Finding Her Voice

I'm in California

2007-03-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Wow. Lots to write, and not a lot of time.
My friend Nina, in Concord, California, was diagnosed with a brain tumor two weeks ago. I flew out here from Orlando last Tuesday to support her on her road toward surgery, and I'll return to Orlando this coming Tuesday.

Her tumor is benign-- though it's hard to think of something as "harmless" when neurosurgeons have to saw a hole through the skull to get it out. But in the end, I think she's actually VERY fortunate: she has great insurance, her children are being amazingly supportive (two are flying in for the surgery), she has tons of friends who love her calling, stopping by, bringing meals, etc. And the risk of fatality with the craniotomy/tumor removal is less than 1%. And (this is my favorite part) her surgeon is the chief of neurosurgery in a very large neurosurgery facility. (Kaiser, in Redwood City.)

So here I am. Cleaning her house to deal with my stress, trying to be helpful, and basically just hanging out. Her current boyfriend and I despise each other. I can't wait till she gets rid of him-- she deserves so much better.

Two nights ago, her boyfriend lost his temper and barked at me to shut up. And get out. And I wasn't even being argumentative! I think he is really threatened by my being here. He seems to like the thought that he's the main person who cares about her, and it seems to threaten the security of his world for her to have a supportive friend around.

Apart from his obnoxious presence and verbal abuse, I'm doing okay. I'm revisiting my glorious relationship with See's candy, we're having fun taking BART into San Francisco and having very cool shopping days, and enjoying Nina and her children, who I haven't seen in 5 years. So many things have changed here since I moved away; it's a little disorienting at times.

BTW, Chag Sameach! Nina and I went to Chabad in Walnut Creek yesterday for Shabbos, visited with her old friends, and talked about Evan from Planet Israel!
They are (of course) so proud of him there! Unfortunately, Nina didn't feel well enough today to go to the Purim festival there.

Apparently, having a brain tumor excuses you from just about anything! When we're in restaurants, Nina will casually say "Oh yeah... I have a brain tumor, and will be having surgery on Tuesday..." You should see how fast the service improves!!! We've now extended this little ploy to mentioning it to attendants, shopkeepers, deli servers, store employees, and anyone else from whom we want good service. It works like nothing I've ever seen! We're tempted to keep milking it even after her surgery, but that would just be wrong. :)

Hope you're all well. And just say no to brain tumors: they're not worth the perks.

Spoiled

2007-02-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

When I was a kindergarten teacher, from time to time I'd have to deal with spoiled children. I always judged their parents for this, and just knew that I would do things differently.

Yeah, right. I've had Shayna for a month today, and I assure you that I have done a terrible job of molding her character. She is the most spoiled and sassy cat that I've ever known. She bites, scratches, pounces, steals, usurps, runs away, and grabs. Tonight, this now 5 pound little hellion actually took away my soup spoon in her teeth and paws --while it was still in my hand! She knows no boundaries. She attacks me daily. My nose, cheeks and wrists look like battlegrounds. I have got to get some control.

The problem is, I think, that I was mourning so much when I took her in, and I was so refreshed by her vivacity, that I just couldn't bear to rein her in. I'm trying not to judge myself too harshly. She is still so adorable, so it's really hard to discipline her.

Today, I finally reached my limit. During a particularly painful biting and scratching session, I finally swatted her. Talk about shock and awe! She ran away so fast, and sat and looked offended and scared. I really don't believe in hitting animals (or anyone) unless it's absolutely necessary, and I must admit, it really wasn't necessary this morning.

So now I'm brainstorming about better ways. One is that I shouldn't hold her when she wants to get away. There are reasons I've been doing this (namely, so that she will stop harassing Monaco-- and when I shut her in my room, she wails), and another is that I must stop using my hand as a toy. Even if it's in a sock. She needs to learn that no part of my body is acceptable "attack material." The thing is, I definitely want her to view me as her nurturer, not someone who will hurt her. So I'm going to really try my best to set some limits and boundaries, and change the way we do things around here.

In other news, Monaco is doing MUCH better now, thank goodness. And Angel is fine too, though today she was an extremely bad girl and rolled around in dog poop. Oh, the joys...

I've lost 10 pounds since the new year, and still have 15 more to lose by March 16. Yikes.

I finally put the deposit down for the Israel trip, so Mom and I will be going on May 3rd. Yay! But in a sad note, my great-uncle has decided that he probably will not be coming with us. Such is life...
Here are the trip details, if anyone is curious. I think it looks like a good tour.

When we're in Eilat, I really want to go for a camel ride, and for a Bedouin tent dinner. If anyone has recommendations for either of those, let me know!

It's time for me to get back to work. Have a great tomorrow!

2007-01-27T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
Not a lot to write about... Work is s..l..o..w... I'm broke and getting broker, and still have to pay for the Israel trip. Actually, I have money set aside for that, but somehow will have to be creative when it's time to pay my mortgage!

Shayna is perfect and adorable. I think that the Energizer company should trade in the bunny for Shayna! I tell you, she could beat that Energizer bunny up! Which is a good segue for this: she likes to beat up her toys. She has a little stuffed Elmo (the Sesame Street character) and a little stuffed lion, and she beats them both up on a regular basis. It's really funny to watch. Tonight a friend came over, and she could not stop laughing at Shayna playing and racing around nonstop. Pretty hard to be sad around her!

Unfortunately, Monaco doesn't feel the same way. Ever since that awful vet appointment, Monaco has been unhappy. She's a delicate, "special needs" cat to begin with, and then add to that grieving for Indy, my absence during Christmas, getting Shayna shortly after my return, and then that debilitating vet visit, at which she was found to have ear mites. So I had to use a mild antibiotic in her ears, as well as use an earwash. She despised them both; could barely walk without falling down. After about 12 days of this, she's a wreck. Won't eat or drink, is skin and bones, won't move, groom herself, or even use the litterbox. It's disastrous. So I've had to take very careful care of her to get her out of this depression. If I talk with her softly and pet her for about 35 minutes, several times a day, I've found that she will eat and drink a bit. If she hasn't dramatically improved by Monday, I'm taking her to the (ie. Angel's expensive and private) vet on Monday. It just isn't worth risking kidney failure, or worse.

All these vet problems have me asking myself if I am a candidate for Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome!!! (sorry, blogger's hyperlink system is choosing not to cooperate-- below is the full link, if you're curious!)
Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome

Could I be that messed up?? But fortunately or unfortunately as the case may be, all of the veterinary problems in my household are real, and none of them were caused by me. Let's see... Truffle really did have 2 major surgeries, Indy had advanced heart disease, Angel had a cough that went away after a course of antibiotics, Shayna had the biggest abscess that I've ever seen, and now Monaco has ear mites... and depression. I didn't imagine any of these ailments! Though I almost wish I had, so that the animals didn't have to suffer through them, and I wouldn't have to pay the vet bills or provide 'round-the-clock care.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: I'm just sick of feeling like I live in a veterinary office!! (Though I did just finish FOUR books by James Herriot, so I'm not sure about the truthfulness of that last statement...)

A final sad note: it turns out that the kitten I found in the Virgin Islands died. I'm glad he was in good hands, literally and figuratively, but they could never get him to eat. :(

I wish I had more uplifting things to post. I'm looking forward to brighter days-- when I don't have a cold, and my pets (and I) are all healthy at the same time.

Oh, there is a little good news: tomorrow night I'm hosting a dinner party in my home, so I got the house looking all spiffy. Our neighborhood supper club is focusing on "Authentic Italian" cuisine this month (my choice :)), so I'll make an Insalata Caprese as an appetizer, and chicken Marsala as the entree. The "guests" (participants?) provide the rest. Promises to be a good time...

A Trip to the Vet

2007-01-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Shayna's new-found pleasures:

*Attacking the cursor on my laptop
*Pouncing
*Following Monaco everywhere
*Attempting to eat Angel's kibble (which Angel allows)
*Playing some serious soccer
*Jumping around the bathtub while meowing (?)
*Climbing curtains and tapestries

It's been an adventure!
She's just so adorable, and her little spirit soars.

Yesterday was a very not fun time at the vet. This is in large part because for some reason I insist on taking my cats to the vet at an SPCA facility, in contrast to the very cushy vet who sees Angel. I'll try to explain this apparent discrepancy some other time. In any case, taking pets to the SPCA facility is comparable to a human going for an appointment at a public health clinic. Ever been to one of those? I didn't think so. Trust me, they're good places to steer clear of if at all possible.

So there we were, in "Pet Welfare Central." It was horrific, with all the barking, yelling and whatnot. I was mortified for Monaco, as she has quite the delicate and shy disposition. She responded to it all by becoming comatose. The kitten is a lot more gregarious, so she fared okay emotionally (I think).

I had to wait outside the office, because the racket inside after 15 minutes was bordering on outright cruelty--ironic, since it's the Society for the PREVENTION of Cruelty to Animals, but whatever...

We got in to see the vet, a Korean woman named Dr. Kim. She was thorough and expressive, but understanding her through her thick accent was something else altogether. She had something of an extreme hands-on approach with my kitties; I've never met such a direct vet in my life. I had given Monaco a very small amount of sedative prior to leaving the house, and Dr. Kim said "This cat: Not Okay! Too calm! Do not care when I handle! How much Ace [Acepromazine] you give?!"

What I wanted to respond was: Well Dr. Kim, 2 mg. of a sedative was the least I could do for her, considering you are prodding every part of her body, removing the tartar on her teeth with your fingernails (seriously!), giving her 2 kinds of ear wash and 2 shots, all in one visit! You're just lucky she didn't go into cardiac arrest!

What I DID respond was: "I think she's pretty grateful for those 2 mg. of Acepromazine about now..."

Shayna received a clean bill of health, though she has to go back twice more to complete her kitten shots.

As we were leaving, a Husky entered the reception area. And promptly had a grand mal epileptic seizure, right in front of me. I was yelling "Help! Get a vet!" It was awful; at first I thought he was dying. Foaming at the mouth, urine everywhere, jerking around uncontrollably on the floor. Beyond scary, and sad. I made sure the vet techs would mention it to the vet(because the family kept saying "Oh, he just gets nervous when he goes to new places.") Anyway, it was a jarring ending to a difficult appointment. We're all glad it's over. I was so shook up that I had a glass of wine to calm my nerves.

Shayna had a fever last night --from the massive amount of vaccinations, no doubt-- But she recovered to regale us all with her antics at around 3 a.m.

Monaco on the other hand is faring poorly. The eardrops have caused her to be unsteady on her feet and she keeps losing her balance. She can barely even jump up onto the sofa without tipping over. Actually, she does fall over, as soon as she gets on the couch or anywhere else. Pitiful. I left a message for the pleasant Dr. Kim..

Assorted tidbits

2007-01-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

In case you're wondering, the kitten still doesn't have a name. I can't decide between Shayna, Cali and Cami. Tomorrow is her vet appointment, so maybe I'll have some breakthrough by then.

She is growing so fast! Her latest hobby is jumping on Angel-- from chairs, sofa, bed, whatever. Angel doesn't mind at all.

I'm excited to finally have my website and advertisement up! These two things have taken a lot of time (not to mention money), and they had better be fruitful, since I need to be saving, not spending!! The ad will run in a local magazine, and my web address is www.jshomesforsale.com, if you're curious. :) Feel free to leave me a comment on it!

Speaking of spending, I'm going to Israel on May 3rd for 2-3 weeks. Mom and I will come with one of those (hopefully not too obnoxious) tour groups, and go everywhere, even including Eilat and Petra. Hopefully my great-uncle will also join us. Then I plan to stay a week, whether with or without my family, to scope out some communities.

I'd like to visit Zichron Yaakov, Netanya, Ra'anana, Herzliya, and suburbs of Haifa. I found a nice Realtor named Jeffrey in the Netanya area, and I'd like to meet the Realtor named Liuara, with whom I collaborated last summer during the war-- but I think she mainly covers the Jerusalem area. (If you know of anyone who needs an agent in Jerusalem, I highly recommend her!)

I think that about covers it for now.

Cute Kitten Photos :)

2007-01-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I drove around the neighborhood, trying in vain to find the kitten's family. Finally some other neighbors told me to stop looking for her family, and go home and make her part of mine instead. Okay.

Monaco is doing a bit better with her. And the kitten is no longer afraid of Angel.
Here are some pictures:

Here is no-name kitten looking fetching atop my vanity.

Here is Angel, intently watching the kitten play.

Here she is, sitting on my dresser.

Here she's playing her favorite game, hiding under the ottoman.

And playing "footsie" with me from under the ottoman.

She might need a name. Any ideas?

