Happy New Year Really

it is 1:00 a.m. in the holy city of zefat. i just finished sponging the floors. the kids went to haifa to pick up gal's sister. she apparently, is very sick and couldn't get on the bus to come for the holidays. i am upstairs listening for sahar. he has been sleeping through the night lately.

i started my new year's preparations at 10:00 a.m. this morning. i didn't stop for a break. i ran downstairs to do some wash. i stripped the couches and beds and did the covers and sheets. it was sunny so i got to hang it all outside. i worked for a staight 15 hours. i hope i'll have some strength to watch sahar tomorrow.

i made most of the symbolic foods today. i still have to depit the pomegranate tomorrow. every year i say that i am going to count the pips to see if there really are 613. i don't think i'll even try this year. i roasted the pumpkin in olive oil and added a pinch of coriander. i also did the same for the leeks but they seemed too dry so i added a bit of water to revive them.

i fried up some onions to add to the tsimmis and added a bit of tumeric as well as the cinnamon. i also gtated a bit of fresh ginger for a bit of a zing. i cooked the carrots, sweet potatoes, raisins and prunes until they were nice and thick. i drizzled a bit of honey for fun.

i braised the beet leafs with fresh garlic, onions and basil. i steamed the long, skinny, string beans with a bit of garlic, too. i cooked the beets and added a lot of lemon. i resisted the old urge to add honey. i cooked the gefilte fish and two fish heads in water with a lot of carrots and onions. half way through, i added some of the pieces with a slice of niles perch to a pot of very spicy tomato sauce. i had frozen the left over sauce from the lasagnas that i had made for sahar's birthday. i added some chili powder and a lot of fresh cilantro. i hope it gets eaten.

i made a small amount of curried brown rice. i added carrots, onions, apples and raisins and finished up an opened can of coconut milk . i also made a paste like substance by adding too much water to the red lentils and onions. it is a really weird consistency but it tastes delicious. i ate a huge bowl of it for lunch. i bet there is a word for this in indian cuisine.

i didn't make a sweet noodle pudding. maybe i'll find the time tomorrow. or maybe i won't. i'm thinking about mashed potatoes. i think i still need something to accompany the meat. i don't know if everyone will eat the tsimmis. for sure, the celiac won't touch it. perhaps, i can just cook up some plain flat noodles, and not turn it into a kugel. i also have a bag of bow ties. who knows? the sky's the limit!

the kids told me this evening, that they were going to spend the second night of rosh hashanna at gal's parents. they will have lunch there too. they are planning on returning for shabbat. as i mentioned in yesterday's blog, i had already cooked 3out of the 4 yom tov meals. oh well! i guess i'll have it easy for the next holiday, as long as the freezer holds out.

a little while later, the kids told me that they were planning on making a barbecue with another couple for the yom tov lunch. perfect! i will stay late in shul and enjoy the davening. i was planning on leaving early so that the kids wouldn't be left waiting for me. the chabad minyan starts really late. i'll either have some of my leftovers when i get back or enjoy some of their barbecued meat. we'll see. i'll defrost some chicken wings, buy some corn tomorrow, and make them a huge green salad. and that's it.

i don't know if any of my friends are planning to be here for lunch or second night dinner. if i knew the kids weren't going to be here i would have invited guests for the second night, instead.

i am just going with the flow and staying calm. whatever is meant to be, will be.

have a really wonderful new year!