Aftermath 2019

it is 1:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  the kids left hours ago to find some purim activities.  I have been slowly straightening up the house, which got royally trashed yesterday.  I swept up all the caps from the courtyard.  they have these little exploding plastic objects that the kids love to throw onto the ground.  in my day, we called them cracker balls.  I never got thoroughly drunk yesterday because I was too busy serving food and making hot drinks.  I did keep losing sight of my drinks.  I kept pouring one and then getting up to do something.  I had a small airplane bottle of vodka and many sips of sangria.

 I made too much food and this crowd doesn't truly love my food.  I made the mistake of cooking while I fasted.  I made 4 small shepherd's pies and I think they only ate one.  it was way too greasy, too.  no one wanted the wanton soup and except for one Ashkenazi friend and myself, the kreplach remained untouched.  I threw out the whole package.  it didn't help that that the Sephardi grandma made two platters of chicken and two trays of French fries and rice.  I managed with the help of my friend to fry up a kilo of stuffed triangular shaped pastry puffs filled with potatoes.  and then the gas ran out.

next year I will keep it simple and make meatballs, barbecue chicken wings and potato kugels and teriyaki liver.  I put too many onions and mushrooms into the liver and it didn't turn out right.  I think I am too used to cooking for 30 that I forgot how to cook for a smaller crowd.  I cooked up 4 packages of chicken hotdogs and they got devoured by the little kids.  no one left hungry.  later in the evening, my son got hungry.  I was able to heat up some shepherd's pie and chicken in the toaster.  and I heated up some soup with a few kreplach on an electric burner.

the small watermelon that I bought, was very sweet and yummy.  I ate a lot of it.  the little cellophane bags of candies with the plastic soldiers was a hit.  the youngest brother who is entering the army soon, didn't seem very impressed with my efforts.  my quinoa salad didn't get touched.  I will be eating it all week long and then some time. the Sephardi grandma brought a couple of dozen of her homemade pitas and a chocolate cake.  my hamentashen weren't touched.  my grandson ate a bunch of them this morning.  I didn't touch any chocolate or candy but I did eat 4 broken hamentashen.  they were made with coconut oil, spelt flour and organic light brown sugar.  the filling was store bought cherry pie filling.

around six p.m. the men went to find a megilla reading.  that's when the party started.  the women started singing karaoke and then got dancing.  my granddaughter stole the show.  she is a great dancer.  everyone was having a good time.  the men came back and also got dancing.  I think everyone had a great time this year.  the Sephardi grandma, for sure, was happy that the bulk of the mess was at my house.  the Sephardi grandfather couldn't really stay and enjoy the party because he is in mourning this year for his mother.  the kids had a ball.  the weather was summerlike and they were outside shooting cap guns and cracker balls, pretty innocent stuff.  thank goodness they are too young to have fire crackers.

my grandson was inside most of the time on the computer playing games obsessively.  later that night the two little girl cousins were playing with all of the fake toy food.  one small boy cousin was playing quietly by himself with action figures.  there was something for everyone to do.  it was nice having a large crowd over.  I live alone and it is pretty quiet here. I am happy to use the house for parties and simchas.  I am pretty tired and maybe, just a wee hung over.  I smoked a bit of weed yesterday, too.  I only imbibe on purim. 

the kids took down my two large purim containers of wigs, masks, hats, gloves and props.  and my son pulled out many costumes and then decided he didn't want to dress up.  I put back everything in the closet but as we are getting closer to pesach; I wiped down the shelves and threw out many items that I don't want anymore.  and of course, while I was reorganizing the costumes, I threw out coats and jackets that I don't wear anymore.  I only got to do one side of the closet.  I still have the shelves on the other side to reorganize.  and I have quite a few army uniforms to give away.  my son used to be a quartermaster in the army and I still have new uniforms.

I have to face the sink full of dirty dishes now.  I am dreading the walk home form the Sephardi grandparents later tonight.  anyway.....