it is 5:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. the pesach holiday ended on monday night. i was too tired to put my pesach stuff away. i babysat until about 1:30 a.m. so that the kids could catch a movie. i woke up really sick on tuesday morning. it felt like the flu. sore throat, fever and in general, i felt like i had been run over by a truck. i spent the day in bed. my stomach hurt, too.
i was asked to babysit the kids on wednesday but i declined. i must have been feeling pretty ill to refuse.
on wednesday evening i got talked into one of those birthday parties at the clan's home. it was pandemonium there. everyone was overtired; little kids were way past their collective bedtimes and bigger kids were outwardly vicious to one another. there was quite a a bit of body slamming into walls.
.the sephardi mom started making sephardi party crepes at about 10:00 p.m. there was plenty of nash put out on the table and of course, the birthday cake. of course, all the little kids wanted cake and some of the adult kids wanted cake, also. my head felt heavy and my stomach hurt. i sat in a corner and drank tea. i hadn't witnessed so much aggression in quite a while. we made our getaway at about 11:30 p.m. my son was a no show. that's how come i got coerced into joining the festivities.
i thought about going to town on thursday. i still need to sort out my overdraft at the bank and try to retrieve the travelling money from the medical plan. i simply gave up. i was wiped out. a friend called bright and early to let me know that an old girl friend from yeshiva days in zefat was visiting zefat for the day. i felt like i wanted to connect with them. i ended up babysitting my grandson in the afternoon and was pretty tired by the time the friend finally arrived in zefat. although it was only 8:00 p.m. when i heard from her, it was way past my socializing hour.
the two ladies stayed up past midnight reminiscing. i wouldn't have made it, even though i wanted to. i had to make shabbat for the kids. i was really tired and mot feeling well. i got off to a very late start. it was really hot and i needed to go down to the super to return all of the empty bottles and buy some veggies. i was completely knocked out by the short walk.
i made a small coconut brownie cake in the fleishig toaster oven and then i made a small potato and carrot kugel. i couldn't use the regular oven because i still had pesach things on top of it. i made a cheesecake in the dairy toaster oven and then i made a dairy cornbread. i grilled up some chicken and fried up some chicken cutlets. i wasn't going to bother to cook fish but in the end, i made the usual spicy sephardi fish that the kids love. i made a cole slaw and israeli salad and cooked up some hard cooked eggs for the little kids. i fried up an eggplant and marinated it for the big kids.
i had the kids with me for a few hours on friday. i had already done the floors the day before and most of the cooking was finished. i passed out early and went to sleep with my grandson. the kids were still hanging around upstairs. i got up at 7:30 a.m. and started my day. i had the little kids with me and they both got chocolate milk and cheesecake. i had wanted to visit my friend but i was too tired. i caught up on my psalms. i used disposable plates so cleanup was a synch.
like many motsei shabbats, i didn't fall asleep. i finally passed out at around 5:00 a.m. i was awoken at 8:00 a.m. and couldn't speak. i felt really sick.. the little one had a high fever for a couple of days and probably had a virus. i guess i've had a virus for days now. i am one unhappy camper. the kids got their bubble bath and dinner so it's a matter of just waiting for one of the parents to come home. tonight is holocaust remembrance day. that means hours of holocaust movies. i just can't do it. i will use the BBC and special VOD programming tonight. i might just catch the 'breaking bad' series if it is being offered tonight. last night we watched the second episode of 'fargo'. it's a winner.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
The Last Supper
it is 10:30 a.m. in the holy city of zefat. tonight is the last night of the pesach holiday. i got up early and started cooking. the kids said they were going to be here. i had made plans to go to my friends for the chag but i recanted. i broiled some liver in the toaster to make chopped liver and i made a pot of mashed potatoes last night. i threw in a small piece of meat in a pot with a lot of wine and veggies. i defrosted a package of chicken wings and 2 pounds of steak for a barbecue tomorrow afternoon. i had invited my friends to join us but they declined.
this morning i was told that the kids were going to the sephardi family for the night meal and that they would return so that i could have a barbecue tomorrow afternoon.. first of all, my daughter-in-law told me that she hated barbecues and preferred regular cooked food on the chag. my son was the one who was determined to make a barbecue, not me. i also prefer cooked food on holidays. i told them that we could do the barbecue on shavuot. i wasn't in the least bit, pressuring them to be here or to have to walk home tonight from the clan's house. i was looking forward, all along, to being out with my friends for the holiday..
i had the little kids with me for most of the week while their parents went to work. it was picnic at the childrens' parks all week long. i made dozens of eggs and chips to feed them. i even resorted to cooking up hot dogs. i was invited to join them on an outing to tiberias on wednesday night. they were taking the kids to a show at a new maul. i fried up a batch of chicken cutlets and latkes for them to take along to the maul. at the last minute they asked if i wanted to do a barbecue with them out of town. their timing is always off. i had already made food for them and i hadn't defrosted anything for a barbecue. it turned out that there was absolutely no place for us to sit and eat, forget about barbecuing, in tiberias. they were packed..
the maul was packed and noisy. my head was spinning. my son, who hadn't eaten anything, was in a foul mood. we had been caught in a traffic jam and of course, missed the kids' show. the kids were given a choice as to which sweets they wanted to buy; in lieu of missing the show. the little kids were wired on sugar and the daughter-in-law was wired on shopping. my son and i were miserable; sitting on a bench and watching the kids. my son finally cracked up. i suggested sitting outside the maul and eating some food but the daughter-in-law didn't think it was respectable.
we ended up driving for a while until we reached the gravesite of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness. it was packed. all of the picnic tables and benches were filled. we walked around for a pretty long time and finally sat down on some steps in a square and i took out the food. the kids ran around and we ate some solid food and drank pinaeapple drink. after a while, we entered the kever to pray for a bit. we then rode over to the promenade and spent some time walking around and checking out the commercial stalls. the grandson got a pony ride and a toy. both kids got ices and sugary drinks. it was absolutely, lovely, near the lake. it was packed but pretty peaceful compared to the maul. the sea air felt wonderful. i was feeling good. it was the first time in many years, that i left my home on pesach. i can't remember the last time i visited tiberias. we got home before midnight.
i went to my sister's for the friday night meal. it was also the first time in years, that i joined her on a shabbat. it was quiet. most of her family are out of isreal. her son is in med school in new york and her daughter is in new delhi with her husband and 4 kids. she just gave birth to her 3rd girl. my sister's youngest daughter went to delhi to be with her sister. so it was just my niece, and her brother and his wife and of course, their new baby boy to visit with. everyone was exhausted. my brother-in-law got drunk on the kiddush wine and was going on and about something in hebrew. i couldn't really catch it. everyone went off to sleep and i walked home and met some neighbors on the way up, so i had some company all the way home. yesterday, i went to my friends for lunch and slept most of the afternoon away. i finally felt tired after all the week's work.
i called my friend and offered to bring over the meat that i had started cooking for tonight's meal. she readily agreed. i also offered to bring over chopped liver but she wasn't interested. my son and my friend and i love chopped liver but the daughter-in-law doesn't. i thought about making two batches of liver; one with wine and onions, and the other, chopped with hard cooked eggs and fried onions. i don't think i have the energy. we are having a heat wave and it's most uncomfortable outside. the house is still cold but i feel a bit under the weather. i'm ready for a nap. the holiday ends tomorrow night. and then it's putting away all the pesach utensils. pesach should be more than just a week.
this morning i was told that the kids were going to the sephardi family for the night meal and that they would return so that i could have a barbecue tomorrow afternoon.. first of all, my daughter-in-law told me that she hated barbecues and preferred regular cooked food on the chag. my son was the one who was determined to make a barbecue, not me. i also prefer cooked food on holidays. i told them that we could do the barbecue on shavuot. i wasn't in the least bit, pressuring them to be here or to have to walk home tonight from the clan's house. i was looking forward, all along, to being out with my friends for the holiday..
i had the little kids with me for most of the week while their parents went to work. it was picnic at the childrens' parks all week long. i made dozens of eggs and chips to feed them. i even resorted to cooking up hot dogs. i was invited to join them on an outing to tiberias on wednesday night. they were taking the kids to a show at a new maul. i fried up a batch of chicken cutlets and latkes for them to take along to the maul. at the last minute they asked if i wanted to do a barbecue with them out of town. their timing is always off. i had already made food for them and i hadn't defrosted anything for a barbecue. it turned out that there was absolutely no place for us to sit and eat, forget about barbecuing, in tiberias. they were packed..
the maul was packed and noisy. my head was spinning. my son, who hadn't eaten anything, was in a foul mood. we had been caught in a traffic jam and of course, missed the kids' show. the kids were given a choice as to which sweets they wanted to buy; in lieu of missing the show. the little kids were wired on sugar and the daughter-in-law was wired on shopping. my son and i were miserable; sitting on a bench and watching the kids. my son finally cracked up. i suggested sitting outside the maul and eating some food but the daughter-in-law didn't think it was respectable.
we ended up driving for a while until we reached the gravesite of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness. it was packed. all of the picnic tables and benches were filled. we walked around for a pretty long time and finally sat down on some steps in a square and i took out the food. the kids ran around and we ate some solid food and drank pinaeapple drink. after a while, we entered the kever to pray for a bit. we then rode over to the promenade and spent some time walking around and checking out the commercial stalls. the grandson got a pony ride and a toy. both kids got ices and sugary drinks. it was absolutely, lovely, near the lake. it was packed but pretty peaceful compared to the maul. the sea air felt wonderful. i was feeling good. it was the first time in many years, that i left my home on pesach. i can't remember the last time i visited tiberias. we got home before midnight.
