I usually have chocolate covered candied orange peels during Passover. Surprisingly good stuff. I'm not sure if I've had it without the chocolate...I've scraped the chocolate off and tried it that way before. I don't think that's exactly the same, though.
It still tastes unique. I thought I'd hate it or there wouldn't be much to it before I tried it. It's also National Orange Juice Day. I can't seem to drink it by itself. Has a similar affect on me as when I try to have milk by itself. My throat closes up, I get phlegmy, and end up choking. It's weird.
But, cooking with orange juice is good. It's also International Firefighters Day. They definitely deserve to be appreciated and have their own day.
My mom's anniversary of passing away was on the 1st, there's Mother's Day, then her yahrzeit which is on May 17th this year, her birthday was on the 21st, and my parents' anniversary was this month as well. So, most of this month reminds me of her.My beagle calendar features one beagle looking regal into the distance. I think this one's slightly older than the previous ones. Looks even more like Buster.
The info blurb this time mentions some things about their sense of smell and taste. Their sense of smell is the most heightened. Taste is related to smell, so it's one of their strengths as well. They love food, seem to always be hungry, and will do anything to get even a small treat. Wow, that sounds familiar.
Buster was into eating almost anything he could find. There were very few things he wouldn't eat. Like onions/onion skin. That's poisonous to them, so makes sense. But, he did get into a pound of coffee, a huge box of candles, a bag of peanut butter M&M's, goldfish food (ate everything including most of the actual container), half a challah loaf in a few seconds, bark, etc. He was very sneaky about getting things. They also mention that the comedian Dave Barry once described his in-laws' beagle as "a nose with feet".My Jewish calendar's main pic features a Shabbat lamp, has an anonymous maker, made out of copper, Poland; 1800-1900. I'm not used to seeing these lamps in real life. They must have been a thing in Europe back then, because there have been a few featured in the past with the museum that puts out this calendar. This one has flowers blooming out of the middle. With some sort of wispy windy design just under it. It's interesting. The 2nd thing featured is actually split into 2 pics. It's a tallit, has an anonymous maker, made out of textile, Netherlands; 1800-21. The pics are really just of one corner each of the tallit. (A tallit is a prayer shawl.) So, they're not showing all of it. The two corners have interesting designs. Both have olive branches encompassing 2 different things. One has the initials JDC that look like they're in calligraphy, and a big crown over it. The other one has the tablets and a big crown on top of it. I think the second pic's crown is bigger than the first. Interesting to see parts of such an old tallit.
The month-long holidays are: National BBQ Month, National Egg Month, National Hamburger Month, National Salad Month, National Salsa (the food) Month, National Strawberry Month, National Vinegar Month, Drum Month, Jewish-American Heritage Month, Mystery Month, National Guide Dog Month, National Inventors Month, National Pet Month. Some are for important causes, some are to make you appreciate things you may take for granted, and some are just for fun.
Ended Passover a day early, mainly because I couldn't stand it any longer.
I don't think the restrictions during the holiday agree with my digestive system. Or, the way I end up eating during it. I might have to switch to the Sephardic way next time. This was my first Passover after my diagnosis/symptoms of IBD. So, I guess it was somewhat of a trial run. I might read more about what other Jews with this eat during it next year. It's supposedly more common with Ashkenazic Jews, so there should be some material on it.On Saturday, we did our monthly big grocery shopping, ate out, and went to the mall. That weekend felt weird because of the anniversary of my mom passing away.
So, it was kind of nice going out and eating some comfort food. I kind of had my own little chametz festival, too. Feels good to eat 'normal' food again.
Went to Elmer's for an early brunch (got their waffle special), got some lemon bar ice cream at a local ice cream place for a snack, and went to Red Robin for dinner. I got Red Robin's burger special. It was a ramen burger. Kind of felt more like eating a beef and ramen stir fry. The noodles were crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. There were a variety of vegetables, and 2 sauces. It was impossible to hold like a normal burger. Fell apart as soon as you touched it. But, that's why they have silverware...
It was good, except it had a slight burn after each bite. I got it without the jalapenos, and they told me that was the only thing that might have made it spicy. So, I don't know why it had that effect. Ever since the last time I was hospitalized, I haven't digested spicy food well. They warned me about it, too. They said that after being given so many things to get better, it wiped out most of my flora and fauna in my gut. Therefore, I don't have as much of that as I used to. Somewhat of a different issue than my IBD. But, this means I have to be careful with how spicy something is. (I used to love spicy food!
)Last month, I had tried on those smaller sized jeans to see if they fit. I didn't actually get them then. It was just to see. Turns out the old jeans I had at the time had gotten much worse within that month. They were falling off of me, threadbare in the top part of the back, thinning, and starting to get holes.
(Also, had strange lines. Almost looked like measuring lines, like you would see for sewing.) So, even though I felt really full from all the food I ate on Saturday, I decided to try on another pair of the same smaller size in the 'normal' section. They fit me like a glove. Maybe better than last time. (I thought I was gaining a bit...
