Succot progress

One full into the seven day Succot Holiday. We ate in our succah on our "merpeset." That's a balcony or terrace. It's on the side of the house from the door between the dining area and kitchen. It decorated it with various posters, mostly about Gush Katif, and I gave a friend some of the calendars I had been saving. She used the gorgeous pictures in her succah.

So far, only a bee or two. Once they learn the address, I'll eat inside and keep the door shut. I have a strange bee allergy. For the first 24 hours, the sting, where I was stung, doesn't look bad at all, but after 24 hours, it really blows up and gets very hot. The last time I was stung, quite a few years ago, I tried taking anti-histamines, but they had no effect. I've never heard of this type of allergic reaction.

A few male bloggers have been complaining about how exhausting this season is. Of course I won't mention their links, because I don't want to embarrass them. Now, how can this holiday compare to the Purim-Pesach holiday season? It's a minimum of a month and a half of real work, exhausting work.

First getting ready for Purim:

• mishloach manot (food gift packages to be given out)
• the festive meal, or meals, 2 in Shiloh and other select locations
• costumes and decorations
• and women also have to hear the megilla at least twice, (4 times in Shiloh and a few other select locations)

then get ready for Pesach

• start doing inventory of food from even before Purim
• clean and organzie the house and closets
• search for chametz (wheat products forbidden on the holiday)
• clean some more
• cook for the holiday
• launder everything before so there won't be any during the week of the holiday

Now, in all seriousness, how does this compare with the present holiday season?