My uncle owned a dairy and we used to drink fresh, warm, whole milk as kids. I also wouldn't do it again.

(BTW, what do you get from unpasteurized milk?)

Oooookay. The tales of drinking warm milk have me shuddering. Eeeeech. I can't even touch the super-processed cold stuff, much less milk au naturel.

I think you can get salmonella from raw milk? Is that right?

According to Wikipedia, the most significant diseases trasmitted by milk are mastitis, brucella, and tuberculosis. (Also dysentery, and, yes, salmonella.) Apparently all kinds of pathogens can be transmitted through the milk. And when you consider factory-farming practices, where the cows are penned up very close together and they get all kinds of nasties (or at least the potential for nasties) in their feed, there are lots of potential pathogens that can make it through.

I think you can get salmonella from raw milk?

And listeria, e-coli and an assortment of other things. It depends on what the cow has been exposed to and on the handling conditions. The problems are worse today, with modern factory farming and an over-reliance on antibiotics to improve condition, than they were years ago. You can get pretty safe raw milk from certified dairies, at which the cows are tested for disease and the handling facilities checked.

That's good news about your friend, Jilli. I hope he continues to improve. May Deena and Nora get better.

My question is: why was I much more awake when I got up than I am now?

The Christmas decorations are down. I kind of miss them already. I'm kind of sad and pathetic.

Now I really must start working on that paper.

My question is: why was I much more awake when I got up than I am now?

Because Steph is not your goddamned khakis.

It makes sense if you squint your brain a bit.

Timelies. Jilli, that's good news about your friend. Continued ~ma towards recovery.

Deb, still loving the haircut. It rocks.

Nora, sounds like a plan. It's easier to succeed at something if you acknowledge potential roadblocks. If work would interfere with school right now, better to delay it than wind up dropping the class because of work demands.

I'm taking today off to go to the hospital with my father. He's having a cataract removed today. Could I get a little procedure~ma for him? I'm not worried about it, but Dad's a real worry wort. He's afraid he's going to die or something. Seriously, he demanded both my brother and I be there "in case something happens." My brother lives with him, is driving him to the hospital and home. My presence is not required except that Dad is worried. And because I love my father, I'm going to be there. A little hand holding doesn't hurt anything. Besides, it meant I got to sleep in today. And now, I must fly. Ta, lovelies!

I wouldn't drink fresh milk now. If you put it in front of me, I would gag. But as a kid, not knowing any better, it was wonderful.

Last year I left up the Christmas ribbon I put on the light in the dining area, because it looked so cheerful.

I'm kind of sad and pathetic.

No, you are rad and prophetic.