When Netanyahu spoke on Motzei Shabbos to announce shutting down a good portion of the country (more has been shut down since), he said, "We are developing a new routine. Not forever; certainly for the next few weeks and maybe, I don't know, it may even take months, but I ask you to implement two important steps. The first you know: maintain hygiene. This means wash your hands with soap..."
It turns out that the second step was serious social distancing that closed down all schools, malls, cafes, restaurants, and recreational facilities, but I had already had a good healthy laugh at the life-changing requirement to wash hands with soap (but don't worry, it's not forever!).
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Monday, March 16, 2020
Motive
Generally speaking, when we dip below a dozen eggs, I buy more. After breakfast yesterday, we were down to 6 eggs, so I could buy eggs with a clear conscience. Was I panic-buying? Maybe. Aw heck, yes: usually I'd hold out 'till Husbinator went to the grocery store. But I could justify this purchase based on my stocking rules, so when I took FF out for a bike-ride yesterday, we stopped at the egg store.
(Yes, egg store. Rehovot has egg stores that sell eggs for negligibly cheaper than the grocery store does, and you don't have to worry about breaking them due to the rest of your groceries. You do have to buy in multiples of 30, but 2.5 dozen really isn't that many.)
I passed a panel van full of eggs on my way to the store, which mightily strengthened my resolve to only buy 30 eggs. The only time I ever purchase more than that is right before Pesach. (Aside: my Pesach spreadsheet instructs me to buy 120 eggs, with the comment "Really: I'm not kidding.")
ANYWAY, so I walk into the egg store, and am taken slightly aback to see fewer than 10 pallets on the bare shelves. People are really panic-buying, I think. But I know there are more. So I ask very calmly for medium eggs, and with a little chagrin, add "if there are any."
"Of course!" he answers, calming me yet further. He gestures to the bags on the counter, 2 pallets in each bag. "They're all packed up and ready to go: how many do you want?"
"Just 30," I answer, full of nonchalance and pride.
At that, the eggman raises his eyebrows. "Soon there won't be any: only 30?" For the record, he continued to explain that there would be plenty of large and extra-large, just not mediums. Still, the damage had been done.
With a sigh, I allow the man to foment panic, and I buy 60 eggs.
(Yes, egg store. Rehovot has egg stores that sell eggs for negligibly cheaper than the grocery store does, and you don't have to worry about breaking them due to the rest of your groceries. You do have to buy in multiples of 30, but 2.5 dozen really isn't that many.)
I passed a panel van full of eggs on my way to the store, which mightily strengthened my resolve to only buy 30 eggs. The only time I ever purchase more than that is right before Pesach. (Aside: my Pesach spreadsheet instructs me to buy 120 eggs, with the comment "Really: I'm not kidding.")
ANYWAY, so I walk into the egg store, and am taken slightly aback to see fewer than 10 pallets on the bare shelves. People are really panic-buying, I think. But I know there are more. So I ask very calmly for medium eggs, and with a little chagrin, add "if there are any."
"Of course!" he answers, calming me yet further. He gestures to the bags on the counter, 2 pallets in each bag. "They're all packed up and ready to go: how many do you want?"
"Just 30," I answer, full of nonchalance and pride.
At that, the eggman raises his eyebrows. "Soon there won't be any: only 30?" For the record, he continued to explain that there would be plenty of large and extra-large, just not mediums. Still, the damage had been done.
With a sigh, I allow the man to foment panic, and I buy 60 eggs.
Friday, March 13, 2020
A Change
BSM's school, as are all government schools in Israel, is closed until after Pesach. The administration and staff are working on organizing recorded/online classes starting next week.
Although national preschools have not been ordered to close, Rehovot has closed their preschools today. They will update about longer-term plans eventually. I have my doubts that they'll reopen as long as the schools are closed.
I've been avoiding panicky behavior thus far, but last night the municipality suggested readying water and lights due to a thunderstorm, and I grabbed the opportunity to stock up on water. Though in fairness we had already caved and bought rubbing alcohol yesterday, and we're down to our last pack and a half of diapers, so I guess we'd better go get some of those to hoard too...
I started working from home two weeks ago, and I had really started to get into a a routine with that. We will figure it out: one day at a time and something that works will emerge.