i went to my sister's for the friday night meal. it was also the first time in years, that i joined her on a shabbat. it was quiet. most of her family are out of isreal. her son is in med school in new york and her daughter is in new delhi with her husband and 4 kids. she just gave birth to her 3rd girl. my sister's youngest daughter went to delhi to be with her sister. so it was just my niece, and her brother and his wife and of course, their new baby boy to visit with. everyone was exhausted. my brother-in-law got drunk on the kiddush wine and was going on and about something in hebrew. i couldn't really catch it. everyone went off to sleep and i walked home and met some neighbors on the way up, so i had some company all the way home. yesterday, i went to my friends for lunch and slept most of the afternoon away. i finally felt tired after all the week's work.
i called my friend and offered to bring over the meat that i had started cooking for tonight's meal. she readily agreed. i also offered to bring over chopped liver but she wasn't interested. my son and my friend and i love chopped liver but the daughter-in-law doesn't. i thought about making two batches of liver; one with wine and onions, and the other, chopped with hard cooked eggs and fried onions. i don't think i have the energy. we are having a heat wave and it's most uncomfortable outside. the house is still cold but i feel a bit under the weather. i'm ready for a nap. the holiday ends tomorrow night. and then it's putting away all the pesach utensils. pesach should be more than just a week.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Final Count Down
it is 10:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. i have just stopped working and have officially, called it a night. i am proud to say that i have almost finished the pesach /spring cleaning. i had the two little kids with me for most of the day. i kept on doing my cleaning and polishing thing, while i fed them barekas, eggs in pita sandwiches and lots of chocolate milk. i threw in an occasional macaroon, here and there, too. i finally took a break from cleaning and took the kids to a nearby park. they were having a good time for a while. that is until the 4 year old pushed the 2 year old off a slide. that was enough for me. luckily, no one got hurt.
i managed to finish the fridge yesterday and i did the small kitchen today. i used a great oven cleaner that made my life easy. i washed the floors with bleach today and will do all the floors again on sunday for the final count down before pesach. i still haven't decided how i will cook the seder meal. i have only one electric burner and i have a toaster oven. i asked my son to help me bring up a gas balloon from the shed downstairs, but so far, it hasn't gotten done. i am not even sure it is full. i don't even know if i really need to cook on four burners for one night. i might be able to manage with only one burner if i start on sunday.
i can cook a roast in wine in a pot and make a kugel in the toaster oven. it's been my tradition to make mashed potatoes for the seder but i've been doing the 'mash' for the last two shabbats. at this point, a kugel probably, would be a good thing. i can also bake the beets in the oven, which would save me a clean up job. i don't know why everything in the kitchen ends up splattered in beet juice, when i cook them in a pot.
i can also bake a chicken in the toaster. good news, my super duper dairy toaster oven came back to life, so i can use this new toaster for meat. i will just have to take the tray pan and rack to the local mikveh on sunday to dunk. i can even broil liver in the toaster to make chopped liver. i think i'll be okay without the gas. you should see my stove top. it's shiny and white again. i think i'll be able to manage. i'm really only cooking for one holiday. i'm not planning on making chicken soup or gefilte fish. the big kids hate it and i think we'll all be stuffed after the matzah. so it's chopped liver and chicken for the seder and meat and potatoes for the afternoon.
i already made a bunch of stuff for the shabbat meals. i made a potted chicken with mushrooms, potatoes and squash and a spicy stir fry and mashed potatoes for lunch. i need to make a few chicken cutlets and the fish tomorrow. and of course, some salads, and we're good to go. i have a pesach streusel cake and some macaroons for dessert. i bought sunflower seeds and dates to nash and we still have strawberry sorbet to finish up.
i still need to wash the living room windows. i'll ask my son to take them out for me when he gets home from work at 3:00 p.m. it will take me about half an hour or more, so i should have plenty of time before shabbat to finish it. and then it's the three pieces of leather furniture in the t.v room to wash and i will have completed pesach. oh i forgot, i still have my mother's brass candlesticks to polish but i can do them on saturday night. i already did my silver candlesticks and the daughter-in-law's pair and my son's kiddush cup and coaster. i didn't have any polish so i used toothpaste, it works! I'll use lemons on the brass ones.
i think i need to wash the dogs. it's been a really long time since they had a bath. i really hate to dirty the bathroom. it's shining and bright. i even washed the shower curtains. i will need to scrub out the garbage cans on sunday and do the kitchen counters. i cover them with razor sharp industrial aluminum foil. that's a task to do when you are wide awake. i am sure i am forgeting something. anyhow, shabbat shalom and happy pesach.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Pigeon Wars 2014
it is 8:30 a.m. in the holy city of zefat. i have officially declared war on the pigeons who have taken over my roof on the third floor. i finally found the large gaps on the roof that allowed their entrance and i closed them. i used pieces of broken tile and wood and then covered it with plastic netting. i think it is safe to say, that for the meanwhile, there is no exit or entrance anymore.
there are knee high mounds of pigeon waste in some areas. i started removing broken tiles and large pieces of plaster board from the area. it is very unhealthy dealing with all this poo. i actually started to choke a bit from the dust. it's a bit hard to breathe this stuff in. i should be doing real pesach cleaning instead of this humongous clean up project. i spent a good while cleaning the poo off of the beautiful patio upstairs and cleaning up the plants, which were covered in poo, too.
i removed the carcases of the dead pigeons and disposed of them by myself. my son has a phobia of dead birds. i saw about 20 pigeons on the roof tops looking quite annoyed on friday evening. suddenly they were locked out of their clubhouse. no more free pass. they almost seemed like they were mourning their loved ones, still trapped inside. i left the pincher dog upstairs to catch a few. i just opened the balcony door so one flew outside. it is going to take awhile to get control back of my house. i need to bring up more plastic mesh from the garden area and find more thumb tacks. i am attempting to block off their roosting spaces.
i am pretty tired today. my neck and back hurt a bit today. i didn't sleep very well last night. i watched a particularly, violent movie. i am bored with doing the fridge and little kitchen area. i can't seem to finish it. i need to do laundry and the dining room chairs. this pigeon thing is zapping all of my energy. i also need to go down to the electric company and pay up the bill before they shut off the power, once again. the daughter-in-law promises to take me down.
i ended up making chicken soup, pan sauteed chicken, mashed potatoes and hard cooked eggs, rice, potato salad, tuna salad, fish fillets, cole slaw and israeli salad for shabbat. i served leftover meatballs, chumus and pickles, too. i opened up a pesach marble cake and a bag of matzoh meal cookies. the cake was pretty tasty. my son finished off the last of the beer and had a lot of sunflower seeds to munch with a friend. i bought pumpkin seeds for the daughter-in-law and myself.
the big kids were satisfied with the meals. the little kids didn't eat anything at night. the little kids were polluted with sugar and diet coke and the 4 year old cracked up in the afternoon. he got violent with me. after a rather long and very loud screaming fit downstairs in the garden, he kind of calmed down and eventually fell asleep. i couldn't rest. i had been awakened at 3:30 a.m. when he had a pishing accident in my bed. luckily, i had a pair of pajama bottoms so i didn't have to go downstairs. i quickly changed the sheets and he went back to sleep. i couldn't. i tossed and turned until he woke up at 7:00 a.m.
i was pretty worn out all day. they are planning to eat by me next shabbat, too. the one before pesach. whoopee! i am too obsessed with getting this pigeon 'mess' taken care of to worry about making shabbat. it will be one simple meal. i guess i'll use disposable plates. i'll buy pitas instead of challah. no crumbs, no fuss. and we will have one salad. i don't know if i'll bother with fish. i''ll see how the week progresses. in the meanwhile, i need to check out the roof situation right now. just thinking about making a pesach sedar with these little brats turns me off a bit, i am shamefully, sorry to say.
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there are knee high mounds of pigeon waste in some areas. i started removing broken tiles and large pieces of plaster board from the area. it is very unhealthy dealing with all this poo. i actually started to choke a bit from the dust. it's a bit hard to breathe this stuff in. i should be doing real pesach cleaning instead of this humongous clean up project. i spent a good while cleaning the poo off of the beautiful patio upstairs and cleaning up the plants, which were covered in poo, too.
i removed the carcases of the dead pigeons and disposed of them by myself. my son has a phobia of dead birds. i saw about 20 pigeons on the roof tops looking quite annoyed on friday evening. suddenly they were locked out of their clubhouse. no more free pass. they almost seemed like they were mourning their loved ones, still trapped inside. i left the pincher dog upstairs to catch a few. i just opened the balcony door so one flew outside. it is going to take awhile to get control back of my house. i need to bring up more plastic mesh from the garden area and find more thumb tacks. i am attempting to block off their roosting spaces.
i am pretty tired today. my neck and back hurt a bit today. i didn't sleep very well last night. i watched a particularly, violent movie. i am bored with doing the fridge and little kitchen area. i can't seem to finish it. i need to do laundry and the dining room chairs. this pigeon thing is zapping all of my energy. i also need to go down to the electric company and pay up the bill before they shut off the power, once again. the daughter-in-law promises to take me down.
i ended up making chicken soup, pan sauteed chicken, mashed potatoes and hard cooked eggs, rice, potato salad, tuna salad, fish fillets, cole slaw and israeli salad for shabbat. i served leftover meatballs, chumus and pickles, too. i opened up a pesach marble cake and a bag of matzoh meal cookies. the cake was pretty tasty. my son finished off the last of the beer and had a lot of sunflower seeds to munch with a friend. i bought pumpkin seeds for the daughter-in-law and myself.
the big kids were satisfied with the meals. the little kids didn't eat anything at night. the little kids were polluted with sugar and diet coke and the 4 year old cracked up in the afternoon. he got violent with me. after a rather long and very loud screaming fit downstairs in the garden, he kind of calmed down and eventually fell asleep. i couldn't rest. i had been awakened at 3:30 a.m. when he had a pishing accident in my bed. luckily, i had a pair of pajama bottoms so i didn't have to go downstairs. i quickly changed the sheets and he went back to sleep. i couldn't. i tossed and turned until he woke up at 7:00 a.m.
i was pretty worn out all day. they are planning to eat by me next shabbat, too. the one before pesach. whoopee! i am too obsessed with getting this pigeon 'mess' taken care of to worry about making shabbat. it will be one simple meal. i guess i'll use disposable plates. i'll buy pitas instead of challah. no crumbs, no fuss. and we will have one salad. i don't know if i'll bother with fish. i''ll see how the week progresses. in the meanwhile, i need to check out the roof situation right now. just thinking about making a pesach sedar with these little brats turns me off a bit, i am shamefully, sorry to say.
