Thursday, March 25, 2021

Reaching The Finish Line

 it is 9:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  i worked for about 12 hours today; washing the kitchen counters and floors and bathroom and running around like a crazed person and washing the floors another two times.  i even covered all of the counters in heavy weight tin foil.  this is the stuff that resembles razor blades.  it is sharp and strong. i managed to knick myself and i saw droplets of blood on the counters.  i made the beds and rewashed all of the floors in the house.  i changed the bedding on my t.v. couch where i sleep with the two dogs.  i put some fresh rosemary in the pillow cases.  we are officially in tick and flea season.  i ran around the house a million times today.  i set up a tea, hot chocolate and coffee area on the counter. 

we are going into shabbat tomorrow and the pesach seder is on saturday night.  the kids are due to arrive soon.  it is absolutely freezing in safed.  we have been having monsoon showers for a few days.  of course, i did the windows.  i ran to the local supermarket yesterday and got caught in a hail storm.  we will be eating shabbat meals downstairs with the entire sephardi clan.  the kids want to do their seder upstairs with me.  i will be cooking tomorow.  i don't think they have eaten upstairs with me in a year.  i am planning on making chicken soup with mock ground turkey matzah balls.  i say 'mock' because i do not use matzah meal on pesach.  i will also make chopped liver, beef in wine and chicken in orange and honey sauce.  if there is leftovers, i will have food for the week. 

i don't use a lot of spices on pesach.  i stick to salt, peppercorns, onions , oranges and lemons to make things taste good.  i usually buy ginger root but i didn't see any at the supermarket.  i hope everyone likes the food.  it's been a long time since they ate in my house.  i usually make them a salad and throw in a can of tuna when they come.  i also make packaged gnocchi. i found a pesach variety that was very expensive.  i usually melt cheese on them but i didn't buy any.  maybe they'd like butter.  i finally found some in my local supermarket with the right kashrut.  i can't wait to have some on my matzah.  i have two types of matzah for them.  i bought the large handmade round ones that are charred and the machine made squares.

i bought potato chips and all sorts of pesach cookies and cakes and brownies and milk chocolate. i even bought drinks.  there was a time that i only served fresh squeezed lemonade or bottled water.  i never allowed coca cola at my seder.  i didn't pull out my toaster oven this year so it will be simple stovetop food and simple potato dishes.  i won't be making a potato kugel.  i bought walnut oil so hopefully the food will have a special taste.  i need to crack the almonds and walnuts tomorrow,  i'm hoping the kids might want to help me.  i am exhausted and want to crawl into my freshly made t.v. couch/ bed.

it has been a long haul but i finally made it to the finish line.  my house is clean and chometz free.  i have the ground turkey, beef, chicken livers and chicken defrosting in the sink.  i don't have an ounce of strength left do another thing now.   i just changed all the clocks an hour later.  we start daylights savings tomorrow.  the shabbat will be longer and the seder will start at around 8:00 p.m.  it is hard for me to eat so late but that is how it will go now.  instead of rushing home at 4:00 p.m. before it gets dark; we will have plenty of time left in the day.  wishing everyone a very happy and kosher pesach!

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