a hodge podge of things

Let's see if I succeed this year. In recent years with the help of the internet, email reminders, I've counted all 49 of the Omer. There's another reminder service from the OU. So far the other ones I signed up for didn't show in my inbox. They may be on NY time, which doesn't help. The OU one has two time options, and the early one is perfect for Israel.

Now for something more pedestrian, and what's more pedestrian than shoes? I wear mine flat, flat and comfortable. I like the feel of "padded barefeet," with the padding securely strapped. I like flexible, so most "sports shoes" are too bulky and stiff for me. So this article about shoes that could make me almost as tall as my sons is not sending me to the shoe store. I can't wear normal 2" heels, but to think that there are women endangering their health and all those bones in their feet to wear heel-platform shoes that put them 7" higher than G-d made them... The writer even admits that they're a terrible strain to walk in, and one needs a "back-up" pair available, when there's a need to walk more than a few feet. So why do it?

When we were in New York for his neice's wedding, we spent Shabbat in New Rochelle, the Young Israel of Scarsdale, and my husband couldn't get over how many women were carrying shoes. In the synagogue they wore "nice shoes," but since most of them had to walk a distance, they walked in sneakers. Yes, men don't have that problem. Does it make me a feminist to wear flat shoes all the time? I'm not willing to suffer just to be in fashion.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, we had a wonderful Passover seder. My husband and the kids did a great job taking turns, and nobody complained that my cooking was bad.