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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Saturdays with Yvonne

Challah Breads which I baked last Saturday

Every Saturday I join Yvonne, a charming 80-something friend, who as a Jewish lady, celebrates Shabbat (the Sabbath) on that day. I visit her in her neat home in the retirement village and we watch a DVD. By choice I don’t own a television (I mean: when would I get time to watch it with all the blogging I do? LOL) and I can honestly say I don’t miss anything that represented by the square box. Once again, this is purely my opinion and by my own choice.

I have known Yvonne since I arrived in town more than fifteen years ago. In fact, I moved to my present home and lived opposite Yvonne where she lived for her entire married life. She has since been widowed and moved into the retirement village just two streets away from me. However, this post is not about this or then. (I will do an in-depth post later) Here I'm writing about our Saturday afternoon movies.


It all came about one day in the middle of the year, while sitting next to Yvonne at a Garden Club meeting. She said she would love to watch DVD’s with someone on Saturday afternoons. I too, sit alone on a Saturday while my husband is in North Africa, so I took her up on this wonderful offer.

I arrive promptly 3:15 every Saturday. Sometimes one or more of her neighbors join us. Sometimes it’s only me and Yvonne. We decide on a movie, into the machine it goes and we sit back and enjoy.


So far we have viewed: La Vie en Rose, (I grew up hearing Piaf on the radio, her voice an indelible signature of the 20th Century). The next week we watched La Vie en Rose –The Making of the Movie.

We’ve also watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding (where has this woman been - you may be asking - only watching this movie now?) It was hilarious – lovely light relief.

On another Saturday in July we watched Chocolat. Now was that a sweet movie or what? Seriously, I found it very thought-provoking. We’ve watched many movies, including an all-time favorite of mine: I am Sam

In mid-August I visited my husband in the Sudan so no more Saturday afternoon movies.

I’m back in South Africa again so last week I resumed the Saturday afternoon movie watching with Yvonne.

This week we watched Kate and Leopold and as usual, just before the plot swings in favor of the protagonist[s], (we all know when this happens, not so?) we stopped for tea. Yvonne sets pretty teacups and matching cake plates on the dining table along with whatever she’s baked that week. Fifteen minutes later we return to our seats and watch the rest of the movie.

Last week I Googled “Shabbat” and found recipes for the delicious breads which are served at this special family meal and other festivals. On Saturday morning I made four loaves of Challah Bread. Even though Yvonne doesn’t want any of us visitors to bring eats for Saturday’s tea, I took along two of the breads. One was a plaited loaf and the other, an oval loaf I had filled with raisins, cinnamon and sugar according to one variety in the recipe. I wanted her to taste my Challah Bread and asked her to give me her honest opinion.

She phoned me on Sunday evening and said that she’d had some of the bread for her supper and it was delicious.

I was thrilled.

I 'm planning a Shabbat meal for when John, Debbie and the children return from their holiday next week.

I’ll be posting the Challah Bread recipe on my food blog later this week.

For other people's worlds, click here.


17 comments:

  1. Beautiful looking bread!!!! I can imagine how tasty it is!


    ... Visit my "Heavenly Beams"

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  2. What a lovely world and a lovely friend you are to one another! I don't have television either, haven't in several years and, truthfully, I don't miss it at all. But I do enjoy movies and we seem to like some of the same ones! You're a good friend to Yvonne as she is to you and I'm sure you bring a great deal of pleasure to one another. And the bread sounds delicious!

    Have a great wee, Jo!

    Sylvia

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  3. Thanks Quilt Works! I'm off to visit your blog now...

    Hi Sylvia! Good to see you again. Thanks for your kind words. I love the "older" generation and enjoy a wonderful with my 76yo neighbout and half a dozen of her friends as well. Nice to know of another without a telly. I may post about my tellylessness one day! (AND the couple of years when I DID have TV, CABLE TV and enjoyed it for the time!) The bread is delicious and I'll be baking it again soon.

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  4. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon, Jo - and the bread looks wonderful !

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  5. Hi Jo, what a lovely way to spend Saturday afternoon, I am sure Emily appreciates the time you spend with her sharing your love of film. There are some great Dvd films that never make it to the big screen. The bread looks delicious.
    Apricots growing in your garden is a great thrill.I know jam making heats up the kitchen so I can only imagine what a jam making session is like in the heat of SA!

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  6. It is Lynda! Thanks for popping in.

    Hi Peggy;) yes, this way we enjoy a lovely Saturday afternoon and I get to see some movies. You are so right: summer is always a hot time to be making jam. I often lament that jam making can't take place in the winter - then I'd enjoy the heat instead of suffer it! Thanks for popping in.

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  7. That is really tempting, great festival celebrations. Have a nice time.

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  8. Hi Indrani! Good to see you again.Thanks for popping in

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  9. You're such a dear friend to T.Yvonne. She'll appreciate all you visits with her whole heart... :)

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  10. What a nice way to spend an afternoon, with a long time friend over good food and a movie. Your bread looks yummy.
    I don't have, or miss, a TV either so I'm easily entertained by what some would consider "old" movies. I loved Chocolat. Try Notebook sometime.

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  11. Jo, the bread looks delicous, I have had Challah bread at different dinners and celebreations before. Have fun with your friend Yvonne, I am sure she is very happy to see you visit her in the retirement home.

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  12. that bread looks yummy! and oh, I love movies and have seen most of what you mentioned:) It's nice to know that you spend time with your friend. I kind of missing watching movies with my friends because I mostly watch movies alone nowadays. I'm sure your family would love to hve a Shabbat meal:)

    My world is here.

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  13. Home made Challah! Yummy.
    What a fun ritual to have. An older friend and I have started going to see the Live at the Met Opera series at the cinema. She rents a lot of movies, then 'lends' them to me (that way I have to take them back!) but it would be more fun if we watched them together as you and Yvonne do.

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  14. Sounds delicious - both the bread and the Saturday film afternoon!

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  15. Most excellent. That looks very delicious!

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  16. Hi Gaelyn;) ditto to not missins regular telly. I am enjoying the movies with Yvonne, though. I'll try to get hold of Notebook -thanks.

    Hi Ida, jy inspireer my om 'n beter vriendin vir ander te wees. Liefjo!

    Hi Eileen;) thanks for your comment. I'm popping over to your mail - I need to ask a few questions;)

    Hi Marites;) I agree it's lovely to watch the movies with friends. I don't think I'd last long if I had to do it alone! Thanks for your visit. It's good to see you again - I'll pop over to your blog soon.

    Hi VioletSky: Is there a way you could watch together. It's so much fun. Thanks for your visit.

    Hi ladyfi;) thanks and it's good to see you again.

    Hi Sandy! really good to see you again. I saw you comment on another blog and thought to visit you again - I've been rather erratic for the past few months - posting and reading not often commenting. Off to remedy that now.

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  17. How delightful to spend Saturdays catching up on movies with a lovely companion. Have you seen the movie "Shirley Valentine"? It absolutely made me laugh so much and the scenery is beautiful (when she gets to Greece). Your challah bread looks so nice as well (both the eggless and the egg version). I read about the eggless version first :-)

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Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo