Category Archives: All Posts

Thanksgiving Thoughts

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While we’re in the midst of plans to enjoy a feast with friends and family, I hope we don’t forget to honor, and with gratitude, recognize the Indigenous Peoples.

“Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.” Chief Seattle

“When you know who you are when your mission is clear, and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will; no cold can touch your heart; no deluge can dampen your purpose. You know that you are alive.” – Chief Seattle, Suquamish/Duwamish (1786-1866)

Chief Seattle (more correctly known as Seathl) was a Suquamish and Duwamish chief. A leading figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, The city of Seattle in Washington state, was named after him.

Photo of people and tents and quote credit to Chief Seattle and Native Red Cloud Maȟpíya Lúta~Hińhan Wakangli. Photo credit of Chief Seattle from Wiki

Strange Days | The Disappearing Object Phenomenon

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I bought some things that I subsequently needed to return which my son calls my “catch and release” program because I do it a lot.

This time, I was in a rush. I picked the wrong kind of noodles and the wrong kind of applesauce, and a pineapple I discovered was rotten and gross; also a first pair of jeans for Angel Girl 2.0 that were the wrong size.

I located the receipts and put them in safe place, or so I thought.

To backtrack, I never lose things and I also save EVERY receipt because I know that I MIGHT return whatever it is. I’m thrifty like that, so what happened next is significant.

I left early to shop cos it’s getting crowded for Thanksgiving. When I got in my car, I looked for the receipts and could only find one, but I KNOW I had saved both of them together.

I searched every inch of the car-nothing. I searched my purse-nothing. I looked in the outside trash (eww) -nothing. I went back in the house and couldn’t find it anywhere. I took a few deep breaths and decided to accept the reality that for once, I had somehow lost a receipt, but I’d still try to return the items and not be upset if that wasn’t possible.

In the grand scheme of life, this wasn’t anything to worry about. Mistakes happen.

I parked my car, walked around to the passenger side to collect my shopping bags and the items to be returned. There, on the seat, right next to the sad old pineapple, I spied the receipt.

WTF? Where did it come from? I had OCD thoroughly searched every single inch of my car, even taking everything out, and never saw it, because it wasn’t there. But there it appeared, ON THE SEAT. ON THE SEAT where it had NOT been before.

I shook my head, called out a silent thank you to the universe and its witchy ways, and laughed at my good fortune.

The rest of the day has been full of sunshine and joy, but I still can’t figure it out.

Is it the disappearing object phenomenon? How did it happen? WHY did it happen? And what’s the lesson?

According to my Google research, these are the areas to explore if you have experienced the return of a lost item:

Lessons on the 3D level:
Must you always have a physical explanation for any occurrence?  Why?
Do you believe that there is only one answer for any occurrence? Who told you that?
What happens if you can’t find an explanation for this occurrence?

Lessons on the 4D level:
Can I concede that I can’t explain this occurrence just yet?
Do Others have power over me?
Do Others have powers that I don’t have? (St. Anthony, or Archangel Chamuel, for example?)
Can they see more than I can see?
Who are these Others?  Are they mirrors of me?

Lessons on the 5D level:
Is this an item you love? If not, why is it here?
How long was this item gone before you missed it? Are you rightfully managing this energy (including time)?
What is the disparity of frequency between the You that could see them and the You that couldn’t?
What is the energy of the missing item?  Sad?  Nostalgic?
Does it represent a period in your life needing release?
Does it remind you of something you need to get done?

I haven’t had to the time to explore and examine my relationship to the receipt and discover the deeper symbolism, but I highly recommend reading this entire article. It blew my mind!
https://www.areyouawakening.com/life-on-earth/when-an-item-youve-lost-suddenly-reappears/

Featured image from Pinterest

Apricity | Word of the Day

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Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

Now that it’s turning cold (not here, it’s seventy degrees right now) it made me think of that specific feeling of the warmth of the winter sun on your face. The word that describes this phenomenon is apricity. 

You can be absolutely freezing, but when that glorious ray of sunshine finds you, it’s uplifting, hopeful, and calming. However brief, to bask in an unexpected but significant gleam of winter sunlight is a wonderful and restorative feeling.

We close our eyes, lift our faces toward the sun, and those moments of apricity warm the spirit as well as our body, and we yearn for more.

Holiday Recipes | Grandma’s Best Kugel Noodle Pudding

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Are you thinking about what to serve this year for family gatherings? I swear, Angel Boy 2.0 could eat kugel every single day. It’s his most requested dish but I only make it a few times a year.

Let me introduce you to one of our family traditions. My mom’s recipe is NOT vegan, but it can easily be adapted if you substitute eggless noodles and eliminate eggs. It’s just as delicious.

What IS Kugel?

Of German/Jewish origin, Kugel is a savory or sweet pudding built around layered potatoes or noodles (lokshen), usually served as a side dish. Some recipes use cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, and raisins, but that’s not how we make it.

Our family’s traditional Kugel is the sweet noodle version. It’s to die for. Really. Spectacular hot or cold or reheated, it’s one of those recipes you can make a day in advance and gets better and better.

If you have any leftovers– which we never do — it freezes well, too.

Grandma’s Kugel

Ingredients:
One large package wide egg noodles (or eggless wide noodles)
One large can fruit cocktail in juice
One small can pineapple pieces in juice
One large can canned peaches and pears in heavy syrup, yes, you read that right
At least 3 Granny Smith apples, sliced with about 1/4 cup sugar and 1-2 TBS cinnamon
3 eggs (or not)
2 tsp vanilla
Approx 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Crisco (YES)
One lemon, juiced and zested

Directions: This is a good dish to make in advance especially if you’re also planning to make apple pie (which I am) ‘cos you can just prep all the apples for both dishes. The secret to this dish is a LOT of cinnamon. If you think you have enough, add a little bit more. More is better, trust me!

1. Cook a whole package of wide egg noodles and drain.
2. Add 3 beaten eggs with vanilla, 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 1.4 cup sugar ; it will be super slippery.
3. Add the lemon juice and zest to the apple slices.
4. Drain all the canned fruit but keep the juices; you’ll need them.
5. Mix together all the canned fruits.
6, Use Crisco to oil one large and one medium deep baking dish.
7. Add a layer of noodles, then a layer of canned fruit, a layer of apples, then another layer of noodles, a layer of the canned fruit, sliced apples, more noodles, more canned fruit and apples, ending with a final layer of noodles.
8. Pour over any remaining egg mixture, and a cup or so of the fruit juices. Be very liberal with the juice. It will all get soaked up as the kugel bakes.
9. My mom would dot the whole thing with a bunch of Crisco, like ¼ cup, which sounds gross, but I still follow her recipe. Some people use butter, but we don’t.
10. Bake covered at 300 degrees for about an hour or so depending on the pan size. Take cover off for final 15/20 minutes. Excellent reheated and/or cold.

Recipe by Enchanted Seashells

Featured pic is not mine, Found on Pinterest.

Tales of Brave Ulysses

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We finally had rain AND thunder! In the middle of a downpour, I absolutely forgot how to turn on my windshield wipers. I had to pull over and search for the owner’s manual to figure it out. That’s exactly how long it’s been since we had sky water! From last night to this morning, there was more than an inch of rain. More is on the way.

For some reason, it seems like a Cream kind of day, and I can’t exactly explain why I feel like this…

Ulysses, also known as Odysseus, is a character of Greek mythology. Homer wrote The Odyssey about Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for ten years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the Trojan War.

When the original Angel Boy was young enough for nightly bedtime stories, we read The Odyssey to him (truth!) and think, in some small way, that it helped to encourage his professorial and writing talents.

Tales of Brave Ulysses

You thought the leaden winter
Would bring you down forever
But you rode upon a steamer
To the violence of the sun

And the colours of the sea
Bind your eyes with trembling mermaids
And you touch the distant beaches
With tales of brave Ulysses
How his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing
For the sparkling waves are calling you
To kiss their white laced lips

And you see a girl’s brown body
Dancing through the turquoise
And her footprints make you follow
Where the sky loves the sea
And when your fingers find her
She drowns you in her body
Carving deep blue ripples
In the tissues of your mind

Tiny purple fishes
Run laughing through your fingers
And you want to take her with you
To the hard land of the winter

Her name is Aphrodite
And she rides a crimson shell
And you know you cannot leave her
For you touched the distant sands
With tales of brave Ulysses
How his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing

Tiny purple fishes
Run laughing through your fingers
And you want to take her with you
To the hard land of the winter

Background: The lyrics are inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, an account of the adventures undertaken by Ulysses. This can be seen in the song’s reference to “naked ears … tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,” an event from Homer’s epic. When interviewed on the episode of the VH1 show, Classic Albums, which featured Disraeli Gears, lyricist Martin Sharp explained that he had recently returned from Ibiza, which was the source of many of the images in the song (e.g. “tiny purple fishes run laughing through her fingers”) and the general feeling of having left an idyll to return to “the hard lands of the winter” https://www.lyricinterpretations.com/cream/tales-of-brave-ulysses