Meme: Six Weird Things About the Kitten

2007-01-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

I couldn' resist. These are all the things I know about her:

1. Her fur can't decide if it's orange tiger-striped or gray tabby, and her tail is a mixture of both. Some have said this is called calico, since she also has white paws, but it's not like any calico I've ever seen!

2. Her ears looked like they had been dirty for years, yet she's only about 9 weeks old.

3. She had a camel hump, even though she's not a dromedary.

4. She chases the balls I throw for Angel. (Doesn't she know she's not a dog?)

5. She seems to eat her weight in food every day.

6. She scares the *%$# out of Monaco, and constantly steals her food.

I could go on, but the meme said "6 Things."

BTW: She will be going to the vet on Wednesday for an exam and shots. And she still doesn't have a name. when the vet's office asked for her name, I said "orphan," but they didn't like that, so I said they could call her kitty. And when asked for her color, I said "strange."

Shabbat Shalom!

Big News in Yaakova's World

2007-01-05T05:37:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
Well, here's the thing. As I was in Ft. Lauderdale on a layover last week, I got a phone call. My neighbors had found an 8 week old kitten, and would I be interested in having it? So when I returned to Orlando, I went to visit the kitten. He/She, I didn't know which at the time, was a little, unattractive, flea-infested, dirty-eared, sharp-clawed mess with a camel hump on it's back. I declined., Partly because of the kitten, and partly because I don't feel ready yet, and because I plan to adopt an older cat in Israel in May, and on and on.

Fast forward a few days, and my friend called again. The kitten is tired of living in her bathroom. Sure, she can stay with me until we can find a home.

Big mistake. I've gotten rid of the fleas, cleaned the ears, discovered "it" is a "she," gotten rid of the camel hump (which turned out to be the most disgusting abscess EVER, and erupted, and I'll spare you the truly gruesome details! Suffice to say, she's now on antibiotics...), clipped her dagger-sharp claws (much to her chagrin), and fallen in love.

I told my friend that I'd try to find a home for the kitten (who still has no name), but truth be told, I haven't tried very hard. She's a cute and very lively kitten, but she's got the most unattractive markings and coloring that I've ever seen! But is that a reason to send her to a shelter? I don't think so. A bigger concern is that Monaco despises her so far, though the kitten seems to view Monaco (my cat) as a motherly figure. On the other hand, the kitten is afraid of Angel (my dog), but Angel clearly thinks the kitten is her own baby! Actually, kitten and Angel seem to be getting closer all the time.

Here are pictures of the little rascal:

Better Late than Never

2007-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe I've been back from vacation for a whole week! It feels like I just returned yesterday.

There's so much to blog about, but for the moment I'll simply keep my promise to post pictures from the St. Thomas synagogue, and other Virgin Islands pictures as Blogger allows.

As I said before, though the synagogue is still lovely and historic, it was more beautiful prior to their recent renovation. My pictures are a bit dark- hope you can see all the beautiful carved mahogany!

The front of the synagogue:

From the inside, looking out the entrance:

The bimah and hanukkiah:

The ark, housing 6 Torah scrolls:

Looking across the synagogue, to the rear:

I'm sorry to say that I can't remember the name of this type of wall. Perhaps it's called a wall of remembrance? You can see the yahrzeit candles lit. I'm sure there are many precious memories represented. (If it's disrespectful to have this photo posted, please let me know and I'll remove it. I'm unsure whether there are specific rules about this.)

If you are interested in learning more about this historic synagogue or some of the very interesting history of Virgin Islands Jewry, here's a great site:

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/stthomas.html

Enjoy!

Meme

2006-12-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by The Lovely Ms. BagelUnderTheCouch to do this meme... I don't have the heart to pass it along to 6 more unsuspecting souls, so if you like it, go ahead and tag yourself!
The meme is "Six Weird Things about You."

1. I'm not Jewish, yet I'm hoping to make aliyah. (Okay, this one was self-evident to anyone who reads my blog, but still-- it qualifies as a weird thing!

2. I defer to my pets when they claim parts of my house, and I get to use the areas they don't claim. For example, Indy spent her days on my vanity table, so for 6 years, I almost never used it, so that I wouldn't be in her way.

3. I can barely stand to pass by a fruit tree without picking and eating some fruit. I restrain myself in Florida's orange groves though, because I don't relish the idea of getting shot.

4. I have a weird phobia: I am absolutely terrified of ice cream trucks! I am not kidding. When I hear that sinister, tinny song, slowly creeping around the block toward me, I am certain that the driver is coming to murder me with a knife. I close the shades, lock the doors, and hide in the closet. I know, it's weird. I have made a little progress with this phobia over the years, but let's just say you will NEVER see me buying ice cream from an ice cream truck!!!

5. I like to eat raw dough: pizza dough, bread dough, whatever. Especially if I can dip it in cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

6. I love it when people are late to meet with me or pick me up, because then I have more time to get ready (since I'm almost always running late myself!)

That's it for my weird side. If you have stuff you'd like to share, do it! And let me know if you did the meme. :)

Falling Asleep to the Sound of Waves

2006-12-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

Actually, this post has nothing to do with the title, but it sounded poetic, and since it's what I'm doing, the title works. :)

Lots of things have happened since I last wrote, so I will pick and choose some highlghts. To start, I'll write about the last night of Hanukkah at the St. Thomas synagogue. I forgot to bring my cable to connect my camera to the computer, so I can't post the photos yet. I'll try to post the photos I took, sometime soon.

The St. Thomas synagogue is the oldest in continuous use in the western hemisphere, and was built by the island's Jewish population, which was Sephardi at that time. I also learned the the US Virgin Islands have had 3 Jewish governors over the years. The Paewonski family, a very prominent family here, is Jewish and years ago one of them was a governor here. The Paewonskis are still members of the St. Thomas synagogue. I wonder if the long-standing presence of the synagogue, indeed, on "Synagogue Street," has assisted in making the Virgin Islands less anti-semitic than many places. I have no way of knowing for sure.

Interestingly, since the synagogue is Sephardi (actually, it's now Reform, but since it was built in the Sephardi style), it has a different seating arrangement from that found in Ashkenazi synagogues. The congregants sit on two sides, facing one another, (men and women together), instead of facing the bimah. The floors are covered with sand, as I think they always have been. There is a lot of wood, and it's all solid mahogany, harvested long ago from the VI's mahogany rainforests. The wood is my favorite part, but there are also beautiful hanging candelabras, shabbat candleholders, and of course their Hanukkiah.

I didn't realize that visitors to the island are welcome to bring their menorahs right into the synagogue and light them alongside the main Hanukkiah, but it was a beautiful sight! There were 5 or 6 menorahs on the table, and of course it was dramatic, being the 8th night. The rabbi welcomed visitors to come up and light them all at the same time as the Hanukkah blessing was recited, so apparently this is an old tradition. Otherwise, I imagine visitors would have simply left their menorahs in their hotel rooms.

I was a little disappointed that the rabbi didn't talk about Hanukkah much that night; instead, he kept to the weekly Parsha (Torah portion), but that was also interesting. The synagogue was renovated not too long ago, and in the course of the renovation, the historical society determined the need to cover up the incredibly beautiful interior walls, which were made of brick, stone and coral. They made the decision because the mortar in the walls was crumbling, due to being mixed with sand and molasses. What a shame! A lot of charm was covered up by white plaster. I wish they could have kept it the way it was. Still, it was a nice service, and I'll try to post pictures later.

Here's a kitty-rescue story:
My mom and I found a little kitten, about 8 weeks old, near Mom's house last week. She asked me to help it, which turned out to be really healing for me (and hopefully, for the kitten, too!) This poor little guy was in terrible condition. He was meowing pitifully from under a truck, and when I picked him up, I saw that he would become a beautiful long-haired cat, if he received some TLC and medical care. But he was far from beautiful at that moment, because he was very ill with some kind of respiratory infection and he was filthy. His eyes were glued shut by the infection and a lot of dirt or cement, his nose and mouth were covered by cement and dirt, as were his paws. And his behind-- I'll spare you the details, but I promise it wasn't pretty. While I gave him a very thorough bath and blow-dry (poor guy!), Mom bought him cream. He wouldn't eat, and we decided to take him to the island's no-kill shelter for care.

They have been giving him excellent, quarantined medical care and tons of love, and the manager even took him home over the 4 day weekend so she could provide round-the-clock care for him. The vet won't be back on the island until Friday, so I won't be here when he's tested and immunized, and therefore, I can't take him home. He has to be tested for feline leukemia virus, and if he has it, he will need to be put to sleep. (It's one of the understandable exceptions to the no-kill policy, since the virus could destroy all the island's unvaccinated cats.) So let's hope he tests negative! Though there is no way I could keep him, the shelter manager let me know that since he's so young and is a long-haired cat, he will be "snatched up in no time at all." Great! I'll go back to visit him again, just to check in and give cuddles (for the 3rd time... :))

On that note... this laptop battery is about to die, so I'm signing off. Goodnight all, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Home For the Holidays

2006-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
Truffle and I arrived safely in St. John, US Virgin Islands yesterday. Already, I'm feeling my mental health improve. It's great to be with family, and I'm too busy to think about Indy's passing very much. It's hot here, but hey, who am I to complain? Especially since my family is fighting over me :). It's good to be home.

Last night I stayed at my brother's house, which meant sharing a king-sized bed with my niece (age 4), and nephew (age 6). It seems like such a big bed should hold us with no problem, but I had forgotten that my nephew becomes some kind of gymnast as soon as he falls asleep! He's not an easy person to share a bed with, with all the dramatic flailing, kicking and moving from one end of the bed to the other. And of course they wanted me to sleep in the middle, "so they could snuggle" me. Oh well, at least it's nice to be loved, even if I got no sleep! But tonight I'm definitely staying at Mom's house instead.

Today was spent with the kids, doing various fun crafts-- assembling a gingerbread train, etc. And tomorrow will be more of the same- these kids have high expectations of our time! Tonight, Mom had her annual Christmas party at the gallery, a success as always. :) (If you would like to view my mom's artwork and gallery, you can visit www.coconutcoaststudios.com.)

I'll be trying to get to St. Thomas on Friday for the last candle lighting of Hanukkah, at the BEAUTIFUL St. Thomas synagogue. I'll write more about that later!

Hope you're all enjoying your Hanukkah and/or Christmas season. And what the heck, I'm feeling generous: if you're African-American, I hope you're enjoying Kwanzaa, and if you're Muslim, I hope you recently passed a PEACEFUL Ramadan. Note the emphasis on 'peaceful.' :)

A photo of Indy

2006-12-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

Here is my Indygirl sleeping.
Good night Sweetness, and sleep well until I see you again.

What a Week

2006-12-13T15:17:00.001-08:00

I can't take much more. I've about had it with veterinary offices. They've mostly been nice, but 6 vet offices and 9 vets in one week (no exaggeration) is more than anyone should be expected to take standing up.

I was able to have Indy euthanized here at home, in bed while I held her. It comforts me to know I did the right thing for her, but I miss her so much. Occasionally I break down and have a good cry. Her passing was peaceful (except when the vet sat on my bed and broke it, just before administering her final dose of narcotic). Of course it was very hard for me, but it seemed to be completely pain-free for her, which is what matters. I just couldn't watch her suffer while she improved outwardly a bit, only to become ill again and die in pain in the very near future. If there had been any medical way to save her and heal her of the heart disease, I would have done it. The cost was not an issue. But to give some comparison, humans with similar cases of advanced heart disease are candidates for heart transplants, and the veterinary community just don't do those for animals. If anyone is interested in what her heart disease involved, you can read about it here. Another thing that consoles me was learning that it's very rare for a cat to live to be 6 1/2 in this condition; most die between ages 2-5. So I was very fortunate to have her with me for so long.

I ended up burying her in the back yard, not in the front. I couldn't handle the idea of her being buried in the unprotected front yard. After she passed away, I was manic for hours; I didn't cry and I could not stop moving. At 1:30 a.m. I had to take Tylenol PM just to slow down. I buried her with soft linens and catnip, and yesterday I planted a garden of lilies on her grave. I'm going to buy a personalized plaque that reads "Indy's Garden."

I'm doing OK... Crying, like I said, but healing, too. I keep thinking I see Indy out of the corner of my eye, or start to buy things she likes at the grocery and pet stores, or starting to change her water/food/litter, and when I realize she's not here anymore, it's hard. I think Monaco, my other kitty (a feral cat at heart), is getting tired of being picked up. Other than that, Monaco seems to be handling Indy's passing fine. I allowed all the animals to see and smell Indy's body, which I hope was a good decision. I did this even though the vet who euthanized her suggested against it, saying it might stress Monaco. But since Monaco gets very stressed when she can't find Indy, I think it would have been more stressful for her to be searching and meowing for Indy for who knows how long.

Of course, Truffle was not exactly respectful toward the deceased, what with thoroughly sniffing and snorting over Indy's entire body, then trying to dig up and trampling upon her grave. But appalling as it was, that's just what puppies do.

We apparently couldn't exist a day in this household without some pet drama, so last night Angel started hacking very frighteningly. This morning I took her to the vet, and he said (thank You, God!!!) that it's not her heart, it's some kind of upper respiratory illness, and he prescribed antibiotics. Let's hope Truffle doesn't get whatever viral or bacterial nasties that have caused Angel's white blood count to surge upwards. I just can't take any more.

And Truffle and I are boarding a plane in 6 days, so she had better not get sick!! Though I did obtain her health certificate today, so whether she's on antibiotics or not, this puppy is getting on that plane with me. Truffle is a wonderful puppy, but I was getting burned out with all the intense veterinary care as early as a two weeks ago, and things have only intensified since then. Add to all this the fact that Truffle has now decided that it's OK to pee on the rug, just as a special treat to me. Pleasant.

Someday soon, for my own as well as my readers' sake, I hope to be back to my witty self. Maybe that will happen when I'm on vacation. (December 19th through 28th, if I'm not mistaken). I also seriously need to get back to work. I have done precious little to earn a living in the last 6 days. This is no way to run a business.

2006-12-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

My precious Indy is gone now.

Thank you all for the kind words you've given.

2006-12-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

The vet didn't have time to come tonight, so Indy is still hanging in there.

Other big things have happened, too. Today Indy drank water twice, all on her own. And much more incredible: she used one of her hind legs. I was skeptical that the "collateral artery" generation could be so quick, but apparently it is! The feline body is truly amazing. She is still in a lot of pain, even with pain medication. But maybe it will subside? I will find out tomorrow. She doesn't walk or even sit up, but there was a major exception:
I took her out in her wicker basket-bed to the front lawn, because it's her favorite place. I wanted her to spend time in the sun and enjoying the outdoors for the last time. She became quite restless, and tried to get out of the basket. I set her on the grass, and she immediately RAN about 15 feet to the front door!!! I was in shock. One of the sad parts is that I know now that she must have felt vulnerable and terrified outside, even though I took her out as a special treat. So I got her situated in bed again, and I've been trying to decide how to proceed.

When I talked with the vet who does housecalls, he said he had to deal with an emergency, so he couldn't come over. But he also questioned my reasons for euthanasia, saying that maybe she could even live up to a year. So I need to talk with the specialists tomorrow and re-assess. IF she could have quality of life (walk, eat, little pain), I'd be so happy. But if not, I think it's best to put her out of her pain sooner, rather than later. I will know more tomorrow morning.

The Reasons

2006-12-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

Indy and I had a relatively good night last night, and this morning she awoke and actually drank water on her own! It was a beautiful and hopeful sight. But I know the right thing for her, not me, is euthanasia. Watching her get a little better is so cruel and deceptive. The vets told me this could happen. She could stabilize, and possibly even regain use of her legs (through the amazingly fast growth of what are called collateral arteries, I learned).

But it's all temporary, because heart disease is the main problem. It's like a cruel joke. So at the moment, I need to use this blog to remind myself why euthanasia is the most humane decision.

She is in terrible pain whenever she's moved, even with the pain medication.
She's in pain and moaning even when she's not being moved.
She will die within a matter of weeks or months, no matter what treatment she receives.
If I wait, her death may come at a time when she's alone, and/or could be very painful, due to a seizure, stroke, liver or kidney failure (all due to blood clots), or cardiac arrest.
If euthanized, she will have a peaceful and presumably pain-free passing, and will not suffer, and her final moments will be at home with me, not alone, or being raced to some veterinary facility so that they can euthanize her upon arrival.
She is weakened and she refuses any kind of food.
She is humiliated by the indignity of all this-- not having the strength to wash herself, use the litter box alone, or even sit up.

I have a neighbor who opined that I need to do this "when it's right for me." I don't agree with this. I need to do what's right for Indy, not me. God gave humans dominion over animals, and we're charged with their care. So when it's right for Indy, it's right for me, too.

If you pray, please pray that I'll have the strength to do what's right. Even though I may not feel ready.

Indy Likes Butterflies

2006-12-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm here in bed, lying next to Indy. She seems comfortable enough, lying under the covers with her head on the pillow. She has put out her little forelegs and is pushing me with her paws. I think she's doing this to be close to me, and because she doesn't have the energy to "make biscuits" on my arm like she usually does. [Note: I now realize that she's leaning on me for leverage, to prop herself up.] So she's just here, lovingly staring at me and purring. She knows the end is near. She has stopped eating and drinking. (I'm administering water through an oral syringe.) I've cooked her favorite foods and bought her favorite cream, but she'll have none of it. She just wants love.

I'm planning to add a biography about Indy to this post a little later, once she's gone to sleep. For now, let me get back to loving my little one.

A little later:
Indy doesn't feel sleepy, so I'll write while she's staring at me. There is a lot to write. Indy's real name is Indianapolis 500, which is what I call her when she's naughty. She liked to race around the house like a Formula One racer as a kitten.

We have a very sweet relationship, and whenever I leave overnight, upon my return we have a ritual: she takes me through the house, and makes sure I will pick up on all her established cues to do things for her: she walks to the bathtub and meows, which means turn on the bathtub faucet just a little bit so I can have a drink. She meows at each closed door, to tell me to open them please, and watches me do it, one by one. She sits on the kitchen step-stool to remind me that's her perch to request cream in the mornings. Then she walks me to the front door and asks me to let her out (even though I rarely grant her this request, her philosophy is that it never hurts to ask. She's a go-getter that way.) Yes, Indy runs a tight ship around here! one of my ex-boyfriends said she knows she runs the house, and I guess he was right. (Since he's history, apparently he minded this arrangement. But it suits Indy and me just fine!)

I used to have a hamster named Oliver, which terrified Indy. One time, Oliver actually ran under Indy seeking safety (?), and Indy ran away. I never claimed to have genius pets. Until the day Oliver died of a brain tumor, Indy was afraid of that hamster. (My other cat, Monaco, is a different story. When I introduced Oliver to her, she promptly put his head in her mouth and tried to take a bite. Just her was of saying "Thanks for the snack, Mom!")

I've been reading a pamphlet the vet's office gave me yesterday about grieving the loss of your pet, and it says you should remember the pet's whole life-- not just the death and dying portion, or just the good parts. The pamphlet says you should remember the good as well as the bad times. It's in that spirit that I share the following.

Both my cats have their claws, because I believe it's an act of barbarism to have a cat's claws removed. This is another way of saying that my furniture looks like hell. I bought a $4000. "Rowe" sofa set, but these little hellions treated it as if it were their own personal scratching post. Which is why I've stopped buying expensive furniture.

Indy loves to sit outside under the gardenia bush and spy on me. I have no idea what she thinks I'm up to, but there must be some major action going on in her mind. Sometimes she races out of her little hiding spot as if being pursued by ....nothing.

When she was a kitten, she was quite the climber. One time she almost caught a squirrel (which is pretty ironic since she was afraid of a hamster). She used to climb up and get stuck in the back yard tree, and in the arbor. I still bear scars of her scratches on my forearms from rescuing her from high places.

Of course, mine are primarily indoor cats, and are only allowed outside with supervision, so she's had many more indoor adventures. Probably her biggest adventure was moving with me from California to Florida, 5 years ago. Actually, Indy was a good traveler. But I wonder what she thought when Monaco, my "scaredy-cat," got out of her carrier on the plane. She raced around under all the passengers' feet, looking for an exit at thousands of feet in the air.

Possibly the craziest adventure could have ended up tragic: when Indy was a kitten before I knew better), I used to burn candles next to my bed. She sashayed past a lit candle, and her long fur caught on fire. I saw the plume of smoke, so I hit it off of her to extinguish the fire. It was effective, but I had also hit Indy right off of the table and several feet away, onto the floor. She looked at me indignantly, not understanding my sudden change in behavior, then she sniffed at her singed fur (she never actually got burned), and looked back at me as if I had put this terrible singed smell on her when I hit her. It was quite an evening. I now have only unlit candles for decoration, and my shabbat candles are on a high shelf.

I have decided to bury Indy's body after she is euthanized. She and I have discussed it at length today. She will be buried in the front garden, and it will be called "Indy's garden." It will be landscaped with butterfly-attracting flowers, because she loves to watch butterflies. And she loves that spot, although I don't usually let her out there, since it's not fenced in. It also happens to be right outside my bedroom window. I think it will be a good final resting place for her.

Did I write this before? I have found a vet who will come to the house for an at-home euthanasia. If Indy and I are ready, he will come over tomorrow night. Also, I have scheduled for my handyman to come over tomorrow to dig a grave. I think Indy is almost ready, but I still need a day to be with her and prepare emotionally.

I don't want to prolong her pain, but at the same time, this has all been very sudden. Yesterday, I thought the event would occur sometime next week. This morning, I settled on it happening on Monday. Now I've probably moved it up to tomorrow. So I don't think I'm dragging my feet. But it's honestly more heartbreaking to see her suffering in this condition than it is to imagine her gone from me.

I write these very painful things as if separated from my emotions, but there are many emotions here as well. For some reason, I don't seem to delve into them much in my writing.

Indy is the one being who knows me most intimately, and loves and is completely dependent upon me. She sleeps snuggled up against me, she can anticipate my actions. I don't know how I am going to live without her warmth and friendship.

My precious Indy

2006-12-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

Indy is beside me now, resting with a lot of medication. The specialists confirmed what the emergency vet said. I have this weekend to decide how to proceed, but Indy's options are not good ones.

She almost certainly has an aortal blood clot, which has caused her hind legs' paralysis, but that's just a symptom of her advanced heart disease. Very optimistically, she could potentially have a few more months to live. But she will probably remain paralyzed, and even if she regains the use of her hind legs, her heart disease is terminal. She will die soon regardless, unless it's God's will to heal her miraculously. So I have decided that I don't want to put her through months of pain, medication and humiliation, just to die anyhow within a few months at the very most.

I will keep her with me this weekend, and we will enjoy each other. She will have a chance to say goodbye to the other animals. I'll give her everything she wants. But I can't prolong her pain and misery. She deserves so much better than that. I promised her today that every decision made, will be made with her interests at heart, not mine. I am tempted to keep her with me longer, but she has no quality of life. She can't go to the bathroom without my assistance, has no appetite, can't walk or jump, has no interest in much of anything besides having me hold and pet her. So that's what I'll do.

It's hard. When I start crying, it upsets her, so I have to stop or cry silently. I think she understands quite a bit of what is going on.

Indy

2006-12-08T03:38:00.000-08:00

My precious 6 year old cat, Indy, woke me at 3 a.m. Her hind legs are paralyzed. I took her to the emergency vet, and they said she most likely has acute heart disease, which caused a blood clot and is cutting off the blood supply to her hind legs. The vet who examined her has never seen a cat recover from this. I'll take her to the specialists in 45 minutes. I've cried, prayed. I have her in bed with me now, and I want her to stay with me forever. She has had a heart murmur when she was a kitten, and it has returned. Please pray for Indy and Monaco (my other cat, who is distraught) and me.

Thank you.

A Family Christmas

2006-12-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

OK, so I've put this off as long as I could. Time to write about going home for the holidays.
I'll be making my annual pilgrimage to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, just 12 days from today. I'll stay with my family, which means I'll stay with my mom until we have our traditional holiday blow-up, then I'll go and stay with my brother and his wife, sleeping in their children's playroom.

I have a great time with my family every Christmas, even though I don't believe it's spiritually correct to:

Use a Christmas tree, since that's just a pagan tradition
Celebrate the birth of Jesus in December, since He was probably born in an entirely different season
Commercialize the Advent of Jesus

Having made these excellent points, let me just admit that I am the biggest hypocrite and transgressor of these ideals that's ever existed. I'm shameless. My family has to beg me --to no avail, of course-- to stop buying so many gifts. People in the airplanes "tsk, tsk" me, as I schlep into the cabin with rideable toys and 5-foot-long train sets in tow. I kid you not. On more than one occasion, I've even brought live Christmas trees on the plane.

