This week my cleaning lady of 12 years left to take a full-time job. By writing this, I may leave myself open to such thinking as, "Well, so the old bag lost her 'maid'. Am I to shed tears for her?" She was not my "maid", but she was so much more than a cleaning lady to me. She was my friend, my counsellor, and my therapist, and I believe that I returned the favors in some measure. We shared all of the major events of our lives and much of the trivia, too. She knew more about me and my family than all but near relatives.
We worked together. She did the heavy lifting, but I prepared the way for her. You know the old joke about cleaning up ahead of the cleaning lady, well I did that, in a manner of speaking. Our house was cleared and sorted out before she came to work. She had only the cleaning to do with no tidying up required of her. She said I was one of her best clients.
She loved what she did and did her work well and would have wanted to continue, but her husband, who was a butcher for a supermarket chain, was laid off when the chain downsized. He has another job in a privately-owned market, but no benefits come with the job. Their private health insurance premiums increased beyond what they could afford, so she is taking a job that provides health insurance.
I wish her well in her new job, but I will miss her terribly. I'll look for someone to replace her, because our house is too large for me to do on my own, and Grandpère won't move to a smaller house. I know that I will never find another like her. We both shed more than a few tears on her last day. We'll see each other, of course, but it won't be the same. Each Tuesday, I looked forward to her coming, and now she is gone.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Sazerac Will Not Be State Cocktail
From the AP via WTOP News:
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A proposal to honor the New Orleans cocktail known as the Sazerac has gone down the drain.
The Louisiana Senate on Tuesday rejected legislation that would have made the whiskey-based beverage the official state cocktail.
Senator Ed Murray (D-New Orleans) introduced the bill, because he said the drink was known all over the world. But Senator Buddy Shaw (R-Shreveport) disagreed that Louisiana should have a state drink.
"Is there a possibility that we could be encouraging folks, who were not intending to drink, that it would be acceptable and they could become an alcoholic?" Shaw asked.
"No," Murray replied.
Shreveport is in north Louisiana.
Senator Murray is correct. This AP story has been picked up by news agencies all over the world.
UPDATE: Here's the recipe, if you'd like to make your own Sazerac. From my dear friend:
Dennis said...
INGREDIENTS:
* 3 oz rye whiskey
* 3/4 oz simple syrup
* Peychaud bitters to taste
* absinthe or absinthe substitute
* lemon twist for garnish
PREPARATION:
1. Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling it with ice and letting it sit while preparing the rest of the drink.
2. In a separate mixing glass, muddle the simple syrup and Peychaud bitters together.
3. Add the rye whiskey and ice to the bitters mixture and stir.
4. Discard the ice in the chilled glass and rinse it with absinthe (or substitute) by pouring a small amount into the glass, swirling it around and discarding the liquid.
5. Fill the rinsed glass with crushed ice.
6. Strain the whiskey mixture from the mixing glass into the old fashioned glass.
7. Garnish with a lemon twist. Traditionalists will say that the lemon twist should be squeezed over the drink to release its essences but that the twist should not be dropped into the glass itself.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The Frick Collection
"Head of an Angel" - Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) - 17th century, terracotta, coated with dark brown paint flaked with copper.
The Frick Collection, on East 70th Street in New York, along with a number of other small museums, is one of my favorites. The Cluny Museum and the Rodin Museum in Paris, the Convento di San Marco in Florence, and the Courtauldt Museum in London are among the others. They're small places, filled with art treasures that you can look at and linger with and see them all in half a day. I love that.
Of course, I'm thrilled to visit the great museums, but they can overwhelm, and I'm often left wondering what to see first and end up feeling rushed and worn out, because time runs out, and my feet wear out.
I adore the angel by Bernini that is pictured above. The first time I saw it, I gasped at the sight of it, my breath audible, because the sculpture is so full of life. The sweet smile and the tilt of the head are absolutely endearing. I fell in love at first sight.
The museum is housed in the former Henry Clay Frick mansion, facing Central Park. After the deaths of both Mr. and Mrs. Frick, the collection was opened to the public. And what a collection it is!
From the website:
The Frick Collection includes some of the best-known paintings by the greatest European artists, major works of sculpture (among them one of the finest groups of small bronzes in the world), superb eighteenth-century French furniture and porcelains, Limoges enamels, Oriental rugs, and other works of remarkable quality.
