Most Important Passover Tip

Yes, it's good to empty the freezer, clean, polish, shop, but especially when restocking with Kosher for Passover food remember that:

Passover is only a week long!
Passover is only a week long!

PASSOVER IS ONLY A WEEK LONG!
PASSOVER IS ONLY A WEEK LONG!

PASSOVER IS ONLY A WEEK LONG!

PASSOVER IS ONLY A WEEK LONG!

Keep smiling 😃😍

stocking up

emptying

emptying

WhatsApp on The Web/Computer, How To "Tips"

I'd been hearing rumors that it's possible to get WhatsApp messages and write them on the computer.

I really wanted it, because sometimes the messages are so long, it's hard to read them on the tiny screen. And when I'm home in the den, I sometimes don't have my phone with me. Also, it's so much easier for me to type longer messages, especially in Hebrew, on my computer keyboard. One of the reasons is that I learned something really great in JHS 74, when in the 7th grade. It's called touch-typing. I don't need to search for the letters. My fingers were trained, over half a century ago, to know where they all are. And I've even taught myself, meaning my fingers, where most Hebrew letters are. But it's so much harder to type on a phone screen, even when the phone offers suggestions, trying to read my mind.

Finally, last night, when the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions decided to start a fan WhatsApp group before the big game* tomorrow, it posted instructions on facebook how to put the app on your computer. So I did it! And now I'll share the news.

This works if you have your own computer, which is somehow/connected to the phone. Try and see if it works for you. There are two ways:

1. From the computer, click WhatsApp, and follow the instructions.
2. From your phone, go into WhatsApp, then click the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner, then WhatsApp Web, and follow instructions.

That's it!

*Tomorrow, Friday March 1, 2019, the Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions are going for their record breaking third Israbowl National IFL Tackle Football Championship in a row. Yaala Big Blue!

Facebook Photo-Editing Tips

Recently, I've been having great fun with a relatively new facebook feature, Photo-Editing. This feature compensates for the fact that they haven't offered me any new post backgrounds for much too long. Actually, that's why I decided to try clicking the cute little brush I had been noticing in the lower right hand corner of pictures when being up or is it downloaded to my page.

I hope these photos make it clear. If you have questions, don't be shy. Ask me. I read and reply to comments.

Yes, besides editing, you can tag people.

As you can see, there's a very complete menu to choose from.

Choose the color you want, by clicking in the right spot. It can be changed if you don't like it. You can also choose fonts by clicking where it says Arial.

In this mode, you can move, shrink or enlarge the box that has your text..

Don't be afraid to experiment.

PS The photos illustrating this aren't very clear/sharp, because I used my old camera. The phone was charging too far away.

AC Care Tips for Dummies Like Us

I still have no doubt that we're among the very last in Israel's cold mountainous region to have gone modern and gotten an airconditioner for heating. Since we never replace anything while they still function, even poorly, it took us a pretty long time to make the splurge. This is the first full winter we've had it.

On the whole I really love heating the livingroom, plus kitchen and dining area with this airconditioner. The big bonus is that I can set up the folding clothes driers and get the clothes perfectly dry, too.

We hardly used it in the summer for cooling. One reason is that the heat doesn't bother me all that much, and the other is that we renovated the kitchen and had the fridge plugged into that socket, while the work was done.

We've tried to remember to clean the filters, though it's hard to know just how often...

A few weeks ago, I began to notice that periodically the AC would stop, and the little screen would say "HI." After it didn't go back on, within what I considered soon enough, I did an "experiment." I pulled out the plug and then after a couple of minutes, plugged it in and it worked. Then that happened on Shabbat when it's forbidden to play with the plug. So, I waited and eventually it went back on.

So, on the other day, in the midst of the cold stormy weather, when my husband reported that it had stopped and showed "HI," I told him not to worry, even though the AC had been making lots of noise, sounding like a hovering helicopter. Then he reported that only cold air was coming out. So I told him to pull the plug, and he turned it off. A bit later, we cleaned the filter. It was the filthiest I had ever found it. Actually, for the first time it really looked like it needed a cleaning. But I was afraid to turn the AC back on.