And my hypocrisy has of course multiplied exponentially with the birth of my precious niece and nephew, T.J. (6) and Lily (4). I will deny them nothing. For several years now, our family has fostered the idea that I am:

A.) Mickey Mouse's girlfriend (because I live in Orlando, but what on earth does Minnie Mouse think of this setup?!), and

B.) Close personal friends with Santa Claus. So if the kids are misbehaving, I get on the phone with them and say: "Have you been good? Because Santa and I will be talking later on..." and they instantly change their behavior.

These lies are made all the easier by their living on a tiny island, so all of the toys have to be sent in-- some by Yours Truly. I'd like to say I'm repentant of this obnoxious trail of materialism and deceit, but I can't stop!!! I'm sure I need a 12-Step Program.

Anyway, in case you're wondering, I was raised in St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands. I was born in California, and my family moved to the VI when I was 8 years old. My mother bought and administrated a Montessori school there (in addition to the one she owned in California), and my father was an inter-island airline pilot. It was a very interesting place to grow up. It's beautiful and has tons of history, but some pretty bad things also happened back in the 70s and 80s on the island of St. Croix.

Going "home," as I call it, really isn't going home at all, since I never actually lived on the island of St. John. But since that's where my family has lived for about 20 years, it feels almost as much like home as St. Croix. Well, not really. But it does have the benefit of being a safer and even more picturesque island, and lacks the intense emotional baggage that St. Croix holds for me, so in a way it's better this way.

Anyway, I'll be trying my best to blog while I'm there, although I tend to stay very busy with family functions and spending time with the little ones. But many interesting things always seem to happen there, so I intend to take my blog friends along on a virtual vacation!

Incidentally, the island's hotel rooms fill up with a kajillion Jewish visitors during the weeks just before and after Christmas-- Is anyone in the Jblogosphere going to be in St. John?! If so, I'd love to meet you!

Yaakova in Mosaic Form

2006-12-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

Here's my likeness in mosaic form. (Hat tip: PsychoToddler)
It seems rather widened, but I don't know how to change that. (Other than a diet, I mean.) :)

Here's a random question: I wonder how the word "mosaic" came to be linked with an art form. Does anyone know? There's the Mosaic covenant, Mosaic law, but Mosaic art? (I don't think Moses had a lot of free time to be perfecting this art form...)

This and That

2006-12-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey there bloggers,
The daily goings-on:

I heard back from Mr. Saudi guy today, and I think things may be moving forward. For some reason he didn't get my long and excruciatingly detailed email yesterday, so I re-sent it (as in: re-mailed; Not as in : resentment Oh, the fun of semantics!). He didn't appear to have a problem with having a female Realtor. We'll see...
I worked very hard under the kitchen sink: disassembled all the pipes, used an auger and a "plumbing bladder," unplugged the massive clog, reconnected everything, and "Voila!" It works. Hip Hip Hooray!
Last week my great-uncle said he will try and get a letter from a rabbi for me soon (necessary for my aliyah). A really big Hip Hip Hooray!!
I went to a Realtor's luncheon today, a new condo project. As usual, I wanted to ask the Developers if they could spare some of the crack they're using, since they must be on something pretty good to be asking such high prices in this molasses-slow real estate market. It was a nice luncheon, though.
I've been making my 2007 goals, which are pretty important for me this year, since I'm turning 40 in March. I'll be OK with that, as long as I've accomplished some big things to show for having been alive these last 40 years. (For my 30th birthday, I finished college and acquired my first house. Since I don't have a husband or kids, I try to make really tangible evidence that I'm accomplishing something in this world!)

So here are my personal goals, to be accomplished before March 16, 2007:

Finalize my aliyah paperwork and go through the interview at the Jewish Agency in Miami.
Purchase my plane ticket to go to Israel in late Spring 2007.
Solve my hair issues. (Long? Shoulder-length? Blonde? Darker blonde? Style?? Arggghhh!!!)
Lose weight. (I'll spare you the details.)
Have my new, dynamic, international business plan well underway. This includes my vastly improved website, advertising on several British websites, advertising in an expensive and risky venue here in Orlando, delivering my PowerPoint presentations to U.S. and U.K. audiences, and possibly flying to the U.K. and Ireland (as in, "the Republic of...") in order to promote my real estate services at trade shows and the like. Whew! I'm getting tired just writing all that.

Well, I guess that's it for the night. Maybe tomorrow I'll write about my annual pilgrimage to family for Christmas.

Very interesting...

2006-12-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Today my company sent me an interesting "lead." A "lead" is a potential client, who I need to contact. And hopefully sell something to, or list their property for sale. All regular real estate stuff.

But this lead was different for me, because he's from Saudi Arabia, doing business in Kuwait. He is (or appears to be) the Principal in a major corporation with very major holdings, though of course I won't mention names. I was going to return the lead to my broker and say "no thanks." But then I was required to explain why I'm refusing this incredible lead. (Gentle readers, please just guess why, don't make me spell it out...)

As I was writing my "no thanks" email, I realized that I'm the only one in the office who would be able to turn it into a sale. Actually, that's not true: there's someone far more capable than me, who trained me, but he won't do business with Arabs. (No, he's not Jewish either.) So basically, either I do this, or our office loses the lead. So because of this (and since I didn't want to explain to my broker why I wouldn't accept the lead), I decided to give it a shot, and see how it goes.

To be honest, this guy probably won't even want to work with a female Realtor. But I went ahead and accepted the lead, and have done a bunch of work for Mr. So-and-So today.
I felt pretty conflicted. But then, after I accepted the lead and did all the work (yes, after! I swear!), I decided to take a quick look at the money I'd make.

Oh my goodness. Boy oh boy.

I'd most likely make somewhere between $100,000 and $306,000 on this single transaction.

Do you know what that would do for my ability to make aliyah??!!

Maybe being this guy's Realtor wouldn't be so bad.

(I'm such a martyr!)

A fun meme

2006-12-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

As long as I'm wasting time, here's a fun meme.
I'm hereby tagging Baleboosteh, Maureen and Bagelunderthecouch to do it next!

If it's in bold, I've done it......and you?

Things I've Done:

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse of the moon.
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

And the band plays on

2006-12-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ahh, Christmastime... the endless parties, food and drink. I went to several recently that I'll blog about now.

On Thursday, I attended what turned out to be an important event for me: a meeting/holiday party for the Orlando International Council of Realtors.

I should explain that one of the reasons my blogging has been so light lately is that I've been working very hard to break into the British real estate market. (Meaning, Brits who buy vacation homes here in Florida.) I have a brand-new business plan and I'm pretty excited about where it could take my career.

So going to the OICR meeting/party was crucial, and they just happened to have the first-ever delegation of British Realtors visiting Florida from the U.K.. I shmoozed my way through the entire group, handing out business cards at a record pace. The British Realtors seemed really nice and professional, but ...OMG. We are definitely a "people divided by a common language." They use many of the same real estate terms as us, but with different meanings!! We're finally ironing it all out via emails, thank goodness. (Especially since they intimated some very frightening figures to me-- as it turns out, we have two ways of saying exactly the same thing, but their way of saying it makes it sound, ahem, twice as expensive. So I can stop hyperventilating.)

Anyway, it was a good event for my career, and the next party was my company's annual Christmas extravaganza on Saturday night. It was a "wow" event, and the company has grown so much that the restaurant hosting us had to rent the lobby of the Bank of America next door just to hold us all.

I decided it was definitely a night to glam it up, so I showed up in a shortish black velvet dress, rhinestone chandelier earrings, necklace, bracelet and purse, and a big, glitzy ring. Hey, the company Christmas party only rolls around once a year. When else will I use all my glittery stuff?

Upon arriving at the party, I made my way to the open bar. (No, this is NOT my normal behavior.) In the past, my company has provided cocktails from 7-8 p.m., and we're on our own for drinks for the remainder of the night. This year, they changed the plan, but nobody bothered to tell me. So I rushed in at 7:55, grabbed a seat, sprinted to the bar, and got 2 vodka drinks with the drink tickets provided to me. (In retrospect, the tickets should have been a tip-off that they had a different system this year. But I was so frazzled by coming alone for the first time, having trouble finding the venue, then parking, and arriving late, that there was not a lot of clear thinking going on in my brain. All I was thinking was: "This is an intimidating event. Everyone else probably has a date. Give me my full allocation of cocktails so I can endure the evening!")

So there I sat, with my two vodka-and-cranberries before me. My broker came over to greet me and said "Have enough to drink!?" How embarrassing...

In the end, I had a fantastic time, but I'm not sure how much was because the party was so great, and how much was due to my general inebriated state. In any case, it was the first time I've actually gotten up to dance at a company party. A group of us single women danced together, so it wasn't too risky.

The weirdest part about the evening had to be the breasts. Yes, you read it correctly. Apparently, several of my colleagues decided to have some pretty obvious er... enhancements made this past year. I mean, a person would usually have to watch Baywatch reruns to see this much cleavage. Enough said.

Okey-dokey, on to the next party: Last night, I went to an intimate (ie. small) dinner party at my German friends' house. They had a "German Christmas" theme. Now I'll admit that I'm usually wary of Germans being anti-semitic, but these friends are very supportive. [One time, they were with me when a Christian lady said that I can't mix my Christian and Jewish backgrounds. After she said that, my German friend privately said, "The devil is going to ride that lady's dead body straight to hell for judging not only Christians, but Jews as well!" (Ha ha ha!) I totally couldn't believe he said that! So as a result, they've definitely earned my appreciation.]

Last night's dinner was delicious, despite my contributions. (Granted, it was pretty scary, cooking German food for Germans.) I made Gluehwein (hot mulled wine), potato strudel, and brussels sprouts cooked in beer. I recommend all but the last, which, even though they were cooked in beer, still tasted like brussels sprouts.

Well, that's it for my weekend. It's Monday now, and I'm blogging from bed, too tired to get up and work. And now I have a clogged kitchen sink to contend with.

Yet another cocktail party, etc.

2006-11-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

So I went to a real estate party tonight (and will go to another tomorrow night, and so on), and actually enjoyed myself. This was despite the presence of ever-obnoxious-and-ubiquitous Rick, the tacky-and-uncouth Realtor who I've blogged about before.

The food was a simple yet tasty selection of cold cuts and sandwiches, cookies and fruit, as well as the obligatory wine and beer bar. But what made the event worthwhile was meeting a really nice couple. The woman is a fellow Realtor, and she brought her husband along, who is an engineer.

We had so much to talk about! She's interested in breaking into commercial R.E. (real estate), so I offered her whatever few tips I could. We talked about tons of stuff-- from energy sources (Did you know that astrophysicists are working right now to develop an energy source from a substance supplied from the moon? Neither did I!!), to the Bible, to ...my ex-boyfriend, who they know! Gulp. Discovering that sure started an interesting tangent in our conversation! They are politically supportive of Israel, and we talked about my plans re. aliyah as well. (Take that, ex-boyfriend! I hope they tell him everything.) Anyway, it was a good evening, and I hope I'll see them again. The Realtor and I exchanged business cards, so perhaps we'll meet up for lunch, or at another party. We'll see.

I have very good news about Truffle, my mom's dog. She went for her 4 week x-ray check-up today, and everything looks good. It's such a relief! The bones are fusing nicely, her incision spots are healing, and it's time for her to start swimming and walking a little! Yay!!! It's been awfully boring for the dogs to never leave the yard. In fact, starting last week, I felt so bad for them that I've been taking them for long car rides. I've done this 3 times now, and with the price of gas, I really can't keep it up! So hearing that Truffle can now start some low-impact exercise to regain muscle mass was welcome news indeed.

I'll confess something here. I pray that my mom isn't reading this, and that my great-uncle doesn't alert her to it (got that, Elliott? ;)) One morning last week, Truffle and Angel got out of the yard. I should have been supervising them, but I came inside for a minute, and that's all it took. It had been a windy night, and the wind had blown the gate open. The dogs ran around the block, crossed a fairly busy street, and were frolicking in someone's yard and reveling in their all-around horrid behavior. A kind and observant (and much appreciated) neighbor saw them and drove over to my house to tell me, where he found me already frantic and in my car, after driving around and not finding the dogs. But they were perfectly fine, it was just a close call.

I was so scared and mad at them that I left them in the car in the (cool) dark garage for half an hour. I hope they could tell I was angry by my glaring at them and slamming the door. Yep, the silent treatment is what they got. Of course, when I came back to let them out they were sleeping contentedly, so I don't know if I got my point across, but doing it made me feel better anyway.

The long and short of it is that I was afraid the running and playing had impeded Truffle's bone fusion process, since she was doing the very things that are forbidden. But as it turns out, she's o.k.!

Thanks for tuning in.

Hee hee... my female readers will enjoy this!

2006-11-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

WALKING 5 PACES BEHIND

Barbara Walters of 20/20 (USA-ABC Television) did a story
on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan, several years before
the Afghan conflict. She noted that women customarily
walked 5 paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women
still walk behind their husbands. From Ms. Walters's
vantage point, despite the overthrow of the oppressive
Taliban regime, the women now seem to walk even further
behind their husbands and are happy to maintain the old custom.

Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked,
"Why do you now seem happy with the old custom that you
once tried so desperately to change?"

The woman looked into Ms. Walters' eyes,
and without hesitation, said,
"Land mines."

Precious Ones,

2006-11-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the delay. Life happens. I've been overwhelmed. And after some time passes, one never knows if anyone is even checking the blog anymore. And really, my brain has been filled with veterinary medical care and real estate marketing for quite a few weeks now, and it just doesn't seem like those topics are all that interesting to blog about. But I'll give it a shot.

So Happy Belated Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you had a good one. Mine was interesting. I shlepped the two dogs up to Lake County and spent the night with a friend, and you wouldn't believe how much crap I had to take to keep these dogs comfortable! It was like packing up children's stuff-- toys, baby gate, blanket, food, medicine, medical equipment, snacks. Good grief. It paid off though; they were very happy.

I can't totally say the same for myself, though. My friend Cindy hurt my feelings a few times. Looking back, I can see that she was just stressed about hosting 12 people in her home for the first time, but she wasn't very nice to me. She sort of snapped at me once, and a few times did/said unkind things. And I was very considerate and generous the whole time.

Example: I, a single guest, contributed a magnum of very good Cabernet Sauvignon, rolls, 3 kinds of candy to set out in candy dishes, sweet potato casserole, cranberry bread, and cranberry sauce (homemade, of course!). And of course all the decorations. She had asked me to help, so I did. Did she ever even acknowledge this? No. Instead, she gave me rude comments. Next time I won't be so kind or generous. Some people.

The guests were all nice, and of course dinner was scrumptious. And my team whupped the other team in an after-dinner game of Pictionary. I love that game!

But I sure was ready to come home after that.

The Question of Dual Citizenship

2006-11-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

Note to regulars on my blog: This topic started in the comments section of www.olehgirl.com, when readers questioned her citizenship plans. I have no opinion about her plans (whatever they may be), but I am curious about how various people view the idea of retaining US citizenship after making aliyah, and why some people seem to find it distasteful to do so.

Linked are my two comments from Olehgirl's blog.

Guests and newcomers: feel free to express your opinions about this in my comments section.

One of America's Finest...

2006-11-03T04:21:00.000-08:00

Yeah... This ATF guy is the one I want in a time of crisis...

A friend just emailed his response: "The gun is probably loaded, too."

This picture reminds me that I really have to step up submitting my aliyah application!

They've stolen my identity!!

2006-11-02T21:24:00.000-08:00

That's just a joke.. but it's how I felt when I decided to google 'Yaakova,' and discovered that other people are in fact using my blogger name! And not only that; they appear to have been using it all their lives!! How did I not know this?! I can't believe I didn't do a google search before.

The truth is, it's really comforting that some Jewish and Israeli women are named Yaakova. Knowing that really helps me feel more comfortable with putting it on my aliyah paperwork. One of the Yaakovas is a writer, whose surname is Sacerdoti, and it looks as though she writes in Hebrew and English?? Or teaches Hebrew? I'm not really sure; translators may have been involved. Another Yaakova seems to be a pillar of the community in New York, who organized a nice fundraising event to benefit Jewish weddings. The really funny thing is that there's a wedding announcement for a young woman named Arielle Yaakova Epstein online, and in Israel, I'd probably change my surname to Epstein, which was my mom's maiden name. So look out Arielle, there may be two of us soon! (sort of...) :)

Obviously, I have too much time on my hands this evening...

Truffle is Home!!

2006-11-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

I picked up Truffle over an hour ago. The surgery went very well.
But talk about stress! Mixing my frightening driving skills with a drugged-up dog on the back seat made for a scary and slow drive home. Then she wouldn't get out of the car. I finally picked her up and got her out.
She's now asleep, after eating and drinking a little. Poor girl, she's been through a lot. And now she faces 8 to 12 weeks of a boring recovery.
It's great to have her home, and to have the surgeries all finished. (We hope!)
I'll keep her as calm as possible.

2006-11-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

Well, what to say...

Thinking about Simon, I guess I just have a feeling that he's a bit shallow. He comes on strong, but I don't think there's a lot of substance beneath the initial advances.

Also, he and I really don't share a lot of common ground. We have enough to spend some time together, but not enough to sustain a long-term relationship. The area that we do share is our interest in international topics-- His bachelor's degree was in international business; mine was in international studies with a concentration in international marketing. We both love to travel (but who doesn't?), and we both enjoy being involved in the more cosmopolitan scene.

These are nice things to have in common with a friend. But more than that? I doubt it. I didn't even go into detail about my faith, my love for Israel, etc. I know from experience that bringing up those topics too early can be show-stoppers, so I just avoided them.

Do you know what's nice? Having the inner strength to be able to not get emotionally involved with someone, just because he's available and looks like a good catch. Believe me, it wasn't always this way! I used to feel a lot more pressure --from within and from society-- to "just get married, already." Now, I don't feel that way at all. So I'll keep my options open. But in the meantime, I just might date Simon for a bit. (If he contacts me, which he hasn't since yesterday.) I guess companionship can be nice, even if there's no future in it.

On to a much more emotional topic: I dropped Truffle off for her second surgery this morning. It's so sad; she really is a sweet puppy. (Even if she did destroy all her dog toys, a framed painting, a beloved bird-bath and some wood objects. So far.)

The great news is that her other surgery is healing really well: none of the 6 screws holding the bone plate in place have become loose, as can happen if a dog is too active after the surgery. This was very welcome news, because as anyone knows who has had a puppy, it's really hard to keep them still!!! She has to be relatively inactive for 8 to 12 weeks after the surgeries.. And you know I'll try my best, but she does get away from me sometimes!

She will have her surgery today, and I'll pick her up tomorrow afternoon. They don't let her take any personal items (dog toys, blankets), so the poor girl will not have anything comforting around her. Granted, she'll probably be too drugged-up to notice, but still.. If my pelvic bone had just been sawed into six pieces, I'd want a little comfort. Poor baby!

Time for a happier topic: While waiting for the vet to call, I went shopping. I purchased some inexpensive serving platters to replace those I broke after Yom Kippur, and also found nice, very inexpensive shabbat candleholders. Can anyone tell me if it's okay to use crystal candleholders? My current silver-plated ones are ready for the recycling bin; all the silver-plate is coming off. I can't remember seeing people use anything other than silver for shabbat candleholders, but I don't see why one couldn't. Please let me know!

I also bought a brass menorah-- can you believe, a solid brass menorah for $8.99?! Gotta love Old Time Pottery!! The menorah is very simple; nothing fancy, but it's big enough, at 10" tall and 8.5" wide. Angel is checking it out-- she approves!

I hope you are all having a nice day out there.

As Promised: Juicy Details

2006-10-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know this is tacky. But I'm going to copy an email just received from Simon, the guy from the post office. I swear to never tell him!

I have to explain one of his comments, as he mentions someone was supposed to be in line between us. What I neglected to write yesterday was that I had placed my package on the floor to hold my place in line, as is a common practice here. A man saw my package and walked right in front of it, skipping line on purpose, then refused to look at me! That's when I asked Simon to save my spot in line.

Here's Simon's email in its entirety, though I did change my name:
____________________________________________________________________

Hi Yaakova, I think we were meant to meet yesterday, you know the old man did not get in our way, he was suppose to be in line between you and me. Anyway, how are you today, did you have a good night sleep? I did not because I was thinking about you, what about a couple of drinks tonight? By the way you really made laugh with your questions at the post office counter...

Ok Yaakova, I hope you're having a great day and hope to hear from you soon, Bye
Simon

_____________________________________________________________________

Well, hmm.. Guess I'll just have to email back and arrange something.

Simon may not be Mr. Right, but he just might be Mr. Right Now!

Update: Here is my response, just emailed to Simon. And yes, I am a very cheeky girl!

Begin:

Hi Simon,
Receiving your email was a nice surprise!

You really want to get together on Halloween?? Isn't that a bit of a risky proposition?! {insert vampire laugh here.} And what if trick-or-treaters knock on my door, and nobody answers?
Yaakova :)

Things that make you go "Hmmm"

2006-10-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

After posting about my nightmare of a date (it is Halloween tomorrow, after all...), I decided to give myself until 4 p.m. to sulk and erase Alain from my mind. So I jumped back in bed, threw the covers over my head, ate some Halloween candy that was intended for trick-or-treaters, and felt sorry for myself for 1.5 hours. Then I went to the post office to mail a package, and that's where...

...I met Simon. Here's how it happened: I hurriedly asked the man behind me to keep my place in line while I went to look for an address label. He said "Sure, and I'll hold your package, too." (He wasn't even concerned that I might be a terrorist!)

I really should wear makeup on a regular basis. What results!

So when I returned (and noticed that he's tall and handsome), he said he'd be happy to mail the package, as well. To which I coily responded "But you wouldn't know the address." He replied, "I don't care where it's going; I only care about the return address." Gulp. This guy appears to be a World-Class Flirter! Can I keep up??

{Brief intermission while I stop Truffle from flailing the cat's bed around the room in her mouth.}

Where was I? Oh yeah... So he asked what I do for a living, etc. Small talk, you know... He said he has a condo on the beach, his second home, and would I like to come to the beach before the weather gets too cold? I could bring my dog; he has a boat; why don't I come over and he will show us around. (Yes, I have to interject my dog into EVERY conversation!) I learned that he's from Venezuela. He looks to be about 40. He asked, so I gave him my business card.

Fast forward to the postal desk: the employee guys say, "Hi, Simon! How are ya?" So I ask, "You guys know Simon?"
"Yep, he's been coming here for years!"
"Is Simon a good guy?"
"He's great!"
So I go, (clearly emboldened by my date-gone-wrong): "Is Simon MARRIED?"
Customers and employees laughed. I don't care.
Simon quietly said to me "Divorced."
Eureka.

And the moral of the story is: I really should use makeup on a regular basis.

Damn

2006-10-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

He wasn't wearing a ring.

I never even thought to ask.

He certainly doesn't act married.

He took me out to lunch, we had a lovely time, then we walked through the park, sat, and talked. That's when he dropped the bomb: he wants to be closer to me, to touch me, to be totally open with me, yada yada, then: he's in a "broken marriage."

For your information, Alain: a broken marriage is one in which there has been a divorce. Not one in which you still live with your wife and nine-year-old son, and your mother-in-law, a Holocaust survivor, lives next door.

He wants to be with me, feels close to me, but recognizes that I deserve to know the truth, to make my own decision. He said he's only staying in the marriage until his son is old enough to emotionally handle a divorce. (Is there ever a time when children can handle their parents' divorce?)

I told him that no, of course I couldn't be involved with a married man. The circumstances of his marriage and his unhappiness in it are not for me to involve myself in. I told him he's doing the right thing by remaining married; he made a decision and he should stay with it. That he owes it to his son, if to no one else.

While I know that some marriages aren't worth keeping, I'm certainly not going to give anyone rationalization for an affair, or tell someone they should get a divorce. Obviously.

I don't plan to see him or talk with him again. I told him we'd remain friends-- but I know we won't. It's all raw right now. Thank you, Baleboosteh and EmahS, for your kind words. I know you'll be sad right along with me.

Ouch.

And Another Thing:

2006-10-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

Just because I'm proud of myself, I'll tell you what I did today. This is noteworthy only because trust me, I'm no domestic diva. But residing with 2 dogs and 2 cats takes its toll in a hurry.

Here are my accomplishments:

Poured scented baking soda on all carpets and vacuumed them
Spot-cleaned carpets, too.
Laundered many dog-scented linens
Changed cat-hair-decorated bedding (my bed, not theirs)
Bathed 2 dogs
And still found time to spray Miracle-Grow on front and back gardens, gift-wrap and package birthday gifts for my nephew and sister-in-law, and make banana bread.

There are still seven items remaining on today's "to do" list, but that's just too bad. I'm tired.

There's Something About Alain...

2006-10-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

Because I evidently don't have Evan's high moral standards about blogging discretion, I'll dish about all the gory details of my love life for my readers' amusement!!

