"Rescuing" Old Blogs

The other day I got a phone call from a total stranger. He said that his name had been mentioned on a blog post of mine, and he wanted his name removed. I said:

"No problem."

But then when he told me which blog, I explained that it hasn't been active for years, and I don't even know how to get into it. It had been controlled by an email/gmail name/account no longer in use. When he called, I wasn't home, and it seemed pretty impossible to access it from my phone. It would be near impossible from the computer.  I promised to try once home.

I asked him to send me the link to the post, which he did. I looked at the post and messaged him that I hadn't meant any harm. He was understanding, but really didn't want his name there.

Of course, it was pretty surprising to me that he discovered my cell phone number. I didn't ask him how he did it. It isn't all that secret. In the days when we only had landlines, most people allowed their phone numbers to be easily/publicly listed.

Once I got home, I emailed myself the link to the blog post and took on the challenge. I was pretty determined to figure out how to fix the problem, get into my old blog, because over the years I've heard of writers/bloggers/publishers/site-owners being sued for unauthorized use of pictures, names etc.

I finally discovered the email address which had been controlling/accessing it. The next challenge was to sign into the account. After a couple of wrong turns, I found out that my yahoo email was listed for such emergencies, and the yahoo is kept open on the computer. After that it was relatively easy to sign in, find the blog post, edit out the person's name. And then I hit another snafu. When I signed out of the account I somehow signed out of this one, too. Grrr. Of course, since I no longer sign in and out daily, I never remember the password. Then phone was used for sign in verification. Only after that did I realize that I should have added this email to the old blogs as writer/contributor/administrator.

What old blogs? You're probably wondering...

The Muse's Pics
Blog Free!

What do you think of them? As history, of course. No, I have absolutely no intention of adding to my blogging.

I'm relieved that I succeeded relatively easily. Why do people say that only kids manage well on the internet?

NEVER TOO OLD!

Lovely Lentil and Mushroom Dish

Here's another super easy vegan/vegetarian dish that can be either a side dish or a main course for those who need a protein and there's nothing else.

Cut an onion, some garlic and a few mushrooms. Put in a pot. Check then add a cup of lentils. Add a spoon of oil, then three cups of boiling water, cover and simmer until the water is almost absorbed. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Turn off the flame and leave for another twenty minutes.

That's it. It's that easy. Cooking doesn't have to be a lot of work.

Optional: Add carrots, squash and other vegetables, too.

Last Day in "School"

Yesterday was the last session in of the Vattikim b'Kehila, Seniors in the Community, Senior Citizen program I had attended in Ulpanat Ofra, the Ofra Girls High School. The attendees came from all over the Benjamin Regional Council.

During the year I had been attending classes on Thursdays, but for the "camp" our group was cancelled, and I joined the Monday group, which was much larger. Even though I hadn't been studying with them throughout the year, I knew many of the group. I've been living in Shiloh for thirty-seven years, and have gotten to know people from most all of the communities in the region. Our children have gone to the same schools; I also worked in Yafiz, Shaar Binyamin for six years. And there have been many other ways to meet people.

The coordinator brought in many interesting speakers. There was an "inspirational speaker," who encouraged us to fulfil our dreams, write and live a "bucket list." The head of the program for handicapped and special education told us about what is done for the children, and their families, who need more help. Now there's a local program, Lev Binyamin, right next to the high school where we've been studying. Before then, children had to be bussed to Jerusalem and sometimes further.

We learned more Tanach, Bible and about each other.

It's definitely a good program, and I'm glad that I participated this past year.

Patience....

Thank Gd for the blessings of our grapes, which grow so plentifully in our garden. But they aren't yet ready for "harvesting." I must admit that I've had a few so far, really dark ones, just for a taste. And they are sweet and delicious. But it's a waste to pick the red ones until the entire bunch is ripe and dark. And it's a total disaster to pick the green ones when they still look solid and waxy. They only ripen on the vine.

When I was checking them out the other day, a song from one of my favorite musicals, Dreamgirls, kept going through my mind... "Patience..."

Getting Ready for Retirement Year #2

This year I had a fantastic time between my mosaics in Shiloh, Matan and the Senior Citizens Program in Ofra, cheering Jerusalem Lions American Football team, plus having more time to see my children, grandchildren, other relatives and friends. I even knocked off a couple of nasty kilo which had crept back on while teaching.

Now I have to decide on next year. I'll stick with most of the same, but I want to find a substitute for the Ofra program. The two courses that attracted me to it in the first place won't be continuing. I don't want to travel as far as Jerusalem. I'm thinking of checking out Ariel. Does anyone have some ideas? It doesn't have to be for senior citizens. I'm, bli eyin haraa, not that old. It's pretty easy to get to Ariel from here, especially to the university.

Suggestions very welcome, thanks.

Vacationing at Home

When we chose to live in Shiloh thirty-seven years ago, there weren't too many yishuvim, communities to choose from. And conditions in most, if not all, were pretty difficult. But there was something that drew me to Shiloh, and still keeps me here. I love the people and the spiritual tie I feel with the entire Tanach, Biblical significance...

