It Could Only Have Been Designed By A Man

Is this the shape of things to come?

These are the "conveniences" in Jerusalem's trendy Mamilla Mall. When we ate there last week, I was horrified to see these things. Too bad I didn't know that the restaurant we ate at had more "comfortable ones."

The "Rimon" Times Two

Jerusalem's Rimon is a veteran restaurant that has changed over the years. I remember eating there thirty-five years ago, at its just inside of Zion Square location. Way back when, it served meat. Now it has two kitchens, one meat and one dairy, and is considered of a high kosher standard.

A few years ago, it served very inexpensive "business lunches" and seemed very desperate to get a loyal clientele. I think they've succeeded. Now there's even a branch of the dairy restaurant in the new Mamilla Mall. Last week I ate at both.

Early in the week, a friend and I met for an early lunch, OK brunch, even though is sounds like we started the day late. The truth is that it was an early lunch, since we started the day early. I ordered their Israeli Breakfast, which is a great deal, eggs, cheeses, salad, coffee, juice and a croissant. I was given lox, instead of the tuna. No complaints here.

My friend had their grilled/heated cheese sandwich, which the Israelis call "Toast." It came with a nice salad. We were both very satisfied with our meals.

Then later in the week, my husband and I went to the Mamilla branch with another couple for dinner.


I had the "healthy" Country Quiche. It came will a hardboiled egg and salad. It was fine. Nothing spectacular. You can see lasagna in the background. It also came with salad. The men ordered different things; one the broccoli quiche and the other, soup and fish.

Nobody had any complaints, and we didn't leave the table hungry. Service was pleasant. I prefer good reliable restaurants like the Rimon to some of the fancier places, which charge more for less.

From "War Zone" to Here

This is not a "war zone;" it's a construction zone. Olmert's parting gift to Jerusalem is the lightrail, which has had a heavy impact on the lives of ordinary Jerusalemites and anyone visiting.

Thank G-d I walk in Jerusalem, at least from town to the bus station. It's a lot quicker than taking a bus. Here's the view from Machane Yehuda market.

Well, back to "war zones," take a look at Benji Lovitt's Havel Havelim! It's not your father's edition!

And next week, I'll be the hostess with the mostest of Havel Havelim. I can do it, because Leora is hosting the next Kosher Cooking Carnival. To submit posts to HH, click here, and for KCC, here. Thanks!

What's SPAM?

I have a few email lists I use to send articles and notices to various people. They've grown in all sorts of ways, when people ask to be added or email me replying to articles I've written. No, I've never copied other people's "to" and "cc" lists. I always try to use "bcc" only.

On occasion, people ask to be removed from the lists, and I do that.

Now, Israel has instituted a law which takes affect on December 1, of this year that fines people for sending SPAM. As I understand it, SPAM is really the commercial stuff, but the law doesn't distinguish. I don't send out commercial mailings. I don't have a business nor work for one.

So, I'm going to have to send mailings to all of my lists reminding people that they are welcome to unsubscribe.

Since I use yahoo for most of my emails, it's going to take hours, since I'm seriously restricted as to how many recipients per hour. That's to keep the big SPAMMers from using yahoo. I hope people don't harass those with different politics. And I guess that every mailing in the future must have a heading reminding people that they can unsubscribe.

I have work to do.

Well-Dressed Women in Doha, Qatar

I'm not enough a celebrity maven to know who's who in the picture. The women are rather covered up, and it seems pretty obvious that some of these faces, probably all, have been under the care of plastic surgeons.

I think that's supposed to be Robert De Niro. He doesn't look like the guy who costarred in Men of Honor. The picture was taken at the Grand Opening of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Apparently, Israelis who have other passports are welcome, since James Snyder of the Israel Museum was there, too.

Why are women so agreeable about covering up when it's at the request of Muslims, but they can get really nasty at Jewish Holy Places? Could they fear terrorism?

Hard To Make Plans

I have to get organized to go down to the Tel Shiloh this morning for women's Rosh Chodesh (beginning of Jewish month of Kislev) prayers. I have my list of "singles" to pray for and the usual Refuah Shleimah, complete recovery, but now there are serious worries about the young Chabad couple in Mumbai.

The public is being asked to pray for Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma and Rivka bas Yehudis, Aryeh Leibish ben Elta Nechama Maltshi and Ben Tzion ben Elka, as well as "anyone else affected by the tragedy."

Also, yesterday, I heard that Pnina bat Sofia Slata isn't doing well and also needs prayers. And Chana bat Nechama Ester is splitting her days between radiation and sitting shiva.

And even though we're now in the winter month of Kislev, the earth is dry and parched. G-d is punishing us by withholding the rain. We must repent.