But first, let me say I'm shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you, that the two readers who gave a "thumbs up" to the idea of my exploring things with Alain were the very two whom I had assumed would find it anathema for me to date a Jewish/Israeli man. (That's a laugh: it's out of my entire readership of 4 bloggers, or maybe 5!) Well, you know what they say about assuming!
Here's a little more info. about our introduction: I was shy and affected around him. Why is it that I can't seem to express myself openly when I'm around the very people with whom I want to do so? (OK, the last sentence was a grammatical nightmare. I don't even know how to begin repairing it, so I hope you got the gist.)

I said dumb things, like that I didn't know there were reform synagogues in Israel. He just looked at me like I was from outer space. I MEANT that I thought the Reform movement was an American phenomenon, and I DO know that there are roughly equivalent temples in Israel, but not exactly like American reform temples.

And when discussing food, he asked me if I like hummus. I blanked on what hummus is. How could I draw a blank on what hummus is??!! How embarrassing! I think that knowing what hummus is, is possibly even more of a prerequisite to making aliyah than visiting Israel!! I KNOW what it is (and I love it), but I had so many thoughts going through my mind at once (since this was all right after finding out he's Israeli), that I remember thinking: hummus--sesame tahini--garbanzo beans--chickpeas--baba ganouj-- I mean, there was an entire Middle-Eastern sampler platter going on in my head!

To make matters worse, I recommended that he purchase Sabra brand hummus from Publix (because it really is delicious), and (of course) I didn't mention that I DO know what a sabra is. I'm sure he just thinks I'm totally clueless. He replied that he won't be buying hummus at Publix, because he makes his own. (Who ever heard of making your own hummus?! THAT was news to me!)

It was an altogether humiliating -- or maybe just very humbling-- conversation. I had a LOT more confidence with him before discovering his nation of origin! Confidence is never a problem for me-- until I need it most!!

He did call to set a date: lunch, tomorrow. (Why not dinner??)
So now I'm shaving my legs, cleansing my pores, straightening my hair, fretting about what to wear, and all that fun stuff. I'm sure you know the drill.

We shall see how our lunch date goes. He probably thinks I'm the craziest goy he's ever met.
I think he may be right.

Stay tuned!
:)

An Enchanted Evening

2006-10-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight I went to such a great party! It was another Realtor reception, but it had a Halloween theme. I actually attended it because the menu was so creative! They had all this ghoulish stuff that was really amazingly presented, and the party was one of the best events I've been to. It didn't hurt, either, that I won $100 in cash, and got a Starbucks gift certificate to boot. :)

As I was touring the model home just prior to heading off to the second party of the evening, a man followed me upstairs and into the master suite. He looked good, so I thought, what's the harm in talking a little? He introduced himself as Alain, and we had a really good time laughing and talking about real estate. He's cosmopolitan and smart, and did I mention good looking? When I was ready to go, he wanted to talk more, so I invited him to the next party. We spent more time together, and he noticed my Hebrew necklace pendant and asked if I know how to read it. (BTW, translated, my pendant says "God bless you and keep you," and I can read it-- but only very slowly!)

Later in the conversation, I asked him about his slight accent and his name, since his first name is obviously French. I had started to wonder... Who is this guy?? Is he French? Well, I definitely wasn't ready for the answer: he's Israeli! (Needless to say, there are not a lot of sabras in central Florida.) That sure gave us a lot more to talk about!

When it was time to go, he asked if he could see me again and gave me a very warm hug.

I don't know what to do... I've been down this road many times before. All I truly have to offer him is friendship, as much as I'd love to explore other options. He asked me if I'm planning to convert (that's definitely the question of the year), and I told him no, that I am a Christian. We shall see how it all unfolds...

Another update

2006-10-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hi All, and sorry for my longish blog absence.
It was a busy week. Caring for Truffle --plus Angel, Indy and Monaco has turned my home into quite the fragile ecosystem! Here's how it all goes:

Truffle has to wear booties (which we made, and she loves to remove) when walking on my terrazzo floors. In addition to booties, I put down that ugly non-slip gripper stuff everywhere there aren't carpets, because it's imperative for her healing that Truffle doesn't slip. There are also now 3 barricades inside my house, so she won't wander from room to room. It looks like indoor pastures. Truffle is still a puppy, so she keeps trying to charge at the cats, and frightens them. They dislike being in the room with her, so I keep them all separated with the barricades. But Truffle barks if I leave her alone, and Angel whines if left alone with her. The only way to keep the peace is for me to keep both of them with me ALL THE TIME.
Truffle and Angel keep trying to rough-house, 2 or 3 times a day, and I live in fear that her surgery will be made ineffective because of their playing. And she likes to do weird things. Twice, she's climbed into the bathtub. (Why?) Yesterday, she leaped onto my desk, when I had to seclude her in my office so she'd calm down. I'm terrified of admitting this to the vet. (I did arrive in time to safely remove her from atop the desk.)

In other news, Mom and I got along better than ever before. Not a single real fight in 2 weeks-- that is definitely some kind of record for us. I reiterated to her that she's always welcome to come and live with me, and she actually didn't recoil in horror! That's real progress.
She's now in Africa, but last week, we were also busy having lunches and dinners with our friends. This is important because her friends often become my clients. we went to 4 such engagements. It was a very expensive week all around.

And you really wouldn't believe me if I told you how many times we went to WalMart! Try EVERY DAY... Mom kept remembering items she needed for her (deluxe, all expenses included) African safari, so WalMart became our second home. What happened to my glamorous life?! I want it back!!

Last night I had a dinner at my home, which I was really too tired to prepare, so I took the whole day to make it. It wasn't attended as well as I had planned, so I have about a ton of (fattening) leftovers in my fridge. Such is life.

I'm now off to my subdivision's Annual Meeting, and for once I don't even mind going. I'm the 1st vice president of the neighborhood association, and I'm not accepting the position again this year. They finally found someone to replace me (HOORAY!!), so I don't even have to feel guilty!! Since this will be my last mandatory appearance, I won't begrudge those stodgy characters the waste of 3 more hours of my time. :)

Update

2006-10-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hi All,
It's been a week of ups and downs.
Mom and Truffle arrived, and we (Mom and I, not the dogs) ate under the sukkah all week. That was really cool, and Mom enjoyed it. :)

Thursday was Truffle's surgery, and it was a doozy indeed. I was mistaken about what she needed before; the surgery she had is called a TPO, in order to correct her hip dysplasia. They have to correct this during puppyhood, while her bones are still soft, and the damage isn't too advanced yet. So they cut her pelvic bone in 3 places, and installed hardware. She will almost certainly go through the same surgery (on the other hip) in 2 weeks. Yikes.

After the surgery, a resident called with a progress report, and said there was a possibility they would have to re-do the entire surgery the following day, due to complications. OMG. That made for a very difficult evening, especially for Mom. By yesterday morning, the prognosis had improved, and they didn't need to re-do the surgery.

She's now at home and doing quite well, considering all she has been through. She even wagged her tail today. If I were on the massive doses of pain medication she's taking, I'd be wagging my tail, too! (Anyone need pain meds?? We have a ton!! LOL :))

I hope everyone enjoyed Simchas Torah and the final days of Sukkot. As for me, today I had a small luncheon at my home to celebrate. I had Yetta and John over, along with Mom and me. Upon request, I served some of Mom's Jewish favorites from childhood: borscht with sour cream (Breakstones, as she will accept no imitations!), lox and bagels, cheese blintzes with applesauce, honey and more sour cream than you could ever imagine, and for dessert, coffee, apple strudel with ice cream, and marbled halvah.

Health food it was not, but it sure was comfort food! Especially for Mom and Yetta, who were loving the borscht. Hmmm... I loved it all, except that. I wonder what John thought of it all. He saw me at my absolute Jewish best, and Yetta called me a "typical Jewish mother." Yes, people, this is what a product of intermarriage looks like!!!

I don't think John and I will be dating, but he could be a great friend. I think all this stuff was just a little too foreign to him, and I don't feel like holding back who I really am anymore to make men feel more comfortable. I also don't enjoy being with men who don't care about Israel, whether or not they're Jewish. (That's not the case with John, but it has been a frequent problem.)

To answer a question Baleboosteh recently posed, some of the reasons I'm not married (at age 39), are that on one hand, I "seem" more stereotypically Jewish, if there is such a thing. By this I mean that I speak my mind, I'm not a typical meek, sweet Christian girl. This intimidates most Christian men (even pro-Israel Christian men), because being with a strong and opinionated woman who is willing to openly disagree is unfortunately not comfortable for many Christians in romantic relationships.

On the other hand, obviously most Jewish guys, many of whom feel very comfortable with my relating style (see above), would not be good marriage possibilities for me because of important differences in our beliefs (read: Jesus).

The really good news in all this is that at my age, I no longer have a burning desire to get married. If it happens someday, great. If not, that's fine too. It's very liberating to be at this stage (at long last!) I also have a feeling that given my background, personality and faith, there would likely be a lot more (male) possibilities for me in Israel. I am thoroughly looking forward to investigating this when I go there this spring! I'll start dieting tomorrow!! :)

Thanks for tuning in!

I want a hug, too!

2006-10-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

I was grinning ear to ear while watching this sweet video on youtube!
Now I want a hug! :)

Sukkahblog

2006-10-08T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm posting from a new location tonight, all snuggled into my sukkahbed. So is Angel, who clearly assumes that it's her bed, too. (That may be because I'm using "her" old quilt --washed, of course-- as a bedspread. She doesn't get on my regular bed unless she is very frightened.)

Hold on, I think a bug is crawling on me.

Sleeping in this rickety structure is really improving my commitment to prayer! Even as I write, I'm praying that it won't collapse on me in my sleep.

Two more mosquitoes are visiting.

I don't know how they put up with this for 40 years. Unless I'm mistaken, they didn't even have air mattresses back then. Or Advil. I have it so easy comparatively. Still, G-d really knows how to bring a lesson home! I mean, who else could have come up with such a multi-faceted holiday?

It's also fascinating to me that those who were part of the original desert experience were exempt from keeping succot. That shows His trademark lovingkindness.

These mosquitoes seem to be on a vendetta. They'd better stop biting me, if they know what's good for them. The word vendetta is about to take on a whole new meaning if they don't watch out.

Big subject change, with no segue:

I haven't written much about my mom's upcoming visit. She will fly in tomorrow with her dog, Truffle. This is a very big and complicated situation, which is why I haven't delved into it before.

Here it is: Truffle, her 10 month old chocolate labrador retriever puppy, needs surgery. I feel very conflicted, because I'm not sure surgery is really in Truffle's best interest. It may actually show more compassion to have her ...you know... But it's not my decision to make. She has severe hip problems, and is coming here because there is a special veterinary facility near my home. There are only 2 places in north and central Florida that perform the surgery she needs; a total hip replacement on one side. On the other side, they will break her leg in 3 places, then screw it all back together. The thought of putting her through all this is very, very difficult.

She needs to remain here for the recuperation period. So Mom will stay here to care for her for almost 2 weeks, then she is going to Kenya on a (pre-scheduled) safari. Truffle will live at my home through December 19th, and I will see her through the second surgery. I will then fly her home to Mom at Christmastime.

Like I said, it's complicated. I know she's "just a dog," but still... please keep her in your prayers.

The Sukkah is up-- again!

2006-10-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

So on Friday, John offered to help me with the sukkah. (Hallelujah! Success on all fronts!)
He invited me to attend church with him his morning, then he took me to brunch, then we came to my house and he put up the sukkah. I learned some interesting things about John, for example he's a writer of the mystery thriller genre. I also learned that carpentry is not one of his skills. In fact, it's fascinating to me that the sukkah is still standing five minutes after his departure.

My first tip-off that he's not headed for a successful career in the building trades: even though I bought an electric drill, and had drill bits and screws assembled for just this purpose, he requested a hammer and proceeded to pound all the screws into the wood! Then he was frustrated because the screws didn't want to stay put. I didn't say to him, Well, DUH, that's what happens when you hammer in screws, thereby enlarging the holes (but believe me, I was definitely thinking that at nearly audible levels)!!

For some reason, he opted not to use the brackets. At all. I am not sure what his reasoning was. At this point, if I'm to use his abilities as a handy person around the house as my guide (which is probably not advisable, come to think of it), I will definitely not be choosing to date him.

I'm sure that if we had reversed our roles; if I had been the project manager and he had been the helper, the sukkah would be a lot more secure at this very moment. But that was sadly not the case. There are some women who are adept at the skill of allowing a man to feel like he's in charge while simultaneously telling him what to do. I am not one of those women. To my chagrin, that skill has evaded me completely. I would probably be happily married right now if I had that skill.

I will try to post a picture of John with the wobbly sukkah's bare-bones structure in a moment (if blogger.com cooperates, which it definitely has not been concerning the posting of pictures...)

