We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
- They seem to have no problem catching enough fish. Funny how they seem to prefer the heads.
- Their attentiveness to the bobble-head chicks is great. The chicks have times to eat, times to sleep cozily under a parent, times to poop, and times to exercise. Easy life, with non-stop sashimi.
I prefer my way, but this is fun. It is poverty food for hard manual laborers. Dried beans? Never. Too much hassle with no difference. Properly pronounced, Pasta Fazool.
4:21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
4:22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"
4:23 He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'"
4:24 And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown.
4:25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land;
4:26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
4:27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."
4:28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.
4:29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.
4:30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Some readers view me as a food snob for disliking Italian-American food. I find it monochromatic, uninteresting, and there is always so much of it that it is unappetizing to look at. OK, for growing kids I guess they need anything in volume.
Sunday Gravy (aka Red Sauce) with meat and meatballs was a traditional Sunday Italian-American feast. I think one of my grandmothers-in-law (who I never knew) made this on Sundays for after Mass. Here's how Rao's makes it:
A "classical" composer listens to Pink Floyd. It shows me what informed musicians are able to hear. (h/t American Digest, who has two other performances of Shine On. The song is from 1975.
Still waiting for a serious reason to even threaten military action in Ukraine. The Ukraine has been part of the Russian Empire for centuries. Just raising the notion of Ukraine joining (obsolete) NATO is foolish, and will never happen but Putin is right not to like the idea of US military on the Russian border. Who would?
Anyway polls (who knows?) say that at least half of Ukrainians would be happy to be part of Russia's orbit. Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Music: Live music is best, very high-end systems are a poor second, ordinary sound systems third, and anything else is so compressed that it is only suited for background sound.
Yes, I do have a vinyl collection but they are so inconvenient. I have a ton of CDs and one serious system. Another not perfect in the bedroom.
The guy below makes a remarkable system - which of course cannot be appreciated through your computer. For the price of his machines you could go to great live music daily for a couple of lifetimes.
The plot(s) are silly, but da Ponte's libretto is not, mostly. It is seriously human. Interestingly, da Ponte ended up teaching Italian at Columbia University (College, at the time). Anyway, I know Nozze almost by heart. Pure Mozart dramatic and song genius, and of course the Met could not have done it better.
Aria upon aria, and you have to remind yourself that it's entertainment, not "art". Best voices in the world.
Again, the place was packed at the matinee. I did a rough count, and I'd say half of the audience was under 40. Around 10% over 80. People need live performance. It's a different thing. A thrill, but not a cheap one. How did Mozart do all of those things in such a short life?
After, a terrible "Italian" supper - too expensive and the sort of thing Sinatra would like. As Mrs. BD says, "Never eat anything bigger than your head." The fancy, busy place seemed to have decided that volume compensated for deliciousness. "The pasta comes with the veal scallopini." No thanks.
Yeah, down in NYC they all want vaccine proof, but that's easy. Restaurant was packed but we had a reservation.
We are fortunate to have a pasta shop nearby. They make fresh daily, and make takeout meals too.
While I have never seen any meaningful difference between dried spaghetti, linguine, and things like that, fresh ravioli and gnocchi do matter. These Italian guys make excellent ravioli (many varieties, from pumpkin to mortadella, to cinghiale) and the fluffiest gnocchi.
Last week Mrs. BD decided to cook up a nice Italian supper for her Dad who had just been allowed to leave the old folk's home. I think it was also in gratitude to me for getting rid of at least a third of my stuff (excess boots, clothing, etc.) as we slowly move back into our refurbished living quarters. I noticed that lockdowns for old folks are terrible for them. They lose muscle and balance. For no reason, at this point.
Apperitivo: Olives and marinated artichoke hearts.
Observations Confirm That Orcas Feed on Blue Whales. 
Photo is from a friend X-country skiing in Tahoe