No Real News

I just spent a lot of time trying to make sense out the news in Mumbai. Mixed Reports From Mumbai

A friend from my teens, NCSY, is the Chabad Rebbitzen of the Crimea. This morning I got reports from her before they were on the news. I haven't heard from her since then.

These Chabad "shlichim" are amazing. It must be so difficult to live a Torah life far from Torah centers. Add to that the physical dangers.

It makes our problems seem so minor.

May there be a refuah shleimah to Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma and Rivkah bas Yehudis and all of the others in need of our prayers.

A special Refuah Shleimah to

Pnina bat Sofia Zlata

AMEN

WE ARE TRYING TO GET 43 WOMEN TO BAKE CHALLAH

Probably everyone has heard about the terrorist situation in Mumbai, and in particular at the Chabad House there. WE ARE TRYING TO GET 43 WOMEN TO BAKE CHALLAH AND WHEN MAKING THE BROCHO TOPRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF:
Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma
Rivkah bas Yehudis
Moshe Tzvi Ben Rivkah

THE SHLUCHIM IN MUMBAI

and the other Jews there.

Please can any women who are baking challah and will do this contact me immediately at chossid@gmail.com

Thanks so much!

May we hear only besuros toivos! Moshiach NOW!!! A guten Shabbos! Leah-- Chabad of Crimea and Bais Menachem Jewish School appreciate your help. Please see our website http://www.chabadcrimea.org/ Secure tax deductible donations can be made online.Or send checks to:American Friends of Chabad of Crimea1601 Union StreetBrooklyn, NY 11213 Thank you very much for your kind support!-- Chabad of Crimea and Bais Menachem Jewish School appreciate your help. Please see our website http://www.chabadcrimea.org/ Secure tax deductible donations can be made online.

Or send checks to:American Friends of Chabad of Crimea1601 Union StreetBrooklyn, NY 11213 Thank you very much for your kind support!

Pumpkin and Squash Recipes

Sorry, I can't take a picture right now, but the Israeli pumpkin, dla'at, is enormous. Its flesh can be 2-3" thick. You buy cut peices of various sizes, and yes, the green grocer needs a very long sharp knife for the cutting. I've never seen canned pumpkin here. They may have it in stores which cater to the "American crowd," especially Thanksgiving time. That makes following American recipes rather problematic.

Generally I just bake chunks of pumpkin, after removing the hard "shell," along with other vegetables. Baking vegetables is amazingly easy.

Simply put, just cut and place all the vegetables in the babking dish, bake and eat. There really is nothing easier. It can be very impressive, too, especially if you have a nice baking dish. If you want to serve something healthy, tasty and easy to make, try to just bake the vegetables.

But for those who want more complicated recipes, I'll give you two links I saw on the OU Shabbat Bulletin. Try Stuff Those Squashes or/and Pumpkins: For Freckles and Snakebites, or Pies and Soups.

Grandkids and Vanilla Extract

Strange juxtaposition of topics, but I just have time for one post, and there are two pictures. Here are toys the kids left out. I ought to put the table back out on the merpeset (terrace.) It's already Wednesday. I babysat on Monday and I have to babysit again today. But the house still has signs of the Shabbat visit.



Ahh, vanilla. As you know, I've been mulling over the vanilla problem. My vanilla coffee is almost finished, and I haven't found anything here I want to use. The commercial vanilla extract is mostly brown food coloring. So people suggested that I make my own vanilla extract.

So, on Sunday, I bought some vanilla beans. I was surprised to discover that the "beans" don't look like "beans." But they do have the right smell. Then, yesterday morning I bought the vodka in our local grocery store. You couldn't imagine the amount of people who stopped me in the street as I walked home asking why I had vodka with me. I guess I'm not known as the drinking type.

A bit later, just before I went to Jerusalem, I split the beans and put them in the vodka bottle. Instructions are to leave them for at least a couple of weeks. I guess that by Chanuka, there should be some flavor. But I only bought two beans, so it may take much longer. Two was all they had in the store.

Now to go on with my day.

Maybe the Wrong Shoes?

Or I didn't drink enough. I did have a large hat on. Or could it just have been the sugary-fatty junkfood I ate at the "wake." But by the time I made it home from Jerusalem, after attending the 35th Azkarah, memorial, for friends killed in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, I was a wreck.

Since I had made great time traveling in to Jerusalem, I decided to walk from the bus station to the cemetery. I even had a partner, a neighbor who needed to be at almost the same place and time. I guess I held her back. The shoes I wore are great for dancing but not for walking.

Luckily, one of my neighbors on the bus home had his car waiting for us to take us up the hill, because I was chilled to the bone when I stepped out of the bus.

Once home I mixed some techina, just added juice from half a lemon, cut up a garlic and a bit of water and sliced a cucumber. Yes, that was dinner. I took a vitamin C and two Acamols with lots of water. Baruch Hashem, I feel better this morning.

