Flu -- I got it

Well, I just lost a week.

On this, one of the busiest weeks of the year, being the week "after the chagim," I did NOTHING but sleep and watch really bad TV.

I did not even enjoy the rest!

Besides feeling yucky, my muscles hurt so badly, I felt like someone beat me up with a bat! Sleep was my only escape, but the pain kept waking me up. My regular pain killers did not relieve the muscle pain.

Even the TV was not such an effective distraction. I wanted to watch funny things (laughing makes you feel better) but everything was either scary, depressing or just BAD.

I love having a TV in my bedroom, for when I am sick or too tired to get out of bed. I really want to hook up a DVD, so I can watch what I want, instead of the junk on TV.

We even have the DVD, I am just too technologically challenged to hook it up.

Moshe can do it, but he has been too busy (working, picking up all the other loose ends, being sick himself, you get the idea...) to get around to it.

My laptop is supposed to play DVDs, but I can't get that to work either. (Not to mention it overheats and then crashes.... but I hope to get a new one soon.)

It is so frustrating!!

All this technology, and I just lay there bored out of my mind!!

I did not even feel like talking on the phone with friends. I still have not gotten my voice back and I just don't feel like talking! That is how you know I am really sick!!

And, obviously, I had no strength even to blog!

Anyway, I am feeling a bit better today, but still not that great.

Don't get too worried about me. My mood will pick up as soon as I start feeling better.

Meanwhile, we have cancelled our Shabbat plans - no guests and no going out. I would not want to infect anyone else!

It will be an in-Shabbat for us.

And my eldest, the only one who has not yet gotten the flu, will be wearing a mask!

I learned my lesson the hard way.


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Parenting Question -- Whose Responsibility Is It?

Bedtime in our home is 8:30 pm, with lights out at 8:45.

There is a certain amount of flexibility, but this is the default, despite constant objections and surreptitious attempts to create a fait accompli.

At this time, the authorities (that would be us parents) are uncompromising. As long as it remains challenging to wake children in the morning, the official bedtimes remain the same.

Today, a certain child was waiting to use the computer. While that child was waiting, the child turned on the television (without permission).

At 8:30, I finished using the computer and instructed my child to go get ready for bed.

The child was upset that I did not grant access to the computer.

I maintain that the child knows the parameters of our evening schedule and that the child is old enough to watch the time and fulfill all obligations.

Had the child gotten ready for bed, rather than watching television, there would have been no conflict over the computer.

When we started going around in circles, I ended the argument discussion and sent the child to get ready for bed.

The child quickly got ready for bed, and went onto the computer for 3 minutes, which turned into at least half an hour, since Moshe is not home with dinner yet.

What would you do?



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Peaceful Shabbat

We had a quiet Shabbat.

Only MD was home.

It was nice to have a chance to spend some time just with him.

I thought we would play more, but all of us slept after lunch, for a LONG time.

A went to her cool Aunt's for Shabbat.

They also slept for a LONG time.

It was one of those Shabbatot.

Y was gone since Thursday. She went, with her school, for a three days "seminarion" (weekend seminar).

For half an hour after Shabbat, we lived in the Twilight Zone -- we still felt slow and peaceful.

Then, almost in an instant, things switched back into high gear.

Moshe picked up A.

Then, A and MD had to get ready for bed, including getting all their things ready for school the next day. If they were quick enough, we would watch Star Trek.

Y called to make sure we (read: Moshe) could pick her up as soon as she got back to her school.

Even though Moshe would have to leave in the middle to pick up Y, we started watching Star Trek. (If you know us, you know that this is actually a big deal. A big part of the "experience" is in watching together!)

Ten (okay 12) minutes before the episode ended, Y called.

Moshe left; the kids and I finished watching Star Trek.

A few minutes later, Y blew through the door, distributed hugs and kisses to all, then flew back out the door, to go to her youth group, 'cause she "missed them too."

It was 10:30 pm on Saturday night.

What about going to sleep? Not to worry, the girls convinced the principal to cancel school tomorrow -- after all, what would they learn in one day? (No school this week from Monday through Wednesday, because of Rosh HaShanah)

Y was gone... again.

Moshe sang to A & MD. Then, despite having napped all day, the kids fell asleep right away.

Once again, the house was quiet.

Moshe and I watched the end of Star Trek.

Aftewards, we watched Jericho (post-apocalyptic TV series, brilliant, complex).

I don't usually like to watch two TV shows in one night. But there were only two episodes left of the second season, and I couldn't resist.

Y breezed back in, at some point, and went straight to bed.

Moshe and I finished watching the second to last episode.

In the quiet hours of the night, we analyzed the episode, focussed on a far away, stormy, and imaginary, world.

As we settled in for the night, our home felt safe and secure, and peaceful.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

"But She's Not Wearing Any Clothes!"

I thought that would get your attention!!

(Who says a blog about cancer can't be controversial?)

But, seriously, this post isn't about cancer, it's about S'rugim (or Srugim)... and going to the mikveh.

S'rugim, (lit. "knitted items", slang for the dati-leumi (religious Zionist) community, based on the knitted kippot that dati-leumi boys/men wear), is a TV series about 30+/- singles, living in the "bitz'ah" (lit. "swamp", slang for the Katamon/Rehavia singles scene, where singles can get stuck for years).

To our surprise, Moshe and I are totally into the show!

One night, Moshe brought home a DVD with three episodes. After the first episode, I suggested we watch the second. After the second, I suggested we watch the third. Moshe hesitated, pointing out the late hour. "I know," I responded, "let's watch it anyway!"

I was hooked!

Now, Tuesday nights, Moshe brings home the most recent episode, and we watch it together.

Afterwards, because we are such geeks, we analyze the episode. (I was not always such a geek. What can I say? I fell in with the wrong crowd....) We love analyzing TV shows together; it is one of the few things we both really enjoy!

We are not the only ones analyzing the show. After each episode, we check out Jameel's and Lurker's blogposts about the show.

This past Tuesday night, I was in bed by 8:00, feeling pretty miserable because of my toothache.

Moshe asked me if I wanted to watch something. At first, I did not feel like moving. But when he reminded me that he had the most recent episode of S'rugim, well...., let's just say I wasn't about to miss it for a lousy toothache!

But I digress....







-----------------SPOILER ALERT--------------------



















In episode ten, Hodaya is not quite sure what to do at the mikveh. The balanit ("mikvah lady", who is there to assist women) gently guides her. After Hodaya immerses the first time, the balanit reminds her to say a b'racha (blessing).

"What?!?" shouts out my husband, "But she's not wearing any clothes!"

I burst out laughing!

My husband, with his yeshiva background, and all his knowledge, was completely unfamiliar with the rituals of women's immersions.

"Is that really how it is done?" he asks, incredulous.

I laugh again, and answer "yes, that's really how it's done."

"But how can she say a b'racha without any clothes?" he insists, beginning to quote various sources that discuss b'rachot.

I no longer remember the answer. I learned the laws of ritual immersion years ago, just before I married.

"You mean," my husband continued, not quite grasping the concept, "that every night women are saying b'rachot...." he left the sentence dangling in the air.

I laughed again, at my sweet, innocent husband, who was getting a glimpse into my ritual world, thanks to a TV show.

"Yes," I concluded, "every night, religious women are saying b'rachot, wearing no clothes."



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA