such — life is short, often _too_ short, and nothing can be taken for granted. (I wish it were otherwise.)

In this case, you’re working hard, observing and appreciating nature when you can, and have the companionship of good people around you — all pluses, IMNSHO. _And_ you’re keeping your writing going. And you have a nice blog, too . . . so please, stop worrying about “keeping up with the Sarahs (er, I meant _Joneses_)” already, will you? (Please? 0:-))