But please don't forget that Judaism is a synthesis or more exactly a harmony between the body and the soul. And I love the "orchestration" here in Shiloh. Just a kilometer and a half, about a mile from the Biblical site, which is a very well developed and developing archeological park, we have our community swimming pool. The pool is just a couple of minutes' walk from our house. We take out an seasonal membership, so we can come for frequent swims. On rare occasions, like when I'm with one of the granddaughters, I relax in the shade there.

There's no reason to "go on a vacation" in the summer. My "vacation" is here at home in Shiloh.

Jerusalem Light Festival 2018, Rather Dull

The other night I went to the Jerusalem Light Festival 2018, even though I couldn't find anyone to go with. There were thousands of other people, and I even ran into a few friends. It is an event one can do on one's own without any problem.

I arrived before the opening at 8pm, because I had the time, and I didn't want to get back too late. But you really don't see the beauty until it's dark.

First of all, I must complain. I can't imagine why the organizers thought that they could was it save money on not having color-coded guide lights to indicate routes. In previous years we could just look up and follow our chosen route's color. This time we guessed, followed crowds, tried to understand the map wihch didn't have street names or asked the young sadranim, guides, who were stationed in some of the important locations. One tried to tell me to go back to where I had been, so I had to show him that the numbers needed to go up and not down.

I took the PINK route, which started at Jaffa Gate and ended at the New Gate. There were very long sections with nothing other than walking. Not enough for the route, and nothing spectacular compared to what I remember from previous years. No doubt I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been alone.

I got a lot of walking in, finishing the day at 20,000+ steps. Here are some pictures I took:

There was a section in a mostly Arab neighborhood that had lanterns hanging, which I presume was to guide the spectators.

New Swimming Gloves, Sort Of

A major element in my water/pool fitness routine is wearing swimming gloves. Simply put, they make my hands look like a duck's webbed feet. I first received the gloves from my mother, who began using them in the water when she took Water Aerobics fitness classes a few decades ago. The webbing "enlarges" the hand, which produces both more power and requires much more effort. The more effort, the fitter your arms and upper body get.

Like all other equipment, they must be replaced periodically, as they disintegrate, peel,  get holes etc.

For some strange reason, the gloves are almost impossible to buy here in Israel, so I used to replace them when visiting family in the states. But now that my parents have both passed away, I no longer travel nor have any plans on visiting.

I asked a friend to pick some up for me. She saw a different version on Amazon for an amazingly low price. We figured it was worth trying them out. They are silicon and just partial gloves, just enough to provide some webbing, but they don't cover the entire hand.

At her suggestion, I added a bit of powder to the bag they were in, so they would slip on more easily. Their effectiveness in the water was less than the full glove/mitten, but they did provide more surface area and effort than nothing at all.

Super Simple Cold Brew Coffee

For this method of preparing Cold Brew Coffee, you need neither a French Press, nor any sort of filter or strainer.

Like any method of making Cold Brew Coffee, you need to prepare in advance. Put a few spoons of ground coffee, or even Turkish coffee, into a jar or pitcher, stir and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Then before serving stir again. Now for Super Simple Cold Brew Coffee, there is a small but crucial difference.

The second stirring is five 5 or so minutes before serving. During that time the coffee grounds will settle on the bottom. So all you have to do is pour your nice tasty coffee into your cup, glass, mug or whatever.

Yup! You can't get anything easier than that! Enjoy!

Sweet Vegetable Soup Sans Sugar

Yesterday was a fast day on the Jewish Calendar, the postponed 17th of Tamuz, which commemorates the beginning of the loss of Jerusalem and destruction of the Holy Temples. It's a daylong/light fast, beginning with the first light of dawn and ending in darkness. Being that (in the northern hemisphere) we're in early summer, when day's are longest, it feels like it goes on forever, and we finally eat after my usual dinner time. I like to break fasts on vegetable soup. And I enjoy spending the last few hours of a fast puttering in the kitchen preparing homemade vegetable soup.

Before I left for a morning's learning in Matan, Jerusalem, I left some chickpeas to soak in boiling water for the soup. Chickpeas take a long time to prepare, unlike lentils. But I figured that the day would be long enough for the chickpeas to soften.

A few hours before the fast ended, I decided it was time to go to the kitchen and turn the chickpeas into a soup. My soups are never the same. I don't measure, and I rarely plan.

Since I knew there was plenty of pumpkin and sweet potatoes in the fridge, I decided to base my soup on those ingredients. In Israel it's very popular to make an Orange Soup, which then gets blended into a creamy sweet soup. But I don't have one of those blender sticks, and I davka like to chew...

I added more boiling water to the chickpeas and put it on the stove to cook. Then I cut up onion and garlic and added them to the chickpeas.

Next I took out the pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, squash and some ginger root, which I store in the freezer.

I cut up all the ingredients and added them, too. Now, I do have a system when it comes to cooking different sorts of vegetables together. There is a big difference in cooking times between carrots and pumpkin, for instance. Carrots take the longest to cook, so they go in first. After that the sweet potato, squash, ginger and pumpkin.

I added some vegetable oil and boiling water, covered and then lowered the heat to a simmer. Once I could see that the vegetables had begun to soften I added a bit of coarsely ground pepper and some coarse salt. That was it.

The soup cooked for about 40 minutes. And then I left it to finish by itself, no flame. It was absolutely delicious, very sweet, not savory.