Pinocchio, representative of: fabricator, fibber, prevaricator, storyteller, defamer, libeler (or libeller), slanderer; perjurer; distorter, falsifier; equivocator, palterer; gossip, gossiper, talebearer; charlatan, cheat, cheater, confidence man, counterfeiter, cozener, deceiver, defrauder, dissembler, dissimulator, double-dealer, fraud, hustler, mountebank, pretender, trickster, cheat

Milquetoast, representative of one who is meek, timid, unassertive, a wuss, the one who speeks softly and gets it with a big stick, and effeminate, spiritless man, wanting in manliness or courage, a spineless, retiring person

Drinks in the Great Room
Schuyler decided to wow us with his cocktails tonight, and he succeeded. He went to a lot of trouble to mix us Double Visions, a nice cocktail to herald the change from bone-chilling cold to temperate, spring weather. He made them with Absolut Citron Vodka, Absolut Kurrant Vodka, and Angostura bitters. Served in highball glasses, the abundance of ice was a sign that warmer weather is slowly returning to the bucolic landscape.

After a week of some of us being downed by a severe case of stomach flu, most of us find ourselves with a lot of pent up opinions on events. It happens though, that we all seemed to rally around Russ Feingold, as being the only avec cojones to raise a prescient question: shouldn't in light of plainly illegal eavesdropping activities and dangerously megalomaniacal lies to We The People and unleashing an invasion that he had decided on unleashing yea, even before usurping the Presidency from Al Gore, we hold Bush The Snit's feet to the fire? Censure is too mild; full-fledged impeachment barely sufficient. Yet, Carmen said, Senator Feingold seems to be the only patriot calling to hold Pinocchio Bush to account.

Bob reminded us all that here on the range, we revere most of the California Democratic elite. But where, in God's name, are out stalwarts, Senators Boxer, Feinstein, Harman and Waxman? Where are Senator Biden and Senator Kennedy? Would it be deleterious to the country, at this time, to move for impeachment? Alex bluted out: Horse Apples and Cow Patties: what could be more deleterious to the country than to let this spoiled, soiled, liar remain free to run our country into the muck; muck that generations will still not be able to wash off.

Milquetoasts, Get Off Your Duffs
On January 31, 2003 Whacko Bush and Loose Gun Blair held a secret/private two-hour meeting at which, thankfully, there were several Brit official notetakers. At this meeting, the Whacko In Chief advised Blair that United Nations resolutions or not, he was going to attack and the date of March 10 was given as the date for Bush's Insane Invasion. Bush made it clear that he couldn't give a rat's ass about any United Nations resolutions. Several pages of the memo drawn up at this clandestine, cabalic meeting were leaked by British lawyer and international law professor Phillipe Sands. At the beginning of February, Channel 4 in London broadcast several excerpts from the memo, and our Milquetoast guardians of democracy snoozed and ignored.

The Liar in Chief
When asked directly, by the only member of the White House Press Corps with certifiable cojones, Helen Thomas, why, since even before usurping the presidency, he had decided to invade Iraq, Bush, famously, testily, nastily told her: "Helen, I was not planning on invading Iraq, with all due respect." Oh yeah, and beautiful horses grow on trees! Why our Milquetoast Democratic leaders didn't pick up their cue from the valiant Ms. Thomas, we'll never understand, Robert morosely said.

Horse Apples?
Liars, Milequetoasts, sexed-up reasons for invading Iraq, quagmires, tens and tens and tens of thousands of dead, dozens and dozens and dozens of wounded, invalided innocents, because of some rat from Krawford and his coterie of eunuchs and the hyper-testosteroned ovaries rattling Condosleezza's manic hormones. Art said Bush had to be impeached, but before that can happen, the Democratic Senate and the Congress are going to have to stop being such inane ninnies.

Dinner Please; Enough of Pinocchio and Milquetoast
Marie Christine prepared 50 individual Alsatian Potato and Pancetta Tartlets. She and Jean Paul had some lovely bottles of Pierre Sparr Gewürztraminer, proving once again that meals from one region usually go best with wines from the same region.

Alex and Jane brought some soup they made yesterday, a truly wonderful Beef Chile Soup with Kidney Beans. It was steaming hot, comforting, and paired with some Cowboy Skillet Cornbread that Max had just prepared on the grills, satisfied us all. Tonight we thought we'd try a different sherry with the soup, and voted to try one that Carmen and Jim brought over, a Sandeman Character Amontillado Sherry, which possessed the same complex qualities our soup had.

Our fish course, prepared by Beatrix and Jeremy, was superb. Tonight they prepared Tuna with Bean-Hoisin Sauce, dusted with Tabac de Cuisine (mushroom "dust".) The tuna was seared to perfection. Tuna can stand up to Pinot Noir, and tonight we tried a "J" Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir that satisfied everybody, Tuna is remarkable that way, in that it does not cry out for a white wine. Plated with the tuna was another masterpiece produced by Beatrix and Jeremy, a Confit of Fresh Chestnuts, Walnuts, Fennel and Onions. Sublime? Yes ma'am.

For our meat course, several members of our gang collaborated to fix an elaborate Roasted Beef Tenderoin en Croûte de Fleur de Sel (or Kosher herb-infused salt crust.) On the plates, we were served a Cheese and Pancetta Potato Cake and some perfectly steamed asparagus. The wine Jeremy brought over was a red Burgundy, Pommard. Hey, we may have been sick last week, we are sick to our stomachs today because of the wimps in Washington, but a meal like this can almost make you feel the world is wonderful and everything's right. Well, an illusion, but dining well can fix a lot of problems.

Dessert? Yup! Last week most of us who were sick didn't eat for days, so now that we're on the mend we won't turn down anything our gang prepares. Tonight we had the classic Tarte Tatin with Bourbon and Vanilla. We had ours with Blandy's Ten-year old Malmsey Madeira, which Beatrix and Jeremy had been kind enough to bring over.

Winding Down
Liz told us something to think about on our way home. We wish you would communicate it to your representatives. Cowardice is not a quality Democrats should have; Republicans have it in spades. It was said by Erskine Childers (1870 - 1932) British-born author and Irish patriot. These were his last words before being executed:
"Take a step forward lads. It will be easier that way."

And on that note, we put our sweaters on and headed for home, to pray, that tomorrow our Democratic representatives will, each and every one, find the cojones to impeach the smirking chimp who has unleashed hell upon the world. Sit idle and do nothing, Elizabeth said, or start rattling some sabers to corner this nefarious administration right where it belongs.

Summary
There are coward/liars Pinocchios in the world today, inflicting unimaginable horror on the lives of millions. There are Milquetoasts who are too timid to hold those liars to account. Just as the youth of France are standing up to their government, we must find the valor to stand up to ours and encourage our Democratic representatives to be at least as brave as French youth. It is our responsibility to take the milk out of their legs; there is no place right now for Milquetoast Democrats.