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November 26th, 2009
09:00 am - Happy Thanksgiving!
All of us here at the Burstein household – especially Muffin and Squeaker – wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!
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Muffin and Squeaker say Happy Thanksgiving!
Photo ©2009 by Michael A. Burstein. Do not copy. All rights reserved. |
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/happy.gif) cheerful
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November 19th, 2009
01:49 pm - Need Help?
Help! I'm bored!
(thanks to a friend for the link)
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/amused.gif) amused
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November 12th, 2009
08:45 pm - Help Settle a Dispute
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) mabfan and I disagree on how to spell one of Muffin's nicknames. And so I poll:
Poll #1484645 Because she didn't have enough nicknames
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 58We should spell Muffin's nickname: We should photograph the girls in:
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/bouncy.gif) silly
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November 11th, 2009
10:56 am - Dreaming of scarlettina
On Friday night, I had a bizarre dream. mabfan and I were at a party at scarlettina's house. But it was very clearly a house in Boston. And during the party, I wandered off to refresh the snack supply (as I tend to do at parties; it is not unusual for me to help in the kitchen at parties I am not organizing). I found the bowl of popcorn and was carrying it back to the party, but I made a wrong turn and ended up in some dark room. I stumbled on something and spilled the popcorn, so I kneeled down to pick up the popcorn. Suddenly, a voice came from out of the darkness. "You can't be here!"
"Why not?" I asked. "I was invited to the party!"
"We're using this room," the voice said. And then the lights in the room came on, revealing a television studio for a Phil Donahue-style talk show.
So here's my question: scarlettina, when did you get a house in Boston with a built-in television studio, and who hosts the show?
Brains are *weird* sometimes.
Current Mood: amused
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November 10th, 2009
10:57 pm - Another Edition of "No, Really, We Talk Like This"
Scene: mabfan and gnomi are playing with Muffin and Squeaker. Muffin and Squeaker are gurgling and babbling. mabfan: I want their first word to be "Daddy is the greatest person in the world." gnomi: That's not one word. mabfan: It is in German!
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November 4th, 2009
03:52 pm - What Do You Do With Ricotta Cheese?
I have a one-pound container of ricotta cheese from which I have used about 1/2 c. I now have the rest of the container to use up (I use ricotta mostly in full-container amounts for lasagna or baked ziti or whatever). So... please gimme recipes!
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/confused.gif) curious
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November 3rd, 2009
03:08 pm - Using What I Was Taught
Last June, in anticipation of the birth of Muffin and Squeaker, c1 ran a CPR and first aid class in our apartment (mabfan, stormsdotter, lcmlc, my Abba, and I all got certification from this course). I had no intention of ever needing the knowledge, but it was important to have the knowledge in case (God forbid) something happened.
Yesterday, I was in Coolidge Corner running some errands, and as I walked past Trader Joe's a guy fell off his bike onto the sidewalk and did not immediately get up. I immediately put into use what I knew: make sure I was safe, that the situation was safe, and then go over to the victim. I asked if he was OK, and he said his knee was in great pain. He was lying in the middle of the sidewalk, so while he was nominally in the way of things, he was not in immediate danger, so I left him where he was. Two other people -- both women over the age of 70 -- stopped to see if the guy needed any help, and I asked if he wanted me to call an ambulance. First he said yes, but before I could dial 911, he changed his mind, saying he'd call his girlfriend to pick him up instead (noting that it would be cheaper than having an ambulance come). After he called his girlfriend, the two women and I were trying to figure out if/how to get him out of the middle of the sidewalk. My wrists are bothering me (google "mommy wrist" for more information), but I was the most able-bodied of the three of us, but as I was trying to figure out the best way to help him without injuring myself, a semi-burly guy came out of the Game Stop (where our victim had been, as evidenced from the bag that had fallen to the ground when the guy fell) and helped the injured guy get over to the side where there was a ledge he could sit on to wait for his girlfriend.
Once the two women and I had seen the injured guy to the ledge (and had collected his bags for him), we all went our separate ways. When I came out of the Post Office, the guy was still sitting on the ledge, but I presumed his girlfriend (who had been in Brighton) was on her way, so I headed to the T that was coming in my direction.