A live version…

Talmud Wisdom

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The Talmud (study or learning) is a compilation of ancient teachings regarded as sacred by Jewish people. It’s the link between the Torah and Jewish practice and beliefs. The Talmud is also a way to see and comprehend discussions between thousands of rabbis spanning centuries before the work was compiled and put onto paper. The Talmud states that the Torah was mostly written by Moses. That’s a LOT of historical documentation to absorb and think about.

I studied both the Torah and the Talmud at Sunday and Hebrew school, even learning to read and write in Hebrew, but I remember virtually nothing. However, with recent tragic events, this quote from the Talmud seems appropriate.

(The kind of things I remember is to look at the calendar and note that Hannukah comes early this year, December 7!)

The Talmud states, “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”

Enter The Vortex – No Help

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My frustration level is OFF THE CHARTS.

Here’s what I learned today. Since Angel Girl turned four years old, I needed a new car seat. When it arrived, I didn’t have too much trouble assembling it (although it took an HOUR) but I couldn’t figure out how to properly install it next to her brother’s. I didn’t pay much attention when Dad did it.

I read the cryptic instruction booklet and it was like reading hieroglyphics. I watched several YouTube videos and they didn’t help me, either. This isn’t unusual–I’m not very mechanically inclined.

I figured that our friendly police department would surely be able to assist me, so I drove to the local station. This is where the vortex of frustration began…

Guess what? Our police do NOT help to safely install carseats, but they said OTHER grandmas have come in asking for help, too.

The police department referred me to AAA.

AAA also does NOT help to install or make sure they’re installed properly.

AAA referred me to California Highway Patrol which DOES have a program to safely install car seats but they’re booked up through January 2024. That’s no help at all. AT. ALL.

CHP said the Sheriff does it, but they most likely are booked up too. I called to make an appointment, had to leave a message, and no one returned my call.

I even called a neighboring city’s police department and they don’t install car seats either.

After that, I called Children’s Hospital which does have a car seat installation program but it charges FIFTY DOLLARS per car seat!!!

Our local fire department doesn’t assist in installation or inspection to make sure car seats are properly installed.

The final call I made was to Safe Kids Worldwide’s Child Passenger Safety, a nonprofit organization, and there is no tech in my area. Also, no one responded to my email.

I’m exhausted from running around the dead end rabbit hole with my vain attempt to ensure the safety of the Angel Kids.

I eventually tried to install it but noticed there was no anchor with this particular booster-type seat with a back, and it seemed a bit unstable, so I took an anchor strap from the old seat and tried to attach it. I’m not sure if it’s OK but at least it’s not moving around and seems more secure.

And from the manufacturer, I read comments and questions from others who wanted information about no latch/anchor:  “Thank you for your interest in the Turbo Booster 2.0 Highback Booster Seat! Unfortunately, a LATCH system is not offered for this product. We hope this helps! – The Graco Team” Well…it doesn’t really help at all, because why NOT??

Friends have said I should just leave it for Dad to do it again but I wanted to make life easier for all of them when I pick up at the airport. It’s much less stressful to jump in the car and head straight home than to have to sit at the curb and wait for him to hook it up.

This says volumes about lack of community service and safety from the entities that should absolutely care. My very final outreach was a call to the community relations department of our police department to suggest they recommence their former program of assisting/examining installation of car seats. Not surprisingly, I’ve received no return call.

Frustration level? OFF ALL THE CHARTS.

UPDATE: A neighboring city’s sheriff’s office returned my call, I made an appointment for this morning, and their in-house certified car seat tech examined both car seats and gave me a few tips to keep the kids extra secure. It took less than ten minutes–peace of mind = PRICELESS. I’m still concerned that it took so much effort to get it done. I don’t think most people are as tenacious as I am, and if they quit too soon, their children might not be secured properly in an accident.

World Kindness Day

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This year’s theme for World Kindness Day is “Be Kind Wherever Possible”, to highlight the significance of kindness to be practiced all over the universe and in each part of our lives.

The motivation behind World Kindness Day is to focus on the positivity and empathy that joins all of us. A crucial part of the human experience, kindness rises above political, racial, religious, gender, and geographical limits.  

