A.J., after serving perfectly chilled Grenadas which he made with dark rum and red vermouth, sat down with the gang around the small brazier we had going with hot coals to take the chill off the porch (where we'll probably keep gathering for a while.) A.J. is normally pretty much nonplussed by things, but tonight he was, if not visibly angry, he was certainly quite disturbed. When Liz pressed him, he admitted that he had had a brief but contentious conversation with Bubbette, Bubba's sister. You might remember that these are the brother and sister who, yearly, come to help Liz and Bob with all the seasonal chores that have to be done in the spring and summer. They come from a small village in West Virginia.

Well, for some reason A.J. mentioned to Bubbette that his heart and soul were in pain because of the tragedy Katrina had brought down on the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, but especially on the people of New Orleans. Well, Bubbette said, with a smugness verging on sadism, they deserved it. God had brought this down on those people because they were perverts. A.J. immediately knew that was the end of the conversation. When God brings down unimaginable tragedy on a group of people, and it is ascribed to that group's perversions, you know there is no intelligence with which to engage.

Born Again?
Max looked around at us, and almost with tears in his eyes, he said that his own sister, a "born-again christian" who daily throws her arms up to the heavens and screams, "Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, I am so Holy!" had said virtually the same thing. There had been no compassion in her voice or demeanor. She just said, flatly, those people had brought it upon themselves. Mind you, these are the people who liberally serve Kool Aid to the members of their churches. Thinking? Evil. Having a rational discussion with these people? Just try it. You'll end up slitting your wrists because it just isn't possible. Max said he wasn't afraid of the devil, he was afraid of his sister!

SARS and Avian Flu
Well, to hear those people who think with the part of their anatomies that the rest of us use to sit on, the earthquake in Mexico City in 1985, the Tsunami, the epidemics of SARS and now Avian Flu, heck, maybe even the disappearance of those mice with Bubonic Plague, are, according to the Bubbas and Bubbettes, the result of vice and perversion. Ah, lordy, lordy, there's no bigger sadist than the so-called christian who doesn't think. Remember the Holy Inquisition? The "[Im]moral Majority" and their likes, sadistically, wish all manner of evil on those who don't subscribe to their churches' teachings.

We, all of us, have been profoundly affected by the suffering brought by this catastrophic hurricane, Katrina, but pray that we never, ever, have to place our lives in the hands of the so-called born-again christians, including those who are forming a group in the Carolinas that plans to secede from the nation. Bob chimed in, didn't that "pastor" ever hear of the Civil War? As we said, earlier, t-h-i-n-k? Alex opined that if their efforts to secede failed, Kool Aid would be served to all.

No Thanks on the "Tainted" Kool Aid
On that note, one of the kids rang the dinner gong and we high-tailed it to the two dining rooms to see what great dinner Kim and Barry had prepared. The first dish, our appetizer were beautifully baked gougères, little cheese puffs that Kim paired with a California Chardonnay from Raymond Estates, Monterrey. Barry then brought out really superb Tiger Prawns served with a Parsley and Rice Risotto. For this course they brought over a Handley Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley. After an interlude of Mango Sorbet, we were served Alsatian Chicken over Noodles, cooked with a very good, dry Alsatian Riesling, paired of course, with an excellent quality Riesling from Carl Frederick Lowenstein, Rheingau, Germany. For comparison and fun, we also tried the Fess Parker Santa Barbara County White Riesling, and frankly, we enjoyed both. Charlotte helped Kim bake us a Pear Tart they served with a Sauternes.

After-dinner coffee we had in the great room so we could spend some time with the youngsters. Sometimes I don't know how they manage to find the time to have dinner with us, do their homework, and those who have their own horses, find the time to feed, muck stalls, etc., but they are great teenagers who really contribute to our lives.

Summary:

When people profess to be born again Christians, along the lines of Jerry Fallwell and Pat Robertson, and can ascribe unimaginable tragedy affecting human beings to sin and wickedness it's time to review your religion.