I did the meme on Shiloh Musings

I've gotten another tag, but I did it this morning. Please don't tag me again. Thanks

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A Way of Learning About Jbloggers

We jbloggers (Jewish bloggers) are a varied crew. At some point, someone came up with a method of "interviewing" other bloggers. It's a bit sneaky and called memes. Instead of just asking questions, we're ambushed by being "tagged."

My participation in this is usually from me-ander, but Hadassa--In the Pink, tagged this persona. I shouldn't be surprised, because very few me-ander visitors are regulars; most are via google.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people (if possible) at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

And here are my seven facts:

1. In the second grade, I wrote my first composition, in which I stated that "...I want to be an entertainer, because I am talented." Yes, it's amazing what one remembers.
2. My first memory was from when I was just over two and went to my uncle's wedding. I was sat at the "children's table" but couldn't reach the food. My Cousin Butchie helped me. The rest of the cousins, all bigger were too busy having fun.
3. When I was little, we called my grandmother "bubby." Then I stated that she should be "grandma," and everyone accepted it. When my first child was born, her first great-grandchild, I stated that she should be called "bubby."
4. My favorite color in high school was bright orange, and I had at least three orange dresses.
5. The biggest mistake I made since aliyah was not perfecting my written Hebrew. I find reading it torture. Many friends and neighbors beg me to write in Hebrew, since their English isn't up to reading my articles. I know that it would be so important to have a wider influence in Israel.
6. I've always loved art, but since I could never draw well, I wasn't considered talented. Thank G-d for photography.
7. Living in Shiloh is the longest I (and my husband) have ever lived in any place in the world. We've been here since 1981.

I tag:

• my husband
• Raizy
• Isramom
• Soccer Dad
• Frum Satire
• Beneath the Wings
• A Soldier's Mother

A Better Year in Israel Program

It really bothers me when I find these kids in Israel for a year who could be in New Jersey for all the Hebrew they learn and Israelis they meet. Granted, that some of it is a problem with their prior Jewish Education, which treats Hebrew as if it's Latin or some other dead language.

After three years of high school Spanish, I was fluent, but your typical graduate of the American Jewish Educational System of an average of fourteen years of study knows less Hebrew than I knew Spanish.

Last Shabbat the Yeshivat Shvilei Hatorah, Jerusalem, came to Shiloh, and my neighbors and I were impressed. Many of the students were perfectly comfortable in Hebrew. Hebrew is a required subject in their program, as is Tanach, Bible.

So, if you know of a guy looking for a place in Israel to study, and not Monsey in Beit Shemesh, try out this place.

The Secret To Accademic Success

During my teaching days I became more and more miserably frustrated trying to teach. The problem was very simple. Today's average student, at leas the ones in my old school, had no study skills.

They acted like all they needed to do was to touch a page with the information and the knowledge would beam into their brains. They had never been taught to sit and work and do homework and listen etc.

I'm sure that many had been raised on their fathers' stories:
"I never went to class, just crammed before the bagrut. And I did fine."

I have no doubt that their fathers exaggerated, but at least their fathers had a basic foundation in studying. They had been trained when young to sit, listen, copy from the board, write sentences etc. Today's kids play. Elementary school classrooms are full of stimuli, distractions. Kids are walking around, talking, or sitting in groups ignoring the teacher. They "learn from" workbooks and circle the correct answer.

By the time I got them in high school, they were culturally learning disabled.

I know that the chareidi educational system hasn't adopted the new methods. So I'm not surprised to hear that its graduates succeed beyond all predictions when they have to learn totally new material to pass pre-university exams.

So Much Easier With Today's Cell Phones or...

How did we manage in the pre-cellphone days?

Today, after spending the morning with a friend in Jerusalem and then going to Ofra to babysit for the grandkids and babysitting, it was finally time to go home. On the way to the road, yes I do wait at the corner of the exit from Ofra, I noticed my neighbor's car. He sometimes works in Ofra. Luckily, I have his number in my phone's memory, so I gave him a call.

"Are you in Ofra?"
"Yes, why?"
"I just passed your car. When I are driving home?"
"In a few minutes. Yes, I'll take you home."
"Thanks, I'll wait."

And that's how I got home, Baruch Hashem!

Jerusalem's Kosher Symbols

Hat tip Saralaya

This site may help some of you understand the various logos or symbols used to indicate kashrut.

Of course, the reliability really depends on the owner and workers in each food establishment. Remember that very few places have full-time supervision.

I'm always amazed at the people who doubt the reliability of other people's homes, but they buy commercially prepared food.

Vanilla Beans?

I went vanilla bean shopping for "Flavoured Coffee--A Different Direction" yesterday before that early dinner with my sons. The guy showed me these long skinny things.

"They sure don't look like beans," was all I could say.

