Ottawa, Tulips, & Mother’s Day

Over Mother’s Day Weekend we took a quick overnight trip up to Ottawa to not only visit the city once again (this time as more experienced travelers), but also to see their famous Tulip Festival. A little moment to say, that above all, the Tulip is my favorite flower. When we went to the gardens at Keukenhof I was beyond excited and, when my husband had sent me the link to this festival in Ottawa I couldn’t wait to go. 

The Canadian Tulip Festival boasts that it’s the world’s largest tulip festival- which I suppose if you look at the basics of that statement, would be factually correct. That’s not an insult, or to say that it is anything but gorgeous to walk through the park and along the water and just marvel at the beauty. I’m just saying that the reason they can claim that is because places like Keukenhof plant beyond just the tulips they are known for. 

This festival, and partnership with The Netherlands, dates back to World War Two. The Royal Family of The Netherlands, Crown Princess Juliana, secretly fled to Ottawa for safety, and in fact Prince Margriet was born IN Canada in 1943. In 1945, Canadian Troops played a sizeable role in the liberation of The Netherlands. Every year since, the government of The Netherlands has sent a package of Tulip Bulbs to Canada. In fact, much of the stops on the park walk speak about Dutch War Brides immigrating to Canada with their soldiers and making new lives together. 

The festival itself is free of charge and open to the public. It is a STUNNING to walk through- there is no bones about that. There are activities for children, food trucks, and education throughout. As with any “touristy” thing, I would highly suggest getting there early. We got there about 11 and it was already pretty packed with people. We wandered through the festival, stopping to look at all the varieties of tulips, as well as snap a couple of photos. I would say overall we spent a couple hours at the park total, we could have spent longer, but the kids were feeling a bit out of sorts, so we headed out.

 

One of the spots right near the main festival is the Canada Agriculture and Food Festival. This is, ironically, the spot that actually stuck with both boys and we all found something neat in it. This museum is actually part of a larger connection of museums that make up Ingenium. The idea behind the brand is to provide an experience that immerses all, showcasing how science and technology influence and connect with our everyday lives. It’s built three museums, each with their own focus, but the Agriculture and Food Museum is unique in that isn’t the only working farm in the heart of a capital city. Visitors are able to see a variety of farm animals, as well as learn about the history of farming in Canada, and the relationship between us, our food, and our environment. We wandered through the exhibits (there was a really interesting one on sustainable salmon farming), checked out the animals, and were able to watch a cow milking demonstration (which happened to be our older son’s favorite thing). 

I already mentioned that this was just an overnight trip for us (and actually upon review, one we could have just done as a day trip), but before we headed home, we decided to go walk through Ottawa a bit. We’ve done this before, but it was fun to do again. We wandered around (the exterior) of Parliament, down to the massive Spider statue, through more tulip displays, and finished off with a bookstore run.

We then headed over to the Canadian War Museum. These stops are as much for my husband as they are for our boys. This museum is Canada’s national museum of military history and has been recognized for its incredible study and understanding of conflict. Dating back to 1880, the current museum opened in 2005, on the 60thAnniversary of V-E Day. The unique part of this museum is that not only do you learn the history of the wars, but you learn a lot of information about war at home- what it was like for those at home during war time (something that I’ve always wanted to learn more about). The analysis is not only on the wars/conflicts, but how those conflicts pushed nations forward. 

The museum contains A LOT of artifacts- some you might even be surprised (Hitler’s limousine with bullet holes? Fuselage of a plane that belonged – and was salvaged- from one of the most famous pilots in Canadian History? And a whole floor of JUST military vehicles- some of which were used during WW1.). It was truly incredible to see the sheer amount of history amassed in this one building. Not just in military terms, but also in everyday terms- artifacts from any conflict that Canada has been involved with- games for kids, toys, newspapers, books, clothes and tv shows. It is all there. It’s really a spot that will have something for everyone. 

Our final stop was just outside of Kingston, and it was the tunnel for the Railway Tunnel. The tunnel is right off of Brockville’s waterfront and is about ½ a kilometer long. You are able to walk the entirety of it, with lights and music to guide your way. Stop at signs throughout that read through the history as well as the natural landscape of the tunnel. The tunnel dates back to the 1850’s and was intended to be able to connect the industrial Brockville area to other areas along the river. There were detractors to the plan to build the tunnel, in fact, the highest engineer in Canada was not on board. Work began in 1854, however quickly ground to a halt due to financial difficulties and wasn’t started again until 1856. The first train pulled through the tunnel in 1860 (just barley squeezed in on December 31) and trains ran through the tunnel until 1970. It is now a walking path, but there is hope for more development in the area. 

I will say- it was a pretty cool stop to see this history and stretch our legs. If you are in the vicinity, driving through or what not, take a stop. It’s only about 20 minutes to go through and you can say you walked right through history. 

