Fat, Lard-Cooked Tuesday

Those crazy Catholics. Though, I suppose if you are going to have a Lenten fast, you may as well kick it off Grand Guignol style, eh?

In Lancaster County the overwhelming majority of people are of German descent. Hence the "Pennsylvania Dutch" thing, which is really an enthic-misappropriation, because it's actually duetsch, or German, not Dutch. The Amish speak a regional dialect of German, they do not speak a regional dialect of Flemish.

I digress. For German Catholics, today is Fasnacht, the feast before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. The pious have people over for fasnachts and bible study. For the less pious, a Fat Tuesday DJ/dance and lingerie party is tonight's highlight (Don't forget your beads, girls!).

For us non-German, non-Catholic types, this morning brings the intoxicating smell of jelly-filled, heavily powdered sugared, lard-cooked giant doughnuts. The best are made by little old ladies from the churches, and these are harder to come by and thus hoarded. You simply cannot stuff one more warm, soft, sweet pastry into your mouth but you will, if only to prevent someone else getting it from you. MINE! My precious...

So, anyway, now that I am covered head-to-toe in powdered sugar and have lumps of lead in my belly, I ask you: What will you give up for Lent '07?

I pledge to give up offering beauty and fashion advice to Britney Spears. It's a sacrifice, but I feel I can pass muster on this one.

Do Tell!