Sukkah

Hi! Today we put up the sukkah for Sukkot. Another holiday that starts on next Friday night. It lasts for about a week. It celebrates the harvest and you're supposed to eat and sleep in a temporary structure. (We don't usually sleep in it, but we do eat under it.) This temporary structure is called a Sukkah. We have one made out of lumber that we bought and brackets from a make it yourself Sukkah company. We always have to have extra people help, because it's big, bulky, and sometimes hard to get the right angles to get things in. Ours has a lattice back to it, kind of cool. The only really hard part is finding what type of plant matter to throw up for the roof. We like to get the evergreen's boughs and throw them over. Sometimes we get corn stalks to put up. It can't be covered entirely, because you have to be able to see something like 3 stars. We also got the decorations up. We have plastic fruit that we hang in the back, and some pine cone chains around it. We also put the table and chairs we have in the back under it. Oh, and a lantern that we use for camping we hung from a beam. We're pretty much set, only a couple more things.

Yom Kippur starts tonight. It's a holiday where you reflect on the past year, and think about what you can do better. Also, usually you're supposed to fast from sunset tonight until sunset tomorrow. I can't because I'm on meds, so there are exceptions to the rule. I used to really get into it though. I want to do it. :( They say though that you shouldn't compromise your health by doing so. If you do, it's almost a sin. We get a huge potluck afterwards, so I guess that's nice. Mom's going to make smoked salmon alfredo. Sounds so good. :3 Also, this is one of the most important holidays in Judaism. So, it's a big deal. People usually can get out of classes and work for it.

I finished the 2nd chapter of my story. It was really fun to do! Hope the 3rd is just as fun! I joined a new forum too. They are incredibly nice there! I've already made like 10 friends!

For Japanese, I did the end of the ta section, so section, and started the se section. 誰 or dare means who. 誕生日 or tanjoubi means birthday. 段々 or dandan means gradually. (Sounds funny!) Sou means so, really, seeming, (after ます stem and adj- stem) appearing that, looking like, having appearance of. (I hear that one a lot on Japan TV.) Soushite means and, like that, and then. Soko means there. 其方 or sochira means that way. 外 or soto means outside. 其の or sono is that. 側 or soba means near or close. (There's a different meaning and kanji for soba noodles. I think that one just means buckwheat, from what I saw.) 空 or sora means sky. 其れ or sore means that or it. 其れから or sorekara means and then or after that. 其れでは or soredewa means well then..., in that situation, or in which case. (The last letter is pronounced wa even though it's normally ha.) 背 or sei means height or stature. 生徒 or seito means student. Seetaa means sweater. 石鹸 or sekken means soap. 背広 or sebiro means business suit. 狭い or semai means narrow or confined. Zero means zero. (Huh! Funny! :P) 千 or sen means 1,000. 先月 or sengetsu means next month. 先週 or senshuu means next week. (Hmmm... sensing a pattern!) 先生 or sensei means teacher, doctor, or master. 洗濯 or sentaku means washing.