All in all, it was an absolutely lovely weekend! And it’s revitalized our traveling- we don’t travel as much in the winter months, but with summer coming up soon we are planning some trips. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – May 2023

***Before I get into this post- I recognize that it’s been radio silent over here for the full month. I’m sorry- More info coming soon!!***

Another month has come to an end and boy was it a doozy. I saw a reel that talked about how May is busier than December and, to be honest, I wholeheartedly agree. It was incredibly busy, with changes and meetings and a whole lot of waiting around for documents. But it was also good- we got a taste of Spring, a taste of Summer, and I got a whole weekend to myself when the boys went camping. I didn’t think I was going to have the greatest reading month, but I am here to say- it wasn’t as bad as expected! I somehow managed to read 7 books and give an average rating of 3.1. I keep wondering- as life gets busier, when will my reading slow down a bit more, but I don’t know that it will. I’ve found myself trying to be better about turning to books (rather than my phone) to wind down and decompress (aka disassociate after being around people so much). It’s a slow, over time goal, but it’s happening. 

So, the books…

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams 4 Stars As always, I really enjoy stepping back into this town, into these characters and the stakes stay low but not too low. It’s more lifechanging stakes rather than death stakes and I really appreciate that in a cozy mystery. This book was unique to the series as we learned a bit more of our main characters backstory and history prior to present day. 

Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham 3 Stars So…I enjoyed this- it’s written 60% in emails and such between our characters and while I felt like that added to the story, it then made the “in person” interactions feel different. It was a fine romance and one I enjoyed but I found the main character to be a bit too much of a pushover at times and it took her a bit to figure herself out (which I get is normal and human, but for me was a bit…much).

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 5 Stars Welcome to my new obsession. I’m in love. I’m going to push this book on to everyone that I can. Picture- dragons, dragons that actually play a prominent and important role, picture a school where all the kids are above age, picture a rivals to lover’s slow burn, and then picture a twist at the end that leaves you wrenched out of yourself. Enjoy!

The Marriage Act by John Marrs 3.5 Stars I feel like John Marrs is one of those authors I will always buy because I know the books will be good, even if they start to get a bit…tried and true and old at times. This is the third of his (I think) in this futuristic world- post The One. I would say this was probably my least favorite of the bunch, mostly because I think something needs to change in these novels. It’s becoming a bit – same plot, different characters/story. 

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose 3.5 Stars I was hesitant to pick this one up after the disaster that was The Hunting Wives, but I’m glad I did. It’s fast paced, well written, and the small rich community politics is…accurate. The twist was…not shocking, but it didn’t ruin the vibe the book was going for and I enjoyed it. 

Awakening The Zodiac Academy (1) 0 Stars I despised this book, and I don’t know how much of that is the author’s fault- because had I been fully aware of the trope this book follows (and it’s a bully romance so there you go), I would have never picked it up. I spent the entire time beyond uncomfortable and I got rid of the book almost immediately. 

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake 3 Stars So this would be my second Olivie Blake book. I read 75% of Atlas Six, which I ended up having to put down as it just went…too far and too overcomplicated in the plot, and I am not sure if she is the author for me. I LIKED this book; HOWEVER, I feel like in the last two acts it became to wrapped in making this grand plot work, this large overarching scheme to the story, which then led to the actual story becoming tedious and…not boring but boring. And I think this was a similar problem that I had with Atlas Six. So, I’m not sure where I stand with Olivie Blake. 

And that wraps up my May! I’ve kicked off June with a reread and a whole bunch of new books! 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – April 2022

How is it already May??? Just how? April has completely flown by, and I don’t even know where it went. It’s been a wild time over here- a life update is coming your way very soon, but I still somehow managed to read several books and they were almost all wins! I read a total of 9 books with an average rating of 4.22. A win indeed!

Severance by Ling Ma 4 Stars – I enjoyed this though I recognize that this will definitely not be for everyone. In fact, I don’t know many that I would recommend this to. There is a pandemic which leads to a commentary (which is what I would say this book is) on capitalist society and its’ downfall. It looks at the downside and maybe leads the reader to what maybe we could do differently, though it’s not a full condemnation of capitalist society. There isn’t much plot propelling the story forward, which is why I think it leans more towards commentary. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson 4 Stars I just really enjoyed this murder mystery. It’s a fun one from start to finish and even though the twist wasn’t really my favorite thing ever, it’s one that I didn’t see coming and one that I don’t feel like detracted from my feelings about the book as a whole. The only reason it’s a 4 is I feel like the narration got a bit…much at times. 

The Reunion by Kayla Olson 4 Stars Oy- it’s a romance. I’m reading romance from time to time, mostly because I don’t think I’m finding what I really want in my fantasy romance areas- it’s either too much for me, or it’s just not capturing me. So, I’m leaning more into traditional romance that meets some of the niche things that I like (multimedia, royal, celebrity). And this one I really enjoyed! The multimedia is…slim but added to the story and the romance was sweet. 

The Savior’s Book Café Story in Another World Vol 3 & 4 by Kyouka Izumi 5 stars each I’ve read the next two volumes in what is easily my favorite manga at the present. I mean this woman is living my dream life (except I already have the husband and kids’ part). 

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen 4 Stars This one is the one I’m not sure that it’s really worth the 4 stars that I gave it. I enjoyed it well enough, loved the twists it presented, loved the whole conversation around counterfeit merchandise, but I also recognize that this didn’t really do anything super groundbreaking. It was a fun ride when I read it and then it was over. 

Royal Blood by Aimee Carter 4 Stars Ok, this filled all my niche Royal needs, and I loved it every step of the way. It is a YA and definitely reads it, but I enjoyed it none the less. And it’s a series so looking forward to the next one.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz 4 Stars This is a mystery, almost a thriller but not quite, that I don’t think will be for everyone. It’s a slice of life meets secluded cabin mystery, and I really enjoyed it. If it could do anything better it would be the balance of the book- it felt a bit…off in the pacing, but again didn’t entirely detract from my enjoyment. 

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke 4 Stars Ok, I haven’t read a book in that IM format in a long time, and I really think it’s a great format for storytelling. It certainly adds something to the storytelling and makes the reader feel a certain way. I might be looking for more of these…but anyways- this is a book following a short period of time and a person who has “fallen into” a computer. Talking, again, about what’s important, how you can have feelings about people through the office lens you view them in, and remote work. 

And that was it! A really solid reading month. I’m hoping to keep the same upward ratings for May, though we will have to see how that goes.

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Jewish Literature 3rd Edition – Young Adult Fiction

It is time for the 3rd Edition of the Jewish Literature series! This time (and the next) I’ve decided to lower the reading levels and take a look at some young adult fiction and then Juvenile fiction works. I tend to read both in the Young Adult and Adult sections, and I’ve got kids who will eventually be transitioning into the Juvenile reading level (though we’ve still got some time). I know several folks who do have children in that age level who are interested, so I figured I would deviate and look to see what is out there. 

For the Young Adult selections-I stayed away from the Holocaust leaning books. I spoke about this several times, why I’m trying to not read Holocaust literature for this (though I will be several times over I’m sure) in my blog post introducing this series HERE. I’ve gone for two books- one a collection of short stories centered around Hanukkah and another a Historical Fiction that I found to be so relevant on so many different levels that I just had to talk about it in depth.

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories by Edited by Katherine Locke, Laura Silverman

This is a collection of short stories that all revolve in some way around the minor Jewish Holiday of Hanukkah. I read this book actually a couple years back and loved it so much. I included it in my recommendation list and still do to this day. I don’t have too much to say on this one as, being a short story collection there aren’t a lot of themes that I can touch on that push throughout the entire collection (beyond Judaism). When I originally read it, it was at a time where I was starting to share more and more of my own Jewishness online and I hadn’t really read anything like this before. These types of books didn’t exist when I was younger, going through the same ages as these characters, and I think it’s great that they are around now. 

I will say, something I really appreciate about this particular collection is that there is a wide wide variety of levels of faith, practice, and ethnicity. You have everything from Orthodox to agnostic, and almost all the stories, while centered around some aspect of Jewish life, also talk to other issues as well- whether that’s LGBTQIA+, political landscapes, able vs not, and more. I love when we can tie our Jewishness with other issues and conversations as well. Where we can see those through lines in these issues it helps universalize the problems everyone faces. 

I think overall, I think this is a great collection to pick up for teens! It does a great job at intertwining various issues and discussing them, while also keeping the reader engaged. I found that the representation of a wide cross section of Jewish life (that is the various levels of practice and life) to be very well done and representative of Jews in general. 

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

Ok to start with- I highly recommend this, to any age level. It’s one of those books that I feel like can really work for anyone. A quick rundown, we’ve got Elijah, a street vendor, Helena a high society culinary student, and Penelope, a culinary student with a non-European background, all three of whom come together in a Pygmalion reimagining (think gender swapped food centered My Fair Lady). But what is at the heart of this book is the conversation around the rights, the lives, and the history of those who are not considered “white” or “Anglo”. In this we have two viewpoints represented – a Filipina and a Jew. 

The way this book effortlessly highlights the microaggressions and the assumptions and the really subtle way that Jew Hatred pervades our everyday is incredible. There are small moments where a character says side comments “Jewish Hawkers” or “those people”, the use of the word “Jew” as something vulgar, degrading, subtle digs at the othering of a group of people that occur even today, but we don’t always pick up on, to the more overt tones of being called a “dirty Jew”. We can really see the range of how being Jewish not only affects businesses- but Jews were also not allowed in the business district, were mostly stuck to selling oranges (thus anyone knowing their oranges was assumed to be a “dirty Jew”), to the history of Elijah’s family, changing their name to try and not “proclaim their religion and heritage to the world”. 

