I think Shrove Tuesday sounds much more dignified, and Mardi Gras is all furrin and such, but my calendar declares it to be so. Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day. No mention at all of drunken partying. I duly mixed up some pancakes and had them for dinner. Perils of being an archaeologist (or at least a scientist) number umpteenth: my pancakes had growth rings! Clearly the pan was hot enough to firm the first footprint when the batter hit, but then as the batter continued expanding, a new line was formed after the first footprint, and so forth. Measuring the distance between the lines could suggest pan heat and batter viscosity–
Alternately, I could eat my pancakes.
Safeway also confuses me. They had a foldout section entitled SAVINGS FOR LENT. I duly unfolded, because I wondered what could possibly be Lent-related. Really, really bland crackers? Water? Fish, apparently, though it was really nice fish because why would you print an advertisement for cheap, terrible, fish? So that had some logic, at least, though I think I could enjoy eating that quality of fish in an entirely unLenten fashion. Then the second half of the flyer section was wines. “Great pairings”. So I guess they were chosen to relate to the fish, but they seem to be missing the point somewhere… I don’t know if alcohol is specifically discouraged, but it does seem rather against the spirit. “Lent: No Having Fun.” I’ve given up alcohol for Lent before, but then I stopped because abstaining from a glass a wine a week hardly seems to put one in the right mood of privation. Maybe this year I’ll give up cookies!
My box of Samoas is nearly empty anyway.