Snow, ice, sleet, deep freeze. Then, magically, the temp hit 50. Now we’re back on that downslope and by Tuesday it’ll be near zero again. This is crazy!

Clearing my head with a hot mug of coffee also means I am gaining some perspective. And my perspective is that we’ve been hunkered down discussing food — a lot.

”Cooking well does not mean cooking fancy.” ~ Julia Child [American Chef and TV personality]

” He was a bold man who first ate an oyster.” ~ Jonathan Swift [17th century essayist.]

But winter is hitting everyone – from brain to body. Why, just this week we saw two people flop down on the sidewalk across the street from us. Also, brother George called to wish me a Happy Birthday – merely a month early (and he lives in southern Florida, no cold there). Then I sent Dia a lovely Birthday card – her birthday is in April. This week I remembered Cathy’s Birthday at the last minute, whew! Kirstin we got on time, primarily because the USPS needs extra time to get stuff to Texas, something they’ve been doing for years; so I would think that by now they’d have the package-delivery drill bit to that area down pat.

Just in case I’ve screwed up some more; Happy Birthday y’all.

More Food – You need to check with Marcia for verification. But, I think we’ve actually been eating better since I’ve gotten involved in the kitchen. Or, maybe it’s that we’ve been eating out a bit more; each time it’s a little break in our current hibernation routine.

However, ever since brother Artie got me the New York Times food section recipe subscription we’ve discovered a few keepers and a change in the routine. I think I probably should be in the kitchen either today or tomorrow.

Having said that, it appears that a number of my recipe selections mention the word “Anchovy” during some stage of the process – to the point where Marcia now wants to read the ingredient list prior to my beginning. It’s just another way we have fun.

Hathaway’s – I couldn’t stand it and so earlier this week shared with my brothers the fact that Hathaway’s Diner was closing (so for them this is a repeat – sorry). For those who have lived in the ‘Nati this was that big a deal and it was sad news. Hathaway’s had been a fixture in our downtown Carew Tower for sixty years. It was, to my knowledge, the last of the iconic, 1950s counter style, old timey diners. A style of eatery found at one time in almost every town in the nation. Food was never anything special. Just comfort food where the oftentimes gruff staff somehow managed to exude a spirit of friendliness. Looking like they’d been at their station since the place opened, waitresses with smoke graveled voices, would loudly bark the orders, and constantly kept heavy coffee mugs sitting full in front of the patrons.

Over the past years I’ve taken bus rides into town with the grandkids, we’d do some things, and then along with the office crowd had lunch at Hathaway’s. At least I have a few good memories and hope that they do too (they served Goetta – a German concocted mash of pork, oats, and spices and to me that says it all).

Cabin (Condo) fever – and the winter is only a few weeks old, but we have a serious case of it. So, earlier this week Marcia and I dropped in at Stanley’s Pub in our Columbia-Tusculem part of town. A small neighborhood pub it has a decent stage. How much of a neighborhood pub is it? Marcia wanted a glass of wine and was informed that all they had was some ‘red’ in an airplane sized bottle. She was then informed that the only wine glass they had was one a drunk had brought and left on a previous night. We had a great time!

A band, Otis, from not far away Glasgow, a what is known as a home rule-class city in Kentucky, had come in to basically rehearse some new stuff. What that actually meant was that for one hour they’d play a few bars from a new piece, stop, correct/change, and do it all over again. Finally a short intermission then the drummer set up his beat and the three guitarists put their 7 guitars into play. We got home at midnight, by morning I could hear again.

Then it gets even better, last evening together with the Ongoleas and their house guest Mele Ongolea, we were treated to a Hibachi dinner. Part of the fun was our egg-juggling chef who managed to make a ‘volcano’ from an onion, and caused Mele to jump from her seat when he set off a 3-foot high fireball on the hot plate. And, the food was GREAT.

Cov Cat – this week a student at Covington Catholic high school, Nick Sandman, was media-lynched for a fleeting smirk. This ‘offence’ was nothing new; it was previously addressed in Orwell’s book 1984:

“to wear an improper expression on your face (to look incredulous when a victory was announced, for example) was itself a punishable offence. There was even a word for it in Newspeak: facecrime, it was called.”

This week the nation witnessed another one of the latest in a myriad of Tempests in a Teapot. Covington Catholic high school (Cov Cat as it’s referred to here) is maybe a 15-minute drive from us; hence the ‘Teapot’ bubbled over crazily in these parts. The school is one of a series on nearby religious private schools, well regarded, and very strong on the high school sports scene.

Watching the hour upon hour of coverage, we discovered that the school, oh horror of horrors, had bussed about 250 students to the March for Life in DC.

After the March and upon advice the kids began to collect and assemble at the Lincoln Memorial to get ready to climb aboard their busses for the trip home.

Rather than grind through all the video that has emerged. Let me just state that I find it amazing that social and the mainstream 24/7 media barely touched anyone other than an underage waiting kid with a fleeting nervous smile listening to vile epitaphs hurled at him, and watching a guy walk right into his face banging a drum, and with all of that did nothing, absolutely nothing. Nick Sandman contained himself better than how I would have handled a similar situation.

My question is; what we would have even heard had he not been wearing a souvenir red MAGA baseball cap? I would think the answer to be; Nothing!

What we witnessed had everything to do with the event itself; the fact that it was a large group of clean-cut kids, and mostly that some wearing a cap now connected to our current President. This is what caused the scene to go viral. It’s all really very, very sad, and much more than just worrisome. It appears that we’re on a track, which although different, is much akin to what we went through during the McCarthy era. Truth be told, these kids should be celebrated.

Finis – As mentioned earlier, Happy Birthday Cathy, Kirstin, and not Dia.

Our Canadian neighbors (neighbours) will be with us this week. We’re excited.

Later in the coming week I’ll be on the Cyclones Frozen K (more on that later, assuming I finish).

Make it a great week.

Ciao
Dirk – rubbing hands together