I began to feel the way I did the first time I baked challah. Imagine, I had never seen yeast dough and how it becomes yeast dough until I mixed that smelly grey stuff (yeast) with warm water and sugar and then, when it got all bubbly, with flour.

Next step is buying some vodka. I'm planning on buying cheap vodka, even thought the spice guy tried to tell me that I should buy the good stuff. For the big spoonful here and there I'll be using, why should I invest?

Contrary to the other advice I've gotten, he said that it just takes a few days. I'm supposed to split the "bean" and put the inside in the vodka and the "case" in some sugar. I'm sure that the sugar won't last all that long, so I'll be having spiked coffee b'taam vannil. What a way to start the day...

Must get some vodka.

Dinner With Jerusalem's Most Handsome Bachelors

I've been sworn to secrecy and can't show you their pictures. You'll just have to trust me. They did the cooking. I just helped a little with the shopping, bought mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and some red onions.


They really did all the cooking, two types of vegetables, cole slaw and steak.


Yes, I'm a very proud mother.

Big Day For JBloggers!

Not only do we have the Kosher Cooking Carnival, but Havel Havelim is posted, too! It was certainly worth waking up early!!

Those of you whose weeks begin with "Sunday" are really lucky, lots of time to check out all the great posts. And if your week begins with יום ראשון Yom Rishon, the first day of the week, please make time, so you don't miss anything.

Shavua Tov and Have a Great Week!

Great Way To Start The Week!!

Yes! The Kosher Cooking Carnival is at Baila's!

She did a totally yummy job, just perfect!! Thank you so much. Next month, Leora hosts, so remember to send in any kosher food posts you write or see.

KCC is more than just a recipe carnival. It includes Halacha (Jewish Law,) cookbook and restaurant reviews, traditions etc.

January will be at Ilana-Davita's. If you're interested in hosting February and beyond, please let me know at shilohmuse at yahoo dot com. You can also use that address to send in posts if blog carnival is down, something which has happened on occasion.

Thank you Baila!

Shavua Tov

Have a wonderful week!

"Some Like It Hot"

Yes, that's the movie scheduled for tonight. I'm one of a group which gets together every week to see movies. Last week we saw "Men of Honor," and the week before we saw "The Sting."

Those DVD's are great.

Flavoured Coffee--A Different Direction

This week I posted a question to an Israeli food email group. My stock of cheap "French Vanilla" coffee is almost gone. I use it with the Israeli "Aladdin," Turkish coffee for a rather international morning pick-me-up, adding milk and sugar. Well, it's almost finished, and just plain coffee's a bore. I tried adding vanilla extract to the water in the coffeemaker, but the results are blah. The extract isn't vanillay enough.

Someone replied an recommended a food/recipe site which tackles it from yet another direction. Flavor the sugar. So, to do that I need real vanilla beans. Then I cut one in half, lengthwise, and put it in a jar with 2 cups of sugar, wait a couple of weeks, and the sugar will be flavored with vanilla.

So, that means that I have to find vanilla beans... But first, does it really give me a vanilla-flavored drink?

Getting Ready for Shabbat

My married daughter and family are coming. I've been cooking and cleaning besides the usual goofing off and free cell. I got my husband to hang up the baby bathtub, since the "baby" is too big for it. When grandkid #1 was born we got the tub and somebody, probably the son-in-law, put up a "hook" high on the bathroom wall for the tub. Before the "baby" was born, a neighbor borrowed the tub and it cracked. Now we have a new one. It wasn't used all that much, and now it's decorating the wall.

I also went through all the clothes I've been buying for the kids. It's all bagged to give them tomorrow.I generally buy when I see something I think they need. Now, I don't think they need anything. A few things are put away for spring.

As soon as the meatloaf is cool enough for the fridge, that's where it will go, and I'll go to bed.

To Fly or Not To Fly?

No, this isn't a debate between the best way of going from New York to Miami, Chicago, Boston or LA.

It reminds me of the "new immigrant rights," which probably still are given to olim chadashim. You don't pay taxes on certain consumer items. In our day, many immigrants bought new cars, which they could barely afford to maintain, because they got a hefty discount. Even today, you can take lots of cabs for what it costs to own a car.

Back in New York, my mother complains of stores which send out periodic gift certificates for less than any item on sale in the store. So, the only way of using it, is to spend money.






Yes, I'm talking about those El Al frequent flyer points. There's no way I'll have enough points for a free flight, so in order to use the points, I have to spend a lot of money. And in a couple of months, I'll be losing points. They "evaporate," get deleted.

Thai Waffles

I was a bit nervous when I sent my waffle recipes to Carnival of the Recipes, because it was hosted by Thai Cooking - The Taste of Thailand and it was advertised that the recipes would be "Thai-ish." I was afraid that the host wouldn't be interested in waffles. A few years ago, a recipe I had sent was rejected by a host who hammed a ham theme. That's a way of keeping the Jews out; not a single recipe was kosher.