Although national preschools have not been ordered to close, Rehovot has closed their preschools today. They will update about longer-term plans eventually. I have my doubts that they'll reopen as long as the schools are closed.
I've been avoiding panicky behavior thus far, but last night the municipality suggested readying water and lights due to a thunderstorm, and I grabbed the opportunity to stock up on water. Though in fairness we had already caved and bought rubbing alcohol yesterday, and we're down to our last pack and a half of diapers, so I guess we'd better go get some of those to hoard too...
I started working from home two weeks ago, and I had really started to get into a a routine with that. We will figure it out: one day at a time and something that works will emerge.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Kol hakavod!
Guess who rolled over (front to back) multiple times today! Did you guess Baby Yoda? Good for you! And for him :D
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Prizes, Language Barriers, and Unreliable Narrators
There's not much to say, really. Israel has something called "Family Day", and BSM's school celebrated by having a fair during school hours. There were mulitiple booths at the fair, all manned by family members of the students. Husbinator and Abba II went, and it seems that there were a few food- or craft-related booths, but most of the tables were some sort of work-related demonstration.
An EMT had a first-aid related booth (with a great hand-washing demonstration wherein one boy dipped his hands in paint, and then all of the boys shook hands, presumably until everyone was covered in paint); a policeman brought a police car (and his M-16, but that wasn't part of the demo; it was just hanging around on the table because it can't be left alone); and a father in the air force brought model planes, model rockets, and some rocket parts (the boys who listened well were given a little prize.)
Here is the little prize that BSM brought home from the air force booth:
Based on the presentation and BSM's description, Husbinator and I could only assume that his "Good Job Listening" prize was locking mechanism for a rocket, similar to a grenade pin.
However, a quick Google search has taught me that "remove before flight" ribbons are a typical part of most flying systems. These tags are attached to components put in place to protect equipment or personnel while flying objects are grounded, so BSM's little souvenir is more likely a plug for an intake valve or something similar.
An EMT had a first-aid related booth (with a great hand-washing demonstration wherein one boy dipped his hands in paint, and then all of the boys shook hands, presumably until everyone was covered in paint); a policeman brought a police car (and his M-16, but that wasn't part of the demo; it was just hanging around on the table because it can't be left alone); and a father in the air force brought model planes, model rockets, and some rocket parts (the boys who listened well were given a little prize.)
Here is the little prize that BSM brought home from the air force booth:
Based on the presentation and BSM's description, Husbinator and I could only assume that his "Good Job Listening" prize was locking mechanism for a rocket, similar to a grenade pin.
However, a quick Google search has taught me that "remove before flight" ribbons are a typical part of most flying systems. These tags are attached to components put in place to protect equipment or personnel while flying objects are grounded, so BSM's little souvenir is more likely a plug for an intake valve or something similar.
"Third Time Ice-Cream"
There's an expression in Hebrew for when two people meet unexpectedly twice: פעם שלישית גלידה. It implies that the next time they bump into each other, they'll go get ice cream. No one's quite sure where it came from (Wikipedia guesses it's a mangled German or English expression), but it's pretty common. I heard the expression for the first time soon after we moved to Towna, from a woman I saw twice on my way to/from BSM's daycare.
I was totally confused when this stranger started randomly mentioned ice cream. My confusion confused the woman in turn, but not as much as my laughter when she kindly explained the expression to me. C'mon, it's silly! When I ran into her again a few days later, I tried to claim the ice cream date, but she informed me in no uncertain terms that the three meetings must be on a single day in order to cash in. Humph.
Well. Someone forgot to inform the Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv municipalities of that little caveat: both cities ran ice cream promotions to encourage retail activity during our third round of elections yesterday. Very cute.
I was totally confused when this stranger started randomly mentioned ice cream. My confusion confused the woman in turn, but not as much as my laughter when she kindly explained the expression to me. C'mon, it's silly! When I ran into her again a few days later, I tried to claim the ice cream date, but she informed me in no uncertain terms that the three meetings must be on a single day in order to cash in. Humph.
Well. Someone forgot to inform the Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv municipalities of that little caveat: both cities ran ice cream promotions to encourage retail activity during our third round of elections yesterday. Very cute.
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