PurlJew

What? She's Back? Really????

Um. Hello. Cough cough. None of you may remember me, but about four months back, I started this here modest little blog. I believe the last entry was the day before I left for Israel. And where am I writing this from? If you answered Cafe Fahza, on the corner of Palmach and Mizva Qadesh, get yourself a cookie and pat yourself on the back for your amazing psychic skills. Yes, I am in Jerusalem, Pardes has started (I am less then enthusiastic at this point, a fact which I promise to belabor ad naeseum), I'm not a nanny any more (thank the good Lord above), I have clearly just found an excellent cafe with free internet (I'm getting a laptop over Sukkot, thanks to the generosity of the parental units), and I'm living and knitting here in Katamon.

It's been 4 months. 1/3 of a year. I am no closer to so many of the goals I set for myself, which would either lead one to the conclusion that one's life is fucked and hopelessly mired in mediocrity, or that said goals were unattainable and wrong-headed in the first place. I've been visiting both places in the past few weeks. Elul has got me all het-up; I'm so looking forward to just getting the holidays behind me, and truth be told, I'm dreading the yomtif, just really not looking forward to them at all. My sage mother points out that this is because I'm trying to control too much and can't relax enough to let what needs to happen happen, but I tell her to shut up and go fix me another drink whenever she gets too uppity, and that fixes everything.

Just kidding. She's very right, I am very not in control and trying to hard to be in control, and Elul, at some basic level, is about returing control of your life and fate to HaKodesh Baruch Hu. Which is some scary shit, yo. And I just don't know how to go about doing that right not, since it feels like my life keeps veering in and out of focus. I'm also not super-thrilled about where I'm davening. I like the minyan--a nice, hippie-ish egal minyan--but I am undecided how I feel about egal davening, especially on the high holidays, when I need to focus and not concentrate on the cute rabbinical student who leads a fierce Lecha Dodi. (Especially since I sort of made a tit out of myself after a few too many l'chaims last night. And sort of asked him out. And he's sort of going out with somebody. Why do I think that ballsiness will ever pay off for me???) Seperate davening, say what you will about egalitarianism, at least forces me to focus on examining all the married women's head coverings and how they get their scarves to go like that...um, I mean, my kavanah. I am beginning to get to the beginning of being able to pray with some kind of focus and kavanah, and it's much stronger when I can focus without thinking about the marital prospects next to me. And also, I am a sucker for good singing. Give me a good Carlebach service and I am a happy little Jew.

Ah, it's good to be writing again! And knitting again; after a too-long hiatus, I've been working slowly on a series of socks (love the KnitPicks merino, btw, so lush) and a possibly-screwed from the start One Skein Wonder. I'm putting in a lace panel down the back, and am not really sure how to account for the constant increasing and keep the lace pattern true. At the very least, knitting has offered me one way to make connections at Pardes, and a craft night will be starting up after the chagim are (finally, I know I shouldn't say that, but finally) over. A catchy, possibly pun-based title will be on its way soon, undoubtedly.

I also want to bless all of you, any of you, with the blessing that you should have all the blessings. It may seem simple, but my teacher brought us a story the other day of a rabbi who, when busy and trying to get from place to place, gave a poor beggar woman a small, dinky little blessing, a blessing that wasn't meant and wasn't heartfelt and was just basically condescending. (Clearly, I am paraphrasing the original Hasidic story just a wee bit. You get the point.) HaKodesh Baruch Hu and the angels up in heaven were so outraged at the general weeniness of the blessing, that they excommunicated the rabbi for three weeks, until he could bring his heart to his blessings. So, for all of you out there, may you bless and be blessed in equal measure. May you receive the wishes of your heart, may you bring happiness to the world, and may this year be a year of joy and light for all of you and your loved ones. Shana tova u'metuka!

Good News, Silver Shoes, Magic Loops and More

Good things that have happened in the past few days:

1. Eric L. came to pick up some furniture and hung out to get a little tipsy on some good red wine and talk about high school and eat pizza;
2. Whitney L. is going to be in Israel, at Pardes, from the 23rd on! Trust me, you are going to want to be in Israel then, because girl and I know how to have fun. It's going to be sick.
3. Got in touch with Kate P., one of my favorite people ever, and someone who I didn't get to hang out with in person long enough. I'm hoping that will change, since her sister made aliyah ages ago and lives in TLV. (Visit her soon, Kate!)
4. Learned the Magic Loop method:

And it's not that hard! And so far, it's a lot less fiddly than DPNs, and I can really see myself using it more--although I haven't gotten to the point of turning the heel or doing the gussets, so this happy chirpy tune may change.

5. Hung out with Nana PurlJew today, getting our nails done and having a nibble.

She may have to use a cane, but she can still kick anyone's ass. (She's ever-so-subtly concealing the double chin in this one. Nice one, Nana.)

Here's what my apartment looks like, with 6 days left:

Not that bad, right? I had to vacuum four times yesterday (I picked up enough cat hair to make four cats), but as of this afternoon, almost everything that needs to be packed away and stored is, which is good, and Eric is coming over tomorrow to get the rest of the furniture.

Frankie and Violet supervised:

Well, Frankie mostly lazed around, but Violet was a real taskmaster.

The silver shoes the post title so cleverly and rhymingly alludes to:

Nice, huh? Now, let's be honest: is bringing three pairs of metallic shoes to Israel (out of a possible 8) is excessive? I've got a pair of silver Chinese slippers, a pair of gold ballet flats (don't even try to talk me out of those) and these silver Birks. And what about self-tanner? I'm not sure if that goes into the silly category, since I look so much less like Miss Junior Death and so much more like someone who's actually been outside, doing healthy outdoorsy things like eating whole grains and gardening. Things that make me look and feel better can't possibly be silly.

