Peaches Prattlings











First night with my family was fabulous, as always. Second night is always with PSM’s family, a fun time that!

It’s Tuesday, so it’s still a work day, that means, more cooking, just to fill in some of the gaps from what we ate last night at the first seder. We made two more kugels, another matzoh brittle, more gefilte fish, and more broccoli pancakes, oh yeah, more hard boiled eggs.

In between cooking, there was work to be done, for my job that is! I actually got a lot done, had a few calls, GES and dad went to the grocery store for some supplies, I did go out and treat myself to a chai at Starbucks, ended up talking to a nice guy about bikes, he commented on my Sturgis sweatshirt, how could I not talk about how much we love to ride?!

About 5p, I started to pack up my stuff and about 530p, I hugged and kissed everyone goodbye and headed to PSM’s family’s for seder. There were a lot more people at the second night seder, GES was having about 20, we had 11 last night, sound about right!

I walked in with my goodies, the fabulous veggie matzoh ball soup for me and the peach matzoh kugel for all. Let’s just say, I know it was good, but…there was absolutely nothing left for me to take back to PA and PSM! Happily disappointed!

We sat down about 630pm, I ended up at the kids side of the table. Kids being the youngest was about 16 or 17 and the oldest in their 20s, these are bigger kids. They still do the Four Questions, well, they’re still the youngest! Of course, I was also seated across from some of the older trouble makers, myself included, not complaining, there was a lot of laughter and love!

As all families, they have their own traditions, we sing Take Me Out to the Seder, sung to…you guessed it, Take Me Out to the Ball Game! They use different Haggadah’s, as most families do, but like most families, everyone takes a turn reading, participating in the service and the telling of our story.

I stayed until the seder was over and we started clearing the table, and some folks were heading out, it was about 930p and I had a very long drive home! Not looking forward to that…I got on the road, had the top down for part of it, of course! I decided to go through Connecticut, how much traffic could there be at 12-1am?! Well…not hours of traffic, but there was traffic! Seriously? I cannot stand driving through that state! I may have already said it, I enjoy the state, just not driving through it! ugh!

After about 3 hours, I probably stopped every hour, to get gas, walk around, keep myself awake and ready to go. It was a very, very, very long drive. I find that during the day, I can drive for what seems like forever! I remember driving from St Louis to Denver, CO, it’s about a 12 hour drive, I did it in one fell swoop, isn’t that a great expression! But once the sun goes down, I’m not good for the full drive without stopping.

I made it home safely, finished a podcast, started a new one, that kept me going for hours, I wasn’t sure when it was going to end, but good for my drive! I made it home about 330am and I was done! I emailed dad and my sister to let them know I was home, went into the house and was greeted with running, snuggles, and kisses from the fur babies, someone had fallen asleep and left them out.

I proceeded to love on them, get them in the crate, and it was all I could do to walk upstairs, put on my jammies, and fall into bed, the alarm was still coming at 6a, really?

All in all, a good trip, too short, but a good one. Family, friends, food, and fun, what more could you want? Notin’ I tell ya! Nothin’! G’Night!



{April 21, 2024}   It’s Sunday…let’s go!

Yesterday, after the Biker and Bike Blessing, I loaded up the convertible, kissed PSM and the dogs buh bye, jumped into said convertible, dropped the top and away we went! We being me and the cah! [I said cah because I was heading to Bahston!]

PSM gave me a way to avoid the traffic in Connecticut, that Connecticut is so famous for and makes people not want to go or drive through Connecticut. Ok, so maybe people want to go, I spent a great weekend there with CWB two years ago, but driving through it to get to Boston, not my favorite, or my husband, or my dad, or anyone else who has to do it. That being said, PSM gave me a route that would add about 100 miles to my trip, which meant about an extra hour, but I would avoid Connecticut, and it worked!

I arrived at my sister’s about 830p, eyes were slits, but I made it! After visiting for a bit, I was done! Down to the sofa in the basement, set up the blankets, jammies on, and I started talking to you and couldn’t sleep, really?!

I did not set an alarm for this morning, but lucky me…I woke up about 530a, fun! I lay there not thinking or doing anything, I just snuggled deeper into the covers, it was cold in the basement, but I was toasty under a few layers, works for me! Eventually I got up and wandered upstairs and my sister was in the kitchen with EJS, she was heading off with ACS, to do a father-daughter college tour and soccer ID clinic. Can you believe it…college tours! O M G!

MGS came down eventually, she had a soccer game in the afternoon, she was going to chill until then. GES and I started to cook some of the dishes we would need for the Passover seder tomorrow and Tuesday. She hosts first and second night. I’m always at first night and when I started dating PSM, we go to second night with his family. Their first night seder is usually held in a hall with a lot, when I say, a lot, I mean a lot of people! They’ve had up to 100 in the past! That would be something to see!

We have to strategize what we’re going to cook because there’s only so many good size burners and only so much oven space! We started with a matzoh brittle, y u m! This is one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, melted, then you put it on a tray of matzoh, which goes into the oven for 5 minutes at 350. When it’s cooled, you break it into pieces. Some people make it with chocolate chips and nuts, I’m a purist. You’re welcome, you’ll thank me later!

I started on the veggie matzoh ball soup, y u m! Then we made I lost count of how many hard boiled eggs, then the potatoes, we had gefilte fish to make too. This is where the musical burners comes in because there are only two large ones and we use large stock pots for everything!

