Family | Peaches Prattlings

{October 8, 2016} Scarecrows, Orchids and Chihully…oh my!

So beautiful!

Today I met TS at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, their special exhibits were scarecrows and fabulous installations by glass artist, Dale Chihully.

We walked through the gardens admiring the flora and fauna, scarecrows that were made by different groups, a lot of scout groups, went into the orchid house and saw amazing works by Dale Chihully.

The scarecrows were cool and creepy, there was no limit on size or subject, all wonderful in their own way.

The orchids were amazing, as always! It’s amazing how diverse they all are, I love the ones that look like people or like they are praying.

The pieces by Chihully were breathtaking! The way he incorporates them into nature, there are no words!

I wish we could have gone at night, wow! One of these days I’ll see it at night. If you have the opportunity, go!

{October 5, 2016} I get to go home!

Wahoo! I’m going to Hawaii before next year! Ha ha!

It’s funny, I moved to Hawaii, sorry, I haven’t made a big official announcement yet, but I did. And now, when I see people, they’re first question, naturally is “How’s Hawaii?!” My answer…”it’s great when I can get there…”

Hawaii is not the easiest place to get to, especially from certain parts of the country. It’s about 9 hours from Chicago, if you can get a non-stop flight, which there aren’t, but I can fly non-stop back, wahoo!

So…it’s not always easy to get to for a weekend, especially if you have to fly out Friday and then back Sunday, if I fly out Thursday and back Sunday, no problem. Things are slightly up in the air at work, so I couldn’t make any definite plans to go. And Hawaii is not a last minute flight price-wise.

I am, however, trying to get a project on the west coast, do that…I can go home every weekend! I wouldn’t know what to with myself! Ha ha!

Based on a communication at work this week, I decided it should be safe, checked with my managers and guess what! I’m going to Hawaii for the weekend in a few weeks! That’s before December!

It’s for the weekend and the flight was reasonable! Oh my goodness, PSM and I are going to see each other three weekends in a row! What? Bottom line…I get to go home for the weekend!

Wahoo!

{October 3, 2016} The sound of the shofar and Tashlich

L’Shana Tova.

This morning we went to Rosh Hashanah services that were more kid friendly, a lot of singing, guitar, prayer and joy. The nice thing about the kid friendly service is that it really is kid friendly. It’s about 1.5 hours, easy for kids to sit through and the rabbi really knows how to talk and preach to children as well as adults.

One of my favorite things about the High Holy services is the blowing of the shofar. It is used to announce the holidays, especially Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, signaling the end of the fast.

It is not easy to play the shofar and so impressive to hear. People practice months and years to prefect it. They bring the little kids that are in babysitting in to the sanctuary to hear the shofar being blown. The rabbi even said “the cute level in the room just went up, it must be time for the blowing of the shofar”.

After services, we went to LS’ house for lunch, it was a dairy meal, so there was no meat, no worries for me! It was great to all be together, a lot of the same people that were with us at GES’ yesterday. It was a nice afternoon spent with friends, family, laughter, good times and good food. We know how to celebrate.

After we went back home, we went to a park to perform Tashlich, the act of casting our sins away. We gathered, recited and sang prayers, took bread and each piece we cast into the water was casting our sins away, a beautiful tradition. The final prayer was followed by the blowing of the shofar. Anyone who wanted to blow the shofar was invited to. I recorded it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Then it was apples and honey for everyone for a sweet year. I wish you nothing less.

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{October 2, 2016} L’Shana Tova

Tonight marks the beginning of the celebration of the High Holy Days.

The High Holy Days are Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. “On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed”.

To celebrate the new year, we celebrate with friends and family, coming together for a meal, togetherness, prayer and good wishes for a happy, healthy and sweet new year.

I mentioned we were cooking all day Saturday, Sunday wasn’t much different, cooking and setting up the house, we were about to have around 40 people in the house! A few more than normal, but welcome and wanted.

We cooked brisket, chicken, kugel, monkey bread, chicken soup, matzo balls, salad, noodles and people brought food! Brisket, carrot souffle, sweet potato cassarole, kugel, spreads, veggies, desserts! I should have taken a picture of all the good, oh my!

