av8rmike

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to [info]

Brooke! (Thanks

opalcat!)

Fortunately for me, there was no rehearsal last night. I went over to Dad's because I didn't go over on Sunday, as is my usual. Dad got the bright idea to make latkes (that's the potato pancakes to the goyim ;)). So he & I went to work grating potatoes (he did the onion) and all that. Trouble was, his house is still pretty much in disarray because of the improvements, so for a while we couldn't find the recipe, the menorah, or the candles. Eventually, though, my stepmother dug out the stuff we needed. She rather wisely decided to stay out of the kitchen and out of our way, too. The latkes turned out pretty well and their entire house probably still smells like frying oil, but that's part of the joy of Chanukah! We got around to lighting the candles sometime after 8:30 (well after sundown) and had some trouble remembering which blessings were which (you have to say 3 on the first night), until we discovered they're printed right on the candle box.

Unfortunately, things aren't going so well with my stepmother's mother, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. It started getting uncomfortable and late, so I headed home. Mom called, but I'm going to be so busy this weekend that she can't come down for my concert. It's a little disappointing, but probably for the better, given how little time we'd actually have. So I'm definitely coming to the party,

gingy!

I followed the results of my poll by adding a few new icons and changing the layout to something spiffy.