#103, From The Apple, Up The Road

About ten minutes, or less, north of Shiloh is Tapuach, Apple. That's where the 103rd Hevel Havelim has blossomed like a shkadiya, almond tree, in a year blessed with rain.
It has been nurtured by the indefatigable jblogger, Ya'aqov.

Isn't it amazing how similar the apple and almond trees are?

Chag TU B'Shvat Sameach! May your lives be very fruitful!

PS Just to remind you that the next KCC, The Kosher Cooking Carnival is soon, so please send in your posts or any you see which will suit the menu. And if you're interested in hosting one, please let me know. Thanks!

Suddenly, It's Quiet

Until a few minutes ago, the house was pretty noisy. Now it's now. My daughter and her family were here for Shabbat, but now they've gone back home. Not only is it suddenly quiet, but the house has also cooled down. Extra people make extra heat.

Now, alone in the house, it's cold and quiet.

I'll have to turn on the TV and get a sweater.

Have a wonderful week.
Shavua Tov

Before I Get Back to Pre-Shabbat Stuff

The other day in Jerusalem, I finally remembered to have my camera checked. Suddenly it wouldn't zoom in video mode.

Almost three years ago, when I gave in and decided to get a digital camera, I was in a quandary about where/what/which to buy. My kids told me to check the internet, but that was even more confusing. I'm kinesthetic and I have to feel the camera, see how comfortable etc it is. Also, I knew too little about them to understand what was written.

Then one day/night my kids told me to look at their friend's camera. He had bought it in Jerusalem, and it didn't cost much more than online, and I could nudge the store for help, and it felt comfortable and had a view-finder.

It's the Canon 620, now not made. I bought it in Photo Nissim, which is now "Camera" in The Clal Building. The guy in the store the other day was very sweet and said that the solution to fix it was in the menu. No charge.

Losing Sleep

Over ten years ago, I suffered a few years of un and under-employment. During that time I took all sorts of jobs, anything I could get. I worked in stores, cooked, sold bagels, did miscellaneous and menial office work.

Then, just over eleven years ago, I was offered a "rescue" job to teach English. I had never taught English before, but, miraculously I succeeded and then did a professional retraining course to get a teachers licence.

I had some really good years teaching, but then for various reasons I found myself burnt out. The difficult, unpredictable and unreliable traveling to and from work, plus difficulties unrelated to me that the school was going through, succeeded in "burn-out." I just couldn't take it any more. I felt that my health was on the brink. They offered to fire me, and I accepted it. No early pension. Unemployment compensation will soon end.

I'm going to need a way of earning money. I don't have the physical stamina I had twelve-thirteen years ago. I'm at an age when I should be retired from work. I can't just "take any job."

It's starting to affect my sleep.

I do have knowledge and skills. Obviously, I can write. I take good photographs. I can teach basic computer use. I once took a "Life Coaching" Course; I just never had the guts/confidence to set myself up in the business, though I've helped numerous people. And of course I can teach English, though controlling a difficult or large class is beyond me.

B"H, Interview With Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

More prayers are still needed, but Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d, Moshe is doing well. Here's the latest update from his mother-in-law.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

Moshe, Sarah and the girls are trying to get adjusted to a "normal" life. Not easy but they are strong people so I'm sure that they will.

As I told you, we are now into a very slow process but you might like to see the following translation of an interview that Moshe had with the Arutz 7 news organization.

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom (a good and peaceful Sabbath) and thanks for your continued prayers,

Ruth

Did You Ever Do The Heimlich?

This short anecdote from the New York Times tells how the writer felt while choking and then being saved when Tom Colicchio did the Heimlich on her.

I once administered the Heimlich. It was over twenty years ago, in my kitchen. I was talking to someone who was over to sell me wine and juice, Otzar Beit Din, from a special stock of grapes grown Shemitta year.

My eldest and youngest children were in the kitchen. The little one, a pre-schooler at the time, was sucking on an ice cube, when my daughter said something. I couldn't understand her words. Then their was a silence, like in a well-directed movie. Frequently during a trauma, we lose our hearing. All of our faculties are concentrated in vision and trying to figure out what to do.

I suddenly understood. I went over to him from the back, put my hands under his ribs, hoping that was under the diaphragm, lifted him, or just put pressure, and suddenly the ice cube flew out of his mouth.

And Another Pound Off!

Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d!

The Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet is still working, or better said, I'm still eating according to its guidelines.