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Thursday, April 3, 2014
Thursday Afternoon
it is 4:00 p.m. in the holy city of zefat. i got to the doctor before 9:00 a.m. so he took me right away. i got all the initial paper work done and got a prescription for a face cream for my son, too. i spoke to the receptionist/clerk and asked her to trace what happened to all the travel receipts i turned in a couple of months ago. she's been here for years and i truly believe she is a burn out. she told me to wait to see what happens.
i tried to explain to her that i only received a portion of all the receipts i handed in on the same day. i wanted her to make sure my envelopes were not lost. she just couldn't get it. this is money that i desperately need right now. it's hundreds of dollars. as i left the clinic the bus to town was standing right there so i hopped aboard. i wasn't planning on going to town because i was rather tired. i went straight to the pharmacy and bought a tube of face cream for my son.
the jewish mother in me possessed me to walk over to the gallery where he works. after all, he needed the face cream, didn't he? anyway, i got to see the new gallery. i am proud to say that it is much improved and looking good, thanks to my talented son. i then started up the street to the chabad house to buy matzoh. i got distracted and walked past it. i was suddenly in front of the home of someone who borrowed my mom's holiday prayer book. i have been planning on retrieving this for nearly half a year. it was now or never. she was glad that i came to finally take it back.
i then headed, once again, towards the chabad house. instead, i stopped off at the supermarket downtown to see if they had any hot dogs for pesach. i didn't buy any and went off to buy matzoh. i got to the chabad house around 10:00 a.m.and it was locked. i was told that the manager wasn't coming until 10:30 a.m. i didn't have the patience to wait so i walked on over to the rabbinate office to sell my chometz. by then i didn't have the energy to return to the chabad house so i tried a local store in town. i found matzoh and was even able to give a head check. i found pesach disposable coffee cups so i was a happy camper. i'm not into using my dishes this year.
i caught the bus back home and stopped off at my friend's home to see her new tablet. i honestly, didn't know what a tablet was until today. i hung out while she showed me all the marvelous things she could do on her new toy and i drank tea. i had to get home and rest. i was wiped. i got ready to pick up my grandson from gan and once again, i went to the supermarket downstairs to check out the specials. i bought a small horseradish root for the Seder. tomorrow i'll have to return to buy drinks or maybe i'll wait til sunday. we'll see what the kids have downstairs.
i started to defrost chicken breasts to fry up cutlets but i couldn't find breadcrumbs in the store. they are pretty much ready for pesach. i thought about using the cornmeal in my pantry to make a breading but i decided not to fry anything at all. i defrosted a couple of chicken bottoms and i have left over meatballs in sauce in the freezer. i threw the chicken bones in a pot with some carrots, potatoes, and onions and a a root veggie. yes, we'll have chicken soup on friday night. i will serve couscous with the chicken. we'll eat the meatballs on saturday. i bought some fish fillets that i'll cook in a red sauce tomorrow. i bought some pesach mayonnaise so i'll make a small amount of both potato and egg salad tomorrow.
my grandson and i had omelets on a roll and chocolate milk when we got home. i came a bit early so we caught the local bus close to home. i am beat. it's time to get undressed and into bed. my grandson is already in bed playing with something or other. it's my turn to relax. my back and neck are stiff. i will do the clean up tomorrow. no more energy today to do anything else.
i tried to explain to her that i only received a portion of all the receipts i handed in on the same day. i wanted her to make sure my envelopes were not lost. she just couldn't get it. this is money that i desperately need right now. it's hundreds of dollars. as i left the clinic the bus to town was standing right there so i hopped aboard. i wasn't planning on going to town because i was rather tired. i went straight to the pharmacy and bought a tube of face cream for my son.
the jewish mother in me possessed me to walk over to the gallery where he works. after all, he needed the face cream, didn't he? anyway, i got to see the new gallery. i am proud to say that it is much improved and looking good, thanks to my talented son. i then started up the street to the chabad house to buy matzoh. i got distracted and walked past it. i was suddenly in front of the home of someone who borrowed my mom's holiday prayer book. i have been planning on retrieving this for nearly half a year. it was now or never. she was glad that i came to finally take it back.
i then headed, once again, towards the chabad house. instead, i stopped off at the supermarket downtown to see if they had any hot dogs for pesach. i didn't buy any and went off to buy matzoh. i got to the chabad house around 10:00 a.m.and it was locked. i was told that the manager wasn't coming until 10:30 a.m. i didn't have the patience to wait so i walked on over to the rabbinate office to sell my chometz. by then i didn't have the energy to return to the chabad house so i tried a local store in town. i found matzoh and was even able to give a head check. i found pesach disposable coffee cups so i was a happy camper. i'm not into using my dishes this year.
