Citric Acid - A Hot Topic

First, a few updates:

Husband: Still in Turkey

Son: Asleep in his bed, I believe, although I don't want to check and find out I'm wrong

Driving Test: Still failed

Poofahs:
I would like to award 30 million poofahs to the following people, who found recipes using citric acid: Jonathan "500 Words or Less" Rose, and Momz "What I REALLY Do All Day is Comment on the Blog and Make Funny Faces Into My Computer Camera At My Grandchildren" Leibtag. (Yes, she has a very hard time fitting that onto nametags.) Anyway, you are all invited to come over next week when we dehydrate fruit and make lollipops with Uncle Jonathan! The following week, don't miss our Paneer Party! (BYOSS - bring your own stone slab.) To the other comments re citric acid: I would like to award Yael, Leezy, and Cheryl with some consolation poofahs - 25,000 for commenting, although "Cleaning Urns and Washing Machines" does NOT constitute a recipe.

I would like to note here that I am enjoying the more interactive nature of the blog, with all of the fun and helpful comments from loyal readers such as yourself. In addition to being fun to read, they also provide fodder for my next entry, since I can make fun of - I mean integrate - the comments into the post. So keep commenting, and don't forget to keep track of your poofahs! I am glad to also be doing my part for tikkun olam, as I am bringing together people who haven't spoken in years. Witness the heartfelt conversation between Leezy "Alisa" Bensky and Jonathan Rose. (See: Comments) Reconnecting a long-lost brother with his sister! It's like one of those after-school specials! And I would like to mention here my good friends, former classmates, and loyal readers Shana and Sbad, who I haven't been in touch with since the late '90s, (the years of nivim, coat sales, and jumping out of the window during Spanish class.) It's nice to know you're still out there!

Anyway, in other news....
We had a very exciting dinner with the Balsams last night, minus the fathers, because, as Ariella said, "Nafi's at work and Daddy's at Turkey." The children entertained themselves by dressing up and Yaakov gallantly played Prince Charming to Michali's Cinderella when he helped her put on her high-heeled shoe after it fell off. Lisa and I also learned an important parenting lesson, which will surely be included in my book: If you want your children to eat dinner, don't cook it yourself. Dinner, even if it's pease porridge in the pot nine days old, is always better when served by someone else.

Tipat chalav actually called me back today, and scheduled Yaakov's second Hep A shot for December 9th. I was able to conduct the entire conversation in Hebrew (ok, basically, she just wanted our Teudat Zehut numbers, but still...). The woman was very friendly and helpful.

We met friendly people in Dimri! Sort of! So there is this Communal Aliyah Program in Modi'in, which gives new olim money and and other helpful things, though not as helpful as money. One of the helpful things they are supposed to do is connect you with a "big brother" kind of family that will take care of you. Well, we never got our "family" in the beginning. It turns out, you just need to wait two months! Today, I got a call from a very nice lady who lives in the next building who was calling to check in and see if we needed anything. (She actually thought we had just made aliyah this week, because she only got our name and number on Sunday. It's the thought that counts, people!) Anyway, she seemed nice and she has a son in the adjacent gan next to Ariella's. So maybe we'll have a friend!

The success of the Poofah Program has given me pause (what the HECK does that mean?) and made me think that I should perhaps write a book on teaching techniques as well. I am accepting comments for the title of my book. Some ideas so far:
1. "Get A Clue" (Which works well because it can refer to students, parents, or administrators)
2. "The Holes Go On the LEFT!"
3. "Why Does He Keep Pouring Soup? And Other Musings"
4. " I JUST Answered That"
5. [Your idea here.]