In all honesty, if I ate all I was permitted to eat, I'd gain weight. Some of my reasoning behind that statement is that, it's more than I ever used to eat, sort of. But also, I'm not that young, nor that active. I must eat less than I once did.

Many of the permitted carbohydrates, especially the wheat products, cause me to lose control. I'm OK with the starchy vegetables. I can have my portion, most probably because they're part of a food. But I can eat outrageous quantities of pasta, or pita dipped in olive oil. I can finish off an entire family-size Yemenite pitta, especially if there's olive oil on the table, too. Challah doesn't do it to such an extent, even with olive oil. If I get started on bread and butter, there's no end, until the bread gives out.

I'll have some challah on Shabbat, and that should end the "craving." But if this is a craving, I'll just have to have some bread, and then the craving will go away. One suffers cravings if we're missing a "food type." On Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet I haven't , I haven't been craving. Actually, I'm permitted bread, but I just don't eat it. So, maybe tomorrow I should.

It's really good that I lost another pound. I made more of an effort to eat this week. The previous week, I was hungry, and I didn't lose weight.

I must clean up the house. Guests are coming for Shabbat, the grandkids and their parents.

Ahhhh, TU B'Shvat

TU B'Shvat, the very middle of the Jewish month of Shvat, signifies that winter is ending, last chance to plant your trees. It's the time of the year when we see fruit trees, native to the HolyLand, bloom, like this almond tree. I was sure that there wouldn't be a single almond with massive flowers this drought year. But today I was surprised. It's near a house, and it was either watered, or benefited from a leak.

It's definitely the prize tree of the year.


And here is my door, well decorated by my grandchildren. Thank G-d!

31 Mazal Tov!

Modern Shiloh, at the site of ancient Biblical Shiloh is now 31 years old!!!

When early Gush Emunim, the pioneering Jews who established the first post-1967 communities in Judea and Samaria, brainstormed about the best place for the first Shomron, Samaria location, they decided on Shiloh, but they ended up going to what is today Ofra.

Shiloh was the obvious place to go, because Shiloh is where Joshua established the first Jewish capital after the exodus from Egypt. It was Shiloh where the Mishkan, the Tabernacle "rested" for 369 years. The stories of Eli the High Priest, Samuel the Prophet and Chana all took place in Shiloh.

They didn't go to Shiloh, because in their negotiations with the government it was demanded they they only go to places which had "usable" buildings, and Shiloh just had some ruins.

But now, Shiloh is all built up, with synagogues, schools, yeshiva, stores, industrial zone, medical clinics, sports facilities, tourist center and lots of homes.

Grandmothering

Oooh, that sounds old. But I am pretty old, and I'm a grandmother.

Today, after getting up at some ungodly hour, so I could get to the pool for some exercise, I supplemented the arts and crafts supplies I had brought from home with some pretty stickers I bought in Jerusalem.

The grandkids needed to do something other than watch TV under my guard. So I told them that I need TU B'Shvat signs for my door. All three worked hard. When the baby got tired of drawing on the paper, he decorated his high chair tray. The girls were very creative and artistic.

Next I have to hang them on the door.

The Hardest Diet Technique For Me

I was very lucky, that I found myself on Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet, because it does suit me. My extra weight isn't because I'm constantly noshing and grabbing cakes, cookies and candy. The food choices they recommend are the food I do like to eat. Unlimited salad and most cooked vegetables are my dream. I'm a three meals a day girl, and that's where I get stuck. I have trouble fitting the snacks in.

All of the modern weight loss diets stress that you must never allow yourself to get hungry, and you must eat something every three to four hours. I like three large meals a day. I'm not used to making time to eat in between meals. On occasion, I do get hungry and then I grab a fruit, but a day like yesterday, even though I had those gorgeous oranges on the table, I never took one. Nor did I take an apple or yogurt. The closest was a cup of coffee at a neighbor's. I could count that as my substitute for the yogurt I had planned. It did postpone my lunch appetite for a couple of hours.

At least I got in a two kilometer plus walk, early evening.

Good News-Bad News

The good news is that I can do a lot of laundry today and hang it all out to dry.

The bad news is that it isn't raining, and we're in the midst of the worst drought ever.

It has been so dry this year that the weeds didn't even come up in my yard.

Good News Update: Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Baruch Hashem, thank G-d. Read the latest letter from Moshe's mother-in-law.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

Moshe, thank G-d, is home!!! He was released from the hospital this afternoon.