They arrived about 5pm, we waited until everyone was there, said prayers over the candles, challah, wine, holiday and talked about being together for this wonderful day, what it means to us and then it was chaos! Food, drink, talk, laughter, hugs and good wishes. What more could you want?

The kids all played together, wondered about dessert together and then watched a movie together. About 9pm, everyone started to leave, which you know, takes a while! and then it was clean up mode, which was done just about 10pm and everyone collapsed!

Time to write to you, decompress and hit the hay, tomorrow, we go to services and to a friend’s house after for their Rosh Hashanah meal and celebration.

So, to you, my friends and family, I say “L’Shana Tova, a happy, healthy and sweet year”.

{October 1, 2016} It’s too salty! Tee hee hee

We cooked all day…all day.

Tomorrow is erev Rosh Hashanah, which translates to eve of, the night before. My sister always hosts friends and family, and you know there’s no small happenings here, so there will be about 35-40 people, the usual…

So, there is cooking to be done. People are bringing food, but there is still a lot to be done. We made chicken soup, lots of chicken soup, batches of matzo balls, dessert and a dairy filled kugel, which is like noodle pudding, it’s fabulous and a dry kugel, no dairy.

The dairy kugel has milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, brown and white sugar, cinnamon. I used to love this kind when I could eat dairy.

It smelled great while it was cooking and when it came out,time for the taste test! Not me, not a good idea, all that dairy. As soon as GES put the bite in her mouth, the look on her face said it all! Too salty!

How is that possible? We used all sweet things, I put salt in the water to cook the noodles, but that doesn’t make a difference. We used sweet salted butter, but that doesn’t have that much salt. We couldn’t figure it out. We made everyone try it, just to be sure, including me, nope, too salty.

So…we decided to move on and try the other, “dry” kugel. It came out of the oven and we had to taste test of course. I tasted and as I walked away said “it’s too salty”….and I started laughing.

The look on my sister’s face was priceless! The worry, it lasted all of 3 seconds because she saw me laughing, it was worth it!

It reminded me of when I was a kid and my grandmother made applesauce and I would tell her it needed sugar, never did, but I would tease her.

That memory was a nice feeling and we needed the laugh! And by the way…the kugel was perfect, can’t wait to eat it tomorrow!

{September 30, 2016} I’m how old?

45! Yup…I said it! Loud and proud! I’m 45 years old today!

I got a pre-happy birthday birthday call from my dad, then PSM last night and wake up text from SDL and Miss A, a good start to the day!

Then, birthday wishes and hugs from MGS and GES and my birthday cat! Then breakfast with my sister at the Station Diner, a yummy egg, soysage and “cheese” sandwich for me, fully loaded for GES and a banana pancake to share.

Back to the house to get some work done, prep for the cleaners, then I went to get a much needed haircut.
In the middle of all of this, a very sweet delivery from my beau, PSM, roses and a “bear” hug.

Eventually, GES and I went to pick up MGS and EJS from their after school program, home and when ACS got home, because it’s my birthday, I got to choose the restaurant.

Unfortunately for the family, ha ha, I got to choose vegetarian/vegan. We went to a local place that PSM and I have been a few times and we really like it. The service is passable, but the food is good. Tonight, the service was terrible, one server for the entire restaurant, really?

The kids didn’t like the food, our food was pretty good. The desserts were alright, vegan desserts aren’t for everyone, but they were good sports.

We went home, I got my presents, a great literary scarf, one I had seen and wanted with a quote from The Wizard of Oz! A box of “Novel” Teas, literary tea bags and a house warming/birthday present, a ’45 clock, how perfect is that for my 45th?!

After the kids went to bed, some of the girls came over for an impromptu girls night, RS, TS and LR, we talked and laughed, lit a fire and enjoyed our time together until it was time for bed, talk to you and then pass out.
Tomorrow, dad and LaLa are coming for the weekend and to celebrate the Jewish New Year together, can’t wait!

I am 45! One day older than Magic Kingdom, I think I’m in good company!

Thank you to everyone who reached out to wish me a happy birthday, I’m a very lucky girl!

{September 29, 2016} Surreal and sad

I should be used to this already…but every time it takes getting used to.