6 days to go. Thinking about it makes my stomach clench and flip and do all sorts of uncomfortable things. Thinking about not going is slightly palliative, but actually not going is actually not a possibility. I can't conceive of a short-term destiny outside of Israel, so not taking the chance of going is not happening; all the fears I have (and trust me, I have a lot, from bad highlights to death via pigua/ bus bombing (Hashem yishbor)) have to be seen from that perspective.

(Lord, that sounded horribly mature. I mean it, mostly.)

(I think.)

40 Things

1. I live in the same town I was born in.
2. I have two ridiculously fat and shed-prone cats. I didn't declaw them out of principle, but sometimes I wish I had.
3. I have bad skin and won't leave the house without makeup. Come a house fire (G-d forbid), the Bare Escentuals comes with me.
4. I am often jealous.
5. My sister is much prettier than I am.
6. I must. have. coffee.
7. If I could choose to have any kitchen appliance, it would be a bread maker. I would gain 50 pounds, but it would be 50 pounds of happiness.
8. I could care less about most sports. I secretly think they're all fairly silly.
9. Except during the Olympics. Then I'll watch anything. Curling? Sure. Swimming? You bet your bippy!
10. I bite my nails off.
11. My home page is the Jerusalem Post, but mostly I just scan the headlines.
12. Favorite food: sushi. Favorite new sushi: vegan avocado rolls from the local health food store.
13. I love it when I eat healthily, but I'm lazy and tend to eat a lot of crappy food.
14. I believe in divine providence.
15. I wish that I were more disciplined about religious observance. I'm much happier when I am, but can't seem to keep it up.
16. I'm not married.
17. I tend to be very negative before I even try something, and then am surprised by how wrong my expectations were.
18. I am a therapy drop-out.
19. I love to get my hair cut.
20. I have no kids but already have future, currently non-existent kids' names picked out.
21. I hate beyond all reason seaming up UFOs. I hate seaming. I hate it.
22. I'm not a technical knitter at all. At all. It's much more go with the flow for me. Which can result in some major SNAFUs, but also results in relatively stress-free knitting.
23. I rescued a cat and dog (Olive and Stanley respectively) from stray-cat-hood and euthanasia (also respectively) and am very proud of that.
24. My parents adopted Stanley, and now call him 'son'.
25. I am deeply squicked-out by cockroaches and most bugs. Also the sound of bones breaking and frosted glass rubbing together.
26. I sometimes find myself humming or singing snatches of psalms or prayers. I don't really know what that's about.
27. I would rather buy a pair of shoes than a nice meal. You can buy me the nice meal if you want.
28. I love the book The Once and Future King, but have never finished it. I've read the first 3/4 6 times, but never the end. Too sad.
29. I love four-way stops. The possibilties!
30. I used to crack my knuckles all the time, but now I think I have arthritis in my right thumb cause it hurts all the time. So I guess my dad was right. Phooey.
31. I don't think I'll ever try to grow my hair out again.
32. I need to start working out again. Really badly.
33. I take my tea milky and sweet, please.
34. I once wrote a poem about a mango.
35. I've never been tempted to try intarsia. It seems like a lot of bother for a design element I don't really like that much.
36. People tell me I have an accent all the time, even though I'm a bord and bred Hoosier. Israelis tell me that all the time.
37. Apparently, when I speak Hebrew, I sound French. Don't ask me why.
38. My favorite body part are my eyes.
39. They are greeny-brown hazel.
40. I love Deadwood, even though it's getting more and more bizarre. I think it's the best writing on TV.

Pictures! Honest to Goodness Pictures.

Alright. I feel a little like a Wright brother hangin' out at Kitty Hawk right before the flight. Or at least like one of their assistants.

Why?

Because we've got actually pictures today. Picture Sunday. I have actual documented evidence that I really do, in fact, knit. Hold on to your panties, ladies and gents. First up:

I Do, from the latest (not the greatest) Knitty:

Don't be fooled--it's not teal, it's a lovely clear turquiose, in  a delicious cotton from Elann. Wanna feel the bite? The pattern calls for 5 skeins; I have 5 skeins. But the yarn called for has about 20 more yards in each skein than my stash yarn, leaving me to start panicking about running out of a yarn that was so on sale that Elann was selling it for $1.50. C'mon. Do you think they'll have more of it? (I hope so. I'm not even up to the first elbow and one skein is already a pathetic shadow of itself.)

Still, I love the pattern and can't wait to wear it. It's an easy, pretty lace pattern, and I'm rapidly becoming converted to the cult of cotton. (It's amazing! It can be light! It can be silky! I love!)

Next: Sucky Clover from SNBN

Why Sucky? Um, size 2 needles. Patons Grace, the itsi-bitsiest yarn I've ever used. Punishing hand cramps that mean I can only knit a few rows at a time before ouch ensues. Why am I knitting this? Stupid KAL group pressure. I saw a finished one in pink on someone's blog, and lordy, was it nice. Here's the progress on mine so far:

Nice color, huh? Gorgeous apple green, although Grace is being such a bitch to work with I don't think I'll be using it again, twin of Rowan though it might be. At this rate, I'll have my Sucky Clover in, oh, a year.

Two more shots, one mystery, one cat-related:

Chicken Little, the World's Longest Cat, being uncharacteristically quiet; and

What is this mystery Pesach breakfast? Any guesses? Anyone?