Shameless self-aggrandizement and diversion from the foolishness rampant in Kentucky are always my goals. Thanks for the kind wishes.

When you told me it was your birthday last week, I did some ‘virtual’ shopping.

You can’t even buy St Magdalene 19 year old single malt scotch, but I came close:
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-40-St._Magdalene.aspx

and for ’5-oh’ – definitely, a copy of ‘The Yale Book of Quotations’
http://

yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/reviews.asp?isbn=9780300107982

after singing Happy Birthday continue with

…for he’s a jolly good fellow
for he’s a jolly good fellow
for he’s a jolly good fellowwwww

which nobody can deny

…which nobody can deny
which nobody can deny

REPEAT (louder) etc etc

The reviews are in and the soup was magnifique! I supplemented with a merlot I’d been saving. Thanks to all for the sentiment and the good suggestions. And FFLeo, pleeease you hold your own in this group just fine.

Congratulations with becoming a year older, wiser, and with the added ‘notches’ to your litigator skills.

Although I lack the wisdom exhibited by the regular forum members here, I *do* hold the status of being older than most, by a decade or more.

Happy Birthday. May I recommend a bottle of Old Nick and some Stilton cheese to celebrate?

I do love that clip!

What you wrote was very sweet. Many happy returns of the day!

And in case you may have forgotten the proper decorum for lawyers, I remembered this from a prior post.

“If there was a way to throw you a virtual party, I would do it with all of your friends on this blog.”

******************
Thank you so much for your kind sentiments. I always consider my time here a virtual party so that wish has already been granted. During the day, you have so little time to think about what’s really important, being tied up with the mundane aspects of living and making a living. [Maybe that's what prompted Socrates' famous observation about an unexamined life.] This blog gives me the chance to examine things with the keen assistance of others whose opinions I respect and admire. That opportunity is a wonderful birthday gift for one approaching the back half of life. As for JT’s wish that I be spoiled rotten, my wife contends that has already occurred. As in most things, she is likely correct.

BTW, the red velvet cake’s remnants are in the freezer,and I confess to sampling the Dewars Signature (eschewing the bourbon this go ’round) as my indulgences for the week.

PS to Patty:

I am making that Garden Summer Soup on this rainy cold day in Richmond. Reviews to follow!

I had to look up red velvet cake, but I concur. However, one should not drink and blog at the same time. The alcohol level for blogging is hire than driving, but the consequences can be equally dire.

May your year be filled with fine bourbon and red velvet cake.

Happy 50th Birthday!!! I am approaching that milestone myself. If there was a way to throw you a virtual party, I would do it with all of your friends on this blog. Like many, I often look forward to your take on the various cases and controversies that appear on the blog. I am so grateful that you continue to share some of your time with us. Tell your family that we expect you to be spoiled rotten for at least a week and treated as nothing short of nobility. If they have any doubts about your elevated status, just have them check out this blog.

Happy Birthday, Mespo from all the guys and gals of the blog!

Jonathan

I can get away with that cause we’re ‘BB’s and I’m older
- by a smidge. I didn’t know this was such a big deal event, you
turkey! You didn’t tell anybody!

How can we support you?

~Patty
…….

I love turkey sandwiches, turkey hash, and turkey soup and in honor of your birthday and out of concern for declining vigor, I typed up all my favs and helpful hints.

I sliced up the bird, already, for sandwiches etc, of course.

BUT this year, I also set up a fast-food production-line of ZipLoc type ‘TV’ dinners consisting of small portions of the pile of meatwith ladles of gravy and after they hardened a bit, I slipped a separate packet of stuffing in the bags for an easy entree
or as hash fixings, for later when the inspiration strikes, again.

I usually make enchiladas, so this is different. I also had a special request to make ‘Sweet Potato/Turkey Shepherds Pie’ to try . It sounds good.
http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1127

Otherwise, the carcass has simmered with the miripoix and some seasonings and cooled and is in the frig forming a nice layer of congealed fat for me to skim later. I haven’t decided what do there, but ‘The Garden Vegetable soup is my all time favorite to make at the end of summer harvest when everything is abundant, fresh, ripe, and cheap.

You can make it anytime. Ripen the Roma tomatoes in a bag, and if you don’t grow your own herbs or a have bunch left over from Thanksgiving dinner, buy them fresh – it’s worth it.
*******************

COZY TURKEY HASH

from New Basics Cookbook
Sheila Lukins/Julie Rosso

Makes 2-3 portions.

2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1.5 cups cubed cooked potato
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
3 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
6 Tbs heavy cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp good curry powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
pepper
1 Tbs vegetable oil

–Preheat broiler
–Combine first 6 ingredients.
–In a separate bowl combine the next 8 ingredients. Add to the turkey mixture and let stand for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
–Heat oil in a 10 inch, oven-proof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey mixture, cover and cook unti lthe bottom is set, 5 minutes.
–Transfer to broiler and broil until the top is set and golden, 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
——–

GARDEN SUMMER SOUP

From the New Basics Cookbook
Sheila Lukins/Julie Rosso

3 leeks, well rinsed
2 c. water
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 carrots, peeled
3 parsnips, peeled
6 lg. cloves garlic, minced
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 c. chicken stock or canned broth
8 sm. red potatoes, quartered
12 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
12 lg. fresh basil leaves, slivered
1 1/2 tbsp. dried tarragon
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt, to taste
12 oz. hard chevre, such as Crottin, rind removed, coarsely grated

1. Trim the leeks, leaving 1 inch of green. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise.

2. In a small bowl combine the water and vinegar. Soak the leeks for 15 minutes to remove sand. Rinse well under running water and cut into fine dice. Place in a bowl.

