of emerging things

Right now, a new person is being born. My brother, father to two, just called me from the hospital to let me know that he and his wife are in expulsion mode. While I always find the 'we' in such sentences to be a little, well, imprecise, his timing could not have been better.

This wee one will be born on the eve of Passover (according to the Hebrew calendar), and I think it's timing is excellent. For what is Passover if not a time for transition? A departure from the known, if oppressive (Egypt), and an entrance into an unknown space in which one carves out concepts of self - and nationhood.

In retrospect, it was a very good thing that nobody apparently consulted a map while the Israelites were wandering in the desert (check it out - the Sinai desert is really awfully small for a bunch of folks to spend 40 years there. Clearly something else was going on.). They needed a childhood of sorts, in which to figure out who they were going to be, once they no longer had the Egyptians to tell them what to do.

Independence can be exhausting. And, if you are the Israelites, involve a lot of rules and bickering, each presumably as an attempt to corral or rebel against the other. Funny how little has changed, really.

Good luck to you, new wee one, and our thoughts with your mother (okay, and father) as they bring you forth. May it happen in the best time and the best way for you all.

Author's note: the new wee one is a medium sized, red headed little girl. Welcome, o niece!
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In the meantime, the menu! Here are is the culinary plan for Passover, chez Imperfect, keeping in mind that the menu evolves as it is made:

Monday lunch:
coconut lox pasta
salad

1st Seder (Monday night)
haroset: TBA
carpas: baby artichokes and potatoes!

mushroom soup
tomatillo salsa
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pear-watercress salad
chicken tagine
tiny red potatoes, roasted with rosemary and garlic
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blood orange sorbet
plum sauce
fresh strawberry pie (if the pie crust recipe works)

Tuesday lunch
spicy maple syrup salmon
tomato, cucumber and mint salad
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rice pudding

2nd Seder (Tuesday dinner)
haroset: TBA
carpas: celery and cucumber, potatoes.
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cranberry-avocado salsa
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quinoa veggie salad
green salad with hearts of palm
citrus-cumin roast chicken
paella with tofu (not meat/fish)
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peaches and cream sorbet
strawberry raspberry sorbet
Alexis' blueberry pie (if the pie crust recipe works)

Wednesday dinner
leftovers

Thursday dinner:
go to magid's house!

Friday dinner
curried celery soup
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cherry tomato and spiced sauteed tilapia
salad
spiced sweet potatoes
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mulled pears

Shabbat lunch
go to Springs' house!

All in all, remarkably satisfactory. Our thanks to IKEA for the cheapo dairy dishes and cutlery - though the comment about the cutlery potentially warping in the dishwasher was a little unnerving - and hoo, hah for the ice cream maker. And lo, it shall be good - I hope. And if not, imperfect and happy. Oh, and with lots of fingerpuppets and dress-up clothes.
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In case you were wondering:

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. It's okay. I understand.
Drama Nerd
Social Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Anime Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Musician
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

Thanks, Zina.