If John is reading this, thank you very much for helping me put up the sukkah. It's the thought that counts. :)

2006-10-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a joke (on me):

Q: How do you bring down a sukkah?
A: You try to set it up.

Grrrr....
I may need an alcoholic beverage.

Sukkah How-To

2006-10-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Amazingly, my sukkah just got built in under 1.5 hours! It's still upside-down, awaiting any kind soul who will help me flip it over, but it's built. I'll buy batteries for my camera today!!
Here are some pointers:

If shalom bayis is important to you, don't build a your own sukkah.
Build your sukkah either alone or with someone you dislike, because you are likely to harm them, probably intentionally.
For added challenge and frustration, build a sukkah according to its (many!) talmudic laws.
Get twice as many brackets as you think you'll need, because let me tell you, you figured WRONG in your calculations.
Buy wood reinforcements for the top, unless you want the added excitement of palm fronds and lumber falling on you.

Sukkah Reflections:
I no longer feel bad for Jewish kids who don't have Christmas trees. Like putting up a Christmas tree, building a sukkah has all the memory-building capacity and potential for family blow-ups that Christians enjoy just a couple months later! Funny enough, both involve branches and trees, and often include twinkly lights and decorations.
There is, however, one big difference: having a Christmas tree started as a pagan practice and was later incorporated into Christianity, whereas building a Sukkah is commanded by God.

It was a fun day!

2006-10-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

That's me, on the left.

Today I played hooky from work. A couple of my friends in Mount Dora, which is a charming town near Orlando, invited me to come up. So I got a very excited Angel into the back seat and we were off for a day of friends, food, and houseboating! They are friends of my family, and are also my clients, but it was mostly just a really fun day. The great thing was that with my new laptop, I actually did get a little work done, too!

First we went to lunch at a (dog-friendly) riverside restaurant, then got our three dogs onto the houseboat, and we were off! The dogs had a ball, as always. :) Angel would have jumped right off the boat in pursuit of ducks if I had let her. It was gorgeous weather, sunny with a breeze, and we leisurely made our way to another dog-friendly riverside restaurant (gotta love Florida's new canine laws!), tied up at the dock, and saw it: the alligator.

He was about 5 feet long, so probably wasn't really that dangerous. But having 3 dogs (two of them little dogs) and a gator staring us down from literally 6 feet away from us was unnerving, to say the least. My friends said it wasn't a big deal, so I told them they might feel differently if we switched seats, since my chair was right by the edge of the dock (and thus, the alligator). They laughed, but I noticed that neither of them volunteered to switch with me...

The gator stared at us for oh, around an hour and a half, during which my friends told happy tales of fatal alligator incidents and such, and I really tried to concentrate on the conversation! This was made very difficult by the knowledge that a gator was literally poised to eat either me or one of our dogs, whichever got close enough first. Amazingly, I pulled out my computer and conducted internet home searches for one of my friends (he's an investor). They liked my new, relaxed business style; working while dining on the river with our dogs! Nice work if you can get it. :)

It was a great day, and now I'm back home with one very tired dog!

The Sukkah: Construction Phase

2006-10-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I tell ya...
I've discovered something long suspected: there's a reason I didn't go into engineering.
It's slow going, building this sukkah by myself. But to tell the truth, it's probably better that I figure it out alone: I only have myself to argue with this way!!

Shopping at Home Depot and bringing the various components home was easy. Now I've been sitting and staring at the lumber and brackets for 43 minutes, trying to figure out the most secure way to assemble it. And wishing someone would tell me how to do it. There must be a sukkah "how-to" website somewhere...

I'll keep you posted!

It's Decided: I'm Building a Sukkah!

2006-10-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you think I'm crazy, you're in good company.

My pets are going to think I'm completely off my rocker, but then again they're used to my odd behavior.

My mother, who is coming here this coming Monday, will once again ask me if I'd like to consider conversion.

My friends will think it's too much work for a high-maintenance person like me. Actually, I'm pretty darn handy. I can wield an electric screwdriver just fine, thank you!

It's been decided. I'm going to Home Depot today to buy the supplies.
Why build it, you ask? Several reasons. First of all, it's a Biblical commandment. Granted, it's for Jewish people, but I do have a bit of Jewish in me, so why not?? And as a Christian, I partake of that spiritual heritage as well. Also, it just sounds like fun! It's a great time of year for outdoor dining, and I just pruned my palm trees last week. So I already have the roof ready to go. Lastly, I've seen pictures of tons of sukkahs lining the streets in Israel, and I figure if I plan to live there, I should acquaint myself with the customs.

Here's the plan: (an engineering feat it's not!! I just hope it won't fall down on me!)
Use four 8' 2x4's for the vertical part.
Use two 8' 2x4's and two 4' 2x4's for the horizontal top part.
Connect the parts by screwing 3 corner brackets into each union.
Then I'll put the palm fronds on top, decorate it, and put my patio table under it. Voila!!

My only concern is how to prop the parts up in the final stages. I guess it could built upside-down and someone could help me flip it over. (John, perhaps??)

Any and all advice is welcome! This will definitely provide me with the motivation to use my digital camera!!

So much better than a cocktail party!!!

2006-10-03T03:24:00.000-07:00

Of course, there's no comparison between a break-the-fast with awesome people to end the High Holidays and a cocktail party. An alternative title to this post was "Pride Cometh Before a Fall," and you'll see why if you keep reading.
But first, more observations about the services.

Yesterday's services were lovely. They were also long, considering my recent back problems. After taking enough Advil and Clonazepam to kill an elephant, I was so relaxed that I really didn't care about the pain. It also made me less self-conscious at the services, which worked out well. (Now I see how people get hooked on drugs! They're great!!)

The Rebbetzin, the Rabbi's wife, and I did not get off to a good start. She was cold and abrupt with me when she asked, and I told her I'm not Jewish. I was hurt and offended. She did change a bit after learning about my ancestry, but it still hurt. I don't think a rabbi's wife should be like that with visitors. (I've met other rabbi's wives who were much more hospitable.) Things have now improved dramatically. (But I won't give particulars about the congregation since I'm writing about the rebbetzin!! :))

A few observations: there was a peaceful time for introspection and prayer during the services. I didn't feel in my element enough to really have a deep prayer time around so many people, but many others did. Many people (including me) wore white or pale-colored clothes, which must symbolize either repentence or purity; I'm not sure which. The overall effect was very soothing. The music was absolutely beautiful and haunting, and I can't get some of the melodies out of my mind even now. There's one that has the words "V'Yom Som Kippur" (I think), which is particularly beautiful. I think I recognized another one as a melody also used in Fiddler on the Roof, but maybe it's just similar.

I missed one of the services, because I had to come home, make fruit salad, and pack everything up for the break-the-fast. I rushed back for the Yizkor service, and was very sad to learn that I had just missed my grandfather's name being read. But the rabbi saw me come in, and he read my grandfather's name again at the end. I broke down and started crying. When the rebbetzin saw me, she was very warm and gentle toward me. She comforted me, hugged me and brought me kleenex, for which I felt very grateful. It also went a long way toward mending our rocky start.

I grieved his passing and told him the things I wish I could have said when he was living. It's so sad that my he's not here to see how I'm trying my best to keep some Jewish traditions alive in our family, and that I've taken a bold stand for Israel, and how I plan to make aliyah, and that I'm a Century 21 Realtor (as I've mentioned, he was broker of a Century 21 in Boca.) He would love to know these things, and we would have so many good talks (and, of course, debates). We lost 20 years due to both of our stubbornness, and I mourned that lost time, too. I thank G-d for His gift of giving us a close, loving relationship in my grandfather's last year of life, and I will hold on to that.

For me, the Yizkor service was obviously the most meaningful, as it was an opportunity to honor my grandfather, Jay Simon Estern (ne Epstein), and to mourn his passing.

Okay, now on to the break-the-fast. I drove a sweet 85 year old lady named Yetta to the house where it was held, and we had a great conversation. Both she and the rebbetzin are trying to make a match for me with a nice guy who came, named John. I don't know him well, except to know that like me, he's not Jewish, but is very supportive of Jewish issues. Oh, and another prerequisite: he's tall. :) (How superficial of me, I know! I have a thing for tall men...) We shall see... Yetta also told me who to avoid: "Stay away from him!" She said about one guy. "He's no good! Divorced already, and it wasn't a match to begin with!" She's a pistol!

We arrived at the house (along with about 50 other people), and it was a mad dash around the kitchen to put out the food: arrange the chopped liver plate, assemble the fruit salad into the hollowed pineapples, and heat the knishes. I was so proud, and everyone was really impressed!!! I brought my nice dishes to display the food properly. The hostess told me that the fruit salad was so beautiful that she used it as the centerpiece, and I received tons of compliments on the knishes. And the chopped liver? The cantor (who definitely did not need the added cholesterol, if you know what I mean) absolutely loved it! The leftovers were sent home with him. He said that the chopped liver and knishes "took him back to his childhood." Yay!! (Funny note: he said the chopped liver was delicious, until I told him it wasn't made with schmaltz, then he said it was "pretty good." I never should have told him!)

The other food was outstanding (except for the gefilte fish, of which I'm not a fan). There was salmon and Nova lox, an amazing apple-cranberry noodle kugel, zucchini casserole, chicken soup, carrot soup, fantastic matzoh-ball soup, cherry crumble, and so much more-- I can't even remember it all!! It was a feast!

The people were so hospitable, too. One interesting thing was that upon arrival, a few guests seemed very low-energy and wan. I asked one lady if she was okay, and she said she was just really hungry and had a headache. I found out that most of the guests had been fasting for 24 hours, from both food and water. ( I had not realized that the fast included water.) So they were understandably famished in the beginning, but that didn't last for long. It was crowded and friendly, many of us sitting at card tables, kids enjoying themselves, everyone laughing, eating and talking at once. It felt like a very happy family. To tell the truth, it felt a lot like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, but not as restrained. I ate way too much-- how could I resist? I ate six desserts before losing count. It was a beautiful experience and holiday, and I'm so glad I was invited!

[Note: I cannot fast, as I have hypoglycemia. Instead, I "fast" by eating a minimal amount of very bland food, just enough to keep me from having health repercussions.]

So back to the "Pride cometh before a fall" bit. Incidentally, the actual verse reads "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18-19).
As anyone reading my blog can tell, I have an unhealthy dose of pride about my cooking. After thoroughly enjoying the evening, I returned home, walked inside, and the bag holding my nice serving dishes promptly broke-- and all the dishes crashed to the floor. So in the end, G-d had the last word about my pride. I never realized that pride would come before a literal fall! I guess I still have a ways to go...

A Visitor's Observations of Yom Kippur

2006-10-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

I got back from the Kol Nidre service tonight, and I'm sure I've already sinned several times since then. ARRGH!

The service was beautiful in a holy sort of way. This is only my second time ever observing the High Holy days (the last time was about 8 years ago). I am amazed by the incredibly thorough list of sins that were read. I think they were recited to help us remember things we need to repent of and ask G-d's forgiveness; things we've done wrong in the last year. At least, that's what it seemed like to me.

Tomorrow I'm going to services all day, and I've submitted my grandfather's name to be read and the Kaddish to be recited for him. I'm looking forward to that, as I think it will give me closure about his passing, since I wasn't able to attend his memorial service.

I was invited (as mentioned earlier) to a break-the-fast after services tomorrow. This will be a first for me, and I'm a little nervous. When I told my mom I had volunteered to bring chopped liver, she laughed at me! She said I should call them back and change my dish. She still remembers her grandmother's chopped liver with disdain.

Armed with this information (and a big dose of pride, which I just repented of a couple of hours ago), I decided to add some more likable dishes. I don't want to make food that nobody will eat. So in addition to chopped liver, I'll make fruit salad served in hollowed-out pineapples, and potato-liver knishes. [Update: the knishes just came out of the oven-- let's just hope they taste as good as they look!]

It's a solemn shabbat right now, so I shouldn't be cooking. But I didn't know how to get all the cooking done for the break-the-fast, if I didn't do it now. Any advice on how people manage to do the cooking when you're in services all day, and you're also not supposed to be cooking? It's a mystery to me.

Has Hollywood become openly observant?

2006-10-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this post with a little personal update:

I did a boatload of weeding in the garden this morning, and hurt my back in the process. It's now almost 2 p.m., and I'm back in bed after taking a whole Clonazepam, 3 Advils and tucking an ice pack under myself. So if I seem a little loopy, well, it's because I am.

My goal is to feel better by this evening, as I was invited to attend Yom Kippur services (tonight and tomorrow), and a pot-luck "break-the-fast." So I have to feel better within a few hours. Missing tonight's service is not an option!