3. Cut the carrots into fine dice. Add to the leeks.

4. Cut the parsnips into fine dice. Add to the vegetable bowl. Add the garlic.

5. Melt the butter in a heavy deep casserole over low heat. Add the diced vegetables and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the stock and potatoes and continue cooking, covered, for 10 minutes.

7. Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, tarragon, pepper, nutmeg and salt. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes longer.

8. Remove the cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook another 30 minutes.

9. Serve topped with grated chevre.

8 portions

————–

WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP

From the New Basics Cookbook
Sheila Lukins/Julie Rosso

4 Slices bacon in 1 inch piece

4 tb Unsalted butter

2 c Diced leeks

1 1/2 c Diced onions

1 c Diced celery

1 1/2 ts Dried tarragon

1/2 ts Dried thyme

Salt Pepper taste 5 c Chicken stock (homemade preferably)

2 1/2 c Diced potatoes

1 lb Rinsed spinach 1/8 inch sliv

1 1/2 c Sliced carrots*

1 1/2 c Shredded cabbage*

1. In large soup pot, cook bacon till fat is rendered (5 min), remove & discard.
2. Add butter, then leeks, onion and celery. Cook over low heat till wilted (15 min). Season with tarragon, thyme salt & pepper. Stir well.
3. Add stock, potatoes & carrots. Simmer till tender but not mushy (15 min).
4. add half the spinach and the cabbage, simmer 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender & return to pot.
6. Simmer over low heat and add the remaining spinach and the cream.

Heat well but don’t boil. Adjust seasoning and serve.

6 servings

I refuse to recognize any more of these things.

I ‘ve been enjoying my 50th birthday with my wife and kids. We took in a playoff game at JMU in Harrisonburg and upon my return I thought I would look around to see if my blog pals were still penning! Thanks for asking. I am actively soliciting turkey hash or turkey soup recipes since our 20 pound bird looks to stiil be only about 10 pounds light. How many turkey sandwichs can you eat?

James Madison: “The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.”

James Madison, Detached Memoranda
ca. 1817W. & M. Q., 3d ser., 3:554–60 1946

James Madison: “The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.”

http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_religions64.html

I’d laugh but it’s just too sad.

My hero-I was hoping you would show up singing your song this AM.
How ya been?
—
‘Thomas Jefferson’s reply on Jan. 1, 1802, to an address from the Danbury (Conn.) Baptist Association, congratulating him upon his election as president, contains a phrase that is as familiar in today’s political and judicial circles as the lyrics of a hit tune: “a wall of separation between church and state.” This phrase has become well known because it is considered to explain (many would say, distort) the “religion clause” of the First Amendment to the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion …,” a clause whose meaning has been the subject of passionate dispute for the past 50 years.’

“For the life of me I have never been able to find the word “church” in the US Constitution.”

************

That is likely because the founders considered it an anathema to the system of ordered liberties they enshrined in that document. Since you are quite the literalist with no sense of history or context, please find for me the notion of innocence until proven guilty stated in the document you cite, or is that not “good law” to you either.

As an aside, is willful ignorance or stupidity a prerequisite to membership in the neo-con coven?

P.S. Note to god–pull your shit together. There is violence all over the place. Stop it now, right now.

If the religious fervor dies down a little, they can used guns and gays and then how liberals aren’t patriotic and Obama’s Hawaiian birth certificate isn’t American. Anything to get their good citizens to look the other way.

As far as Kentucky goes, keep in mind they elected Mitch McConnell, one of Bush’s chief enablers. That about sums it up.

That was your boy, the war criminal, Bush.

What oh what will the left do when Barack the Messiah becomes Barack the Bomber ala Bill Clinton and all the countries HE bombed.

Not what Jesus would do.

To paraphrase George Carlin (speaking originally about Watergate conspirator Ehrlichman), “The only reason George Bush found Jesus is that Jesus didn’t see that bastard coming.”

Be clear on this, because every major religion will tell you the same thing:

God does not endorse war for personal profit let alone war against a country that didn’t attack us (Iraq) while kissing up to the ones who did attack us (Saudi Arabia).

That’s all your boy Bush’s doing. God has nothing to do with it. And I suspect that if Jesus returned today that there aren’t two people on Earth who should be more terrified than Bush and Cheney. He’s coming back as a lion according to you zany End of Days zealots. How do you think He will feel about what’s been done in His name? Please frame any responses as rational and in the form of a response, not a polemic. Also keep in mind that God isn’t American.

Now, THAT’S funny!! Thanks for the Joke of the Day, malo. After all the daily bad news highlighting the huge number of Bush’s failures (Iraq/Afghanistan, Constitutional questions, broken economy, domestic and foreign policies, etc.), it’s good to see you’ve been able to maintain your sense of humor.

***Sacrilege!

“I would like to be a person remembered as a person who, first and foremost, did not sell his soul in order to accommodate the political process,” Bush said in the interview. “I came to Washington with a set of values, and I’m leaving with the same set of values. And I darn sure wasn’t going to sacrifice those values.”

“I’d like to be a known as a president who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace; that focused on individuals rather than process; that rallied people to serve their neighbor,” the president added.

He mentions his roundly successful HIV/AIDS and malaria initiatives in Africa, and the Medicare prescription drug benefit as two programs he is proud of.

Asked about his “No Child Left Behind” education law, Bush called it one of the “significant achievements of my administration.
“We said loud and clear to educators, parents, and children that we expect the best for every child, that we believe every child can learn, and that in return for federal money we expect there to be an accountability system in place to determine whether every child is learning to read, write and add and subtract,” Bush said.

GOD BLESS YOU PRESIDENT BUSH, one of the GREAT ONES:

For the life of me I have never been able to find the word “church” in the US Constitution. Maybe I have an old version……or just maybe separation of church and state doesn’t appear in the US Constitution….eh turley?