i caught the bus back home and stopped off at my friend's home to see her new tablet. i honestly, didn't know what a tablet was until today. i hung out while she showed me all the marvelous things she could do on her new toy and i drank tea. i had to get home and rest. i was wiped. i got ready to pick up my grandson from gan and once again, i went to the supermarket downstairs to check out the specials. i bought a small horseradish root for the Seder. tomorrow i'll have to return to buy drinks or maybe i'll wait til sunday. we'll see what the kids have downstairs.
i started to defrost chicken breasts to fry up cutlets but i couldn't find breadcrumbs in the store. they are pretty much ready for pesach. i thought about using the cornmeal in my pantry to make a breading but i decided not to fry anything at all. i defrosted a couple of chicken bottoms and i have left over meatballs in sauce in the freezer. i threw the chicken bones in a pot with some carrots, potatoes, and onions and a a root veggie. yes, we'll have chicken soup on friday night. i will serve couscous with the chicken. we'll eat the meatballs on saturday. i bought some fish fillets that i'll cook in a red sauce tomorrow. i bought some pesach mayonnaise so i'll make a small amount of both potato and egg salad tomorrow.
my grandson and i had omelets on a roll and chocolate milk when we got home. i came a bit early so we caught the local bus close to home. i am beat. it's time to get undressed and into bed. my grandson is already in bed playing with something or other. it's my turn to relax. my back and neck are stiff. i will do the clean up tomorrow. no more energy today to do anything else.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Thursday Morning
it is 7:00 a.m. in the holy city of zefat. it is freezing once again. i was woken up at 6:00 a.m. by a little visitor with ice cold feet. yes, my grandson came into my bed/t.v couch to cuddle. i really needed more sleep. yesterday i did the outside windows. wow, we can see the kinneret again. soon we will have little birds crashing into the clean, clear windows and cloey dog will be bringing them into the house. i wish i could just drink a cup of coffee. the smell still nauseates me.
oh how i need a caffeine rush. i have a 9:00 a.m appointment with the doctor this morning. i'm feeling fine. i just need paper work done for next month's radiologist, gynecologist, neurologist and MRI visits at tel hashomer. i actually stopped by yesterday to see him but he was officially not working and kind of freaked out when he saw me. i was just one other person without an appointment. he probably had another fifty like me.
i forgot to buy matzoh yesterday at the supermarket. i did a bigger shopping than i had planned. i ended up filling up the freezer with chicken and meat. i thought that i wasn't going to do that this year. i hope the check clears. last year i only bought a chicken, a box of matzoh and a bottle of grape juice. my pantry closet is filled with pesach cakes, cookies, grape juice and sweets. pesach is only one week and i bought enough fo a month. never mind, we do have shavuot coming in after pesach and i did get some good buys. i was able to buy inexpensive cuts of meat.
i'll have to find a store that takes a head check and buy my potatoes and veggies next week. i still owe the electric company big time. i am drowning in bills and debts. i seriously wonder if i'll ever catch up. i can't really dwell on this now. i am taking the day off today. no more cleaning. my body is spent. i need to do a few errands. i need to go to the health carrier and complain about not getting reimbursed for the last few trips to the hospital. i could sell the chometz in town at the rabbinut and try to buy matzah in town at the chabad house. they would take a head check.
the kids are, once again, in for shabbat and i have to cook. i officially put an end to cholent last week but i wouldn't mind making one tomorrow. it's so easy and fast. i don't know what to make for lunch. i have leftover meatballs for dinner and i will make instant couscous. we had homemade couscous at the haircut dinner on tuesday but i've run out of rice and pasta and have nothing else to serve. i'll probably make a small kugel for lunch. i didn't buy a lot of potatoes. i have one package of chicken bones left that i'd love to finish off already so i guess chicken soup is in the making.
i can't afford to buy a gas balloon so i will have to make pesach on a one burner electric stove. i do have a brand new toaster oven so i can make a kugel and bake some beets or else it will have to be a one pot dinner. to save time, i can stew some chicken and beef in one pot with onions and sweet wine. i can also throw in carrots and potatoes at the same time. who needs chicken soup? who says that it's a law to have soup on pesach anyway? my son won't eat chicken soup without chili peppers and i don't see myself buying any for pesach.
i used to make orange braised chicken. that was back in the days before my orange tree got destroyed by the snow. i can always buy a few. it's definitely not the same as using my own. i bought a ton of cheap sweet wine. i don't know what i was thinking. i can always make glazed pears. i also bought a ton of pesach cake. i doubt the kids will be here all week and who wants to eat pesach cake after the holiday? i guess we'll be having some pesach cake on shabbat.