But good news, the waffles are in this week's carnival, as also are, lots of great recipes.

And to celebrate, watch the waffles appear!

Aching

My legs are already killing me from the steps at Nebi Samuel. Most of the explanation was on the roof. The view was stupendous, but...



... the steps were horrendous.

I wasn't the eldest, nor the most "physically challenged" in the Matan tour. So, it wouldn't have looked good for me to refuse to go up. Also, unitl I started walking climbing, I hadn't a clue as to how bad it would be, nor how many steps. Of course, it didn't help that I had a notebook, pen and papers in one hand.

The steps were too small for my feet, but I managed to get up. By the time I realized how many steps there would be, too many people were behind me to back down. Yes, the view was amazing.



Going down was a challenge. I have a phobia about going down steep whatevers. I did it sideways and holding onto both walls, since I was terrified that I'd tumble down and didn't want my toes to be over the edge of the steps. As I struggled down I kept apologizing to all behind me for holding them up.

When we finally made it down, somebody thanked me for slowing the pace.

If my legs are already aching, what will I feel like tomorrow?

And Today, An Earlier Start and More Walking

Today I got up very early, after about four hours of sleep with the help of two Acomols, the Israeli OTC mild "pain killer." My shoulder was still hurting.

Actually, I got up early to go on a tour. I'm taking the Tanach, Bible Touring Course at Matan. They said that we had better be there by 8:30, "or we leave without you." So I took the 6am bus. That's the pre-rush hour bus. Last night I packed some fruit, sandwiches and water.

This morning I didn't drink my good coffee, since I couldn't allocate enough time to finish "emptying." I got down a bit before the bus, but that was fine, since the view was grand.





I got off the bus at Ramat Eshkol, caught another and was at the Jerusalem Municipality before 7, lucky enough to be the first to use the WC. It opens at 7. Then I put on my backpack and began marching.




King David Street was gorgeous.








And then I was up Emek Refaim and on the old train tracks.




Then I found Matan and ate my sandwiches there. yes, I was the first to arrive after the longest trip of all. And most amazing, my shoulder pain seems to have gotten lost on the tour.

I'll post about the tour on Shiloh Musings.

Yesterday I Walked

... and walked.

You'd need a street map of Jerusalem, if you're not familiar with the city.

I had a ride to the Shmuel Hanavi junction, where I looked for clothes for the grandkids, but didn't buy. Still looking I walked down Rechov Bar Ilan, then turned left and made another few turns until I was in Geula, looked and bought a couple of things. Made my way to downtown, walked all around there. And then I walked up Rechov Betzalel to the Shalom Felafel. Took a seat and had one.

Then I walked to Machane Yehuda and bought some squash. Then I walked to the bus station. Buses were lined up going to town, looking like a train, not moving much.

And finally, I took the bus to Ofra and babysat for the grandkids. Of course, I walked a bit there, too.

Time For Joy

We missed two weddings yesterday. The "car fare" as too expensive and the trip was too long, and there was no way we could go to just one without the other. They were both in the states, both on the eastern seaboard, but that doesn't mean that we could have "danced at both weddings."

Mazal tov to the families. Sorry we couldn't make it, but last week were were at a wedding, and here are more of the movies I took.

Ouch!

My shoulder's killing me, woke up in the middle of the night from the pain. It's probably a combination of too much computer time and too many laundry hangings. And I don't get to the pool any more. I get so tired when I go, and then I need energy to take care of the grandkids. Yes, babysitting days are the same days as pool days.

I could have gone today, but it's terribly crowded on Mondays since they have the exercise teacher. Wed. is better. OK, we'll see.

Wind, Can Winter Be On It's Way?

In Israel it rains only in the winter. Winds herald the changes in seasons.

We have been suffering a terrible drought in recent years. There are various reasons. One is that too much water is being used/wasted. Another is that Israeli Governments have allowed Arab countries to "reroute" water which should be here. And the most important reason is that the quantity of rain is in direct proportion to how the Jewish People keep G-d's Commandments.

Watch the wind blow...

HH at Westbank Mama

Westbank Mama does a great job with this week's Havel Havelim.

There's an amazing variety of posts from all over the jblogging world. So, pull up your chair, and treat yourself to the latest and best.

Picture The Waffles!

My waffle recipe is here. I didn't have instructions, so I had to just play along and guess what to do.

There's no on/off button either. When plugged in this Krup machine lights up with one of its two buttons. I spooned in batter.

Apparently, I made two mistakes. First the machine was too cold; there's a second light which indicates that it's hot enough. And second, I spooned in too much batter. The result was a disgusting mess, which I, rather wisely I admit, decided to throw in the garbage.

Eventually, I got it right, and the waffles weren't bad.