The museum was celebrating a new acquisition by Parmigianino, titled Antea. A thing of beauty it is, with the lovely face and neck with glowing skin, the luscious satin and lace. Of course, there's the dead marten draped over her shoulder, which put me off a little.
The Living Hall is one of my favorite rooms. On the fireplace wall are three magnificent 16th century portraits, El Greco's "St. Jerome" and on either side Hans Holbein the Younger's two Thomases, "Thomas Moore" and "Thomas Cromwell".
From past visits, I remembered the Rembrandts at the Frick, one his many self-portraits and another titled "The Polish Rider", whose authenticity was uncertain until recently, but opinion has come down in favor of its being a true work of the master. As I walked through the gallery, I had another breathless moment as I came upon the painting "Nicolas Ruts" by Rembrandt. I was taken by surprise, because I didn't remember ever seeing this painting in previous visits. I don't know whether it was out on loan or not being exhibited at those times. I bought a catalog of the collection, and the painting is not included in the catalog either. Anyway, it's wonderful and it was quite an unexpected pleasure to find it.
Oh, I could go on. Vermeer, Hals, Van Dyke, Goya, and El Greco's splendid "Purification of the Temple", shown below.
Feast Day of William Augustus Muhlenburg
From James Kiefer at the Lectionary:
William A. Muhlenberg was born in Philadelphia on 16 September 1796, to a distinguished German Lutheran family. Attracted to the Episcopal Church by its use of English, he was ordained in 1817. He was active in promoting the Sunday School movement, and concerned that the Church should minister to all social groups. He wrote hymns and compiled hymnals, greatly expanding the range of music in Episcopal churches. In 1828 he founded, and for twenty years headed, Flushing Institute (later St Paul's College), a boys' school in Flushing, New York. There he made extensive use of music, flowers, vestments, and an emphasis on the Church year and on sacramental worship, with the weekly reception of the sacrament of Holy Communion, while at the same time preaching with great force and conviction the Reformation doctrines of grace and of justification by faith. Out of his ministry came inspiration for the establishment of Church schools and hospitals, and an outreach to the poor. In 1846 he founded the Church of the Holy Communion in New York City, with a parish school, a parish unemployment fund, and trips to the country for poor city children. He called himself an "Evangelical Catholic," and by his firm stand for Evangelical Faith, Apostolic Order, and Corporal Works of Mercy, he spoke to all parties in the Church while belonging to none. As one writer has said, "There was not a significant area of the Church's life, during his ministry, that he did not elevate and strengthen by the pureness of his life and the vigor of his consecrated imagination."
As the words in bold type (emphasis by me) demonstrate, Muhlenburg was a living example of one person embracing both the catholic and the evangelical strains within the Episcopal Church, with the result that his life bore much fruit. Thanks be to God.
From his obituary in the New York Times (PDF):
At St. Luke's Hospital no day passed that his slender figure was not seen passing through the wards and cheering the sick by his mere presence. Last Winter he never failed to knock at the doors of certain boarders at the hospital and wish them a cheery good-night. Many of the sick who could hear his voice would wait for the sound before they themselves could sleep. From his own private table he used to send wine to certain old ladies; frequently he was known to take meat from his own table to feed the destitute; and doubtless, had he followed his natural impulse, he would have stripped off his coat in the street, like the famous early saint, and covered the rags of beggars.
He sounds like a lovely man.
Readings:
Psalm 84:1-6 or 133
Ephesians 4:11-16
Matthew 21:12-16
PRAYER
Do not let your Church close its eyes, O Lord, to the plight of the poor and neglected, the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,the lonely and those who have no one to care for them. Give us the vision and compassion with which you so richly endowed your servant William Augustus Muhlenberg, that we may labor tirelessly to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
UPDATE: Here's a picture of the Church of the Holy Communion, which C.W.S., in the comments, tells us was last known as the Limelight Disco
William A. Muhlenberg was born in Philadelphia on 16 September 1796, to a distinguished German Lutheran family. Attracted to the Episcopal Church by its use of English, he was ordained in 1817. He was active in promoting the Sunday School movement, and concerned that the Church should minister to all social groups. He wrote hymns and compiled hymnals, greatly expanding the range of music in Episcopal churches. In 1828 he founded, and for twenty years headed, Flushing Institute (later St Paul's College), a boys' school in Flushing, New York. There he made extensive use of music, flowers, vestments, and an emphasis on the Church year and on sacramental worship, with the weekly reception of the sacrament of Holy Communion, while at the same time preaching with great force and conviction the Reformation doctrines of grace and of justification by faith. Out of his ministry came inspiration for the establishment of Church schools and hospitals, and an outreach to the poor. In 1846 he founded the Church of the Holy Communion in New York City, with a parish school, a parish unemployment fund, and trips to the country for poor city children. He called himself an "Evangelical Catholic," and by his firm stand for Evangelical Faith, Apostolic Order, and Corporal Works of Mercy, he spoke to all parties in the Church while belonging to none. As one writer has said, "There was not a significant area of the Church's life, during his ministry, that he did not elevate and strengthen by the pureness of his life and the vigor of his consecrated imagination."