Part of what c1 taught us was to provide assistance at the needed level to the best of our abilities, and I believe I did just that in this situation.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/cool.gif) accomplished
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October 27th, 2009
12:08 pm - Another Edition of "No, Really, We Talk Like This"
Scene: gnomi and mabfan are putting Muffin and Squeaker to bed. gnomi has turned away from the co-sleeper momentarily and Squeaker has started to cry.
gnomi: What's wrong, Squeaker-beaker?
mabfan: And Muffin Honeydew!
Current Mood: silly
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12:06 pm - Kashrut-Related Lunchtime Ponderance
Why does my Cedar's-brand hummus have two hechsherim (kosher certifications) (for the curious, one from the K-VH and one from the Star-K)?
Current Mood: curious
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October 23rd, 2009
02:04 pm - Challah Here, Challah There, Challah Piling Everywhere
Since Muffin and Squeaker were born, I have been making challah every week for Shabbat (once I was no longer pregnant, I could lift my stand mixer onto my counter, and thus there is challah). And since there are only two of us in our household who are eating solid food, this leads to an overabundance of challah. So now the question is, what do I do with the leftover whole loaves of challah. And so I poll:
Poll #1475346 A Choot and a Challah
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 48gnomi should:
(and, yes, I could skip a week and not make challah if I have leftover loaves, but I actually like the ritual of making the challah for Shabbat every week.)
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/sweat.gif) busy
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October 20th, 2009
02:50 pm - An Odd Jewish Ritual Question...
...that occurred to me over Shabbat:
If one is eating in the home of a couple whose children are all adopted, does one say v'et zar'am* in the Choose Your Own Adventure harachaman** in bentching***?
*"and their offspring," literally "and their seed"
** "the compassionate one," the first word of a series of blessings
*** the blessings after meals ("bentching" is Yiddish; in Hebrew, it is called "Birkat HaMazon," the blessing of the sustenance)
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October 9th, 2009
04:07 pm - The Yom Tov is Coming! The Yom Tov is Coming!
Tonight begins the last of the fall holiday sweep, Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. I will be offline from this afternoon through probably Monday morning.
So far, I have gotten a lot accomplished for the holiday. At T -not quite two hours, I have the following:
-- Challah: done
-- Roasted garlic for the challah: done
-- Honey butter: butter softening so I can mix in the honey
-- Corn chowder: done
-- Lasagna: in oven
-- Honey glazed ginger carrots: done
-- Corn kugel a la ALB: done
-- Brownies (mint-and-chocolate glazed?): brownies done and cooled; toppings to be done soon
And I posted everything for my work deadline, too.
So, Shabbat shalom and chag sameach to those who are celebrating, and everyone should have a good weekend!
Current Mood: busy
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October 8th, 2009
02:33 pm - Shabbat/Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Menu
We're home for two meals, hosting for one. Here's my current mental menu:
-- Challah
-- Maybe roasted garlic for the challah
-- Maybe honey butter
-- Corn chowder
-- Lasagna
-- Some veggie or other (honey glazed ginger carrots? roasted marinated string beans?)
-- Maybe corn kugel a la ALB (is corn chowder and corn kugel too much corn?)
-- Brownies (mint-and-chocolate glazed?)
Current Mood: busy
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October 2nd, 2009
01:32 pm - Sukkah to Me!
From this afternoon until Sunday night, I will be offline as we celebrate the beginning of Sukkot, the holiday of Brennans Booths.
Have a good weekend, all, whether you are celebrating Sukkot or having a crisp fall weekend.
Current Mood: busy
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11:38 am - A Thought Upon Looking into the Co-Sleeper
The field of battle was littered with pacifiers as the Burstein girls wreaked their havoc across the countryside...
Current Mood: silly
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September 30th, 2009
01:29 pm - Poll of Randomness
Poll #1464558 It's *Its*!
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 66Which do you think is the more common error? gnomi's ring tone for non-mabfan members of her family should be: gnomi's afternoon errands should include:
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September 28th, 2009
09:53 pm - A Good Niggun* Always Enhances My Kavannah**
I have been offline since Friday because of Shabbat and Yom Kippur; please let me know if I missed anything.
