A bit later than my usual mid-month. Work has been busy, and I was going to write a post over the weekend, and then came word that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died on Friday, and everything else seemed unimportant as we Jews faced the double obligation to celebrate Rosh Hashonnah, our new year, while mourning a wise leader. It is said that those who die just as Rosh Hashonnah begins are a "tzaddik", an especially righteous person, as their death is delayed as long as possible so they can continue to do good in the world. Certainly with all the illnesses she overcame, it seems that RBG is one of those.
Memorials have been many, from friends and people she influenced and her colleagues. The son of one spoke eloquently about the friendship his father, the late Antonin Scalia, had with Justice Ginsburg - one of shared interest in opera and the law, that allowed them to be friends outside the chamber even though they usually disagreed within it. I especially like what Retired Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said, which could be guideposts for all of us to follow as a way to honor her:
By her learning she taught devotion to the law. By her dignity she taught respect for others and her love for America. By her reverence for the Constitution, she taught us to preserve it to secure our freedom.
I had planned to write about the festive meal I cooked, dinner for one as we celebrate in quarantine: Chicken with Quince (subbing quince jam for fresh fruit and honey, and it came out lovely) and two challot, one with white raisins in the dough and my first round braid, the other a coil made from a rope stuffed with grated apple and spices. Both slightly overbaked, but tasty.
With the chicken, a "Spanish spinach" recipe that includes raisins, for added sweetness.
Most of our services were online, but I signed up for a timeslot for
tashlich in the park, selecting one when I saw familiar names so I could see friends. In addition to having a sheet of prayers and meditations, and bags of birdseed (I did slip in a bit of the challah I had brought), every fifteen minutes the rabbi called the shofar and it was blown, so we could have the blessing to hear it in person. Some rabbis went to the house of every congregant, or those who could not come out, so they could hear; in other places the shofar was blown from a rooftop so the sound could spread as far as possible.
On the way home I went to
St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral to pick up goodies I'd pre-ordered as part of their annual Greek Festival. They couldn't celebrate as usual, but did hold a drive-up food service, so I indulged. I received two bags full of goodies: pastitsio, spanakopita, gyros, baklava, salads. Some I have eaten, some went into the freezer for treats later.
Much of the non-observance part of the weekend I worked - we have a big deal proposal due today, and there have been many documents to review, revise, etc. I think we'll make it.
Midmonth Mini-Resolution Update
No progress on the Boneyard Shawl, and only some on my own UFOs. Well, the yarn tangled and it's taking longer than I'd like, but I'm stubborn enough to keep at it. I did finish the scarf I had in the car, and knit about a foot of another (OK, very bulky yarn and US#13 needles, garter stitch) while waiting for my turn at the cathedral.
This set includes several handspun yarns and an oddball of commercial wool/alpaca from the stash (the solid bit on the hat and mittens) because I wanted to use the handspuns but didn't have a particular plan in mind. This way I had the fun of using them and somebody else can wear them.
Plus this hat, based upon the Ugly Christmas Sweater Beanie pattern, but changed up after the crown because I didn't want to play yarn chicken too much: Also, for some reason, I wanted to do something new and not in wool, so around last Tuesday began a shawl for my grandmother - very simple, very soft, very fast, finished last night:
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