One of the themes of the Angels’ bedroom is “kindness” and I’ve hung these quotes on the wall, to persistently, if not also subliminally, get my message across.

I don’t know how many times I’ve had the same conversation with Angel Boy 2.0 about Rumi’s Three Gates, especially regarding his little sister…

Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates
At the first gate, ask yourself, “Is it true?”
At the second gate ask, “Is it necessary?”
At the third gate ask, “Is it kind?”

Best of all, Krispy Kreme is giving donuts away to the first 500, so I better leave now so I can get in line. I could use some of that sort of kindness!

Be kind to ourselves, and be kind to others.

KRISTALLNACHT | Never Forget

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The Night of Broken Glass, or Kristallnacht, was a wave of violent attacks against Jewish people, coordinated by the Nazi regime on November 9–10, 1938.

Nazi Party paramilitary groups and Hitler Youth carried out the attacks, but countless ordinary Germans watched and even participated.

My grandfather was a rabbi. Although he had already emigrated from Hungary at the the turn of the century, my mom assured me that it most definitely COULD happen again and that’s why we should never forget.

From The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: 

On November 9–10, 1938, the Nazis staged vicious pogroms—state sanctioned, anti-Jewish riots—against the Jewish community of Germany.

These came to be known as Kristallnacht (now commonly translated as “Night of Broken Glass”), a reference to the untold numbers of broken windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned stores, community centers, and homes plundered and destroyed during the pogroms.

Encouraged by the Nazi regime, the rioters burned or destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized or looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, killed at least 91 Jewish people, and 30,000 Jews were “arrested” and sent to camps.

They also damaged many Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes as police and fire brigades stood aside and offered no help.

Kristallnacht was a turning point in history. The pogroms marked an intensification of Nazi anti-Jewish policy that would culminate in the Holocaust—the systematic, state-sponsored murder of Jews.

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
-Dylan Thomas

11:11 and 1:11 | What Does It Mean?

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I’m lazily and peripherally interested in coincidence and synchronicity, but when there’s a pattern and stuff happens A LOT, that’s when I sit up and take notice.

For the last two or three days, actually since Halloween, I’ve been surrounded by these numbers: 111, 11, and whether it’s the car or my phone or the clock at home, I seem to notice when it’s 11:11 and 1:11.

This might be significant, right? But how?

If you see 111 or any sequence of 1s, it could be a sign that new opportunities are on the way or that this is the start of a new beginning. It’s likely a sign to trust what’s happening in your life and recent ideas you’ve been having.

Angel numbers are a series of numbers that keep showing up in one’s life in order to send a message. They are called angel numbers (part of numerology—the study of the relationship between numerical values and life events) because it’s believed that this is how angels communicate with humanity. And one of these examples is angel number 111.

What does it mean?

Many believe that seeing 11:11 on a clock or timestamp is significant for divine guidance and power when it comes to manifestation, a sign that one is being guided by a higher power, connected to the universe on a more spiritual level.

Spiritualists call this event the 11:11 phenomenon. Seeing the number evokes a feeling of significance because it’s a mirror of twin numbers. Numerology attaches great importance to the number 11. It represents a new beginning or a positive event. According to numerology, when we look at the clock and the two twin numbers face us, the universe is giving us a supportive signal we may have needed at that moment.

Also, the 1:11 angel number is a way for our guardian angels to garner our attention to convey their message.

Or is it simply this?

In an article for Psychology Today, John W. Hoopes, PhD, says “you’re likely experiencing apophenia, “an error of perception—the tendency to interpret random patterns as meaningful.”

We humans are insanely good at noticing and registering certain things that are on our minds at the moment, more so than with topics that don’t seem so important to us. Are you thinking about whether you should really buy that new expensive bag? If so, you’ll almost certainly start seeing it everywhere. Have you and your partner just started trying to get pregnant? You may have the feeling that everything around you suddenly has to do with babies.

Scientists call his phenomenon selective perception. The term describes the human characteristic of the psyche to perceive certain aspects in our environment more intensely while we completely block out others. In particular, our brain finds patterns attractive and exciting, which is why we tend to unconsciously look at the clock at the same time every day and think it’s a coincidence every time.” (GlamourMag)

When you see these numbers, what do you do?

Even the Angel Kids are attuned to this phenomenon and call out to make a wish when we’re in the car and they notice the time. I don’t actually know what it’s all about, but I CHOOSE to believe it’s a positive sign of SOMETHING.

Happy Monday!