There were a lot of moments in this book that truly applied to our present day, though this was supposed to take place in the 1830’s- which I think just speaks to the unending hatred that the Jewish people face. There is also an element that speaks to the dual edged sword of Jew Hatred- there is hatred when the Jews do well- “the pursuit of wealth”, the greed and money hoarding- but also when they do not “the poor Jews of the street who eked out a living as peddlers and old-clothes men a blight on society”. So often this hatred is this double-edged sword, which is what makes it so long standing and dangerous. 

It’s important to note that this book not only speaks to Jew Hatred, but also to the othering of Penelope who is Filipina and that is something that both her and Elijah bond over. This shared feeling of otherness, the shared almost segregation of self due to experiences and community and life beyond their control. It’s amazing, as a Jewish person, to see a shared experience. As Jews we are often told that we cannot be subject ot discrimination for simply being a Jew because we don’t “appear different”. So, to read this…shared experience of these characters meant so much. 

In terms of the actual religious representation, there wasn’t a lot- mostly as Elijah is trying incredibly hard to be himself and not draw extra attention to any differences. He actually talks about this in the book, after his Jewish-ness is exposed as he doesn’t want to break a rule of Kashrut (Kosher eating). A lot of the Jewish history of this time period and this group of people is just about surviving, about not standing out, about holding on to the candle sticks, or the keys, or the mezuzah, but not practicing, not putting anything out that would easily identify who you are. And that is real, that is honest to how the Jewish People were for a long time. They either practiced under concealment or not at all. 

I highly highly recommend this one- great for all ages!

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – March 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the month of March really dragged by. I’m not sure what it was about it, but it was just slow moving…and not in a good way! I honestly don’t know what to really say about my reading- it was alright, but I feel like none of my ratings are really sticking- they may change over time, they may not. But here we are- I read a total of 7 books and gave an average rating of 3.43 and wow is that average beyond average. Let’s get into it. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – 3.5 Stars This was my second time reading this and once again, I found it alright. Having read her other works, I can definitely tell this is a debut (and to be honest- I only set out trying to read this series as to how it will potentially tie in to her other two series). I enjoyed it, but I will say- I DNF’d the second book in the series and I don’t know that I’ll be trying again…in all honesty I’ll probably watch some review/spoiler videos/blog posts to get my information about this series at this point. 

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell – 3 Stars. This was ok- standard fantasy romance, not quite enemy to lovers, but along those lines. I will say- as of writing this review, I read this book not quite a week ago and I’m struggling to remember any further thoughts about this book. So maybe that says something.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – 3 Stars I feel like this series had a strong start, a stronger second book, but has lost readers a bit in this third book. I enjoyed it, but also felt bored at moments (this is a theme for the first half of the month I suppose). I’m glad I got it from the library and while I will probably check out the fourth book when it comes out, I don’t think I would go much further past that. It’s losing steam across the board. 

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers – OOF I don’t know what I rate this one. I was so intrigued by this book, and it started off so strong, but then it just…withered and died- like our main character would do I imagine. There was just so much…I don’t know, dynamic missing in this whole book. It felt so flat, and I don’t know if that is because we are reading from a self-proclaimed psychopath or if the author was not able to engage the reader in a meaningful way- as we should have had such a great book from this premise.  

Planning Perfect by Haley Neil – 4.5 Stars – I really enjoyed this book. This is a YA contemporary romance that features a Jewish main character on the ace spectrum with an anxiety disorder. To be honest this felt very much like if Gilmore Girls was Jewish and queer. I loved it. I’ll have more to talk about in a Jewish Literature Edition, but again- a big hit! 

Skyward Flight by Brandon Sanders – 4 Stars Oh Brandon Sanderson has me wrapped around his finger. At this point, I just pre order whatever it is that he’s publishing, and I ask questions about those decisions later. This is a collection of short stories that are set in the Skyward world. I love Skyward and I loved this collection and being about to read other perspectives from some of my favorite side characters. And it got me back in to the world- now eagerly waiting for the next full book in the series!

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murder by Jesse Q Sutanto – 4 Stars I’m really liking the adult comedy of error stories that Jesse is publishing. She really has a way with them that allows them to be funny, for the reader to suspend their beliefs, and just enjoy the ride. This is the third that I’ve read now, and I’ve loved every single one. 

And that’s it! I did DNF two books, though one I do plan on picking back up (when it’s not just me in the house). I DNF’d Simone St. James Silence for the Dead- I think this was on its way to being great, it just wasn’t quite doing that for me. Especially after reading The Book of Cold Cases, which was much eerier and dread inducing. I also DNF’d Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. I hope to pick this one back up once my husband is back- as it is definitely unnerving, but also because I need to wrap my head around the main characters POV. So, all in all I think a good month, if not as strong as my prior ones. Looking forward to April, which has already been strong!