This won’t be the most uplifting post, I appreciate your understanding.

I want to say that “home is where the heart is” and you know how much I love my friends and family and when I am with them, I feel at home, but I’m just visiting.

I am going to start with quasi-adulthood, instead of the just after college youth, if that’s alright with you.
I left Georgia after almost twenty years and now, when I go back, I’m renting a car and staying with friends, who are my family, or in hotels, I’m not “home”.

I left Colorado after a year and a half and now, when I go back, I’m renting a car, staying with friends or in hotels, I’m not “home”.

I left Boston three weeks ago, I had been moving my stuff over the past few months, including my car! and now, when I go back, I’m renting a car, staying with family, I’m not “home”.

When I left Colorado, I packed up some stuff, don’t forget, I have two storage units that I visit every time I go back, took the fur babies and moved in with my sister and family, it was great, I’d been spending so many weekends and weeks there, it was natural.

Then I got an apartment for me and the fur babies and coming “home” meant coming in from whatever project I was on, getting a rental car and going to my apartment to snuggle with them, seeing my family at least once or twice during the weekend.

Now, it’s a whole new experience. This is my first time coming to Boston and going straight to my sister’s, no apartment, no further babies. It’s surreal and it’s sad.

I’m going to be surrounded by family, friends and more love than I can imagine and it’s just what I need. Each trip will get a little easier, I know, but the first one is not going to be easy.

I’ll take your good vibes and positive thoughts my friends for this weekend. Let the healing begin.

{September 26, 2016} My sister…my hero

Today my sister was a true hero, or heroine, whichever way to put it.

Today she was literally a hero, a Jimmy Fund Hero, she was Mile Marker 17! Placard with her name, photo and quote.

I’ve told you about my sister, she is a breast cancer survivor and the Jimmy Fund raises awareness and funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Last year, GES raised over $1500 that she became a Jimmy Fund Hero.

There are different events that you are invited to as a Jimmy Fund Hero, I don’t remember if you reveal when I talked about going to the summit at Fenway with her. There were other things as well and today, she walked the 5k, she was paired with a corporate team and she was represented along the route.

I don’t know how much she raised just for this event, it had to be at least $1500, but I know she surpassed that, she is a star, after all!

She walked for herself, our mom, grandmother and so many others in her life that have been touched by cancer. If dad and I are proud, I know those people are too. Words really can’t express how proud of her I am, I think you might have an idea.

Congrats to my sister for being a hero, she’s always been mine, I guess I can share her for a day!

{September 11, 2016} Leaving home…

It’s been a while since i didn’t really want to leave home.

And it’s been a while since i felt that way, it’s nice and sad all at the same time. I had a great week, actually it’s been eleven days that I was in Hawaii with PSM and its been terrific. And now that we have a home together and I don’t have a place anywhere else, this is home.

And now, when i leave, I’m not sure when I’ll get back, due to schedule and finances, but we’re doing everything we can to see each other and be together. Definitely more often than the last few months, that’s been a challenge, let’s just say.

Does this mean that every time I come home it’s like a mini vaca? Sounds good to me!

Now, I say aloha and mahalo and head on to the plane. See you soon PSM.

Aloha.

{September 10, 2016} The family is back together…ahh

PSM got home tonight, yeah!

The tables were turned this week, I was at home and PSM was traveling. I picked him up at the airport and we went off in search of adventure.

First stop? Furniture shopping, you’re jealous, I know! But we bought a bedroom suite, we really needed it, poor PSM has been sleeping on a futon mattress on the floor since we moved, that will not do! It’s being delivered tomorrow morning, the guy really wanted me to be able to sleep on it at least one night before i head back on the road.

Then it was a drive and a very nice long walk down the beach. Walking and talking, catching up, talking about everything and nothing, watching the sun go down with everyone else.

There actually aren’t a lot of places to eat in the beach so we went to a place we’d been before. The server was very nice, and funny, always a plus.

Then a nice walk back to the car, getting caught in a rain storm… with the you down on the car! Home to spend quality time with the puppy and lights out! He couldn’t tell you if her was coming or going!

It’s going to be tough to leave on Sunday, but it will be nice to come home again.

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