Almost Pesach 2017

it is 5:00 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  candle lighting for Shabbat is in a little while.  the kids are away for Shabbat.  another family wedding took them out of town last night.  my daughter-in-law's sister gets married on the 27th.  I am feeling the pressure of making the sheva brachot already.  I have been watching the kids a lot lately, as family members go searching for outfits.

I have two possibilities, myself.  the dress I wore for my son's wedding eight years ago, and another black skirt and top.  I can fit into both but my stomach is enormous.  I have been food binging the last couple of days.  I have been working on pesach cleaning , costumes for the play and taking care of the kids.  I still haven't put away the Purim stuff.  I ate a half kilo of m&ms.  I was supposed to serve them at the after the wedding meal.  oh well......

purim came and went pretty fast.  there was such a build up before hand.  I had a terrific headache the night of the adult purim party and could not enjoy myself.  in fact, I had the headache all Shabbat.  the weather here changed to cold and rainy again.  my head was throbbing for days.  I drank sangria for relief but it didn't really do any good.

I spent a lot of time on my oompa lumpa costume and it felt like it was all in vain.  I even sprayed a small wig green but I didn't have any satisfaction from the look.  I rushed to town after the megillah reading and the grandkids were up here at the synagogue for a family party.  they were bummed out that I wasn't there and I also was bummed out at my old city party.  li felt all alone.  everyone was families and couples.

the meal and house party was great.  everyone was in a great mood.  the music was blasting so you couldn't have a conversation.  everyone was dancing,  everyone kept going into my costume room and reappearing as something else.  there was tons of spray paint and everyone, except myself, ended up with green hair.  the Sephardi grandpa sprayed his beard green, too.  there was tons of food and sweets.  Johnny walker black and jack daniels made the rounds.  I stuck to my cheap vodka and fresh squeezed orange juice.

I brought a friend from synagogue back to the house.  it was nice having another English speaker around.  we stopped at a neighbor to give a food package and I had a cup of pomegranate wine.  it quieted my headache a tad.  the kids got this enormous package of sweets.  this year I didn't make chocolates.  I bought a small box of hamentashen form the supermarket, too.

I polished my silver spoon collection, assorted chanukiahs and other judaica.  I will try to do both my silver and brass candlesticks on Saturday night.  I cleaned out all of my kitchen closets and drawers and did the freezer and fridge.  I even bought chicken and beef for pesach.  I also bought chopped turkey and chicken fillets for the after wedding meal.  I plan on making meatballs and a stir fry.  instead of kugels I am going to make a bulgur pilaf.   I would like to do the meatballs next week and freeze them.

my daughter-in-law will have to do the salads and desserts.  I am clean out of ideas and money.  I bought the paper goods and drinks and plastic cutlery.  I made a couple of bridal centerpieces and 50 chocolate bride and grooms and 40 sackets of white and black jelly beans.  I would love to get the room set up in advance.  it all comes down to the kids' schedules.  aas for me, I am trying do get as much pesach cleaning out of the way when I am alone.

I have some leftover turkey black-eyed pea stew and fish fillets for dinner.  I already ate a ton today.  I am planning on going on a cabbage soup routine all next week.  I hope I can shed a few pounds before the wedding.  famous last words.