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Pesach (Passover) 5783

***Fair Warning- this post jumps a little all over the place- trying to correct in the editing process, but you’ve been warned ***

Every time I think about the variety of Jewish Holidays we celebrate; in the back of my mind, I’m always clocking the kinds of celebrations we have. The level of preparation we put into them, the way that level varies from person to person, the way it’s varied for me over my life. It’s funny to think of them throughout the year- Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah are the ones I easily go the hardest for- they’re hands down my favorite. Purim is the one I probably do the least for, and Sukkot, Tu Bishvat, Simchat Torah all fall somewhere in the middle. Yom Kippur is so solemn that there isn’t sense in counting it- it’s spent in inward reflection and atonement. 

But these holidays are all different in the way we celebrate them within religious institutions as well. For Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Simchat Torah we celebrate in Shul, with prayers and services and so forth. Sukkot, Tu Bishvat and Passover are all seemingly celebrated outside of the Shul (though still with community and there are still Shul events to be attended). And of those, I personally feel like Pesach requires the utmost care and attention. It’s always, for me at least, been one of the bigger holidays on the calendar. Not only in preparation, but also in content. 

So, a quick word on what Pesach is, how we celebrate it, and then what my family specifically does (as it is different, and different year to year- this may change in the future who knows). 

Pesach (Passover) is the holiday in which the Jews celebrate their freedom from slavery during the Pharaohs time in Egypt. Without getting too nitty gritty, the Jews were slaves in Egypt (all those pyramids? Yea we built them), and Moses was given a task from Hashem to go to save the Jews. Throughout his speaking with Pharoah there were 10 plagues visited on the Egyptians by Hashem, the final being the death of the firstborn son of all the Egyptians. This last plague led to Pharoah releasing the Jews, causing them to flee in the darkness of night across the deserts of Egypt. Pharoah tried to chase after them, but they were free. Of course, they then wandered for 40 days and 40 nights and there was a whole bit about worshipping false idols, but it all ends with the Ten Commandments, and we are on our way. 

Pesach is the holiday where we acknowledge the struggle of the Jews, the fight for the freedom, and the wandering in the desert. How do we celebrate that though?

Well, for starters, because the Jews were not able to wait for the bread to rise before fleeing, we purge our house of all chametz (leavened/ing items) and abstain from eating any bread/grain items for 8 nights. If you are strict in your home, you sell all of the bread/leavening, not kosher for Pesach items in your homes to a non-Jewish person. Most people will just pack the items away and place them outside the home (either with friends or in a garage, etc.). Some will tape up drawers and cabinets that have items they can’t use during the week. Once the house has had all chametz removed, the Kasher practice begins. This is a second step, a cleansing of spaces and cooking items to prepare for Pesach. The night before Pesach begins, there is one final hunt and prayer said to rid any last chametz. Instead of bread products, we eat something called Matzah- which is a dry cracker- unleavened bread. 

The first night a Pesach a Seder is held. This seder is held in a family home, or a community hosts it, where we follow the Haggadah- a book full of prayers, songs, the story of Pesach, as well as various rituals to guide our evening. We have a Seder plate that ties into the Seder itself and is meaningful (and required to have a Seder) and we are commanded to drink 4 glasses of wine/grape juice.  We make sure to acknowledge the plagues, the flight from Pharoah, the struggle of the Jewish people, as well as the freedom of the people. While a seder can be long, it does tend to be celebratory, and there is typically a lot of drinking (I had my first drink at a Pesach Seder). I honestly have some of my fondest memories form Seders in my childhood- ones that I treasure. 

There is another seder on the second night of Pesach, and then things shift a bit as we take the week. The weekdays of Pesach are considered Chol HaMoed- a time for family and typically consist of family outings and time away from work/school. Throughout the week, there is no consumption of leavened products. 

So, what do we do? 

It’s complicated. I will usually tell my children the story of Passover, we will talk about the seder plate and what each item means and its importance, and that turns in to a very abbreviated Seder. We don’t rid our house of Chametz, as my husband does not celebrate and will go about his regular eating habits- as do our children, but I will typically abstain from eating bread products at breakfast and lunch (we still do normal dinners). The boys will each have a bit of matzah and try the various concoctions I create with it. I will eat kitniyot (this is a kosher thing), but dinners by and large will remain the same in our home. In the past I’ve gone all out with a Seder and as a child, some of my fondest Jewish memories are during Pesach, around the Seder table. This may change in the future, but I think it works for us in a way- it allows me to celebrate Pesach, to acknowledge my ancestors, to teach my children about our history, but also acknowledge that my husband is from a different background. (I feel like I should say, we don’t do Easter in our home- though the kids have done Easter egg hunts at their Grandparents and school). 

Any questions? Please let me know- I would love to answer! 