As the words in bold type (emphasis by me) demonstrate, Muhlenburg was a living example of one person embracing both the catholic and the evangelical strains within the Episcopal Church, with the result that his life bore much fruit. Thanks be to God.
From his obituary in the New York Times (PDF):
At St. Luke's Hospital no day passed that his slender figure was not seen passing through the wards and cheering the sick by his mere presence. Last Winter he never failed to knock at the doors of certain boarders at the hospital and wish them a cheery good-night. Many of the sick who could hear his voice would wait for the sound before they themselves could sleep. From his own private table he used to send wine to certain old ladies; frequently he was known to take meat from his own table to feed the destitute; and doubtless, had he followed his natural impulse, he would have stripped off his coat in the street, like the famous early saint, and covered the rags of beggars.
He sounds like a lovely man.
Readings:
Psalm 84:1-6 or 133
Ephesians 4:11-16
Matthew 21:12-16
PRAYER
Do not let your Church close its eyes, O Lord, to the plight of the poor and neglected, the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,the lonely and those who have no one to care for them. Give us the vision and compassion with which you so richly endowed your servant William Augustus Muhlenberg, that we may labor tirelessly to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
UPDATE: Here's a picture of the Church of the Holy Communion, which C.W.S., in the comments, tells us was last known as the Limelight Disco
Will John Cleese Write For Barack Obama?
From the Telegraph:
Monty Python comedian John Cleese is to offer his services as a speechwriter to Barack Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination to become US president.
Cleese, who lives in California, told the Western Daily Press newspaper that his jokes could help the Illinois senator get into the White House.
I don't know whether an Obama-Cleese pair-up is a good fit. A few more laugh moments during the loooong campaign season would be most welcome, but I can't quite wrap my head around Obama doing Monty Python humor. Of course, perhaps Cleese is talented enough to tailor his humor to Obama's personality so that the result is Obama humor.
Cleese lives in California because the English winters give him chest infections and diverticulitis.
Monty Python comedian John Cleese is to offer his services as a speechwriter to Barack Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination to become US president.
Cleese, who lives in California, told the Western Daily Press newspaper that his jokes could help the Illinois senator get into the White House.
I don't know whether an Obama-Cleese pair-up is a good fit. A few more laugh moments during the loooong campaign season would be most welcome, but I can't quite wrap my head around Obama doing Monty Python humor. Of course, perhaps Cleese is talented enough to tailor his humor to Obama's personality so that the result is Obama humor.
Cleese lives in California because the English winters give him chest infections and diverticulitis.
Monday, April 7, 2008
"Breaking News" Knocks Off Rose-colored Glasses
From Think Progress comes a video from MSNBC of McCain speaking at the VFW National Headquarters in Kansas City, MO, about how wonderfully successful the surge has been in turning things around in Iraq and being interrupted by "breaking News" that seems to contradict his rosy interpretation of the situation there. Of course, I could be wrong.
Oh, please watch.
Oh, please watch.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Surge Is Working! - Part 2
From the New York Times:
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Suspected Shiite militants lobbed rockets and mortar shells into the U.S.-protected Green Zone and a military base elsewhere in Baghdad on Sunday, killing three American troops and wounding 31, officials said.
....
The U.S. military said separately that an American soldier was killed Sunday in a roadside bombing in the volatile Diyala province north of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier assigned to the division operating south of the capital also died Sunday from non-combat related injuries, according to a statement.
The deaths raised to at least 4,018 members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
....
U.S. commanders have blamed what they call Iranian-backed rogue militia groups for launching missiles against American forces.
Is Bush determined to attack Iran before he leaves office? The war drums sound louder to me. Will Congress give him the go ahead? Will Bush even ask the Congress before he moves ahead?
