My 2nd Snow Day (With Photos)

Shabbat candles with stormy backdrop

No school again today but we, DD and I, had a grand old time exploring the great indoors. I made that soup, did 2 1/2 hours of grading, DD did her reading practice, I put laundry away and generally tidied up. Altogether a much more productive day than yesterday.

Challah recipes abounded on facebook as there were few challot to be had in the shops. We made do with two slices of bread.

Then, at 1pm, the electricity cut out.

We lit candles everywhere

For us, no electricity wasn't a such a big deal but you have to know what it means if you're doing Shabbat the orthodox way. You don't switch on or off any electrical, gas or battery operated appliances for the 25 hour duration - sundown Friday till darkness falls on Saturday evening. You have a hot platter to keep pre-cooked food hot, you fill a water urn for hot drinks, set the lights and heating on time switches, and often host guests or walk to friends for the big meals of the day (Friday night dinner and Saturday lunch).

Many friends packed up their food and duvets and went to spend Shabbat with friends in more 'enlightened' neighbourhoods. Of course you couldn't leave as Jerusalem was and is entirely closed on all roads leading out of the city.

Stormy weather

On the radio we heard that great stretches of the country were without power for hours today. They said up to 40,000 people were without but they managed to connect 20,000 of those by Friday evening. Many roads around the country are closed and many towns completely cut off. We have now had over 30% of our average annual rainfall this week. The storm was much heavier than expected (it always is) and they didn't close the roads early enough (they never do). Over 700 people have been trapped in their cars for up to 12 hours.

Some of the motorists and their passengers were snow tourists coming from the centre of the country to take a few photos and make a snowman or two. Shelters have been opened in Jerusalem to accommodate them until Sunday. I bet that's the last time they go out of their way to see snow. *snorts quietly to herself*

Damka by candlelight

Here at wimp headquarters we lit candles and put dressing gowns over our sweatsuits over our pyjamas. We played damka (drafts), Taki (like Uno), Junior Scrabble and solitaire on the computer until the battery ran out. DD got a bit longer playing Jelly Splash and Free Flow on my phone until that went dead as well. I heated up the soup on the gas and we dunked our bread.





Reader, I loved it.
The storm is still raging as I type.
And so to bed.

Your move...

P.S. They say it will all be over by Christmas.