Today, I am relieved, ecstatic, joyful, delighted, and kvelling to learn that all 12 boys and their soccer coach are rescued, safe and sound. The collective global sigh of relief is holding me up and getting me through the rough parts of our world. There really are heroes in the world. We need to celebrate them!
Hold your kinderlach (children) closer today, and every day.
Yiddish Proverb:
Troubles overcome are good to tell. Ibergekumene tsores iz gut tsu derseylin.
These past couple of weeks have left me verklempt (overcome with emotion). We’ve gone from tsuris (troubles) to nachas (joy) and back and forth a few times over. But hey, all is good. No kvetching (complaining) here… still quite grateful just to be… In my glass-half full world, the temples are gray, yet the mind is still childish (es iz groi di pai’eh un narish di dai’eh). Now look, sit! Enjoy some shots.
So friends, for today and this week, may you all be a mensch (decent and honorable person) and may you only run into mensches.
the science branch of knowledge projection of fear tsuris (troubles) concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services buying the stuff you need today, tomorrow and the next day for your family.
Meshuggah (crazy) behaviors or actions, that oftentimes arise with heart palpitations creatively as the direct result of the scarcity of means, in order to achieve certain common and normal ends. Huh? ex.: We need to brush our teeth, we still, really!!! have no toothpaste… Achh!
Take a look at this photo. I walked into our bathroom the other day, and this is what I saw, no joke! From our loo to your eyes. I ran for my magical iPhone to snap this baby. And with this, comes a tale. After all, you that is why you are here …
Did you know, that when you run out of toothpaste, you can actually cut the tube in two or three parts, and have enough toothpaste to last a normal family of four at least five more days? Did you also know that when the deodorant thingy-mah-jiggy-holder falls from its container and bounces on the bathroom floor a few times and lands in the corner, a linty, hairy mess, you can remain odor free for about two weeks more, if you pick it up, wipe away the yuck, and rub it under your arms? Two weeks! And, that pump in the shampoo bottle… when that stops pouring out perfect spurts of soapy suds-making, you can lengthen and lusciously lather for days, maybe even a week if you take it off? The little straw itself holds two days worth of ‘do-cleaner! Then, the bottom of the bottle, don’t get me started! It’s robbery! In Yiddish, we call this, aroizgevarfeneh (pronounced ah-royz-geh-varf-ehn-uh). It literally means thrown out, wasted.
Extrapolate this scenario out across your personal purchases: think about the sunscreen, moisturizer, conditioner, make-up (like I would know, Nu?) caulk, paint, glue, … wait, don’t. It’s too upsetting to think of the money we’ve all put in the landfill left at the table. Look at this little Yiddisheh gem:
It is not so good with money, as it is bad without. Es iz nit azoi gut mit gelt es iz schlect on dem.
Living in the frugal lane, we’ve learned some very good money-saving tips and ideas. We’ve all worked to change our anti-penny-pinching ways many years ago. It’s all good. And we’ve argued and cried learned and grown. Vey iz mir (OMG!), it is madness if any of you let the above actions go unnoticed! Think conservation! Teaching the kinder (children) about resources and savings, everyday environmentalism and, well spartanomics!
My glass is always half-full. Now, I think it may be even more full than I ever imagined! What I do know:
To make promises and to love don’t cost any money. Tsuzogn un lib hoben kostn kain gelt nisht.
So try these tips. See if you save. If you have tips for us, please! Do tell! My Mrs. and me, we are trying desperately to save our money for a home. Alevai! (It should only happen!) These small humans we are raising, Little and Big, they cost a fortune! And, yes, these shanah maidels (sweet little girls), they are indeed priceless.
Appropriate Yiddish phrases for this post:
A fool goes to the baths and forgets to wash his face. A nar gait in bod arein un fargest zikh dos punim optsuvashen.
When the streets are muddy, the cobblers rejoice. Az s’iz in droissen a bloteh, frai’en zikh en shusters.