) I even asked Dad if they had fit well, to also make sure I wasn't imagining it. She agreed that they did. They don't actually slide in the butt, I fill them out more, and they're bell bottom-styled. I love that style. Hard to find in the larger sizes. The only problem was I'm apparently too short for the 'short' size.
It shrunk a bit, but it's still a little too long. I'm really happy about getting them, them fitting well, and the idea that I really did lose that much.
Also, yesterday was the first day that I wore them after they had been washed. They feel nice and comfy. Sunday was the 4-year anniversary of my mom passing away. Her yahrzeit, which is the anniversary on the Jewish calendar, is on the 9th of Iyar. Since that calendar is lunar, the dates seem to jump around when compared to the regular calendar. In reality, the dates never change when just looking at the Jewish one. The 9th of Iyar is on May 17th this year. (Interestingly, it's the 26th of Nisan right now. Start of the 27th is tonight.) We had the unveiling of her headstone that day. I like the design of it now that I can see it more. It was just Dad and I for the short ceremony. A rabbi that we know pretty well gave us suggestions on what prayers, readings, etc. we could say. Also, on how it usually goes. I brought what was originally Mom's tehilim (or psalms' book) to read from. It has suggestions of which ones to read/say for certain occasions or situations. Like, when visiting a cemetery and a loved one that's passed away, a bris, a wedding, a bar/bat mitzvah, having children, being sick, etc. It's very interesting and can be handy. They also have the Hebrew version of them alongside the English translation. It was really nice out, too.
I thought we were going to have a picnic there after the unveiling. We went to one of, what was, my mom's fave restaurants instead. It's a local fish place called JJ's. I got their fishwich. I think it was the first time I've had theirs. It's a fried fish (cod or halibut?) fillet with cheese, and tartar sauce on top of that. It comes with some extra fixings on the side. Like, lettuce, tomato, onions, etc. It came with fries. The only problem was that the sauce only made it to a small part of the sandwich, with most of the rest landing on the plate. It was tasty overall, though.
I might post the pics of the food I ate that weekend soon on facebook and deviantART. I posted them pretty much right away to instagram. People seem to like them on there. To me, a lot of the food seemed unique. Like the ramen burger. Also, hopefully, I'll get back to posting on here more often.
Started watching some of the new anime from this current season a couple of weeks ago. I didn't really like Sousei no Onmyouji or Twin Star Exorcists at first, but it's growing on me. Interesting how supposedly the two main characters, who are considered to be the strongest, have to marry and their kid will be the 'miko'. That miko will be the most powerful exorcist. They didn't explain that until a couple of episodes into it. Those two exorcists are considered the 'Twin Stars'. It seems funnier after they brought this up. The way it started, it seemed like it'd be too serious.
With Bungou (or Literary) Stray Dogs, I liked it right away. Very interesting concepts. All the characters from the detective organization are based on real life authors from the past. Most of the authors are from Japan, but there are a few who aren't. Their attacks are based on the real life authors' most famous works. Their real life personalities are reflected in the characters, too. Except, I think I read that, one of the characters is actually based on a character from one of the author's works. They made her into his sister. Supposedly that character originally was sex-crazed, and in the anime she's all over him. They seem to never be separated from each other. I think that's the only character like that. The mafia characters in it might be based on authors, too. Since they have similar abilities. The main character, Atsushi, changes into a white Siberian tiger. (My fave animal!
) He can't control it. It just happens. He's been abandoned from many places because of this ability. The detectives took him in, though. They're very powerful. The mafia's after him because apparently he's worth a lot on the black market. Very interesting so far. The manga was written by Kafka Asagiri. Someone named Kafka (probably a pseudonym) writing something like this makes a lot of sense. Kind of cool, too.Koutestujou no Kabaneri or Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress has been interesting. I'm not sure if I like the style of animation style.
