God be with your surgeons, Liane, and we hope to see you back here as soon as God himself allows, should that be his will: has he more witnessing opportunities for you, perhaps?

I appreciate your comments about your views on life itself while anticipating surgery...

Yes, obviously cruel sports have been stopped quickly or quite quickly in the modern era, but the fox hunting matter hasn't really been settled in the UK, even yet - it's a miserably poorly drafted law, and it doesn't reflect the will of the people, just that of the House of Commons: that's not at all good, all round. Road kills of foxes doesn't touch on the pest issue, but the general population control.

The management of private land here - yes, the opposite issue, of the BLM and mustang, is primarily public land - is delicate, but the elected politicians have gone much too far against the actual feeling of the nation, on this one. It's primarily a landowners/class issue, not an animal welfare issue, in how the Hunting Act was actually passed - socialist politicians, currently the majority, opposing landowners with, of course, the assistance of politicians who are opponents of the activity itself. We over here won't stand for such or any interference in our rights, from our own government.

Certainly a different world to the US.

Yes, our backgrounds somewhat style our sensitivities, and your backgrounds are pronounced and respected - thank you so much for sharing that. Mine are both politicall incorrect and pronouncedly oppressed by powers that be, at present, so I defend my culture: Afrikaans (personally originally French, but very South African, after 250-300 years: indeed we coined "South Africa" before the British did!) and traditionally English (yes, these were my actual parents...involving many relatives), of basic landowning level, but of the commercial sort and not the "landed" class - yet I support them, too: wisely owning & managing enormous stretches of private land takes the persons who are up to the job: that's the wisdom of the House of Lords Parliamentary chamber, which has been well nigh strangled over the last 100 years.

Supporting British nobility for me is because of their
attitude of loyalty to the Queen and her values - they each and all bowed to her sovereignty at coronation, for she genuinely represents the peoples & cultures of the four nations of her Kingdom: Charles is a decent chap, certainly, but I'm not sure about him for the throne!

Manmade global warming speculations lack any scientificly observable data, so climate change is purely natural & cyclical, and has already cancelled itself, again. This link is re the latest.
http://jennifermarohasy.com/blog/2009/06/sea-ice-extent-now-normal-in-artic/

The Queen, btw, is opposed to the EU's dreams, favouring her sovereignty instead. It'll all get worse..., but it's not doomed to destruction unless good men do nothing since we are both (& all) accountable as Christians in Christian countries. The same goes for defending the Mustangs, too, I agree!

If animals could speak, what deeds of horror would be revealed,--what tales of suffering, because of the perversity of man's temper! How often those creatures of God's care suffer pain, endure hunger and thirst, because they cannot make known their wants. And how often is it determined by the mercy or the caprice of man, whether they receive attention and kindness, or neglect and abuse. Punishment given in passion to an animal is frequently excessive, and is then absolute cruelty. Animals have a kind of dignity and self-respect, akin to that possessed by human beings. If abused, under the influence of blind passion, their spirits will be crushed, and they will become nervous, irritable, and ungovernable. {ST, November 25, 1880 par. 21}

There were beasts in Eden, and there will be beasts in the earth made new. Unless the men who have indulged in cruelty toward God's creatures here, overcome that disposition and become like Jesus, kind and merciful, they will never share in the inheritance of the righteous. They would, if there, exercise the same spirit that had not been overcome here. All disposition to cause pain to our fellow-men or to the brute creation is Satanic. Balaam evinced the spirit which he possessed, in his course toward his beast. {ST, November 25, 1880 par. 22}