What’s really going on in the photo? Fun with potholes in the streets of Philadelphia… (Ellen, I promised you this, remember!)
It’s been an ‘all hands on deck‘ kind of week. School is in full swing, dance lessons are back, and as they say in this Yiddish Proverb:
If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm. Aoyb ir alts darfn a helping hant ir vet gefinen eyner in di suf fun deyn orem.
Take a look at my kinder (Sweet kids) and their hantalehs (hands) at work play!
They were so fascinated by the typewriters! They didn’t want to leave! Azoi!
Shana Tovah to all who celebrate! May it be a sweet and happy new year ahead for us all.
The last trip of the summer holidays had us off to Boulder, CO to see my mishpocheh (family). Here are some of our favorite pics…
And boy, did we ever! L’Chaim! (To Life!)
Our very happy Gatsby on return! My boychik…
Travel in good health! For gezunterheit! We did!
He’s meditating on whether a flea has a bellybutton. Er klert tsi a floy hot a pupik.
Some things will forever and always smell, taste, hint to the glimpses of summer. Freshly cut grass. Watermelon. The sun on your back. Swings. A skinned knee. The hint of chlorine. Mosquitoes. Bikes. Dirt. Ice Cream. And laughter. There must always be laughter.
Let’s all hope this summer is a good one, a safe one, and a healthy one for us all, filled with more laughter. ❤
Life is like a child’s undershirt–short and soiled. Dos leben iz vi kinderhemdel–kurts un bash.
At least for my Little, above!
Goodness just radiates from her face. Di gutskayt ligt ir uysgegosn afn punem!
A nice power outage!
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So much darkness lately. In the news, in the world, in our lives. I try so very hard to keep my glass half-full. Some days, they are easier than others. Today is one of those days. I approached a gloomy, wet commute this morning, and I tried hard to find some lightness. An old Jewish proverb says:
A little bit of light pushes away a lot of darkness. A kleyn bisl fun likht pushiz avek a platz fun finsternish.
Let me share some of my light with you, in case you need it too.
Gold glitters, even in the mud. Gold sheint fun bloteh.
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Constant joy is a great mitzvah (a good deed). Keseyderdik freyd iz a groys mitzvah.
It’s abundantly clear to me, that the very best parts of this life are unplanned little moments spent with those you love. Make sure you are present so you can catch them.
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My Little, she loves her Gatsby so. This was going on this Sunday morning. That is joy!
Not everyone the dog barks at is a thief. Nit yederer oif vemen hunt bimen iz a ganev.
A barking dog never bites. A hunt vos bily bayst nit.
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What a wonderful couple of weeks we have had, this holiday season. We are so rich with love! ❤
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Ver gefinen a getray fraynd, finds a austr. Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure.
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Well, who knows why, but Wordless Wednesday passed me right by. Oy vey… Knowing me, I’m gonna share with you anyway. Enjoy our trip to Valley Forge Park with my Explorer Kinder (kids) and Nona.
Az me gait gleich, fait men nit. If you walk straight, you will not stumble.
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Di zun shaynt far itlekhn umzist. The sun shines on everyone for free.
Ven nit di shein, volt kain shoten nit geven. If not for the light, there would be no shadow.
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Linus: “Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He’s gotta pick this one. He’s got to. I don’t see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there’s not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.”
Altz iz gut (all is good)!
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Oib di velt vet verren oisgelaizt, iz es nor in zechus fun kinder. If the world will ever be redeemed, it will be only through the merit of children.
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In a guter sho tsu reden; in a baizer sho tsu shveigen. In a lucky time it’s good to talk; in an unlucky time, it’s better to be silent.
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Oy, A gezunt dir in kepele! Are you ever a clever child!
L’Shona Tova! Happy New Year!
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Der emes ken arumgain a naketer; dem lign darf men baklaidn (The truth can walk around naked; the lie has to be clothed).
Thanks for walking with us!
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