We had thumbprint cookies to make, coconut macaroons, matzoh apple and peach apple kugel, charoset for just the two of us, since we can’t eat apples. I think that’s everything. You know…I really need to give you our recipes for these dishes, they are sooo good! Other people would be bringing items tomorrow, so we don’t have to cook everything like we used to when we were kids.

About 1030am, we went over to a friend’s house to help them with the crafts for her son’s bar mitzvah, it’s a baseball theme and she needed a little extra zhuzhing it up [you just have to say the word out loud]. That was a lot of fun, there were glue guns, batteries, lights, baseballs, the whole nine yards! And she had a Cricut, so I had someone to chat Cricut, you know I was in heaven!

After the craft party, we headed back home to cook some more. When we got there, dad had arrived! The family is together! We chatted and caught up while we made a few kugels, then everyone left for the soccer field, I stayed behind a few minutes to get the kugels out of the oven, the off to the game I went.

Great to see MGS on the field, it was a lot of fun, she’s really getting so much better! This was her first game with this team, definitely a new experience! I’m so very proud of her! I hope she knows that!

Let’s just say, I had my top down on the way to Boston, today…I couldn’t warm up fast enough when I was back in the car after the game. I could not feel my feet or fingers, thank goodness it all came back to me! Back at the house, a little more cooking and then it was time for dinner. They brought in pizza and salads, I had a nice big salad, I had to go to the grocery store earlier and got some of my favorite vegan cheese, Chao Cheese, the brand is Field Roast, I actually never noticed the brand name before! I was always focused on the flavor. It is a full, rich, cheese, and melts nicely!

Dinner is always fun at my sister’s house, lot’s of chatter, banter, silliness, and laughter, what more could you want?! After dinner we did the last of the cooking we needed to, cleaned up the kitchen, everyone else went up to bed and GES and I sat on the sofa and relaxed! What a day?!

I know I nodded off a few times while we were sitting there scrolling through our phones and watching something on tv, I know this because I kept waking myself up! ha ha. After a bit, I went downstairs and here I am telling you about my day.

I’m going to say Bonne nuit (bon nwee), that’s french for good night.



I…am…beat…yeah, I’m done! I just got home from Bahston and dinner with dad, I’ll tell you about my day, then I’m crashing!

Got up, the pups had slept with me, they love that treat, I’ll admit, I love it too. It really is a treat because it doesn’t happen every day. I let them on the bed sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but spending the night on the bed, now that’s a treat. Ruby did her thing and turned around twice and laid down, Bee turned around twice and then dug herself into my side, it was soooo cute. She moved once or twice, but settled into the crook I made and it was warm and cuddly, sigh.

We got up, went for a walk, thank goodness the rain finally stopped! Oh my car window…we came back, they had breakfast, I took a shower, then we headed to J&A’s for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash! I got there, asked if I could do anything and A said she completely forgot vegan stuff, and there was a gluten-free person coming, so I said I would go to the grocery store and get some, easy! GES is going dairy-free for a while, I wanted to share some of my favorite options with her too.

Ruby just came upstairs to tell me it was time for bed!

I went to Wegmans and picked up some vegan and gluten-free options. I forgot how much I really like Wegman’s and what a great vegan selection they have! And how expensive some of that stuff is! I know it’s expensive, but usually I’m only buying one or two things along with our other groceries for the week!

I headed back to the house and people were starting to show up, including my hubby, PSM! I hadn’t seen him since Friday morning when he headed towards Vermont, very nice to see him, the girls thought so too!

We were in town for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash and what a bash it was! GES was able to come over for a little bit, try some of the vegan cream cheese and smoked gouda, oh my I was happy, I love this Violife brand! They have such good dairy-free options! She was able to have bagel-lox-and cream cheese, with onion, of course! Not for me, thanks!

We ate some good food, got to chat with friends and family, laugh, hug, tell stories, and have an all around good time! It was so good to see everyone, I don’t think we’ve seen them since the Chanuakah party the weekend of Thanksgiving!

We bade everyone goodbye, PSM loaded the girls in the Jeep and headed towards home, I got in my car, programmed the directions and headed to my dad’s house. Let’s just say, no one likes driving through Connecticut! Aren’t they done with construction yet? Maybe that’s the national pastime in Connecticut!

It was a 4.5 hour drive with no stops, I had to get gas once and use the facilities a few times, and with traffic, it only added about 30 minutes, not too shabby. And…it got up to 70, guess what I did…dropped Annie’s top and we wer rockin’ down the road, that helped! I got to dad’s about 5p, we hugged hello, then loaded up in his car, I needed a minute not to be driving! We enjoyed Zara’s so much on Friday we decided to go back and even got the same meal!

We had the appetizer platter with babaganoush, hummus, tabouleh, eggplant salad, and sauted eggplant, it was so good! And we had a shepherd’s salad, the bread they bring out is fabulous and enough for the appetizers, I had a cup of turkish tea and we ended the meal with an order of baklavah! Sooo good! I’m ready for the next time.

Back to dad’s house, I helped him with his new timer light and then it was time to drive home. It’s only 2.5 hours, but when it’s been a long day and you’re tired, and already drove 5 hours, 2.5 can be tough! Especially after driving to Boston yesterday! But…made it home safe and sound, hello to the hubs and the dogs, unloaded the car, I’m talking to you and as soon as I click publish…I’m going to introduce myself to the back of my eyelids. Now…you know me, I know this, and you know this is just me talking a big game! ha ha

I’m going to give it the old school try! Night!



et cetera