PesahPalooza

(Here's hoping Lou Shapp doesn't sue me over the subject line to this post)

Pesah is always fun in my house. And of course, by fun I mean not-so-much. This was actually a pretty tame Pesach by my family's standards.

I'll give you some examples of some of my favorite Pesah incidents:

1. Ninth or tenth grade: Talking on the phone with Snapple about sending in labels or bottle caps for free stuff, I'm sitting on the floor in the family room. I get up, leaning on the glass coffee table, and my hand just goes straight through the glass. Hijinks ensue. (Actually, replace the word 'hijinks' with 'yelling and screaming'.)

2. The following year: The refrigerator breaks down on Bedikah night. Hijinks ensue. (Actually, replace the word 'hijinks' with 'mass-panic and hysteria'.)

3. The following year: The NEW refrigerator breaks down the last day of Hol HaMo'ed. Hijinks ensue. (See above).

4. My year in Israel: I spend Pesah on a Kibbutz. I arrive on Bedikah night, and my first time at the Shul is 'Erev Pesah morning. I get lost on my way to Shul, making me late, which means I finish late, and then again on my way to the Heder Ochel. I miss the Siyyum and end up fasting all day. I break my fast on overly sweet, heavy, syrupy Israeli wine at the Seder. Not fun. Hijinks ensue. (Actually, replace the word 'hijinks' with 'gagging and near passing out'.)

5. My second year at YU: Having been recently dumped, very badly by the way, I am horribly miserable and depressed. Seder is not so fun. To top it off, I meet up with ex during Hol HaMo'ed. And of course there is the 7-11 incident shortly after Yom Tov ends. (Actually, replace the word 'hijinks' with 'stupid babbling and eventual death-threats'. For details ask Shauli [http://shuandnat.blogspot.com].)

6. The following two years: Ali comes into my life. She is horribly allergic to my family's cat, Bullseye. Hijinks ensue. (Well, replace the word 'hijinks' with 'asthma' and the word 'ensue' with 'is rampant'.)

Finally, we come to this year.

Having learned our lesson with the cat, we stay at a neighbor's house. I get to see a friend I grew up with, whom I haven't seen since at least high school. In our free time Ali and I read books we took out from the local library here in Silver Spring. No hijinks ensue whatsoever. Until yesterday. Finally, yesterday, we get some Pesah fun. Ali gets a stomach virus, and after putting on my favorite sweatshirt because she's freezing, and assuring me that she is not going to vomit on it, she does just that. Fun! Yay! It's ok, though. Ali's much better now, B"H, and thanks for asking.

Anyway, I hope you had a great holiday.

Thanks to Shalom Silbermintz for teaching me to love the phrase 'hijinks ensue'.