Once you go beyond his specific issues he often seems really tone-deaf.

His stance on gun control has been so incongruous with the rest of his platform (though it seems to be changing)...but then I remember he's from Vermont, and damn, they love their guns there.

Vermont is such a weird state. Will' youngest son was able to buy some huge rifle thing because he wasn't old enough to get a hand gun license and the rifle thing he could legally get.

He wanted something to kill the racoons and possums that were harassing the barn cats.

I've always thought Vermont was the Tea Party's worst nightmare--a bunch of well armed lefties.

Sanders has been tone deaf on some things, but at least he seems open to learning. And with him it somehow feels like genuine learning and not tacking into the latest shift of wind. Or maybe I'm just biased because I like the old guy.

Gud, that looks fun.

I think we can safely assume that someone who happily refers to himself as a Democratic Socialist probably doesn't change his position on issues in response to public perception of his image.

Someone who noticed I was out the last couple of days but didn't know why asked if I was feeling better. Did not know how to answer for a second.

I am intrigued by this Iris thing of Lowes that I had no idea existed.

Thank you so much, everyone, for all your love and ~ma. I felt it yesterday, for sure, while I was getting ready for, undergoing, and recovering from surgery. It felt very much like the quilt that Amy talked about, sheltering me with warmth. Even though I was separated from my electronics for the better part of the day (WORST) you all never felt far away.

I feel so much better now that the nausea has passed! They gave me four IV pushes of anti-nausea meds in the recovery area, and then finally a transdermal patch, which finally did the trick. That patch and I are besties. I am stiff and sore, but pretty much elated to have the gallbladder out and not be retching.

Yup. Postpartum, as the C-section anesthesia was working its way out of my system, it was only a nurse with a bedpan in hand and lightning reflexes who saved me from barfing all over Matilda's head.

Good Lord, JZ! That must have been horrid! The pain from vomiting from my relatively routine laparoscopic procedure was pretty intense. I can't even imagine having to deal with that after a C-section.

I have been drinking ginger ale nonstop since I got to my friend's house, and she even boiled some ginger root in water for me last night for me to take with my first dose of Percocet. I like to think that Ginger was with me, just a little, even though I couldn't be here yesterday.

Calli is the greatest catsitter, btw. Javier is going to be terribly sad that she's not going to be coming by every day to lavish him with attention when I come home.

Plei, I'm so sorry.

Dana, I'll be laid up more or less for the next 10-14 days, so if you want a personal shopper for your Amazon wishlist, I'd be happy to do it. That offer extends to everyone.

Zen, lots of no breakdown ~ma for you.

Sparky, so sorry about all of the stress. We just had a (false alarm) armed shooter shutdown at UNC last week. I hate feeling like these incidents (real and false) are becoming the new norm.

TURNIP 4 PREZ. Much more palatable.

Meara, I too have a brother who is a jerk, and doesn't even bother with gifts, so I say go gift card, choose gift card.

Congratulations, Nanita!! So well-deserved! Also, it sounds like you have some very promising leads on a forever home for Mr. Peabody, but if they don't pan out for whatever reason, the friend who stayed with me at the hospital yesterday grew up with fox terriers and Jack Russels his whole life, and is currently dog free, and was very moved by his and Ginger's story, and said he would take him. But it would be preferable for him to go to someone familiar, for sure.

I've always thought Vermont was the Tea Party's worst nightmare--a bunch of well armed lefties.

Ha! I'm trying very hard not to think too much about the 2016 election until 2016, but the news media seem determined to make me. It seems impossible to me that any of the Republicans running could win the general election, but that is what I believed each and every presidential election since 1972 where I have voted. And oh how I have been disappointed. Repeatedly.

So good to see you here, amyth! May the recovery be swift.

Yay Amy! Glad you're on your way to recovery! I've never had general anesthesia but Percocet is my nemesis for how badly it made me puke. Like the exorcist.

It was crazy pouring and thunder and lightening here about 6am. I probably should've just gotten up but I was annoyed it woke me up!

Susan I agree, Fran's caramels are delicious! I'm also reminded I should maybe get the Theo seasonal chocolate bars for my sister.

Glad to see you are recovering, amyth!

Campus is a mess, of course. Last night's suspicious person was, apparently, a member of the faculty.