Just Another Friday Afternoon

it is 3:15 in the holy city of safed.  candle lighting is in another hour.  last night I showcased a suitcase of props and costumes at the play's rehearsal.  luckily, it was in the neighborhood and my friend's husband brought my suitcase back to their home for me in his golf cart. it was a bit heavy for me. I have been hitting clothes shops and art crafts' stores for weeks.  I had a bit of a miff with one of the young actresses but in the end she vowed to wear whatever I chose for her.  it was not very pleasant.  I usually fit one actor privately at a time.  when they are all together they become a hostile mob.  the miserable weather did not allow me to run around that much.  in fact, they predicted a snow storm for Wednesday night and all we got were intense thunder and hail storms.

I stayed home from work yesterday because I was worn out. I have been going to work for weeks in the pouring rain.  I made a festive feast for them on Wednesday.  I gave them their regular lunch and made barley veggie soup,  vegan corn bread, quinoa with craisins, tomato salad and chumus.  for supper, the feast, I served: rice, carrot, sweet potato and pineapple tsimmes, mini Italian beef meatballs, sweet noodle kugel with craisins and pineapples, teriyaki string beans, cole slaw with craisins and mayo, and a white cake with genache and a vegan chocolate cake with genache.  the genache was not great,  I had some pretty cheap baking chocolate to melt.  oh well...  I'm sure the guys loved it.

I also made lunch for Thursday in case I got snowed in.  I made tuna loaf, green lentils and teriyaki spaghetti.  the entire menu took me nearly 8 hours to prepare, cook, bake and clean up.  I could hardly use my right hand afterwards and my hip was acting up.  I felt dizzy, too.  I haven't been drinking lately.  and getting into the men's bathroom at the yeshiva is not an easy task.  on Thursday at noon time, I took a hot shower and got dressed and ran out to the bus stop. it was so sunny.  I was thrilled that it wasn't still storming.  Wednesday night had been pretty extreme.  most of us lost the cable and computer access.  I went to sleep at 10:00 p.m.  I didn't feel like going online and I had had enough of the day and the hail storms.  on Thursday it was quite freezing. I felt quite exhausted and with less than three minutes until the bus pulled up, I made the decision to go back home. I felt guilty but I couldn't push myself anymore.  I stayed home and played around with the costumes. 

I made a non gluten and vegan corn bread for my actress friend who has crohns and a container of chumus without tahini. I made my newest non gluten treat of fudgy brownies.  you take a small avocado, a medium banana,1/2 cup of coconut flour (I used peanut flour) 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2cup of maple syrup (I used only 1/4) 3 eggs, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/2cup of Dutch coca powder.  you mix it all together and grease an 8x8 inch pan.  you bake it for 25 minutes on 350 degrees.  the recipe calls for topping the brownies with chocolate chips but I don't. this time I topped it with natural pecans.  yummy!

I thought that I would continue to finish up some costumes today but instead, I made shabbat food.  I really didn't want to go to the supermarket this morning.  I was going to make turkey neck soup but I didn't have celery. I ended up making barbecued chicken wings, instead.  I also made a cauliflower mash because I overcooked the cauliflower.  who likes soggy cauliflower?  I made a very thick split pea soup with carrots and an onion.  I used a whole bag of peas.  I froze most of it in case my friend with crohns can eat it. I bought precooked beets before the storm and a red cabbage salad.  I managed to catch up on some laundry this morning.  it's cold outside but still very sunny.   I made the "just two ingredients' banana and egg silver dollar pancakes.  this time I added about 1/2 cup of quick oats and some cinnamon.  I used one medium banana and two large eggs.  voila! I had 15 small pancakes.

last week I made oat and blueberry muffins.  they were too good.  I ate all 11 by myself.  I need to lose some serious weight.  I spent the morning watching the show about 600 pound people who undergo weight loss surgery.  it is pretty alarming.  I see how I could get there.  heaven forbid!  I still have to finish my 'bridal' dress for the show and the two robot costumes.  it is taking forever.  I still need to sew some tulle to the white dress that I am using.  I needed a fireman's outfit and found a navy blue rain slicker with pants for $20 and added yellow duck tape everywhere.  it works.  I am finished for today. I wish you all a good Shabbat!