Of course, lots of checkups, therapy etc. are still ahead of him (and therapy for Sarah and probably their daughters) but I'm sure that getting home will be a big boost to their morale.

I will probably not be sending daily updates from now on but I'll keep you posted every few days or when there's anything new to report. In the meantime, keep up the prayers please!!

All the best,

Ruth

As a "good news-bad news" scenario, Israel has an awful lot of experience with helping terror victims, including families. It's understood that the secondary and tertiary victims can be just as affected. There are government and "non-prophet" agencies and organizations which help. And of course there are neighbors and relatives, especially in the case of Moshe and Sarah, thank G-d.

Keeping Fit

My weight stayed stable last week. I didn't gain and I didn't lose. I think it's because I didn't get enough exercise. I was too busy, and I also didn't eat frequently enough, though I'm sure that my total calories was even less than my usual ever since I started Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet.

I need more ideas, and I have a post on Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival 87.

Today I took a great walk when I got to Jerusalem. We were dropped off by the Old City Walls, and then my husband and I walked to the Begin Center, where he works. Then I walked all the way to Matan in Katamon.

After the class, I met an old friend and we went to Talpiyot to shop, but I didn't buy anything, and have lunch. I had a salad with some very diluted t'china, not as good as what I make but less calories, since it was so watery.

Then she dropped me off at the Israel Museum. I saw the latest exhibits and then met my daughter. We got a ride to the "tip" of Agrippas Street, right near the Gush Katif Museum, so we went in. I'll blog about, bli neder, on Shiloh Musings. Then we went out to eat, so this time I had another salad. It had feta cheese, of which I gave her half. It also had some sweet potato. All the food fits in the diet. When I got home I heated up the baked apples which were left from Shabbat and had a bit of goat yogurt.

I'm exhausted, having gotten up at 4am, so I'll go to sleep very soon. Good night!

A Bissel Reality

The "vacation" may have to end.

As you probably know, I'm not working, and as old as I am, I'm not "on pension." I let them fire me from my teaching job, because I just couldn't go on with the stress of traveling/tremping waiting for rides in the sun, rain, storms, dark etc. By the time I got to work, I didn't have the energy needed to deal with the school and the kids and everything. I kept feeling like my good health would soon be a distant memory. It was impossible to eat properly, too, or get to the pool for a swim.

Now I feel relaxed. I enjoy life and am available to help with the grandchildren.

But, yes the big but, for various reasons we will need some more income soon, even though I've cut my spending enormously. It's not like I was constantly shopping, not at all, but I could buy myself a new sweater or lots of clothes for the grandkids without wondering if we could afford it. One of the temporary ramifications of my being on Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet is that I expect, G-d wiling, to be a smaller size next year. So it's rather wasteful to buy clothes this year, even on sale. I am still looking for a brown skirt, but only one which will fit even if I'm G-d willing smaller.

Before became an English teacher, I spent a couple of years hysterically trying to find work and held a number of sales jobs, which were physically draining. I just can't imagine going that direction again. Just the traveling with finish me.

If I could only get a writing job or figure out how to free lance. Oy...

Reality Kicks In

Sunday #2 Update: Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the latest update from Moshe's mother-in law. Baruch Hashem, it looks like he'll soon be starting an entirely new stage in his recovery, thank G-d.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

Well, the "baby step" of today is that Moshe got dressed for the first time in almost two weeks. I think that it made him feel more of a person and less of a "case"!

He had a whole round of checkups today and the verdict seems to be that he will possibly be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Whether to his home or to a half-way, rehab home we're not sure yet. I'll keep you posted.

Of course, getting discharged from the hospital is only the beginning of the next part of the road to recovery. He will have to have more checkups and do certain physiotherapy. However, if Moshe and Sarah and their daughters can get into some sort of normal life again I think it will help all of them.

The questions are still there over his eyesight. It has definitely improved - he can recognize (with a bit of difficulty) pictures on a digital camera - but we need to see how it progresses. Everything still seems very blurred to him. Only time will tell. We just have to keep on praying.

Hoping to continue to give you positive updates.

All the best,

Ruth

Cold or Hot Outside, Relax and Read HH and Blog for Other Carnivals

That's right, Havel Havelim is up at Ima's.

I'm being lazy today; I don't have to babysit. The "Other Savta" is there. There may not be enough rain in the HolyLand, but there are lots of posts to read on the internet. Not totally lazy, I hosted an exercise class to Richard Simmon's Sweatin' to the Oldies.