Slowly getting used to it, I think. The story and their world seem interesting so far. Kabane are like zombies that infect humans with just one bite. It seems that they've taken over the world, except for villages near the train tracks. And, those are slowly being taken over. Many people actually live on the trains. If you're bitten, they either wait to see if you 'change' within a few days, or they tell you to immediately kill yourself (or they shoot to kill if you refuse to). Most of the time it's the latter. This has led to some hysteria and paranoia about it. Some might be accused of being bitten when they haven't been. Many people think you can't cure it. The main character, Ikoma, is trying to find a cure, and a way to kill the Kabane instantly. He was bitten, but managed to stop the virus by using a tourniquet and coming close to strangling himself to death. He's now considered a Kabaneri. Something that's neither human nor Kabane. One of the characters, who's also a Kabaneri, said they may be humanity's last hope. They become extremely strong, still keep their humanity, and apparently need blood to survive. Not sure what kind of blood (like human's or kabane's), or how they're going to get it. Mayoiga or The Lost Village has been a good mystery story so far. It's about a bunch of people leaving their previous life behind for a better fresh start. Getting rid of everything from their world and going to this 'lost village'. Most of them met online, and only go by their username. A couple of them know each other offline. Like, the main character's best friend went with him. All of them have a messed up past. We've only seen snippets of that so far. Another thing is, since many of them don't know each other, they're quick to accuse others. No one knew where this village was until someone emailed one of the organizers. They didn't leave any contact info, just where the village was and landmarks of it. Even the police don't know where it is. The residents seem to have left a day before the group made it there. Almost like they just vanished that day. There's also a weird monster that keeps howling. Each member of the group hears something different from it. They also seem to see different things, when they see parts of this 'monster'. There's a theory that they are all actually dead and stuck in this village. I wouldn't be surprised, but I think this idea has been used before in other stories. Hopefully, it'll be unique with what's actually happening that way. There's already the possibility that one of them was killed. How can you kill a ghost? They also apparently can't leave the village. Half the group thought it wouldn't be safe to stay with a weird monster on the loose, and decided to try and make the trek out. They ended up going in loops back to where they started in the woods. Then they found train tracks by going off the trail a bit, but it had crumbled away halfway over a very steep cliff. Some of the characters are annoying, but many of them are very interesting. Makes you wonder why some are there. The main character seems too innocent, friendly, and like he's acting out a role to get on the good side of others. It'd be cool if he was really a nice person, but we don't know yet. One of the characters said it was the nice and calm ones people should really watch out for. She also said she can tell when someone's about to die, and she said she sensed it from him.
Also, got another blood draw done on Monday. My gastro had told me to have it done a couple of weeks ago. I just didn't want to. I was bruised again. Got my sed rate back already. It's 20, and remission range is 0-20. It's a lot better. I just still don't feel better. My ALT (liver enzyme), and regular blood panel were both normal. I think there were a couple more that were ordered. How can I have good results when I'm not feeling that way yet? It's still semi-frustrating. I think my primary suggested that my system might be taking a while to catch up functionally. So, I'm better with the disease, but my digestive tract needs to 'get used' to it. It makes sense, but on the other hand, still frustrating. Why isn't it used to it already?
I'm happy things are better with the results, though.I've also found an interesting social network called Shabbat.com. They started as a way for people to host or be a guest at a Shabbat meal. Kind of cool. Their membership is really growing. Still not many people around me. A few in Seattle, but not many. They started in New York. They have people from around the world that use it, too. Some from Israel, Brazil, China, Australia, the UK, and more. It's also used just as a Jewish social site, like facebook. In fact, it has a similar look as facebook. They mostly have Orthodox Jews, but Conservative Jews I think come in 2nd. I haven't seen very many other Reform Jews. There are a handful of converts, and people who aren't Jewish but just are curious about it. They also have categories for what family background you have. Like, are you Ashkenazic, Sephardic, Mizrahi, etc. There's also a dating section of it. That part is a bit strange.
They lock your dating profile for a certain amount of time, then only show it to certain people. You can have them pair you up, too. You don't need to do anything if you choose that. I had a ton of welcomes when I joined. Next to the 'like' hand, they have the option of welcoming people when they start using the site. Apparently, a lot of people like my profile pic, too. The site isn't perfect yet, and I hope they make updates to it in the future. I like the idea, and most of it so far has been good.
Especially, if you most likely will be the only one eating it after the seder. Our family version is just chopped up apples, crushed walnuts, grape juice (was wine, but again I can't have it), and some cinnamon. I used one apple this time instead of 2. Probably added a little too much cinnamon. Cinnamon can be healthy, though.
) Turned out we had some leftover from there. So, yay! More popovers for us! 
I didn't know it was so simple and easy to do. I also made a little less of the glaze than what the recipe would have made. I spooned it over the top of the cake. It looked pretty messy when I was done, but still tasty looking too. When we got to it the next night, it almost looked like a giant donut.
The glaze had hardened quite a bit, and there's a hole in the cake. It's very good. Still have a lot left. We also had macaroons, candied fruit slices, and chocolate covered candied orange peels for dessert. The orange peels are always interesting. Really tasty and they seem unique. They come from Israel, and the packaging is really interesting as well.
There was, luckily, sparkling grape juice. Interesting number of people that stuck with it, and didn't seem to have any wine. There was brisket, green beans (also kitniyot, so I couldn't have it), salad greens, matzo ball soup (theirs always comes out a bit weird, and everyone seems to add salt to the broth), a Sephardic-style charoset, hard boiled eggs, the popovers, fruit salad, kosher for Passover chocolate chip cookies (they're like drops of edible cookie dough. Really good), kosher for Passover peppermint patties, candied fruit slices, and macaroons. I was really stuffed by the end.
So many desserts, too. Some people say it's hard to make/find desserts for the holiday. I highly disagree. There are so many options...
I was worried that it called for too much salt, but it seemed just enough. I'm not used to adding salt to things when I cook. A lot of the time I find other seasonings to be more than enough. The vegetables helped a great deal with the flavor, too. The 'broth' was just added water. Seemed fine that way. Would have been interesting with dashi, now that I think about it.