Wow! We're Supposed To Be Happy, With an Administration From Hell?
In Tenebris
Thomas Hardy
Wintertime nighs;
But my bereavement-pain
It cannot bring again:
Twice no one dies.
Flower-petals flee;
But since it once hath been,
No more that severing scene
Can harrow me.
Birds faint in dread:
I shall not lose old strength
In the lone frost's black length:
Strength long since fled!
Leaves freeze to dun;
But friends cannot turn cold
This season as of old
For him with none.
Tempests may scath;
But love cannot make smart
Again this year his heart
Who no heart hath.
Black is night's cope;
But death will not appal
One, who past doubtings all,
Waits in unhope.
Well, everwhere you go, if you venture outside your farm or your ranch and go anywhere close to the next closest big town, you hear Jingle Bells everywhere and hear Merry Christmas from everone you meet. That's fine and good, and perhaps, as it should be. We won't stand for Bah! Hambug! Out here, but jeez wheez, how much darker can this current presidency get? Now the mindless, thoughtless, read-less prez thinks he can listen in on our conversations without court approval or supervision? This news has repulsed Democrats and Republicans alike. That he's secretly already working on scuttling John McCain's patriotic efforts to prohibit the use of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners; does that make any real citizen of the United States proud to have this son of satan's loins proud?
Sitting close to the fireplace, sipping Schuyler's rum cocktail made with Appleton Estate 21-year old rum, a dash of grenadine, some lime juice and a dash of simple syrup, we began to forget the horrible chill outside, but not the chill in our hearts over the tenebrous way this Bush guy works. It's supposed to be a season of joy and celebration, and instead, this King of Darkness and Subterfuge presents us with new bad news of his evil ways on a platter daily.
Quakers. Jane wanted to know just what made them so evil and dangerous, that Bush specifically targeted them for his illegal wiretapping. Now, Jane said, paranoid is one thing, but a paranoid megalomaniac warmonger who wouldn't know his maker if he saw him face to face? A born-again christian? Jane thought the only thing a guy like that would find in a manger at this time of year would be manure. Tons of it. And the right-wing media that constantly touts how devout this prez from Hades is, ought to be sent to Iraq for a few months to learn a thing or two about real devotion.
Alex, Jane's husband, told us that these next few days, for many of us, should have been days of celebration, and instead, since we live fully aware of what our government is up to, will be darkened by this "president's" usurpation of powers never envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Many in Congress, including a few Republicans, are just as incensed as Alex and Jane are, fully backing the new move to teach Bush that he is not Emperor of the United States, but merely a just-barely re-elected servant of the people.
Charlotte opined that The Mousey Librarian must be just as perverse as her criminally megalomaniac husband, since it doesn't seem that she ever talks to him about trying to be more of a human being and less of the Third Antichrist. Charlotte, never a shy person, said it took a lot of chutzpah to crawl in bed with someone only Satan could like. But, that's Laura, fuehrerin of Krawford, loving wife of the fascist 59, 054,087 Republicans and soul-damned pseudo-christians longed to have in power.
Ah! Max said, adding a comment to his wife Charlotte's. Here it is the holidays. Bush is illegally wiretapping us; even wiretapping the Quakers, of all people. Whatever your faith, religion, principles or life-style, he said, believe this: Bush is no christian; Bush has no principles; this is the darkest administration this country has ever allowed itself to have, and if you can summon the will to hope with all your might for a braver Congress in the New Year, start hoping now. There are enough people in Congress with principles, it's just that now we're going to have to let them know that it's time to put an end to the evil governmanship of Bush and his Cabal, and hope somebody in Congress will find the legal means to put an end to the Azteco-american toad Attorney General who keeps dark Bush shafting We The People.
This horse manure about it's all in the name of the "war on terror" is just that, horse manure of terror-proportions. We haven't caught any terrorists by this unsanctioned dragnet. Only the Europeans are having success in apprehending and successfully bringing to trial real terrorists, and they are doing this without "extraordinary rendition," torture, or eviscerating the civil rights of the citizens of the European Union.
Hiatus In a Night In Tenebris: Dinner
The teenagers sounded the dinner gong, announcing that darkness in the government or not, they were ready to eat and anxious to see what we had in store for them tonight.
A lot of the gang cooperated in the preparation of tonight's dinner. Since so many of the gang are planning long trips over the holidays, a lot of preparations have to made before anybody can leave a farm or a ranch, and cooperating on dinner just makes it easier for those who need extra time for chores before they leave for their holiday destinations.
Charlotte made us an amazing Smoked Trout Mousse to spread on delicious, home-baked pumpernickel toast points. She made it with Mexican Crema Fresca, and topped the individual ramekins with organge zest. Charlotte and Max brought over some really delicious sparkling wine to serve with both the Smoked Trout Mousse and the soup, a Schramsberg Brut Blanc de Blancs from Sonoma Valley. Extravagant? A bit, but then, some of us won't be seeing each other for a week or so, and this sparkling wine is always superb for special occasions.
Max had probably spent a while yesterday preparing our soup for tonight, Chicken, Leek and Barley Soup. Max always makes a soup that might contain unwanted fat at least a day ahead of time in order to be able to chill the soup and skim off any unwanted fat. Served with the same sparkling wine as they served with our first course, the soup course was a great success.
Marie Christine prepared a specialty only she could pull together: a nineteenth century specialty from one of France's most renowned chefs, Antonin Carême: Fish Polignac, a superb sole poached in white wine, and served with mushrooms and truffles with a puff pastry for decoration. Marie Christine and Jean-Paul thought the 2002 Lirac from Domaine Lafond would be perfect for this fish course. The Lafond's arrive at this incredible wine via a blend of half Roussane and half Viognier. The flavors of the wine include pear, banana and honey.
Max and Jeremy had been busy looking after their roasted lamb chops, which they served us after a palate-cleansing dollop of pear sorbet. They chose a Portuguese wine for the lamb chops, a 2001 Douro Reserva from Quinta do Crasto. It just barely makes it into the affordable range, though maybe not enough to make it into our "for daily consumption" price range. Max and Jeremy served us mushrooms, asparagus and artichoke hearts braised in wine and generously sprinkled with truffle shavings.
What more can you ask for a good evening than dinner prepared by this international mix of superb chefs? Well, how about homemade Vanilla Madeleines made by Beatrix?
Winding Down
The teenagers had heard a bit of what we were talking about before dinner, and asked us to tell them a little bit about what we meant by "in tenebris." We told them really all it meant was committing acts under cover of darkness, as when you don't want your acts known to the public or you commit acts best kept secret and hidden from public scrutiny.
That we were referrring to the "president" of the United States saddened each and every one of us, because operating 'in tenebris' is usually associated with totalitarian, dictatorial regimes which are not democratic. We didn't think it wise or kind to teach them that 'in tenebris' usually means that something genuinely sinister is being committed under cover of darkness; something shameful that should not be allowed to happen in the government of the United States. We told them a bit, just enough to make them think, but we, the adults, are really disturbed about the course this illegitimate government has taken.
Summary:
Tenebrous, In Tenebris: shut off from the light; causing gloom, the subject of a discussion we had tonight, describing how this demonic un-Christian administration has decided to play its cards. Only Mussolini and Hitler have behaved in the manner in which Bush has decided to behave. And that Laura, still sleeping with him. Says something about her, and leaves us with a criminally megalomaniac "president." Respect for The Republic of We The People? Nil. Regime change? Urgent.