At least neither my husband, nor the "baby" complained all that much. At least the faux maple syrup was sweet enough to mask the healthy, whole wheat and brown sugar taste.

Captured!

Or should this be titled "Shot!"?

My friend and I were together in a restaurant, catching up on things, when I was distracted. At first I wasn't quite sure what was approaching. I aimed, fired,

and then pulled the "close-up trigger" and "shot" again.

When I shot the third time, my prey smiled into my camera.

My friend got into the swing of things and told me to look out her window to take a picture of them.

Watch out for crazy shooter, armed with a digital camera.

Waffles! Finally

Some of you may remember that my husband won the waffle iron door prize at the JBlogger convention. I told him that it was his. That was months ago, and the gadget has been hiding in the closet all this time.

Today, since my baby is here and his birthday is soon and he has miluim, (army reserves) next week, I decided to debut it. Pictures will be posted another time. I searched the internet for waffle recipes, simple, basic, easy-to-prepare waffle recipes. I don't beat egg whites!

After a while I noticed a basic formula:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar, so sue me I used half a cup
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 eggs, I used 3, since the ones I buy are small
• 1/2 cup oil
• baking powder

Now, I used wholewheat flour, because that's what we have. I also used brown, dark brown, sugar, because it's tastier with the dark flour.

Actually, this is identical to pancakes. So, just think of waffles as textured pancakes. It's all in the "presentation," or "packaging."

Like for a cake, first I mixed the dry ingredients and then added the liquids. I mixed everything but not "too much."

The waffle iron seemed to have lost its instructions, and I tried searching on the internet. I could find the machine, but all it said was:

"Do you want to be the first to report about this waffle maker?"

So, I'm reporting. It's a Krup 2-waffle, and I couldn't figure out how to get the cooking parts out, without breaking the machine. During my internet search I did come up with something similar, where the site had a question:

"How do you clean the wafflemaker if you can't take it apart and can't submerge it in water?"

Good question!

I wiped it all with a damp paper towel, plugged it in, and it began to heat up. No, there isn't an on/off switch. Of course, what can I expect when we got it for nothing?

The first batch is better left where I left it, in the garbage. But after that it got better, though my husband kept asking why it wasn't crispy. Silicon cooking utensils don't get the food as crispy as old-fashioned stainless steel.

We ate them with maple-flavored sugar syrup. So, if you'd like to come for jblogger waffles, please bring some real maple syrup or other/better stuff for the waffles.

Wondering... Is it Worth...

When I think of the hits/visitors/friends/fans/readers etc who make it to this blog, I wonder if I should continue my blogging as I've been doing? Or should I blog it all on Shiloh Musings? It's not that I'd delete this one. 98% of the hits are from google for things like my super simple plain cake and too easy chocolate icing.

If I do that, I'd update the template, with the new stuff blogger has, or maybe I should go to another blog host lilke wordpress if it's also free. That has options like multiple type personalities on the same blog.

Please give me your opinion. I just think it's time for update or change.

Thanks

ps the spellcheck is still insisting that everything's fine when it's not.

At A Wedding and...

Last night we were at a gorgeous wedding. I'll be posting more from it, bli neder.

I did a stupid miscalculation in terms of transfering and burning files/pictures from my camera. Now I know that the movies use up tons of memory. I figured that I didn't have all that much on the camera, since the memory card wasn't full at all. So I went to the wedding, took lots more pictures and even more movies/videos and then got all fouled up trying to burn them onto disks. It seems like one of my disks came out empty, even though I can't imagine why. I'll have to check them all now. There is one working, and you'll see a couple of pictures here.

At least I still have the entire file on the other computer, where I'm youtubing one of the wedding videos. When I finish will all the burning, I can transfer all the files to the extra memory thing I got in the states. I must get another of those.

It's Friday morning and there's just too much left to do before Shabbat. So, you'll just have to be patient.

And sorry if there are typos, the spellcheck insisted that everything's hunky dory, even though I know there are words here that blogger doesn't like, but I'm not arguing right now. So, please forgive.

Beating The Rain

Baruch Hashem, there has been some rain, though this morning was bright and clear. One never knows how long the sky will stay like that. There wasn't a new batch of laundry, but I had to finally pay that shiva call*. I was going to cook for Shabbat and then go down, but... I can cook in the rain, since I cook out not in, but the kilometer's walk each way to my neighbor was best done in the sun.

So I went down and it was perfect walking weather. I spent quite a while there. When I walked out, I discovered that it had been drizzling. I made it as far as the roofed "waiting" place near the stores. After a few minutes, a neighbor came by and took me home.

* When I wrote the post, I neglected to leave out a minor detail, that it was a bit late, and the neighbor had gone to sleep already.

Then I cooked.