Another item: for the break-the-fast, I did the absolutely inconceivable: I volunteered to bring the chopped liver!!! What was I thinking?! I love to cook, and to get positive reactions to my culinary creations. So why in the world would I sign up to bring the one thing everyone will avoid like the plague? And I signed up for it on Friday, so I can't even blame the lapse in judgement on my current drug-induced condition!! To top it off, where will I be able to buy schmaltz (that artery-clogging friend of cardiologists, which all the authentic recipes call for)? I think I'll end up making my own. To be honest, I didn't even know until this week that there was a demand for schmaltz. I thought cooks just rendered it themselves.

Okay, enough of my tangents. The original reason for this post was that I noticed that many major TV networks appear to have suspended their programming this evening from 8 p.m. forward. Is this just a technical glitch, or has Hollywood actually taken a stand for Yom Kippur?? Any information about this --or a delivery of schmaltz-- would be welcome!
You all know that I'd never be so uninhibited if I weren't on muscle relaxants.

The Sign

2006-09-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who gave me ideas on what to do with the sign.

This is such a small quandry, but on the bright side, I suppose it's been a good use of my brainpower to decide some sort of correct reaction to events like this. To think that nothing like this will happen again would be naive.
I won't doctor the sign and put it back up. I don't want to get into any kind of back-and-forth turf battle with people who are socially imbalanced. If they consider it okay to use such an emotion-triggering symbol, then they are automatically suspect (if not for their views, then for their incredibly poor judgment). Changing the sign and putting it back might provoke them to put up another, bigger sign.

I'll just paint over it and throw it away.

Yom Kippur note: If you will be fasting, I hope your fast is an easy one.

Why?

2006-09-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

As I was driving home this afternoon, I did a double-take. There was a sign next to the road with the words 'NO WAR' next to a large swastika. I turned the car around and removed the sign, which is now in the trunk of my car.

It was hand-written (and drawn) in huge capital letters. Unfortunately, I still can't use my camera. Not that anyone needs to see something like this anyway. It was at the side of a major road, State Road 436.

My question is, Why? Why did someone put a swastika of all things on a sign if they are in opposition to war? And 'no' to which war? Does the person oppose war in general, or just to the current US war in Iraq? And who did this? Rednecks, which we have plenty of here? Muslims? I don't get it.

You hear about ignorant people sometimes, who don't know the significance of the swastika. But I confess that I never believe these people are completely ignorant, as they often claim to be.

I don't know what to do with the sign. Maybe I'll just paint it black and throw it away. It's not something that anyone wants to deal with, especially at this time of year. It's upsetting. How could this happen, 15 seconds drive from my home?

Iran Sanctions

2006-09-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

I just read that the US House of Representatives voted in favor of "extending and tightening sanctions" with Iran. This is indeed good news. The unfortunate reality, though, is that one nation (even the US) can't make much difference. The article even states as much. Also, the sanctions still need to get through the Senate's vote.

So while this is a welcome event, it doesn't change much. As the article says, Russia and China would have to have sanctions as well in order for Iran to really feel the pressure.

I still think it's worthwhile to acknowledge good news.

Doctrine

2006-09-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

Maybe I shouldn't even write about this here. I don't know.
No, I'll write about it. It's not pretty, but so what. It's important.
Anyway, who said I have to only write 'nice' things in my blog??

I recently left a congregation because I began to realize that it teaches the "Two House" theory. This theory lives right next door to Replacement theology. (As you can probably guess, I'm not a fan of either one.) This is dangerous and doctrinally incorrect theology.

Greatly spurred on by Replacement theology, Christians persecuted Jews for thousands of years. Unfortunately, this cousin to Replacement theology, the "Two House" theory, has gained popularity in some (not all) Christian Zionist groups. These concepts are attractive to Christians for the probable reason that the theories give Christians a way to believe that they are G-d's chosen people. What it is actually means is, many Christians covet the position that G-d has given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Coveting is a sin, by the way: "Thou shalt not covet.." (See that unambiguous document, entitled "The Ten Commandments," Article Number 10.) (Sarcasm mine.)

There is a growing "Hebrew roots" or "Jewish roots" movement, in which Christians are learning about the Jewish roots of Christian faith, thereby valuing Israel and Judaism, and are learning to connect the original Bible and the New Testament. I believe these are all very good things. The problem begins when some of these groups take it a step further, and embrace the "Two House" theory as well.

If you are interested in learning more about the "Two House" theory, I recommend googling it.

I don't have the stomach to provide links.

Who is this?

2006-09-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the Yaakova caricature!

I don't think it looks like me at all, apart from the hair. And the necklace. And the eyebrows. And eyes. And perhaps the cheekbones and wide forehead.

Okay, it does look like me. Except the nose and chin. I don't know whose shiksa nose that is, but it definitely is not mine!

Hors d’oeuvres, Anyone?

2006-09-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Location of cocktail party: KB Home Design Studio
Theme: French street carnival
Entertainment: Juggler, mime, magician, two caricaturists, and live saxophone music!
Food served: French cheese platters, quiche, escargots in puff pastry, salade nicoise,
pain au chocolat and croissants amandine (a.k.a. chocolate and almond croissants), and my favorite: a dessert crepe station with a chef!
Beverages: A variety of French wines
I drank: 1.5 glasses of Merlot

I have to admit, I mostly went to this party because I’m a huge fan of French cuisine, as well as having errands to run in that part of town. But this really was a fun and well-planned party. And I was rewarded by attending, because the sous-chef at the crepe station gave me some cooking tips!

As soon as I came in, though, I was mobbed by loan officers. Since the real estate market’s slowed down, these same people who wouldn’t return my calls last year are all over me to refer my clients to them. I can’t speak for other Realtors, but for me, the idea of using a loan officer without getting referred by an agent who has used them in multiple past (successful) transactions is just not going to happen. There is way too much that can go wrong with financing to entrust a loan to a complete stranger with no personal references. So while I was nice to them, of course I threw away all their business cards after the event.

I made my way to a buffet table, saw a man who was actively looking for a ham-free quiche, located one, and said to him, “I don’t know if it’s kosher, but that one definitely doesn’t have ham.” He didn’t respond, so maybe he had no idea what I was talking about. Or maybe he was Muslim. Who knows?

Another man, who was probably in his sixties and mostly spoke Spanish, took the escargots in puff pastry. I asked him if he liked that, and he said, “Si, delicioso!” to which I replied, “You do know what that is, don’t you?” He didn’t. I feel that if you’re going to eat snails, you at least have the right to be aware of it, so I tried to find out how to say escargot in Spanish to help the guy.

As the saying goes, "no good deed goes unpunished." So for the rest of the evening, I had to dodge Mr. Escargot. He kept finding me to ask if I’d like to get a glass of wine with him, would I translate something for him, what have you. No thanks, I’m not interested! Move along!

I eventually found safe haven with two female Realtors who were enjoying the live saxophone music. Like me, one of them was also evading a persistent man, so I was in good company. After chatting for a bit about the market and about the alarming number of pushy loan officers at the party, I decided that the coast was clear enough to head over to the crepe station.

Mmm, the crepe station... That made-to-order blueberry crepe topped with whipped cream was so delicious that I kept eating it even while having my caricature drawn by an artist! I could not put that crepe down! I even went back for seconds— embarrassed, but apparently not enough to avoid a second foray into the crepes. (BTW, I'm trying to figure out how to put my scanned caricature into jpg format, so that I can use it on my profile. If anyone has suggestions, please pass them along!)

Having tried the food and finished having my caricature drawn, I checked out the juggling act, the mime, and played a little with the magician. (Where on earth do magicians hide their cards and strings? I even looked up his jacket sleeves during the trick, but nothing except shirt sleeves were up there.) When the magician started making off-color jokes with me and the two women who had joined up with me again, I said my goodbyes to all three of them and called it a night.

Shame!

2006-09-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

I feel guilty for not keeping my promise to post the weekly cocktail party experience. Sorry!
It just doesn't feel right to post about excess, gluttony and shallow conversation in the midst of the High Holy days. (Of course, that hasn't stopped anyone else from posting about their shamelessly culinary-based holiday!)
I tried to finish the post, but it made me feel ashamed of all the wastefulness and ashamed of being unappreciative of all I've received from G-d. So I'll try and write something witty and wry very soon. But not tonight.
Another reason is that I'm writing this in bed, with one index finger (and the occasional thumb), because my big cat is lying on my other hand.
:)

L'Shana Tovah!

2006-09-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

I hope the new year holds health and happiness for all of you out in blogland!! May you also have a joyful weekend, filled with the love of friends and family.

It's a gorgeous day here in central Florida. The weather is --finally-- cooling down a little, after a summer of our famous heat and humidity. Last night was the first time I didn't use the air conditioner. I'm sitting on my back porch as I write this. (Ahh, the joys of having a laptop... Have I mentioned that I'm having a love affair with my new laptop? We do everything together. It even sleeps right next to me!)

Anyway, as I was saying.. Here I am on the back porch, my dog is happily keeping a lookout for squirrels and lizards, as is my little formerly-feral cat. My other cat is just enjoying the sunshine, and seems to be enjoying the taste of grass. I tell you, this cat experiences the world through her taste buds. It's no wonder that she's overweight. When I give the cats catnip, the little one rolls in it, and the big one just eats it!

I'm thankful for these moments of peace before an upcoming day of probable frustration. My new clients are driving me crazy already, and I haven't even met them in person yet.

Here's how to drive your Realtor nuts: ask for her to do a bunch of research on possible new homes and communities, and ask to meet her the following day. She rushes to do the research on homes, and emails you a map from your home to her office. When the following day comes, tell her it would be a hardship to come to the office to meet her; would she come to your home instead. She tells you she would be happy to meet at a cafe near your home (she has a policy of not meeting for the first time in client's homes, thank you very much.) She finds a cafe near your home, and even emails you a map to the nearest Starbucks. Before the appointment, which she calls to confirm, tell her that the day won't be a good day after all. Great. A wasted work day. That was yesterday, so today, I'll see what their availability is. Again.

Of course, I do have not one but two cocktail parties to attend this evening, so there's that to look forward to. I'm going into culture shock just looking at the two wildly disparate invitations: one is for a "football tailgating theme" party, and the other invitation is very formal, and says "RSVP and business attire required." How I'm going to pull this off in one evening is a mystery to me, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for you, my loyal readers! :) Hee hee, I crack myself up sometimes!

I've already been invited to three parties for next week. This really is sickening excess. I don't know if I should go, as they are all during the Days of Awe. We shall see.

Again, I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Note to Angry Muslims: I'm not Catholic!!

2006-09-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Please. These fanatics are really dancing on my last nerve. Firebombing churches, killing a nun. (May she rest in peace.)

Most of the targets they have hit and plan to hit aren't even Catholic:

"A previously unknown Islamic group calling itself "The Army of Guidance" pledged Tuesday to strike at Christian targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the remarks. "Every place relevant to Christians will be a target," said a statement from the group. "This will be until the accursed infidel, the Vatican, apologizes to Muslims."

You know, I'm not a big fan of the Vatican, either. But I'd say that the Pope was right on target when he alluded to that passage in the Quran, in which Mohammed commanded "spreading the faith by the sword." (Of course, the fact that it was condemned by the Vatican of all entities is a little like, uh, the pot calling the kettle black...)

When he quoted a medieval text which opined that such commandments are evil and inhuman, he was right!! They are! After the recent firebombings and killing, if there was ever any doubt in my mind that these people or their beliefs were "evil and inhuman," then they have certainly proved the point now, beyond a shadow of doubt! So thanks, fanatics, for making the point crystal clear! Now go home and sit down!!!

I've heard that in Israel, one can sometimes find graffiti in Arabic that says, roughly translated: "Today, the Saturday Observant; Tomorrow, the Sunday Observant."

Well. Since apparently I'm screwed any way you look at it, I'll take this opportunity to tell these crazies how I really feel:

YOUR ACTIONS AND RELIGION ARE EVIL AND INHUMAN.

There. I feel much better now. I've been holding that in for a long time. Thank you, jihadists et al, for giving me the appropriate justification for airing my feelings. After all, I figure that if you're going to target me anyway, I'd rather be targeted for a stand I've actually taken.

Sincerely yours,

Yaakova,

the "Sabbath-Observant Christian"

(In case you fanatics haven't bothered to read my other blog)

(On second thought, please don't bother reading it. I don't think it's your cup of tea, so to speak. Not enough violence for your taste.)

Welcome!

2006-09-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! Come back after I've had a chance to write something!! :)