The following morning, since we had paid for extra  service, I called Tadiran and told the woman who answered about what had transpired.

"Did you clean the filter?"
"Yes, we just did."
"So, turn it on."
"Really? I had been afraid to."
"No need to be afraid. Tell me if it heats up. It may take a few minutes. And don't worry about the HI. It just means that the AC is defrosting itself."

That's it, thank Gd. Now I know two new things about our AC.

1. HI means the air-conditioner's defrosting, so allow it to continue.
2. If the motor begins making a lot of noise, turn it off and clean the filter.

I hope that helps others. I'd hate to think that we're the dumbest of all.

Diet Tip: Banish "The Clean Plate Club"

One thing that has been consistent in most of my life is that I was a founding member of  "The Clean Plate Club." That was even before the "baby nurse" my parents had hired after my sister was born introduced the name to our lexicon.

I almost never left food on my plate. I can't remember ever being served something I didn't like, even vegetables.

That may have made me into a "good eater," something praised by my family, especially because I wasn't a fussy eater. And since desserts were rare, candy forbidden, and we had lots of freedom outside to play, I wasn't fat as a child.

Dieting is a losing battle!

But as I got older and bigger, so did my appetite and at some point I was overweight, even mildly obese. For the past ten years I've been working hard at getting weight off and keeping it off.

First I cut out carbohydrates to almost none, and I also limited my protein portion. By doing these two simple things, I was able to lose about 30 lbs, or close to 15 kilogram. And I've kept most of it off.

To be honest, as time went on I've become less strict. One of the reasons is that research has shown that varying your calorie count, including having one day "off" a week actually speeds your metabolism. That helps the weight stay off.

About a year ago I discovered that five kilo had snuck back.  I've spent the last year fighting to get them back off. A month ago I succeeded, but now after some holidays and a hotel vacation a couple just crept back.

The good thing about having the weight off for so long is that my body has adjusted to the lower weight, and frequently, I realize that I'm "full," when there's still food on my plate. That is a new phenomena for me. So, as quickly as I can, I "clean" my plate by either packing away some of the food or throwing it in the garbage.

It's not a waste to throw out food. It's a waste to add it to your waist!

Tip: My Tip To Make Laundry Easier

Today, daylight hours for me, was "National Laundry Day." I did about a half a dozen loads of wash. Most of the wash was hung outside to dry, and Gd decided to let us skimp on electricity. The weather was perfect.

And after my husband helped by taking in the dry wash, the real work had to be done, the sorting, folding and putting away. That's the part I don't like. That's the part I have trouble making time for.

It can be quite overwhelming and boring, too.

Years ago I'd get the kids to help me, and we'd sort the clean dry wash into baskets like these, according to family member. But now I'm stuck doing it all myself, and I don't like the old method.

 I made up a new method. I search through the wash for various kinds of items, like all of my husband's clothes go on the smaller couch for him to put away. Then, depending on my mood I make piles of other types of things. One pile at a time. To the left you can see the floor cloths all folded up. And then I put them away. So you suddenly see that less and less laundry is left to fold.

Of course, sometimes I take a break, and each time I return I find it less daunting, because I've already put away a lot of laundry, bit by bit.

And suddenly, the couch is clear, clean of laundry.

I highly suggest this method. It works for me, and I hate housework.

"Short Week" Before 3 Day Rosh Hashanah Weekend

Today's a busy day for us, so I can't be in the kitchen much. Gd willing we'll be home with enough time to boil water and heat the food for Shabbat. Family fun, bli eyin haraa.

I generally cook all the week's meat and dinner food for my husband when I cook for Shabbat. Since over the years I've had many jobs that kept me out dinner time, he had gotten used to heating up his dinner.

This week Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday night, so there are only three, rather than five evening meals to worry about. That means I have to prepare less food for Shabbat and the week. That's a relief.

Shabbat Shalom UMevorach

Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat