Happy New Year!

i just got back from a new year's party in the artist colony in the holy city of zefat. i actually danced for a couple of hours. first time in years. the party was mixed but i only danced with the 'grannies'. it wasn't very crowded and there were some younger kids but the grannies rocked! it was way too hot in the newly constructed gallery and we were all wearing many layers and thermal pants under our skirts. after a few songs i ran into the bathroom and took off my pants and turtleneck sweater. this time it wasn't a hot flash. i had burst my zipper before we left but put on a long sweater to cover up. after i removed the sweater, i draped it around my waist to hide the broken zipper and pot belly.

i was really thirsty but didn't feel like shelling out a lot of money for a drink. a good friend came along and offered to buy me and my 'girl friends' drinks. i felt like a kid again. i can't recall the last time a man bought me a drink. how pathetic is that ! we were able to catch a ride home so michal and i left just after midnight. i had wanted to stay a litle longer but a neighbor complained about the noise and the local police broke up the soiree soon afterwards. how fun is that! i really felt like a kid again!

earlier this evening, a few of my lady friends stopped buy for a drink and a light dinner. i simply cut up some red and green peppers and sliced some cucumbers. i put out black olives from a can, and some home made tahina and chumus. i cut up some low fat bulgarian cheese into cubes and served a whole brie. i made instant whole wheat couscous with baked pumpkin slices, covered in sesame seeds. i made a fish fillet for one friend and some chips for another. i felt just like a short order cook. i was in my zone. another friend brought over two gigantic pomegranates and a bottle of vodka. i also made white chocolate chip cookies, and my newly popular almond chocolate balls. i made corn muffins and banana cupcakes too, for the more health minded of the group. i also served buckwheat rice cakes. i had wanted to make a sour cream dip but the local store was all out of dehydraded fried onion flakes.

at 10:00 p.m. our dear friend was falling asleep so we rode back to town with her and went to our party. i found out later this evening that it had been one of the ladies' birthday and she never mentioned a thing. if i had known, i might have put a candle on her non fat muffin. she brought her dog with her but i could not deal with one more canine. the dog stayed outside all evening and was fine.

this morning, we went to a nearby moshav to visit out close friend who is currently in a senior citizens' facility and rehab. the poor woman was sucking on a morphine lolly as we spoke. she goes home for shabbos but prefers to spend the rest of the week at the rehab. she looked better than i imagined, but it was hard to see her suffering. she reminded me that we had met about 22 years ago at the pediatrician's office.

we got back from the moshav at 12:30 p.m. and michal and i babysat for sahar. michal was watching an old star trek film and we calculated that it was about 30 years old. sure enough after 'googling' we were surprised to learn that the television series had ended 40 years ago. i'm in a trivia kind of mood this evening. my sister, ann, will be playing the real trivia persuit later tonight with her friends in sunny california.

my brother in phili is readjusting to his daughter moving back home after college. it seems like just yesterday that he was suffering from empty nest syndrome. and now it's more like three's a crowd.

i'm really glad that i spent an evening with dear friends tonight and that i got to dance again. i wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! and a good shabbos!