Christmas: A Day In The Life Of A Jew

I woke up at 1 pm from a series of really strange dreams to a phone call. That call went like this:

Buddy-Hey! What are you doing right this minute?
Me-Sleeping.
Buddy-Well get out of bed and get dressed in outdoorsy clothes.
Me-Why would I do that?
Buddy-We're going to tie a sled to the back of my Jeep and take turns riding around.
Me-That sounds like a terrible idea.
Buddy-I'll see you in ten minutes.

I got out of bed and got dressed and everything and my buddy came and picked me up. He was accompanied by two other guys in his Jeep. I climbed in and slammed the door and we were off.

We drove out to one of the rural back roads that parallels the highway. It was warm, but there was still a lot of snow on the ground. Between the dirt road and the highway is this massive field criss-crossed with drainage ditches and little road path things for farming equipment.

We then proceeded to drift, sled dangerously, and jump the Jeep a few times. Jumping a Jeep is no easy task, but my buddy is a pro. When you hit the leading part of the jump, it's all excitement and disbelief that yes, we are actually doing this. Then you take off and there's a split second when you're hanging in the air like "ohgodohgodohgodohgod" and it's tranquil and silent for just a quick moment before you hit the ground.

Then you do and the impact is immense. For a second, all you can feel is terror as you scramble to brace yourself because the Jeep has bounced and you are going to impact a second time. The you hit the ground again with this impact comes joy and adrenaline. As you drive away, once again firmly on solid ground, alive and unbroken, the celebration begins as you remember how to breath and the adrenaline courses through your veins.

It was such boyish activity, but truly a lovely afternoon of pure back-country hick fun. For one afternoon, I could embrace that i live in the middle of BF Nowhere.

I got home and dyed my hair. More on that at a later date :)

Then I made kandi while watching 'Love Actually' (ADORE that movie!) and listening to my mother cook her--I don't know I think it's the tenth--batch of latkes.

The my mother got really angry when my dad brought home Chinese food. I mean, it's Christmas, Jews have to eat Chinese food on Christmas, it's like a minority-wide inside joke. As compromise, I had a latke along with my lo mein.

When the sun set, we all gathered round the chanukiah (or menorah, for you East Coast Jews) and lit the candles and sang the stupid redundant prayers and my little sister got presents.

And then I went back to making kandi. I'm pretty good at it, would you guys possibly want to see some of my stuff? I've got a veritable mountain on my dresser right now. Kandi Mountain. Lols, get it?
No? You never saw Charlie the Unicorn?

Well, that's ok.

Happy holidays, everyone :)
Julia