Nu, and maybe you have something to send to the Kosher Cooking Carnival! Please send them here. And if you'd like to host an edition, please let me know at shilohmuse at yahoo dot com

You can also write a post about kosher food, kosher cooking, Jewish Laws about it, kosher restaurants, cookbooks etc.

And if you're dieting, or once dieted or blogged about dieting or would like to blog about dieting, I'm starting a new blog carnival about losing weight. More info about my new weight loss carnival, here.

I have gotten a bit involved with dieting since starting Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet. I'm so grateful to find a diet I can live on.

It's That Time Of The Year, Again

In days gone by, when my house was fuller and my freezer smaller, I could ignore my "chametz," the food forbidden on Passover, supply until Purim. Now with an empty nest and double the freezer space, I should have started checking my inventory after Chanukah.

It's already the month of Shvat, meaning that in two months we'll be in the month of Nissan. Passover is smack in the middle of that month. That means that I have no more than two months to empty the freezer.

Judaism requires organization and planning. Kashrut is all organization. There's the separation of meat, dairy and parve, "neutral," which can be eaten with both. Shabbat cooking is done before Shabbat and organizing your time is crucial. Everything must be ready in advance, even the boiled water for coffee and tea.

Technically, Jewish Holidays are easier, because cooking is permitted on the Holiday itself, but I prefer to treat it more like Shabbat, because that allows me the freedom to enjoy the Holiday and not be enslaved in the kitchen.

Pesach, Passover, is the most difficult, because we must clear our homes of the forbidden chametz, store and sell what remains. It must be out of sight. We need special cooking utensils. Some of the regular ones can be specially cleaned, kashered for Passover use. In Israel the various municipalities provide centers with vats of boiling water and blowtorches for that purpose.

Back to my freezer--

There's lots of challah, rolls, pittot etc. They must go. There are a few cakes which I've learned to bake in small pans and then freeze until needed. When I get a call from the "help committee" for a cake, I just take one out of the freezer. There's also flour. We have three birthdays coming up next month and the Purim holiday, so I should be able to finish all that off.

I also have at least one meatloaf ready for heating. Now I have to stop buying meat and fish until we've run out of what's needed. In another month our local "super-grocer" will be getting in only KP, Kosher for Passover, frozen meat and other staples.

We need guests! We need people to eat the food. There's too much for two alter cockers, old fogies.

There's Nothing Like Cooked Vegetables

I have a number of neighbors who are on raw vegetable diets. They don't "cook," just use a "dryer" for some things. Our local doctor opposes the diet.

Many years ago, I was on it for a short period of time. Then I was the only one. When eating raw food, I needed tons of food to feel satisfied.

One of the reasons I feel so good on Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet is that I'm eating a lot of cooked vegetables. For instance, last night I was feeling hungry, so instead of taking something with sugar, carbohydrates or fat, I filled a bowl with cooked vegetables, heated them to "warm" in the microwave, and ate them. Afterwards I felt full and satisfied.




Yes, all sorts of cooked vegetables can fill you up without making you gain weight.

The upper picture is artichokes, just before cooking. The best way of making them is very simple:

• cut the stem up to the flowery part
• soak in salted water, and rinse well to get bugs which hide in the "petals."
• add some garlic and lemon and then water, not to cover the artichokes.
• Boil until the "petals" pull off without any effort.

The second picture is of the vegetables I baked this week. There are no real rules when it comes to baking the vegetables. You can bake almost anything, except leaves which are too delicate. Just remember that the denser the vegetable the smaller the pieces should be compared to the more water-filled ones. Simply put, the root vegetables, like carrots and potatoes, are to be smaller than squash and pepper. Add a little bit of oil for taste and vitamin absorption. Many vitamins, like Vitamin A, need some oil for easy absorption in the body.

Post-Shabbat Update, Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the latest update from Moshe's mother-in-law.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

I wish you all a shavua tov (a good week). With that, I am happy to tell you that Moshe continues to improve thank G-d. His eyesight is a little better although nowhere near what you may call "good". The double vision problem seems to be getting better.

His face is still swollen and I think that it may take some time for the swelling to go down but still, every day brings a little more improvement in everything. We don't know as yet exactly when he will be discharged from the hospital and if he will be sent to a rehabilitation center or to his home.

I think that we may just be on "baby steps" from now on but I'll have a better idea after the doctors have seen him, hopefully tomorrow (Sunday).

Thanks for your continued prayers,

Ruth