Friends and Family

[mamadeb]

Although our civil calendar anniversary was March 10, our Hebrew calender anniversary was 24 Adar, which this year translates to March 24. Both days were Fridays, so we had our celebration last night.



We had a small party in a dairy restaurant called "Bermuda." As it happens, that's where we went for our honeymoon. We'd forgotten until late in the dinner.

It was us, my mom and her boyfriend, his parents, his brother and his fiancee, plus her daughter. Also, two couples from our synagogue andzsero. We'd invited my older brother but he couldn't make it. And one of the couples brought their 2 year old daughter.

Thirteen adults, two little girls. It was lovely. The food was good - I very much enjoyed the cream of garlic soup (of which I ate half and gave the rest to my husband), the salad we shared and the fish over steamed vegetables, half of which was my lunch today. We had attentive if iffy service (the cream for my mom's coffee was less than fresh, but they replaced them both immediately.)

It was a good mix of people - lots of conversation and moving around the table. To make it all better, it even cost us less than we'd thought.

We also got some presents - my folks gave me a laundry basket with bath and kitchen towels, and an apron, plus a large saute pan, and a porcelain bell with "15th Anniversary" on it. One of the couples gave us a rosewood and silver napkin holder - a bit much for napkins, but just right for holding bentchers (booklets for the grace after meals.) And the best one - my in-laws gave me a stunning crystal bowl - simple, elegant with lines radiating from the center. No extra decorations or ornamentations. Just. Lines. Stunning.



It's always advisable to wash one's hands before testing one's blood. It's even more so after one eats a tangerine. My first test was 239. And I noticed my finger tasted like orange. (What do you think I do with my finger once I jab it?) I washed my hands, as I should have, and retested and it was 122.

Comments

[ex-pumagrrl389.livejournal.com]

How romantic to have your anniversary dinner in a restaurant with the same name as the place you went to for your honeymoon ... ♥ ♥ ♥

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[gingicat]

That sounds like a lovely dinner. :)

Re the finger: does that mean you don't wipe your finger with an alcohol wipe before you jab?

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Nope. We're supposed to wash our hands - that's it. I was relieved to find that out.

It was lovely.

[kressel.livejournal.com]

Mazel tov! May Hashem grant the two of you have many more.

[jonbaker.livejournal.com]

I gave a little dvar Torah linking 15 yrs of marriage with the 15 stages in Dayeinu, which connect (as the Vilna Gaon points out) with the 15 stages in the Seder (count Motzi Matza as two), and with the Beis Hamiqdash (there are 15 steps from the courtyard to the Hall (Heichal), on which the Kohanim said the 15 psalms of Shir Hama'alot (Songs of Ascents); also the Haggadah is drawn from the Confession over First Fruits (Vidui Bikurim), which clearly indicates that the process beginning with the Exodus concludes when we bring our First Fruits to the holy Temple).

So Pesach is a process of growth from slaves towards total national identity as the People of God with the Beis Hamiqdash. So too, our 15 people at the 15th-anniv party weren't 15 without the two small children, so we shouldn't take our 15 as a resting place, rather as it needs growth to get there, so we should continue to grow, personally and communally, ad bias haGoel and the restoration of full national identity.

I suppose I'll put this on my own LJ.