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My Evening Routine – Updated in 2023

I feel like in order to have a good day the next day, it starts the night before- cliché I know, but somewhat true. A couple years back I started experiencing some really bad chronic back pain that really started to affect me in ways that I didn’t really understand. This really affected my sleep, which then affected my morning, the next day, and then a cycle was born. A couple weeks into physical therapy I completely overhauled and shifted my evenings to try and help develop a better sleeping habit. For me, sleep is a big chunk of my attitude and approach to the day in a way that I didn’t recognize prior to working through my chronic pain. 

A couple of things….

This is what I’ve found works best for me. It allows me to calm both my body and my mind, both of which will hold tension and thoughts all night if I let them. This is also something that will apply year-round, although the time of evening might change come Summer. The basic concept and order of events stays the same, meaning my evening routine will always be about an hour and a half before I’m ready to read and then lay my head down. So, basically in the summer I will do this routine and then maybe pop outside and read out there until I’m ready for bed or what not. This is just what I need to do to get into that bedtime calmness.

So, my “evening” technically begins around 7:30PM when I put the kettle on, turn off anything on my phone that deals with “words” (I used to listen to podcasts as I cleaned in the evening and got ready for bed, but I found that that didn’t end up being very “relaxing”). I’ll turn on a classical music playlist on Spotify and start to do the dishes while the kettle is boiling. I pour an evening cup of tea- I swear by the Twining’s Nightly Calm- and will nurse it over while I tidy up the kitchen, wiping down all the counters, sweeping the floor and then a quick Swiffer. Once I finish in the kitchen it is usually time for the boys to start cleaning up their toys and getting ready for bed. 

I’m very lucky in the fact that, when he’s home, my husband will do most of the boy’s night routine. It’s kind of become his time with them (though there’s a lot of back and forth about cleaning typically ha-ha) and I’m happy to leave that to him. I continue to nurse the evening tea as I help the boys tidy up their toys (this is usually just pushing the boxes back where they belong and putting the couches and blankets back where they belong). Usually by the time this is done I’ve finished my tea and I’ll clean the mug up, turn all the lights off downstairs and head upstairs. 

I’ve still got the classical music playing in my ears as I head into the bathroom to take my makeup off, wash my face, and brush my teeth. During this time the boys are getting a bath (if Robert is not home, I’ll put off washing my face until after bedtime so as to handle the boy’s bedtime). I’ll admit, it took me a long time to get the good habit of washing my face every night. My skin tends to be fairly normal, no major breakouts, and most of the time it absorbs moisture very well. I would always take my make up off, but I’ve found that beyond the good benefits of skincare, it also just continues that feeling of “the day has ended”. Sometimes your body and mind really need the physical reminders to start shutting down. 

So, wash my face, brush my teeth, then moisturize my hands- this is a necessity especially in winter when my hands crack. 

On school nights the boys are in bed by 8:30PM (weekends tend to be anywhere from 8:30-10:00PM depending on what we’re doing- the later time being rare). Starting at 9:00PM my phone is put away and not touched again. I’ve always had the do not disturb option come on at 9:00PM, but I’ve been guilty of continuing to peruse social media or whatever until the second bedtime. No more. Looking at my phone, at all the “things” just makes my mind light up again and it’s hard to come back from that. So, phone up and away, and that includes the classical music playlist that I had going. It’s all done and gone. 

Once kids are in bed, in winter at least, I’ll crawl into bed and do some reading for about an hour until I turn the reading lamp off and go to sleep around 10:30PM. I’m not sure how this will change in the summer- I’m sure I’ll be sipping on my tea outside or downstairs with my book and soaking up the last of the light much later into the night. 

And that’s it! Seriously so simple and full of “obvious” duh things, but we often forget or miss out. This honestly has truly changed how I sleep and how I feel when I wake up the next morning, which in turn has been a game changer across the board. 

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Spring has Sprung…or has it?

Well, it’s official, by the calendar we are in Spring. A time of year for new growth, for life to emerge after the harsh, cold, dark winter…except we are still in that harsh, cold, dark winter. Mother Nature- how am I supposed to emerge full and bursting with new life? How am I supposed to come twirling out, welcoming the gloriousness that will be Spring sun and storms…if you can’t be bothered to stop the gosh darn forsaken winter tantrum storms? 

Ok- that was a lot for an introduction- I guess you could say I’m reaching the end of my tether with snow and winter. The snow and winter weather started so early for us this year, and with a bang I might add- nothing like a shocking 5 ft of snow to usher in Winter before Thanksgiving. There was another 5 ft snowstorm right as Christmas moved in (which we missed due to traveling), and it’s just seemed to be a forever gray landscape. Our false spring came super early this year- talking the beginning a February, almost a full month, and now it just seems like Mother Nature seems to be toying with us. 

As I’ve mentioned and discussed a wealth of times both here on this blog, as well as across social media, I’m a big believer in magic moments, in little joys, in finding the light in everyday moments. But even with my comedic take on the snow, it’s starting to get harder to watch the snow come down and think- oh how beautiful. I mean it is OBVIOUSLY beautiful, and I am OBVIOUSLY over it. 

AND I’m over wearing jeans (and pants in general)- bring on the spring/summer wardrobe of dresses, skirts, and more relaxed clothes please and thank you.

I’m ready to be sipping my morning tea on my front porch, spending the slowly lengthening evenings in the backyard. I’m ready to transform my space into a little paradise- full of light and fresh growing things. Ready to go for walks through the woods, and along the sidewalks of our neighborhood without looking like a giant puff marshmallow (seriously- just the preparation to head outside makes the worth of going for a walk questionable). While I miss the sledding, I’m ready for my kids to be able to run down the hill to the playground and play for hours outside- truly tiring themselves out. 

Oh, I am yearning for Spring. 

I hate to think too much of it – if anything, winters here have taught me to be grateful for every moment of whatever the weather throws at us whether that’s a surprise snow or a 50-degree sunny day- but it does seem like we seem to be on an upswing. Overall temperatures are trending upwards, and snowfall amounts are trending downwards. I’m hopeful that before too long we can say a fond farewell to the depths of winter. 

So, a toast to Spring, a toast to warmer weather slowly coming, to longer days, and to a new season to celebrate…even if it’s a whole month before we actually see it. 

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Jewish Literature 2nd Edition – Non-Fiction

It is time for our second edition of my Jewish Literature posts! I’m thinking this is going to be probably a once a month or once every other month schedule for these, mostly because I already have so many to talk about! I’m also going to try and keep with the concept of choosing two books that share some commonality- whether that be in genre, topic, age range, something along the same lines. 

The first edition of Jewish Literature covered two Literary Fiction/Romance novels. You can read that post HERE. I will have a separate page to link where there will be a roundup of all these posts, but I am still working on that.

This second edition we are going to focus on nonfiction, activism style books. I’ve found that this is an area that is interesting to try and find books in. It seems like the books that I’d like to read focus on aspects that are lacking or where the general populations thoughts are concerning Jewish People, and most books seem to focus on the political or the “why not us” style argument. 

Once again, I have two books that I had very different thoughts about. One I really enjoyed, highly recommend, buy for everyone and think everyone should read. The other I liked, but found it swung a bit too far away from what I’d like to see Jewish Activism be (which is an entirely different conversation). I’ll start with the positive – mostly because if you stop reading halfway through- I’d like you to read the recommendation of the book that I’d like you to pick up and think you need to read. 

People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn

Ok, this book is a masterpiece and something that I feel like we don’t talk about, or honestly, even realize is a thing. Dara Horn takes the most famous or most talked about Jews (all of whom, or most, happen to be…dead) and dives deep into their stories, into why we love them, and why we focus so much on those stories. 

She starts the book out with a startling commentary on how she has only been reached out for commentary about Judaism, Jewish Life, and the like once an act of terror (and I mean an international level newsworthy even- like the Pittsburgh Synagogue or similar, not the acts of violence Jewish people are subjected to almost daily, or the hatred that spews out of people’s mouths every day). It seemed she was only asked for commentary, for a piece of journalism AFTER Jewish people had died. And that triggered something in her brain to examine it from a historical perspective. 

And boy, did she. This book really opened my eyes in a lot of ways, and I found myself equally gasping/saying woah, agreeing with her commentary, and crying at the sheer unfairness of it all. This book had me think about Anne Frank’s Diary in a completely different way- and I guarantee it will you too. But it wasn’t just Anne Frank, throughout history we tend to celebrate the Jewish People, to campaign for them, to help them ONLY AFTER a catastrophe has occurred. There isn’t a lot of the why’s or how’s, but more so a concept of laying bare the reality of what it means to only care about the Jewish people after their dead. 

I will never stop talking about this book and quite honestly think it should be one of those books that everyone picks up. 

Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel

I’ve had this book on my radar for a minute, in fact I’ve owned it for a little while, but I hadn’t picked it up until the last couple months. Here’s the thing, a lot of my issues with social activism, especially where the Jewish people are concerned, is there is a lot of “What about us?” or “When is it our turn”. Valid questions, ones we ask ourselves as Jewish people all the time, but questions that I don’t care for. It implies that a) you can’t care for more than one cause at one time, which is false as we are all humans and we are multi-faceted and layered as humans and b) it implies that Jewish people should be/are more or less than others, which is just…wrong. We are all people, and we should all care about other people. But that’s a humanity thing and much bigger than this series about Jewish Literature. 

So, at the beginning of the book David addresses this right away. He says something along the lines about how he hates that question and the idea that groups have to “take turns”, but that it seems that in activism we’ve reached this point where that is the best way to explain where we’re at. I don’t know if I entirely agree with that because I feel like there are other ways to handle Jewish Activism, but I’m also not entirely in that realm, so I might (and probably am) missing some of that. 

Anyways, the book is a look at how, historically and in a modern setting, Jewish people are left out of the conversation when it comes to any sort of “ism” talk. There are specific examples stated about how politicians treat accusations of antisemitism, celebrities, and joe shmo across the street as well. I feel like this book is important to read (even though David Baddiel is British, and UK based so some of the sentiment doesn’t crossover to the US well) because there is a lot that we can miss- little things that we may not even think about but are important to call out. However, the book didn’t quite feel the same…call to action or I’m not sure how to word this, fix the problem as I think it could have been. Obviously, you can’t make people love Jewish People, but this felt like a very accusatory book and then didn’t follow up with any sort of…I don’t even know. 

I’ve got a couple of other Non-Fiction books that deal with the Social Activism sphere kind of on my radar as I’d like to read a couple more to compare a bit more in depth, but it’s going to be a bit before I get to those. I think of these two, you definitely need to read People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Reads – February 2023

Wow oh wow did February just blow me out of the water. Not only was it a busy one in real life, but it was a busy reading month too! I somehow managed to read a total of 10 books (insert a woah face here). Not only was it a whopper of an amount, but my average rating was a 4.125. Not too bad for a month I’ll say! I’m really hoping that this is a sign of a continued good reading year ahead of me- I was excited about every book I picked up, intrigued to read them, and just devoured books in a way that I haven’t in a long time. Let’s talk about them. 

Small Game by Blair Braverman 3.5 Stars – This is a book about contestants that are on a wilderness challenge game show. Think…oh I don’t know The Challenge or Naked and Afraid, but the production and camera crew just disappear halfway through. You follow the contestants as reality well and truly starts to set in. I enjoyed this one, even if I had this weird incomplete sense while and after reading it. 

Crave by Tracy Wolff 3 Stars – I picked this one up and while I don’t regret it, I definitely think that this…story didn’t end up working for me. I don’t know if it was too much of the play off of Twilight, or if it was just an overall feeling of “too much” for me, but it just didn’t work out. We are following a girl who has lost her parents as she relocates to a school where…not everyone is human. 

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare 5 Stars This concluding book to this trilogy was incredible. Such highs, such lows, such a ride from start to finish. The past few months has seen me really fall back into Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter World and I’m not mad about it- especially with these later novels and trilogies. 

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn 4 Stars I picked this up on a whim- I wanted to see if I would even enjoy the books- as Bridgerton the show is one of my favorites, but I was pleasantly surprised. I feel like the romance came on a bit suddenly, but it’s all in good fun. There definitely was some spice too, which I don’t know if I thought would be there – I figured Netflix embellished, but nope. 

*** The next three books I read as part of a read 3 books in a 3 day weekend challenge- you can read a little snippet HERE or catch the full “vlog” on my Instagram (@acuppacosy)***

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna – 5 Stars This was like a cozy cup of good tea- just a wonderful way to spend an afternoon) and yes, I read it in an afternoon). I heard someone say this was a “soft place to land” and I couldn’t agree more. This is just a good one. 

Radiant Sin by Katee Robert 4.5 Stars Wow oh wow, somehow, I go into each one of these wondering…what can we do this time and each time it stuns me. I highly recommend these if you need something a little (or a lot depending on your preference) spicy, quick/captivating, and fun to read. Modern reimagining’s of Greek myths (heavy on the re-imagining).

Finley Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle Cosimano 5 Stars Ok, wow what a difference book two makes in a series! I found the first book to be OK- in fact the main character just irritated me for a third of the book, but that was not the case in this second book. I loved it! I don’t know if it was actually better, or if we just didn’t need all the groundwork that the first book provided. 

I Survived the Nazi Invasion by Lauren Tarshis & I Survived the Nazi Invasion Graphic Novel by Georgia Ball NR I read both this one and the next for a middle grade/juvenile edition of Jewish Literature (hence the no rating) and found these to be alright. I don’t really know what to expect from middle grade literature as I feel like it’s so catered to each individual child and their own concepts of reality- as well as the parents and their parenting philosophies. As a Jewish child, I was intimately familiar with a lot of aspects of The Holocaust that I would venture to say my non-Jewish peers were not. So, while these were good and they do tell a story of a part of The Holocaust (and a good one for children to read), I don’t know that I would rely on this to teach or talk to my children about The Holocaust. 

Linked by Gordon Korman NR I’ll keep my thoughts on this brief, but I found this to be such a good read- age appropriate, content appropriate, and very good at tying history, to modern life, to children, to society and to Judaism. This book is a great jumping off point for a wide variety of conversations, not just about Judaism and Jew Hatred, but also about racism, history, and people. 

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton 3 Stars This book was…ok. It was fine. A woman’s society of pirates, with flying houses, dry humor, and a tie to the Bronte’s? Sounds great! I don’t know what about this missed the mark for me, but it was a combination of probably a couple of things (the romance not being swoonish, the ending seemingly dragging, the plot being second…second to what though I couldn’t tell you). 

And that’s it! Like I’ve already shared- these first two months of the year have me really excited for what this year will hold for me in books and reading.

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