But I come with an anecdote from Yom Kippur services at our synagogue. In the neighborhood around our shul, there is a large Russian population. Many of the Jews in this community are not particularly observant, but they come to shul for Yizkor, the memorial prayer said on one of the days of each of our three major holidays plus Yom Kippur. And despite signs on the doors in both English and Russian reminding people to turn off their cell phones (or, even better, to leave their phones at home), there are always phones that ring on Yizkor days. Today, the first one to ring was in the women's section, not far from where I was sitting. Its ring tone? "When the Saints Go Marching In."
*melody
** concentration
Current Mood: amused
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September 21st, 2009
01:34 pm - Another Entry for "No, Really, We Talk Like This"
Scene: mabfan and gnomi are walking to lunch on second day Rosh Hashannah. mabfan is pushing the stroller.
mabfan: So, probably you and I will eat in shifts, with one of us holding whichever baby is fussy.
gnomi, indicating the baby sling: If someone is fussy, I can probably sling them, and then I can eat.
mabfan: Well, then I can Magic Missile them.
Current Mood: silly
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September 18th, 2009
03:58 pm - I Know I Just Got Back, But...
...I'm about to disappear for two days for Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish new year.
L'shannah tovah tikatevu v'techatemu to all who are observing the holiday this weekend.
And have a good weekend, everyone!
Current Mood: busy
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11:10 am - An Idle Thought while Preparing Food for Yom Tov
All hail the dough hook!
Current Mood: busy
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September 16th, 2009
10:09 pm - "Conversations" with an Eight Week Old
Or, "Some day, they'll really talk like this, too!"
Scene: Squeaker keeps letting her pacifier fall out of her mouth. gnomi, on whose side of the bed the co-sleeper is located, keeps replacing the pacifier.
gnomi: Squeaker, if you don't turn your head, it will keep falling out. The pacifier, I mean. Not your head. That can't fall out.
Current Mood: silly
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01:20 pm - Emerging-From-Hibernation Rambly Bits
-- I'm done with my leave and am now back at work, so expect to see me online at least slightly more often.
-- How is it that Muffin and Squeaker are almost nine weeks old? They're gaining head control and other good things on a daily basis, and they're beginning to notice the other baby in the co-sleeper/pack-and-play.
-- Ridiculous things I've said to my children: "[Muffin/Squeaker], are you crying because you're sad or are you crying because the baby is crying?" "[Muffin/Squeaker], shhh! You'll wake the baby!" "All baby service representatives are currently assisting other babies. Your call is important to us; please be patient and the next available baby service representative will be with you as soon as possible. This call may be monitored for quality assurance."
-- How did it get to be the week before Rosh Hashannah? This happens to me every year, and I never understand how.
-- A question to ponder: what earthly purpose do pockets have on a 0-3 month size onesie? What's she going to carry, her keys and mobile phone? She can't even support her own head yet.
-- People bringing us food was wonderful, but at the same time there is something very nice about getting back to doing my own menu planning and cooking.
-- I missed my coworkers. I did not miss the commute. Thank goodness for understanding management and coworkers who are willing to give me rides.
-- Our home office is at the back of our apartment, and I'm discovering that our portable phone doesn't have the greatest reception back there (the base station is at the front of the apartment in our bedroom, and it's only recently that I'm using the back office regularly, so it hasn't previously been an issue). On the downside, it means that the home line isn't the best to reach me on when I'm working back there. On the upside, though, it means that we won't be as likely to have that phone ringing in the room next door to the kids' room.
-- I've missed everyone while I was in hibernation. I hope all is well by all of you.
Current Mood: busy
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August 14th, 2009
11:00 am - Sunday Unpacking Help Sought
On Sunday, we're going to make an attempt to empty the boxes out of the room that we've designated for the girls. We could use some extra help, if anyone's able or willing. Our plan is to start around 1 PM with the unpacking.
Please let me know here or via e-mail if you are interested in helping us.
Current Mood: busy
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August 11th, 2009
07:05 pm - 11 August 2009 Arrives...
...and is anticlimactic.
Or, what he said.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/pengies/yawn.gif) tired
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