Those Religious Perverts
After shaking off frozen sleet from their feet and coats, the gang gathered 'round the fireplace that Max had helped get going. After doing chores outside most of the day, the chilly day, we were all happy to settle down for warmth, good conversation, and a wonderful meal.

Schuyler was making Vodka Stingers as fast as he could. Tonight he was using Tito's Handmade Vodka and white crème de menthe. With everybody holding a cocktail who wanted one, we turned to see what had Terry engrossing half the room. Turns out, she told us, she had watched the Sunday Funnies (those news programs that come on on Sunday mornings where all sorts of people can be pompous and pretend-important.) Terry said that watching George Stephanopoulos engage Cokie Roberts and George Wills expound on the glories of being Republican, she had burst her pajama buttons from laughing so hard. It seems these two declared that Republicans were better than Democrats because after all, Republicans attend church in larger numbers than do Democrats.

They said this in front of Katrina VandenHeuvel, of The Nation, and the only sane voice at this pathetic TV show. Now, Terry said, Ms. VandenHeuvel was very gracious because she could very easily have roasted them on a spit for mouthing such perverted drivel. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Terry can be really nasty when she wants to, very ladylike at other times.

So, Going to Church Makes You Morally Superior?
Art, Terry's husband, said that he too had burst a gut laughing at such preposterous but gangrenously stupid posturing. For one shining moment, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Wills appeared to be the two most stupid people in the world. Being Republican somehow equates to being a better Christian, and hence a better human being?

Beatrix chimed in that from all she's seen of the "church-going Republicans" they are far more evil than anything that every crossed a church's threshold since Hitler went to church. Again, Ms. VandenHeuvel was very gracious not to point this out to the sometimes misguided Ms. Roberts and the eternally-wrong Mr. Wills. Jeremy said that talking about Hitler's going to church is the same thing as saying that George Bush goes to church. So, both these guys were church-going, but both these guys were also fascist and murderous, so where does church-going come in to redeem either one of these two guys, Jeremy wanted to know?

Don't forget for a minute he told us, that the "church-going Republicans" blame Katrina on the sinful people of New Orleans; the Tsunami on the people who haven't accepted Christ; have declared a Crusade on the Muslim world; condemn every religion known to man except their own perverted "born-againism," and breed things like Pat Robertson who encourage the state to commit murder around the world.

What hooey said Max. In our community, where we are a microcosm of the world's religions, according to the "church-going Republicans/born again christians" we are all condemned to hell, though we have proven time and again that we value all life far more than any Republican or born-again christian. But Max said, enough: Let's forget that Republicans even exist and go have a fine dinner!

Dinner by Max and Charlotte
Charlotte, our heavenly "chefess" had made us some exquisite Wild Mushroom and Fontina Individual Tartlets, which she and Max decided to pair with a 2004 Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut sparkling wine that revealed a complex doughy, yeasty aroma. This sparkling wine is versatile enough that Charlotte also planned to pair it with our soup course. Tonight she made us a marvelous but simple Tortilla Soup and used plenty of perfectly ripe avocado slices. The versatility of the Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine was evident, as it went perfectly with this spicy soup.

Our new neighbors from the Middle East have so quickly acclimatized to our Southwestern and Mexican-leaning cuisine that we now have Iraqi Muslim neighbors, Iraqi Jewish neighbors, and Israeli Jewish neighbors, always looking forward to more or less Mexican cuisine. Not only do they love it, but they have all gone to take Tamal-making lessons by the sole lady in our general area that teaches people how to make these little bundles of joy. Of course, Charlotte, being Belgian, also made the transition, albeit much longer ago than our new neighbors.

Max helped Charlotte delight us all with their next triumphal dish, Serrano Pepper Roasted Shrimp and Scallop Papillotes. Hmm, nothing simple about this couple's cooking. Exquisite? You'd better believe it, especially because the side dish Charlotte must have spent hours working on was one of her masterpieces, an ornate, picture-perfect Roast Pepper Terrine, made in her collection of LeCreuset enameled cast-iron terrine molds. She and Max brought from their wine cellar a five-star California Sauvignon Blanc, the 2002 Chateau St. Jean La Petite Étoile Vineyard, Russian River Valley Fumé Blanc.
Several courses, but as always, very small portions, so we were still able to have, and looked forward to having, our meat course. Max had the enormous, well, 53" wide, Viking grills going on the porch, and prepared delectable, superb Blueberry Barbecue Beef Tenderloin Steaks. They were spicy with garlic, green chiles, and Jalapeño peppers.

A vote was taken, and everybody agreed that a good California Pinot Noir would be great with Max's barbecue, so we tried an award-winning good value 2002 Beringer Napa Valley Pinot Noir. This wine was intense with black cherry and vanilla notes, tinged with mocha and nutmeg, a perfect foil for the superbly flavored barbecue. Because we have a bank of Miele Convection Steam Ovens against one wall, Max and Charlotte were able to prepare amazingly succulent steamed cabbage, broccoli and chayote squash to accompany the superb Barbecued Blueberry Tenderloin Steaks. With bowls of drawn-butter to be spooned over the vegetables, we felt this had been a slightly more than perfect dinner.

Back to the Great Room and Our Teenagers
A peach tart and Grand Marnier ended our dinner, and then we repaired to the great room to enjoy Max's perfect, secret coffee blends. The kids were more energized by the cold than we were; adult wimps they called us! Wimps we may be, but after an entire day spent taking care of livestock and horses, we did look forward to an evening with good friends and a couple of nice fireplaces roaring with life-enhancing warmth.

Finally, it was time to head home, and out came all the layering of clothing to keep the chill at bay. Fortunately, we all had left the horses well-blanketed before heading for dinner.

Liz, right as we were leaving, whispered to us: "Remember, Hitler went to church; George Bush goes to church, and both are guilty and responsible for untold human suffering." Then, she told us what George Orwell had predicted, which seemed to fit G.W.Bush Wacko just fine: "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face, for ever." Church-going indeed, Cokie and Wills.

Summary
Cokie Roberts and George Wills seemed to imply that Republicans go to church more than do Democrats. What they failed to explain, was if that were true, why do they leave the church portals less compassionate than when they crossed the threshold? Church-going does not equate to being a better human being, and the less Republican you are, the more God, every God, will love and appreciate you, since you will be a better human being. Go to church less often, if that's your wont; you will still be more a credit to the human race than your Republican church-goers.