Happy Chanukah

it is 7:30 in the holy city of safed.  tonight is the first night of Chanukah.  I invited the kids to come for a party.  I do this every year and I am disappointed every time.  I rushed home from work about an hour ago.  I finished frying up about 74 3 inch latkes for the guys and left.  I called my son to say I would like to start around 6:00 p.m.  I got up at 7:00 a.m. and started cooking. I made sweet potato latkes, beet latkes, and cottage cheese latkes.  I also made a chestnut soup.  the daughter-in-law likes chestnuts.  I made greek donuts with yogurt.  I cut up veggies and feta cheese to make a greek salad.  I also bought sweet potato mini raviolis.  I am sick.  I have lost my voice and feel horrible.  I am no longer in the mood for a party.

I ran around town buying little surprise gifts for everyone and went food shopping twice.  I'm sure at this point that the latkes are dried out.  I do not understand why 6:00 p.m. becomes 8:00 p.m. I am tired and my throat and head hurt.  why does the daughter-in-law choose to clean her house while I am waiting for them to come over.  they are going away for Shabbat and invited me to join them.  I declined their gracious offer. I need to rest and be quiet.

I invited a few friends to come over on Thursday evening.  it is the ninth anniversary of my mother's passing.  I am still not communicating with my sister in safed.  it is pretty odd.  I have never not spoken to her before a parent's yirtseit.  oh well, it is what it is.

I sent Chanukah email cards to all of my special friends.  my favorite one is a dog singing a Chanukah song.  I am a bit annoyed that the kids aren't here yet.  while I was online they arrived.  my son was disappointed that I didn't make the regular white potato latkes.  my daughter-n-law got a stomach ache from all the fried foods.  she suffers from the pylori bug.  the kids ate very little and wanted to see the prizes.  I did get to quiz them on Chanukah.  the parents were on their cells and not really paying attention. 

I tried playing dreidel with the kids but they started fighting over chocolate coins.  by then I was too sick to deal.  I think this will be my last attempt at a Chanukah party.  my grandson was disappointed with the bey blade toy I bought for him.  I need to watch them tomorrow afternoon.  I need to, also, fry up about 50 turkey schnitzels tomorrow.  I got a great deal of help today from the other cook.  she peeled and processed the 30 potatoes using the funky food processor.  all I had to do was fry those suckers up.  I used three frying pans at once.

 I wonder if I will make it to work tomorrow.  I had to take a cab this afternoon.  I know that I'm sick but the house is freezing.  it was summerlike this morning. I left for work without a coat.  it was rather calm and then suddenly it became Antarctica like.  I am sitting in front of a heater right now.  I do not have the strength to walk the dog tonight.  every man or dog for themselves.  my friend's dog makes in the kitchen all the time.

yesterday I tore the house apart and did a serious cleaning.  I didn't spare the buckets of water.  it took me a few hours.  I even returned the empty beer bottles to the supermarket.  I set up the chanukiahs early in the day.  I did my thing and hopefully that's it.  maybe tomorrow we can get a pizza for the kids.  who knows?