i was tempted to bake a cake and use up the last of my flour. i also want some more corn muffins but i think my dairy toaster oven is still dead. if i keep the new toaster oven pareve it can become my new dairy oven. i can't really use my standard oven to make a kugel. it was blasted with oven cleaner. i didn't really get it all off so i don't really think it's a good idea to bake anything this week. mashed potatoes is an idea. i just need to get more potatoes. why am i making it all so complicated. i'll throw a chicken in a pot with a couple of potatoes and carrots and that will be lunch. wait, isn't that cholent????
oh how i need a caffeine rush. i have a 9:00 a.m appointment with the doctor this morning. i'm feeling fine. i just need paper work done for next month's radiologist, gynecologist, neurologist and MRI visits at tel hashomer. i actually stopped by yesterday to see him but he was officially not working and kind of freaked out when he saw me. i was just one other person without an appointment. he probably had another fifty like me.
i forgot to buy matzoh yesterday at the supermarket. i did a bigger shopping than i had planned. i ended up filling up the freezer with chicken and meat. i thought that i wasn't going to do that this year. i hope the check clears. last year i only bought a chicken, a box of matzoh and a bottle of grape juice. my pantry closet is filled with pesach cakes, cookies, grape juice and sweets. pesach is only one week and i bought enough fo a month. never mind, we do have shavuot coming in after pesach and i did get some good buys. i was able to buy inexpensive cuts of meat.
i'll have to find a store that takes a head check and buy my potatoes and veggies next week. i still owe the electric company big time. i am drowning in bills and debts. i seriously wonder if i'll ever catch up. i can't really dwell on this now. i am taking the day off today. no more cleaning. my body is spent. i need to do a few errands. i need to go to the health carrier and complain about not getting reimbursed for the last few trips to the hospital. i could sell the chometz in town at the rabbinut and try to buy matzah in town at the chabad house. they would take a head check.
the kids are, once again, in for shabbat and i have to cook. i officially put an end to cholent last week but i wouldn't mind making one tomorrow. it's so easy and fast. i don't know what to make for lunch. i have leftover meatballs for dinner and i will make instant couscous. we had homemade couscous at the haircut dinner on tuesday but i've run out of rice and pasta and have nothing else to serve. i'll probably make a small kugel for lunch. i didn't buy a lot of potatoes. i have one package of chicken bones left that i'd love to finish off already so i guess chicken soup is in the making.
i can't afford to buy a gas balloon so i will have to make pesach on a one burner electric stove. i do have a brand new toaster oven so i can make a kugel and bake some beets or else it will have to be a one pot dinner. to save time, i can stew some chicken and beef in one pot with onions and sweet wine. i can also throw in carrots and potatoes at the same time. who needs chicken soup? who says that it's a law to have soup on pesach anyway? my son won't eat chicken soup without chili peppers and i don't see myself buying any for pesach.
i used to make orange braised chicken. that was back in the days before my orange tree got destroyed by the snow. i can always buy a few. it's definitely not the same as using my own. i bought a ton of cheap sweet wine. i don't know what i was thinking. i can always make glazed pears. i also bought a ton of pesach cake. i doubt the kids will be here all week and who wants to eat pesach cake after the holiday? i guess we'll be having some pesach cake on shabbat.
i was tempted to bake a cake and use up the last of my flour. i also want some more corn muffins but i think my dairy toaster oven is still dead. if i keep the new toaster oven pareve it can become my new dairy oven. i can't really use my standard oven to make a kugel. it was blasted with oven cleaner. i didn't really get it all off so i don't really think it's a good idea to bake anything this week. mashed potatoes is an idea. i just need to get more potatoes. why am i making it all so complicated. i'll throw a chicken in a pot with a couple of potatoes and carrots and that will be lunch. wait, isn't that cholent????
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
The Haircut Ceremony
it is 11:00 p.m. and i just got home from the haircut celebration. i was told yesterday, that the haircut was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. i didn't really do anything today except make about 50 chocolate lollipops. it took about 2 hours. i could only freeze about 10 at a time. i had wanted to do my pesach shopping today but i couldn't schedule it into the haircut celebration.
i was told this afternoon that the haircut at meron was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. the daughter-in-law came back with the kids and didn't have time to bathe them. i took the time to take a long and very hot shower. i had done a bit of a touch up varnish job on the chairs in between making the chocolates. i was suddenly very cold and wore a warm black sweater and my usual black skirt with the elastic waistband. i couldn't find any black tights so i threw on my knitted brown house boots. i stepped outside for a moment and realized that it had suddenly gotten hot.
i ran back in and ditched the boots. i settled on nylon knee socks and black mary jane shoes. i wanted to ditch the sweater too but i didn't think i had the time. we left after 3:00 p.m. and we didn't get to meron until nearly 4:00 p.m. we seemed to have made a few stops on the way. we were the first to arrive and it was very warm in meron. we were situated in the sun and i couldn't deal with the kids running around so i made my way into the kever of Rabbi Shimon. i sat down and read a few psalms. i also prayed for my family and friends. by the time i finished, i saw that the birthday boy and the clan had arrived.
