A Covid Rosh Hashonah

I have for many years had friends over, up to eight or nine of us, for Rosh Hashonah dinner starting with my service.  I started doing this when the havurah I helped found went more Reform and less challenging, less spiritual.  I have worked on it over the years but always keep it fairly short. 

 This holiday, we had only Bonnie and David, who are in our bubble, on the sunporch.  It was chilly but the food was warm and so were our hearts.  It was good to share the holiday, even if only with two good friends.  But it was really cold.  By the time seven came, we were frozen.  We moved into the livingroom Around seven, kept the door open and socially distanced.  It seemed to work our.  We’re going to try to same thing tonight with two other friends in our bubble.  Last night the food  was completely different from previous years.  I made a potroast with many vegetables instead of roast chicken.  For just four people Woody didn’t make his noodle kugel.  I kept it simple.  David made a honey cake according to the recipe Norma Simon gave me.  She used to always come and bring her wonderful honey cake. David’s was just as good and made me think of Norma.

 We had worrisome news from the vet this week.  Schwartzie turns out to be a fairly fragile cat.  Usually the cats I get form shelters are hybrid strong.  But he has those bladder stones that require a special diet and now a heart murmur.  It is not serious yet and the vet agrees I should wait to see a cat cardiologist for him until things return closer to normal as the cardiologist is backed up and we wouldn’t be able to get in for at least two months anyhow.  Schwartzie should have ultrasound to look at how his heart is behaving. She said there as no rush as his heart isn’t keeping him from running straight up the 7 foot bookcase every morning and/or chasing MIngus round and round at full speed.

 This week I planted the seedlings of cole crops I started last week – red cabbage, bok choi, Chinese cabbages and green cabbages, radicchio.  I planted seeds of arugula, more radishes and red giant Chinese mustard, six kinds of lettuce, escarole and arugola. .  Today I hope to plant chervil and . I also plantged seeds of six kinds of lettuce, endive and escarole. We are still in a terrible drought so watering is essential – but always we  have to keep our well in mind and not burn out the pump. 

 It has not been a very productive week for my poetry – only one poem so far unless I write something today.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death is a rfeal blow.  Trump can now pack the Supreme Court again us all for decades.  It’s more than ever important in order to say Roe v Wade that we take over the Senate. I admire her greatly and know she will be missed for a long time.

The holiday night was a sharp warning that we have to rethink how to socialize in our bubble of friends.