Today is Saturday, May 21, 2022. Our meteorologists were correct about today being quite summery, and it certainly was. To mark the early start of summer, Elliot and I motored to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to first have brunch at our favorite haunt, Juliette, and then ventured to Coney Island with the aim of walking on the boardwalk and possibly stopping at Nathan’s Famous for some French fries or even a frankfurter. However, we were stymied in our attempt to take the subway to the historically favorite location for the working class for over a 100 years since the subway stop had a sign stating that the D wasn’t stopping here because of track work or whatever; thus we were forced to drive to Coney Island and were unable to find parking because of the streaming crowds surging into the theme park and its arcades. We circled nearby blocks several times and couldn’t locate an available spot.

Unfortunately, we decided to drive back to Queens where we encountered heavy traffic, but as scant compensation for not being able to spend time at Coney Island, we stopped at Eddie’s Sweet Shop on Metropolitan Avenue for some refreshing bowls of ice cream. I won’t admit that I ordered my first banana split, if you won’t spread the word. The ice cream parlor was the busiest I’ve seen in a very long time. We resorted to sitting on the tight stools (originally made for smaller tushes way back then) instead of waiting for a booth. Then we happily drove home from New York’s oldest ice cream shop. This historic shop has had soda jerks scooping homemade ice cream and toppings from behind the same marble countertops since around 1925! (This information came from a 2018 Time Out article written by Joanna Fantozzi.) I urge anyone who loves ice cream and partaking of such a historic site to make a pilgrimage to this location on Metropolitan Avenue sometime this summer if you possibly can. Its actual location is 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue, at 72nd Road, in Forest Hills. Its hours are varied, so I suggest you either Google it first or call for its operating hours.

A more serious topic is the shortage of baby formula in this country and the subsequent disgusting behavior of repugnicans in the House who vetoed the provision of emergency funds meant to address the shortage. Everyone should know that 192 despicable repugnicans in the House voted against this measure. This is the fucking party that has the nerve to call itself “prolife,” but doesn’t even vote for money to be allocated to address the shortage of baby formula on the shelves in the country!!! What a shocking display of cruelty and apathy toward women and children! Don’t be fooled by this fascist party; this party is not “prolife,” it’s only “probirth.” Not a damn thing more. The party only wants to exert control over a woman’s right to choose for herself whether to terminate a pregnancy for whatever reason. I truly hope that there will be a tremendous backlash against this party in the midterms, but it’s hard to say even now. There is an online article in AlterNet that probes the mind (?) of the last president over how the issue of abortion could haunt him in 2024 if he ever should choose to run for the highest office again, which I think he’s still being delusional about.

The article is written by Meaghan Ellis and is entitled “Trump worries that abortion could come back to haunt him in 2024 if he chooses to run for president again: report.” Thus the former dictator-to-be has privately told his anti-American allies that he is indeed concerned about the possible overturn and how it could negatively impact his political aspirations if he decides to run for president again in two years. Fuck him that he should even consider running after his fascistic tendencies have been exposed to everyone for the last five or so years. But that’s just me; it seems most Americans who vote don’t give a damn about this troubling aspect surrounding the former president. They don’t see this as a disqualifying factor for him ever attaining any future office anytime soon. It’s just mind boggling – trying to discern what motivates voters in this fraught time of our Republic. Now Dumpf believes that the looming abortion ban could turn “suburban women” against him. This would greatly diminish his chances of reelection. I think anything is necessary to stop this brute from ever seeking office again and if it is this controversial attack on women’s constitutional rights as prompted by the party of Trump, then so be it! They have no one but themselves to blame for this expected backlash from suburban women if need be. It’s only fitting that some punishment is finally meted out by a majority of voters. You can’t plot and design over several decades to overturn this decision and not expect people to snub the party as a consequence.

In a conversation with Dallas megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress toward the end of his tumultuous presidency, Dumpf had admitted his prolife views, but he also confessed that many Americans have nuanced opinions on the subject. He acknowledged that American people were conflicted on the issue and that polls indicated that there are Americans who object to abortion on demand but don’t agree on an outright ban, which is where this country is heading, sadly, possibly by late June, and it was Dumpf who actually understood this ambivalence on the part of many Americans. But as we all know, this is not where the Supreme Court appears to be leaning toward after that surprise leak of Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion this month.

Tomorrow is forecasted to be in the 80s again, so have some sunscreen available if you go out. There is a chance of rain sometime during the day. After this two-day sultry span, the weather will return to normal temperatures during the week: like the 60s and 70s toward the end of the week.

So enjoy your Sunday.

Stay safe and be well.