FASTNACHT SOCIAL

As is tradition here at the Casa du Borghese.....

 While this day is not really a holiday, it always gives me fond memories of both grandmothers. Today is Fat Tuesday or as we call it here in Pennsylvania Dutch country, Fastnacht Day!!! A Fastnacht is a fluffy pastry similar in texture to a donut but does not have a hole and is not filled with any fillings. Most Fastnacht's are plain, sugar or powdered and are of a rectangular shape. So, if you imbibe today and it has a hole, it's not a true Fastnacht. Although a true Pennsylvania Dutch person will tell you they are served best warm and plain. The exact history of the Fastnacht seem to be a great debate, but Fat Tuesday is one day before the beginning of the forty days of the Lenten season that will lead up to Easter in the Christian tradition. There are many ingredients in them, including flour, fat, eggs, and lots of butter. Most of these items are given up for lent, and during this time, aren't consumed. The problem came about what to do with all these contents in the meantime before they spoil. So, the good people in Central and Eastern PA, where this day seems to be the most popular in the country, make tons of Fastnacht's to gorge the family on before fasting.

Every year since I was in my 20's, I can't help but think of the Mistress's maternal grandmother who was always in the kitchen this day making and frying hundreds of these things for the ladies' church function that they would have that day. Plus, she made extra generally for the whole neighborhood and our family. I can still smell them. In the later years, they took the Fastnacht making to the church kitchen and would sell them four to a bag. So even though she is gone, I always have to partake in at least one... or four Fastnacht's for the day. I headed over to Oak Grove Farms after work yesterday to pick up 8 boxes, 7 for work and a box for myself. The best part? I feared with egg prices being up, they might be more, but Oak Grove didn't up the price at all. I admit, I enjoyed one already...OMG...so light and airy.

Happy Fastnacht Day!

MOOD BOARD

 

A glorious weekend weather wise. Sun and some warmth finally. Could spring finally be coming? This weekend found the clan and I in downtown Harrisburg for the Fire and Ice Tour. We started viewing the ice sculptures sponsored by various locations over town, and ice sculptures were craved by ice artist of sorts. Of course, it wasn't long by time we all ended up bar hopping with the better kind of ice in our glasses!!! My friend Mame even had our friend Anthony who came down from New York City. Anthony is a go-go boy and almost finished with his citizenship. He was telling us how everyone on the train down was sort of staring him up and down, he suspects because of his heritage and just assumed he was an illegal. At times he said he felt nervous about his trip down. Sad to think this is how America is getting. With that aside, a good time was had by all, at least I think it was. The Mistress was brought back to the Casa du Borghese, unzipped and put to bed for a nice lie in Sunday.  And no, there was no watching of Oscars. I actually forgot they were on.

STOP THE CAR

 

Yes, another one! We may be here all week! The Dump shared a very odd and weird AI video this week of what his vision of Gaza's future would look like. It includes money raining down on children, like that would ever happen, a golden Dump balloon and statue, sky high skyscrapers, Elonia chowing down on Middle Eastern food and the oddest of all--bearded male belly dancers? Is the Dump dumb? Or very masterful at ruling the 24-hour news cycle? Maybe he wants to take Americans minds off of the DOGE/Elon mess, which is polling very badly for him, not to mention the mess that happened on Friday in the Oval. As nuts as this is, at least the dump admits that he's going to seize the land illegally, because when has he done anything legally? But seize the land he says he is going to do. Biden paved the way for this by supplying Isarel with money and weapons, turning Gaza to rubble for over a year. And now not only is there bullshit with Putin doing this, but now the nutbag Netanyahu has announced that he wants to annex southern Syria. In other words, steal it.

For all those so concerned over Russia attacking sovereign nation Ukraine, why doesn't it bother them when Israel steals land from the West Bank and plans to steal its neighbor Syria's land? Aren't those sovereign nations, too? Why is Israel able to steal Palestinian and Syrian land, but Putin seizing land in Ukraine is just fine with politicians? And why is it the US allies with Israel's mass murderers and land thieves in the first place? Oh, that's right. Because they're paid to be. I hope the three of them cross and anger the wrong country and all three of them are taken out. One way or another.

STOP THE CAR!

 

Another disappointment in recent weeks. Pa Senator John Fetterman was someone I thought would make a difference and bring positive change. He won his seat in 2022, campaigning for Medicare for All and progressive values... and it seemed he sold out almost immediately.  When he got into office, he refused to sponsor a Medicare for All bill--which he had campaigned on and won on. He also became Israel's biggest supporter, even modifying his famous working class drag costume to wear an Israeli flag as a cape to work. Since then, he been supporting Trump nominees, and even claiming that his brain injury had caused him to snap out of his former progressive vision. Now his staff is quitting right and left, disappointed too he wasn't all he claimed, and he spends more time representing Isarel than he does his own state. Looks like he is on his way to becoming the next Joe Manchin, the Democrat/ then Independant, who sided with the GOP more so to derail progress. but it took years for progressive AOC who at times sells out also to line up with centrist Dems. Fetterman's worse-- he now sides with Republicans more than not. And Israel, just as he was paid by pro-Is lobby J Street to do. He is also taking money from GOP donors. Democrats can't just criticize GOP politicians and billionaires and not criticize the corrupting influence of money on their own side. Especially when it's this damn brazen.