Happy Purim! Happy Spring!

It's been a busy week here in Sedillo.

UNM is having Spring Break this week and I have been taking advantage of it to accomplish some things that NEED to be done. Because...

Spring is coming, and so's Passover!

Actually, Spring is already official here!
It started for us here in the Mountain Time Zone at bedtime Wednesday night, with the equinoctical sunrise on Thursday morning here in this picture.

(Yes, that's a traffic barrier by our driveway. The road to the south and west of our house is being paved, and the water co-op is putting in pipes).



And here is the equinoctical sunrise over the house from the designated quarter-day photo spot on the meadow.

The weather here is cooperating for the official coming of spring, too!

It has been a little below freezing at night, but it has been warming up nicely during the day. Yesterday it was in the 60's here, and the 70's down in Albuquerque.



Of course, with the coming of spring, and the coming of Spring Break (which must always be capitalized to indicate its importance), the time has come for Spring Cleaning. (This too is capitalized because of the work involved). Normally, Spring Cleaning begins after Purim, but that is because Purim normally comes before Spring Break. So this year, despite my worries to the contrary, I actually started my Pesach Cleaning (also capitalized for the same reason as stated above) early!


On Sunday, I cleaned all of our bedding and hung it outside to dry. I so love the outdoor smell in clothes! On Monday, I tackled our closet, and on Tuesday, I did the cabinets in our bathroom. That was actually the biggest job as my Bruce is a Packrat as well as a Geek. Many things that are not ordinarily stored in a bathroom (three rolls of electrical tape???) were stored under his sink.

Wednesday, I took care of my office. And yesterday, the Great Room (as the realtor Geeks call it) got the royal treatment. It was in that state where it looked like a few minutes of vacuuming or dusting would do it up nice, but appearances can be deceiving. It took about six hours of work--cobweb knocking, couch cushion removing, window sill dusting, furniture moving work! By 4 PM yesterday, it was in that really deep-down, pop-corn-kernels-out-of-the-upholstery, leather-soap-smelling CLEAN! Which is good because...




...yesterday at sunset, we began the holiday of Purim, the Feast of Lots. Last night was a big synagogue night, because not only was there a reading of the Megillah (in this case, the Book of Esther), but it was also our congregation's week to host homeless families for IHN. So Bruce and I spent the night in a Hebrew classroom on two roll-aways made 'comfy' by pushing them together and putting our feather bed on them.

Purim is a half-holiday, on which no work is done in the evening and morning, as the Megillah is read, and we drown out the name of 'that evil Haman!' (Boo! Hiss!).

Last Sunday, N. and I also volunteered at the Sisterhood Purim Carnival--which was one of the best! (I know, I know, we say that every year, but this year...). When the kids were little, we took them to play the games and eat the hammetaschen (three cornered cookies pictured at the right in the basket).

When we arrived, did I get a surprise! One of my lovely adult Hebrew students had ordered a beautiful Mishloah Manot (gift basket) for me! It is the custom to send (the root of Mishloach--which means 'that which is sent') gifts of food and goodies for Purim. So we've had goodies, and tonight and tomorrow we'll have Shabbat. And I will rest up!

Passover is now just one full moon away!
Thank goodness I have started getting ready. Once I begin cleaning, the Pesach Panic subsides, and the Pesach Pondering can begin!