Guard cum Babysitter

Baila has a great "only in Israel" type post here. It brings back memories, which I posted to her as a comment:

Great post. You covered a lot of issues.
In the "old days," the guards here would walk around the neighborhoods doubling as babysitters, since there were few kids old enough to work in the profession. My eldest had almost a monopoly at one point.
Well, if there was a yishuv party, the guards would check on crying babies, too.

Those were the days...

Computer Frustraton

I think I've figured out what has been slowing down and messing up this computer recently. That is ever since we put in the new beam all over the house modem. The old "connection," in terms of soft-ware, wasn't deleted. So, when online via the new, the old pipes up claiming that it can't connect.

It can't be repaired by our computer maven, unless he comes here. He does lots of tweaky sort of repairs long distance, via some program he put in our computer. The arrangement is much less expensive, and generally more immediate, than waiting until he can get here, since he no longer lives in the area.

Generally, I'm pretty good at diagnosing things, but I can't do the actual repair/cure.

While I'm ranting/kvetching about computer things, the pop-up comments are frequently a problem. If you have your "danger" setting too "fussy," the pop-ups won't work, since that's how many viruses, worms and other computer diseases, horses and bugs enter.

The Next Generation

Today I watched the Granddaughters. First I picked them up from the afternoon program. I found them playing with my neighbors' granddaughter; the mother had been one of my students in my PE teaching days. Then I took them to their "sports" club. One of the mothers watching the kids had also grown up in Shiloh, and she had also been a student of mine.

A few months ago, I spoke to someone I knew from the old country. We discovered that our granddaughters were in pre-school together.

That's what's happening, Thank G-d.

Family "Album"

There's a lot of "art" in my family, talent, that is.

My father's sister is an artist. Her house is full of her artwork and her children's creations. My parents used to have some of her are they etchings? on the wall, too. Decades ago, my aunt and her friend produced children's books, and some were recently sent to us for my grandkids.

My only cousin in Israel, her eldest niece, has one of our aunt's pictures on her wall. A few years ago, when I noticed it I asked her how she got it.

"I want one too!"
"All you have to do is ask her. That's what I did."

Actually, in the end I didn't do that. During a recent visit to my parents, my mother showed me a box of framed pictures:

"Maybe you'd like to take some. I don't have room, and anyway, I'd love to move to a smaller place."

Guess what. Yes, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to get it right. I found two pictures my aunt had done about sixty years ago. One was even signed with her maiden name, the same maiden name I once had.

I took down an enormous needlepoint, which had taken me years to finish. I had done a lot of that needlepoint when trekker was hospitalized after being hit by a small truck when he was riding his bike. He suffered a dislocated pelvis, and lots of cuts etc, and needed to be in traction for three weeks. After that physical therapy and even after being released, he was forbidden to sit and walk on the "bad" leg for a long time. Half the hospitalization was in Hadassa Ein Kerem and half in Alyn Children's Orthopedic. That was eighteen years ago, last summer.

So now, I have something else on the wall, something even older and not burdened/tainted by such awful memories.

Weird Post

Why a weird post? I don't know. I guess I'm tired. This is the sort of post you'd find on Frum Satire if he was a woman of advanced middle-age.

I've been thinking of posting this for months. Maybe it was the wine we had for dinner, taking the "baby" out for his 25th.

My question:

What do yo do when you're waiting for things to "move" on the computer?

Well, I "tweeze." I keep tweezers by the keyboard to keep "stray hairs" from thriving. No, I don't need a mirror. All you have to do is aim the tweezers wherever yo don't want hairs to be. Then squeeze and pull. It's amazing how many times I capture a hair, sight unseen. You can certainly do some reconnaissance, by carefully feeling your face and under your chin.

Yes, maybe I ought to go to sleep.

I'm Probably Nuts

Planning my days can be crazy. Sometimes I'm stuck with something in Jerusalem in the morning and the evening. The question is what to do in between.

Sometimes I just try to make plans in Jerusalem for the entire day, but it gets so unbearably exhausting that I don't function by evening and then function even worse the next day.

The alternative is to go home for a couple of hours and calculate the bus travel as rest time. But the big question there is if it's really relaxing, but at least I can take in the wash from the clotheslines and wash some dishes...

Thank You Jewlicious!

Way back in August as the International Jbloggers Convention, I made a request to all the "biggie" high volume/hits/visitors jbloggers to, as good community members, get involved with the jblog carnivals, just a mention would be enough.

Well, the great David, aka ck, "Netanyahu!?," of Jewlicious has actually hosted a Havel Havelim! Yes, this week's.

Take a look! Nu, David, maybe next time you'll try a Kosher Cooking Carnival?

A Shiloh Story

Last night, when I was here, working on the computer, the phone rang:

"Do you know where -- lives?"
"Not exactly. Are you going to pay a shiva call?" (That's a condolence call.)
"Yes."
"Are you in the car?"
"Yes. Does that mean that I should have asked you if you want to come?"
"That would be nice."
"We'll be by in a minute."
"Thanks. I just have to put on my shoes."

