Approval

Yesterday was an incredibly productive day for us. It started off with an early morning when our cleaning lady came an hour earlier than she normally comes. I really like her, she's a Brazilian transplant who is studying to become a chemical engineer. She's cleaning apartments for extra money to pay for rent, school, etc. She showed up really really ill, a bad cold, and I tried to get her to go home and rest but she insisted on staying. And, for the first time since she started working with us, she did an amazing cleaning! Go figure.

After she left, I got down to business with my thesis proposal. I've been going back and forth, and back and forth with the powers that be and I just wanted this aspect of my thesis done. So, I did the necessary revisions, got the final approval from the powers that be, and decided to go to Bar Ilan today to personally hand in the document. I also needed to go to school to deal with this Minhal Hastudentim issue, which basically is a mess and I hope to g-d gets cleared up before the budget closes on December 15th. I had to physically come to school in order to request a transcript, which has majority of my grades from last year, that I will in turn submit to Minhal Hastudentim so they can pay for my courses this year. Since I already laid out the money for a semester that - as you all know I'm not having actually classes in - I want my money back. More on what happened at school today in a minute.

After I did some work, I took a quick cat nap and waited for Buggy to come home. Wednesday night, about one a month, we go do a big shopping and stock up on supplies. Since we're eaters, we had to replenish our supplies which dwindle quickly especially when I entertain. Since I pledged not to do any more entertaining until the end of the month - having my sister-in-law and Buggy's cousin over for dinner during Chanukah doesn't count as entertaining - I was hoping we could be a bit leaner this month. Well, we decided to try a different supermarket than the ones we normally go to, and we went to Rami Levi in Talipot. First of all, the place is really, really huge! I was extremely overwhelmed initially, and so I didn't do the best job in the beginning, but I got really into it towards the end of our shopping excursion. First of all, the fruits and vegetables were extremely cheap. It was 9 shekel a kilo (about 2.2 pounds) for artichokes, and we picked up 4 really nice ones. Of course, I always shop with a big list, and so Buggy and I split the list and went about our shopping. Now, I am making Marnina and Shulamit's meat and barley crock-pot soup for first course on Shabbos day, and I needed to get Flanken. No one, of course, knows how to say Flanken in Hebrew. Buggy didn't believe me that Flanken was even part of a cow - he thought I was talking about some strange animal he's not familiar with as Yiddish was a language never, ever spoken in his house. Another cultural difference between us - as a side point - is that I use yiddishisms quite a bit and he looks at me blankly. Who doesn't know what Zozah is? I told him it was "sauce" and he wondered why I just don't say sauce. I don't know - in my house - gravy/sauce is just Zozah.

I digress...Back to Rami Levi. Buggy had me call his Mom to ask about Flanken, who passed me on to a family friend who basically told me to ask for "Basar Rach for Chulent" or basically tough meat for the chulent. I sent Buggy to the meat guy while I hit the dairy section, and he came back with 1/2 a kilo of something. Hopefully, it will be the right thing and the soup will turn out ok. Now, the misconception with Rami Levi is that it's a cheaper supermarket. Wrong, wrong, wrong! I still managed to spend 850 shekel last night and granted, we got a lot of stuff, including expensive cleaning materials, but I marvel at how people in this country pay for groceries. On many anemic salaries, it must be very difficult feeding a growing family. Can you imagine what my food bills will look like once P"G we have kids? Fortunately, I don't need to worry about that tomorrow.

Today, we got another early start as our contractor came to fix the hot water boiler, which blew on us (and blew ALL of our electricity) Erev Shabbos. For 400 shekel, he fixed the necessary piece and then waited as we flipped back on the switch to the hot water boiler. I'm really hoping that this will fix the entire problem. After he left, we got ready and Buggy drove me to the Central Bus Station. I haven't been there in at least 2 months now, but it was so nice to be back and see that the place was ready with their Chanukah wares. There was a huge table of menorahs and candles and oil, it was amazing. All of the bakeries are churning out Sufganiot (jelly donuts) and people are walking around with wrapped gifts. I can't believe Tuesday night P"G will be the first night of Chanukah, and my second here in Israel! I really need to learn how to make potato latkes!

The ride out to Bar Ilan was uneventful, I did a bit of work brainstorming for a potential client, and then I went to the English department to drop off my thesis proposal. Yonatan was on campus and we met up, which was great as I really needed his help getting my transcript. Turns out, the woman who was supposed to collect my thesis proposal was not in the office. I ended up making another copy and leaving it for her on her desk. I hope on Sunday it's still there when she gets back to work. Afterwards, Yonatan and I went to the administration building to deal with my transcript issue and it was confusing - my Hebrew is decent but I just didn't understand this woman. For some reason, the 30 shekel I paid entitled me to 4 copies which I asked she send to my apartment. I wanted her to send it directly to Minhal Hastudentim, but it looks like I'm going to have to do a Tel Aviv day sometime next week to deal with that too. Hopefully my TA friends will be around and I will be able to at least get together will my friends so the trip isn't all about dropping off a form. And then, 25 minutes after arriving on campus, I was done with what I needed to do. Yonatan and I grabbed a quick bite and then I was back on the bus heading to Jerusalem. Buggy picked me up and I was starving - I didn't eat lunch with Yonatan cause I knew Buggy was waiting for me to eat - and so we went to Al Dente for some good Italian. Well, I actually think they changed chefs - or the one I'm used to just wasn't there - because the food was disappointing. Buggy liked his ravioli though, so it was worthwhile.

I'm hoping not to cook so much tomorrow as we're eating out at Buggy's parents tomorrow night. It would be great if I can get a quick walk in in the morning, so I can get some exercise. It was sad that the walking I did today at school was the most physical excursion I've done in weeks! I'm feeling like a bit, lumpy, couch potato so I need to get my butt in gear and soon! Anyway, I'm also leaving all of my Shabbos lunch cooking for tomorrow, but I'm hoping not to have to make too much. As a treat for Buggy, I got us lamb chops so I'm making my Aunt Amy's skillet lamb chop and spanish rice for lunch, and I'm making Marnina and Shulamit's soup for first course, roasting some cauliflower and also trying my hand at my sister-in-law's "Full" recipe, which is a French/Algerian origin. I'm thinking the marinade includes garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper but I need to get in touch with her to get the real deal. Hopefully, it will turn out great and Buggy will really, really enjoy lunch!

Product of the Day

Oxo Good Grips mixing bowls are the product of the day. I have no mixing bowls and I am in dire need of the Oxo ones! First of all, I believe that Oxo products are just great, great quality products. And, when it comes down to it, I just have nothing to use to make any of the foods I'm preparing. These days, I use salad bowls as a substitute and now my salad bowls have turned grungy and oily from all of the varying ingredients I use to make - well - whatever. Anyway, if anyone reading this can tell me if I can get the Oxo mixing bowls somewhere in Jerusalem, that would be great! Otherwise, the folks over at Oxo, please, please import some more of your amazing kitchen products!