Third night of Hanuka

Again I managed to drive the stick shift without too much difficulty, getting the last things needed for a gathering tonight (must have olive oil in the house....).

Trays of potatoes were already roasting when Bitty, Bubblebabble, and CBunnell arrived. I felt a bit badly I'd not gotten things more straightened up yet; I didn't really NEED to check email and LJ for the nth time. Luckily, there were the Marble Entertainments on the fridge, and Bubblebabble seems to have a super-ball-incubating pocket. Now I know who to ask...

Most everyone else I expected arrived, and eventually I did the ritual candle-lighting, singing Ma'oz Tzur afterwards. Luckily someone else volunteered to read the translation; for some reason I find it hard to read them with a straight face.

Then into the kitchen to stand around eating hot slices of roasted potato (regular roasted with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, rosemary (one tray with onions, too); sweet potatoes roasted with cayenne, white pepper, and cinnamon), followed b y chocolate cubed bread pudding. Both seemed to go over well, though I kept wondering if people thought it awkward to be standing around in the kitchen like that.

Back to the living room for one of the larger games of Quiddler I've played (8 players). Totemic nap, bone as ooze, zoo bolt, many other amazing phrases. Really, Quiddler often seems a cross between those fridge magnets and napkin poetry. I kept cracking up, over not much at all, I suspect. Of course, this was helped along by having some Radio Free Vestibule in the background, too (Ooh!).

Nice to see everyone.

Hanuka, evening 4

Tired tonight, tired enough that I almost forgot to light candles. Remembered in time. Lit tonight's candles, then sat in the bubbe chair watching them burn, watching the reflection in the window, through the ficus leaves. Also a long talk with (friend in) Texas. I now know the shape of one leaf completely.