Almost Purim 2017

it is 11:00 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  I got up at 6:00 a.m. and ran to the kitchen to make a pitcher of sangria.  I bought a cheap bottle of rosé and picked the last of the oranges off the tree.  I didn't have the strength to run to the store to buy some brandy so I poured the last few tablespoons of the tequila bottle.  I added a cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice and some organic brown sugar.  tomorrow night is the annual purim party at the mystic mountain brewery.

this year the skit is "Willy Wonker And The Cholent Factory'.  I like to dress up according to their theme.  last year I was a dead rock star and a bearded transvestite the year before that.  this year I am going as a female umpa lumpa from the original gene wilder movie.  I checked online to find a look.  I couldn't find a green wig in town so I spray painted a short platinum page boy wig.  it didn't take to all of the wig so I have a greenish platinum wig.  I didn't bother buying suspenders.  I made a pair from some wide white elastic I found hanging around.  I covered it with striped ribbon and glued brown buttons on it. I did buy a pair of brown and yellow striped stockings.  I don't own a pair of pants so I am wearing a long white skirt.

I spent a fortune on purim, props, art supplies and bridal decorations for the upcoming bridal celebration dinner.  I have been multi tasking lately.  I am truly grateful to my psychic sister and my biological sister for helping me out financially lately.  it has been wonderful to feel like a person again without fretting about money.  I shopped for Purim food with a free mind.  I bought some meat and chicken fillets but decided to save it for Pesach.  I bought a package of frozen stuffed meat pastilles and a package of potato filled cigarettes.  I also bought a small package of hamentashen.  no baking for me this year!.

I am having the clan over for Purim.  I wasn't planning on cooking this year.  I really wanted to be low key but the kids wanted to come here.  since they moved out they appreciate me more and we all get along better with some distance between us.  I have had the grandkids here a lot lately.  I have let them make Purim decorations and pictures galore.  the kitchen looks quite decorative.  I am in the process of straightening up the house.  i can't explain how dirty and messy it was.  I finally cleared up the living room and washed the floor.  I still had loads of bags left over from the kids' move.

I finally got it all sorted out.  some things were stored here and others thrown out.  I even managed to take some clothes over to the second hand charity store.  I know the house will be thoroughly trashed on Purim so I won't go too crazy.  I cooked a couple of dishes for Purim this morning.  I made a pot of beef meatballs with a  'middle easterny' tomato sauce.  I also made a pot of super, spicy turkey stew with black eyed peas and chickpeas.  I read somewhere that it is a traditional Purim dish.

my daughter-in-law invited me for dinner so I don't need to cook.  I will just make some salmon for lunch.  on Sunday I will broil up some barbecue chicken wings, make a green salad and a cole slaw.  I was going to make a chicken stir-fry but I think I will not have time.  I will probably be hung over from the party and I won't sleep at all.  I have to hear the megilla in the morning and get the table set up.  luckily, I found paper plates that I had bought for my son's birthday.  they were color themed after his favorite soccer team.  the daughter-in-law passed on them.  oh well, their loss, and my gain.

I have soft drinks and my son will provide the wine.  I spent a small fortune at the open air market buying jelly beans and little m&m lookalike candies.  I made 25 little cellophane packets of the 'm&m's' and placed them in a huge wine glass to make a  centerpiece for Purim.   each bag has a Purim sticker.  I will take an additional 25 packets to use as cholent beans at the Willie Wonker party.  we will probably end up on stage and I will throw the beans into the audience.  I made 40 little bridal packets with the white and black jelly beans.  each cellophane bag has a different bridal sticker. I searched high and low for black and for white jelly beans.  I didn't make Purim themed chocolates this year.   I made over 300 for the engagement party.  I have 50 chocolate bride and groom ones in the freezer.  I have my yellow and blue plates, and two types of clown napkins to match.  I bought clown lollies to give to the small children.

I bought canned fruit cocktail for dessert.  I may throw some apple slices into the mix.  the Sephardi grandmother is making pitas, cake, couscous and meat.  I have it easy.  happy Purim and a good Shabbat!!