It's so nice to have good neighbors.

A Mother’s tehillim project / A Single’s tehillim project

A Mother’s tehillim project / A Single’s tehillim project

Rosh Chodesh Kislev - Friday, November 28th

... mothers around the world will join together and pray for their children’s soul-mates PROJECT 1.

… single people around the world will pray together to be united with their destined soul-mates PROJECT 2.

In order to accomplish this goal, I am asking that everyone goes to www.writeinvite.ca/tehillim and fill out the respective form. Once groups of 40 people are formed per project in your timezone, I will send you your portions of tehillim to recite along with the names of the rest of your group and further instructions. Your allotted tehillim should be recited once on Rosh Chodesh day.

Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Lazeh. All of Israel is responsible for one another - pass this email on to others who may be interested in participating. Please also help me advertise for this project by posting on any email group you may be on.

May our prayers be answered sweetly and speedily,Tamara

* Your email address will NOT be distributed or displayed. No last names will be displayed.

Not All That Dry

There certainly is a drought, and an army tractor in the Shiloh area wrecked a main water pipe, so most of the yishuv has been without running water most of the day, but things aren't all bad.

My T'filat Chana article is on the Torah Section of Arutz7. I haven't had anything there for awhile.

Luckily I keep a stock of bottled mineral water, so there's always something to drink.

Today, after I discovered that I had lots of time before the group was coming, I was driven back up, with arrangements to take me down. The driver saw her sister, who was so happy to see her, since she was rushing to catch the bus and the driver could take drinking water to her son in school. Then later, when I was all finished with it and walking back up, a neighbor who lives in the "middle" neighborhood stopped her car:

"I'm taking you home, and then you'll check if you have water. I was told that there's water in your neighborhood. I filled the car with water bottles, since we're all out."

So, we went to my house and filled up the bottles. But now there's less water pressure. G-d willing there will be plenty of water for tomorrow mornings' showers.

Wandering Around

Before I show you what I spied wandering around the other night, here's the report of my tour of Tel Shiloh. What can I say, other than, nobody's perfect, not even me.

I missed the first pounce, but the cat was oblivious to my camera and to me.

Today, To Tel Shiloh

I was asked to lead a tour at Tel Shiloh today. It's not the first time I've done it, but it's the first time as an official Tel Shiloh guide.

I got some pointers from my husband, but then I realized that, like many other things, I have to guide according to my unique perspective. Also, I've been to the tel many, many times in the past year, and he hasn't. I've taken hundreds of pictures and spoken to dozens of people about the Tel. The course I'm taking in Matan began last week and Shiloh and Shmuel (Samuel) were the theme of the first lecture.

So, it's not like I'm some sort of ignoramous. I'm an incurable individualist, who, no matter what I try, must do it all my way.

I'll let you know how it goes, bli neder. That means, I'm not swearing.

Too Much Time Facing This Screen

So, I'll be joining some neighbors across another screen, and we'll see a movie tonight.

When a neighbor's father moved into their "downstairs," he was bored and began to try to organize activities. His first focus was the "senior singles." Then, when he realized that there weren't too many, he expanded to middle-aged and older English speakers.

There's a movie almost every week, from the various collections we all have. Lots of musicals, since he's a fan of those great ones from the 1950's. But we've also seen "Seabiscuit" and "Sabrina," the Harrison Ford one.

Tonight I hope we'll see "The Sting." I've always loved that movie.

To Eat Lunch or Do Lunch

Is there a difference? Doing lunch or just eating lunch?

Just eating lunch is more solitary, finding the best food deal, like this one I saw advertised in the Englishcake Bakery on King George St, Jerusalem.




For NS18.90, you get a sandwich and a hot or cold drink. It's probably about $5- at today's rate. That's a great deal compared to the prices I saw recently in New York's kosher restaurants.

Doing lunch is a social thing, meeting a friend, like I did the other day. We ate at the Village Green, Jerusalem's well-known vegetarian health food restaurant. We both chose their Tofu-Spinach Pie and chose a variety of salads and vegetables from the salad bar. You pay for them by the weight. I took one their sour dough rye rolls with garlic butter. I hope to remember not to take the garlic butter ever again; it was much too salty.




Everything else tasted great, and the pie portion was very large. The restaurant used to offer all the bread you can eat. There were loaves of bread and bowls of sweet butter. We could just slice as much of the delicious bread as we wanted. Of course it was easy, too easy, to eat too much bread, and I guess it wasn't very sanitary, either. Now they have a variety of their rolls at the checkout counter and they ask you what you want. Cleaner and fewer calories. No surprise that this lunch cost much more than the sandwich I had seen advertised.




That's the difference between just eating lunch and "doing lunch."