UPDATE: From Juan Cole at Informed Sources:
Shiite guerrillas with at least some relationship to the Mahdi Army have been regularly sending mortar and rocket fire on the so-called Green Zone for some time, but they seldom used to hit anything. One question I hear asked in informed military circles is whether the special groups, which Muqtada al-Sadr considers Iranian puppets and rogues, have been given more accurate rockets by Iran, and maybe some better training in how to use them.
But the Mahdi Army is siphoning off a good $2 bn. a year in embezzled gasoline and kerosene, and it seems to me that with that sort of money you could pretty much buy anything you needed on the international arms black market. If Iran did not exist, would the situation in Iraq really be much different? It is all too convenient for the US to blame continued turmoil in Iraq on Iran, rather than to face up to the real divisions inside Iraq and the Bush administration's role in exacerbating them.
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Suspected Shiite militants lobbed rockets and mortar shells into the U.S.-protected Green Zone and a military base elsewhere in Baghdad on Sunday, killing three American troops and wounding 31, officials said.
....
The U.S. military said separately that an American soldier was killed Sunday in a roadside bombing in the volatile Diyala province north of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier assigned to the division operating south of the capital also died Sunday from non-combat related injuries, according to a statement.
The deaths raised to at least 4,018 members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
....
U.S. commanders have blamed what they call Iranian-backed rogue militia groups for launching missiles against American forces.
Is Bush determined to attack Iran before he leaves office? The war drums sound louder to me. Will Congress give him the go ahead? Will Bush even ask the Congress before he moves ahead?
UPDATE: From Juan Cole at Informed Sources:
Shiite guerrillas with at least some relationship to the Mahdi Army have been regularly sending mortar and rocket fire on the so-called Green Zone for some time, but they seldom used to hit anything. One question I hear asked in informed military circles is whether the special groups, which Muqtada al-Sadr considers Iranian puppets and rogues, have been given more accurate rockets by Iran, and maybe some better training in how to use them.
But the Mahdi Army is siphoning off a good $2 bn. a year in embezzled gasoline and kerosene, and it seems to me that with that sort of money you could pretty much buy anything you needed on the international arms black market. If Iran did not exist, would the situation in Iraq really be much different? It is all too convenient for the US to blame continued turmoil in Iraq on Iran, rather than to face up to the real divisions inside Iraq and the Bush administration's role in exacerbating them.
Since You Have Nothing To Do....
Since I'm not blogging, you may want to read Rmj's ruminations at Adventus, titled "The Engine of Hope", on an opinion piece from the New York Times by Taylor Branch.
Supper At Emmaus - Redux
Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, 1601
National Gallery, London
Then he [Jesus] said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over. "So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"
Luke 24:25-32
From Rmj in the comments to my Noli Me Tangere post below:
We used to have wonderful discussions in seminary about Jesus after the resurrection. Did he have a body, or not? All the Gospel witnesses are intentional[ly] inconclusive. In Luke, he appears to the disciples, but is only recognized in the breaking of the bread, then he vanishes. In John, he walks through walls and closed doors, but has wounds that can be touched, and eats fish with Peter (to prove he's not a ghost).
Fascinating stuff. Ambiguity is the very warp and woof of life!
Indeed it is! Assuming Jesus had a body of some sort, I wonder what it would have been like to be among the disciples on the road to Emmaus with Jesus and hear him explain the Scriptures. What would it have been like to break bread with Jesus that night? Although they did not know him as they walked with him, there was something about him that made them want to remain in his presence. I put myself in their company.
Come And Eat With Me
Will you come and eat with me?
You can stay the night.
Stay just a while and have a meal.
As we break our bread, we'll talk.
Stay with me; rest a while.
Here, take your bread.
Wait! Who are you?
You are Jesus, the one who died!
You are dead, but here you are alive,
Here you break bread with me.
You made me come alive,
As you spoke to me of the prophets.
You set my heart on fire when you told me
How you had to suffer and to die.
What! You're gone? Just like that?
Grandmère Mimi - 4/9/07
What's above is not blogging but a recycling of a post from last year. Technically, I have not broken my word. My visitors are not here, yet.
No Blogging Today
I must go to church this morning, and this afternoon, my nephew and his wife are in from Missouri to spend a night after whooping it up in New Orleans for a few days. I will be très occupée today and tomorrow morning. Au revoir, mes amis, until then.
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