…all you lovely people who have continued to check in with this blog despite the shameful lack of posting over the past two weeks: I will be back tomorrow. I promise.

xoxox,
ellaesther

Ok, as I’ve mentioned, the boy’s big event is on the 18th, and 11 people are arriving from across the sea for the big event two days prior, and he and the girl go back to school four days after. I’m reallyreally busy! Picking things up, dropping them off, planning, shopping, and I’m about to start cooking. Et cetera and so on.

However, I’m also pretty much on top of things! Theoretically, I should be able to blog – the thing is that my brain is just not here, at the keyboard and in the world. My brain is with those people and those plans and that happiness. So! If I don’t blog much over the next couple of weeks, please do forgive me. I’ll be back, I promise. Here – I brought you some flowers:

Kisses and hugs,

ellaesther

First week of summer vacation.

Walk to the 7/11, get a treat, walk home, looking at the sky and talking about which houses we like.

Drive to the library, linger, wander, read, take out piles of books, drive home, sit on the couch idly eating a late lunch and reading, together alone.

Wake up late.

Read Harry Potter aloud, the boy and I taking turns, as the girl listens.

Meet Daddy for lunch.

That’s what most of my week has looked like so far, which is why this blog has gone untended. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not really! I love this week of the year, and I’m sure I’ll find my way back here when Kid A is busy being a Junior Counselor and attending the odd lacrosse camp, and Kid B is busy being a camper at The Best Day Camp on Earth.

But for now, I’m not in a rush.

Here’s a thing that a lot of non-Jews, and Jews who might not be particularly observant, don’t know: Being an observant Jew takes a hell of  a lot of time.

This is true even when one is surrounded by Jews — cleaning for Passover is no less time-consuming in Israel or Flatbush than it is here in Gentile-ville, Illinois — but it’s even more true when one is not surrounded by Jews. Entire weekends go on the bar/bat mitzvah celebrations of loved ones, whole chunks of spring and fall go on our holidays, prayer services that last for two and a half hours, toting the kids to and from Hebrew school twice a week, not to mention essentially arranging one’s life around Hebrew school… it goes on and on and I mostly love it, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that it’s more than a little time-consuming. And all this is going on right on top of all the other stuff that the world expects of one, whether or not the world has any idea that all this is going on. Oy!

All this by way of saying: I’m trying really hard, but it’s going to be hard for me to be here this week. I have a little bit of work, a class that starts tonight (Museum Education, if you’re curious), and the holiday bearing down on me at top speed. When sundown comes on Friday, that’s it man. Either my house and I are ready – or we’re not.

So for today I’m just going to say: Hey, check out my blogrolls! And really, I mean that. There are a lot of really good, interesting blogs listed there, not a one of them an echo-chamber of anything.

AND LEST I FORGET:

*********************** HUZZAH AND HOORAY! ***********************

The Angry Black Lady Chronicles, at which I regularly crosspost, has moved Uptown! Or, in this case, to Raw Story, which is a pretty awesome site in its own right. Please visit ABLC at its new digs! Everyone there (and it’s about 11 of us at this point) is cool, smart, and knows his or her way around a keyboard. Give ‘em some love, people!

PS If folks want to turn this into an open thread, please feel free! If you get stuck in moderation, I’ll get you out as soon as I can.