Tummy privacy hereby lost!

Yesterday at dinner, we were hanging around in the kitchen at our friends' house, and one of the other guests came up to me and patted me on my tummy (!) and said something along the lines of "we were waiting for when," or "we're just waiting," "that's what we thought" or something like that.

He patted my tummy! He clearly thinks I'm pregnant! He apparently has been waiting for it to happen!

Oh, my God! Ok, I know we've been married for just over a year. I know we are in our late twenties. I know that we are a "religious" couple. But, hello!? No pressure, right?

We have, by the way, informed our parents that grandchildren will not be coming any time soon. Try and convince the rest of the world, won't you?

Now, I do know that virtually all of our female friends are getting pregnant. One could almost think it is contagious. But trust me, it's not what we're planning for right now. Not that it's any of your business anyway.

But seeing as you're going talk about it anyway -

No, I am not pregnant. I just had a really nice vacation at my parents'. My mom happens to be a really excellent cook. And I happen to be a really excellent eater. Please, get your eyes and hands off of my tummy.

My tummy does not contain a child, only lots of really good food and chocolate!

Oh, and sorry about the rant. Chag sameach, everyone!

Unwanted visitors

Turned out that I started the new year with some new visitors... And I did think they were getting a little too close to me, so I decided to do something about it. See my newest friend here? Hopefully that, some really toxic shampoo and rosemary shampoo/conditioner will do wonders on my hair! Oh, I hate lice! And I hate the fact that everything has to be washed/frozen to make sure that they are really gone. How can it be that they can survive for 40 days without anything? Little bastards!

Thererfore my current knitting and crocheting projects are having a vacation in the freezer, so no new picture of the lovely new stitch I've learnt, or the new shade of blue I've added to the shawl...

In the mean time I'll entertain you with a bit of trivia about lice: Did you know that in the Middle Ages it was considered a good thing to have lice? Not too many, just a few, 'cause only dead people don't have lice of course!

New happy year all around

This year my birthday coincided with second day Rosh Hashana/Shabbat, and I thought it was going to be completely hidden in between all the other good stuff. I was a little down about it, but do you know how great my friends and family are?

Not only did I get to celebrate my birthday on the day itself, but really all through Rosh Hashana. Before Rosh Hashana T gave me a basket full of chocolate and candy and new candle holders for my Shabbat candles. I've been enjoying the sweet goodies throughout the holiday and there's even some left to enjoy after! On first day Rosh Hashana we went to good friends for lunch and they had birthday hats in my honour. We wore them throughout the meal. Awesome! I totally get a kick out of spending time with people who are willing to spend hours and hours with me wearing birthday hats with Mickey and Minnie Mouse on them. You rock! Thanks J and I!! And then on my birthday I had a lovely, relaxed morning at home with T before we went to E, H and their gorgeous son J, for lunch and they had made me birthday crown! I love birthday crowns, and I grew up getting handmade crowns all throughout my childhood for my birthday. Every year my mother would make me one exquisite crown after the other, and as an adult I cherish them just as much. So thank you H&E! In the evening we went to some other good friends for dinner. They know that my favourite thing to eat is sushi, and they had prepared vegetarian sushi as a starter. Up until now I have not understood the idea behind vegetarian sushi, I have to admit. But now I'm a convert. It was soooo yummy! Thank you D&D&fetus, you all did a great job! I had a wonderful time. My parents sent me the most amazing card, (after they had already given me a superb gift!), I cried so hard reading it, it was so beautiful. My facebook was full of greetings when I went online after Shabbat, and my mobile had texts from family and friends.

I am so overwhelmed! My cup runneth over.... You guys are amazing! I love you!

New Year here we come!

See my latest adventures here? Isn't sesame brittle beautiful? Ok, so it took me two trys to figure out that you cannot really make caramel in a teflon pan. Once I'd figured that out - hey presto! these beauties came out. It is the beginning of my Rosh Hashana preparations. I'm making sure we'll have a sweet, plentiful, fruitful and smooth year ahead of us! (Did you know sesame brittle could have so much symbolic meaning? Me, neither!)

We're having lots of friends over for dinner second night, and I want there to be lots of yummy, yummy stuff for everybody to eat. We are going to have a meaty meal, but we do also have one vegetarian coming and another guest who cannot eat fish, eggs or nuts... This means that I have a great excuse for trying all kinds of new dishes to supplement the courses along the way, so that everybody has a full plate, even during the fish course! It's wonderful to be free to cook all of these dishes. I can't wait to get back from the supermarket later today. Of the dishes that we'll cook, I'm the most excited about the fact that I'm going to make beef cooked in beer as our main course. I have never made it before, but it just sounds so delicious! I hope it'll come out well, and that everybody will enjoy it! Well ok, we'll have other stuff for the vegetarian... I think everybody can eat the sesame brittle, though! It's a good thing we only invited people with healthy teeth. Or at least I think we did? I'd better go ask T: "Um, sweetheart, did you ask our guests about the quality of their teeth?"