as usual, we stood around forever, waiting for something to happen. we watched a set of twins get their hair cut. actually, just a little hair was cut. in the interim, the kids ate dozens of toffees. they were wired. the grandfather and father of the little boy each cut a piece of his pony tail, and then the kdis were given more toffees. then it was time for a few refreshments. we had some cold sugary drinks, cakes, barekas, boiled eggs and then it was time to split. other people ushered by with platters of nuts, dried fruits and cakes. everyone had a simcha today. one woman had finally given birth to a little boy after waiting for 30 years.
we finally got back to the bomb shelter in zefat for the meal and party. it was just getting set up. i helped place candies on the table. they needed a lot of candies. there were mini marshmallow ice cream cones, israeli m&ms in plastic holders that kept on opening and spilling onto the floor, and my white chocolate tsistis lolly pops. of course, all the little kids grabbed lollies off of the table. at least there was no dark chocolate mess. the kids at one point, were eating m&ms off of the floor. it was so noisy. they had kids songs blasting on the karaoke machine.
there were about 7 or 8 kids running around the place screaming. they were throwing and kicking soccer balls while they consumed more candies. at one point, my granddaughter the ultimate sugar freak, was found eating out of a bowl of sugar. yes, she kept asking me all evening for some sugar. i have never seen so much candy eaten at one sitting. i pity their parents' dental bills. these kids didn't have any dinner and they were bouncing off the walls. the parents were all involved in conversations and didn't do anything about their kids, either. i sat by myself mostly, and had a meal. i couldn't engage in conversation with the younger crowd. i helped clean up, organized the leftovers and garbage and actually went outside and threw it out by myself.
i came home and put the grandson to bed. he was zonked. he wanted me to tell him stories. just when i thought he was asleep, he'd open an eye and ask for another story. thank goodness, he finally fell asleep. the little girl passed out in the car. tomorrow, i plan on going food shopping for pesach. i may go to a class in the afternoon and try to buy matzah in town. i am truly beat. i'm off to sleepy land. one haicut celebration down!
i was told this afternoon that the haircut at meron was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. the daughter-in-law came back with the kids and didn't have time to bathe them. i took the time to take a long and very hot shower. i had done a bit of a touch up varnish job on the chairs in between making the chocolates. i was suddenly very cold and wore a warm black sweater and my usual black skirt with the elastic waistband. i couldn't find any black tights so i threw on my knitted brown house boots. i stepped outside for a moment and realized that it had suddenly gotten hot.
i ran back in and ditched the boots. i settled on nylon knee socks and black mary jane shoes. i wanted to ditch the sweater too but i didn't think i had the time. we left after 3:00 p.m. and we didn't get to meron until nearly 4:00 p.m. we seemed to have made a few stops on the way. we were the first to arrive and it was very warm in meron. we were situated in the sun and i couldn't deal with the kids running around so i made my way into the kever of Rabbi Shimon. i sat down and read a few psalms. i also prayed for my family and friends. by the time i finished, i saw that the birthday boy and the clan had arrived.
as usual, we stood around forever, waiting for something to happen. we watched a set of twins get their hair cut. actually, just a little hair was cut. in the interim, the kids ate dozens of toffees. they were wired. the grandfather and father of the little boy each cut a piece of his pony tail, and then the kdis were given more toffees. then it was time for a few refreshments. we had some cold sugary drinks, cakes, barekas, boiled eggs and then it was time to split. other people ushered by with platters of nuts, dried fruits and cakes. everyone had a simcha today. one woman had finally given birth to a little boy after waiting for 30 years.
we finally got back to the bomb shelter in zefat for the meal and party. it was just getting set up. i helped place candies on the table. they needed a lot of candies. there were mini marshmallow ice cream cones, israeli m&ms in plastic holders that kept on opening and spilling onto the floor, and my white chocolate tsistis lolly pops. of course, all the little kids grabbed lollies off of the table. at least there was no dark chocolate mess. the kids at one point, were eating m&ms off of the floor. it was so noisy. they had kids songs blasting on the karaoke machine.
there were about 7 or 8 kids running around the place screaming. they were throwing and kicking soccer balls while they consumed more candies. at one point, my granddaughter the ultimate sugar freak, was found eating out of a bowl of sugar. yes, she kept asking me all evening for some sugar. i have never seen so much candy eaten at one sitting. i pity their parents' dental bills. these kids didn't have any dinner and they were bouncing off the walls. the parents were all involved in conversations and didn't do anything about their kids, either. i sat by myself mostly, and had a meal. i couldn't engage in conversation with the younger crowd. i helped clean up, organized the leftovers and garbage and actually went outside and threw it out by myself.
i came home and put the grandson to bed. he was zonked. he wanted me to tell him stories. just when i thought he was asleep, he'd open an eye and ask for another story. thank goodness, he finally fell asleep. the little girl passed out in the car. tomorrow, i plan on going food shopping for pesach. i may go to a class in the afternoon and try to buy matzah in town. i am truly beat. i'm off to sleepy land. one haicut celebration down!
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