Fudge, Bond, Friends, and Shabbat

Friday was a most excellent day. I began the day with my friend Lydia. We made most delicious walnut-raisin fudge together. Oooooo...fudge, it is beginning to feel even more like the holidays. I have never made fudge before, and while my confectionery skills are not as highly developed as my other kitchen related ones- I was quite pleased with the outcome. Delicious fudge, luckily it is very rich- and thus challenging to eat too much at once. Unfortunately, I like challenges!

After making Fudge, the fun continued. My friend and I went to see the new Bond, our fudge in tow. While enjoyable and Bond, the film was a depressing Bond. Not once did an echo of warmth break through the cold exterior of the film. I laughed occasionally- but it had more to do with the ridiculousness of action scenes or something equally laughable- not true humor. Once, there was a glimmer of Bond wordplay, but it was quickly over and I wasn't sure if it had really happened afterward! I was reading the NYTimes review of the film, and they asked the question I was asking throughout- when did Bond become a tragic hero? Maybe he'll grow out of it. That all said, it was great and I would recommend it.

After the movie, I traveled West to attend the Shabbat dinner to which I had so kindly been invited. I came an hour early, to speak Yiddish, and had a great time. I found out that my friend was a fighter in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and continued with the Resistance throughout the war. He showed me pictures of his family, friends, and talked to me about his life in Yiddish. His Polish dialect was occasionally difficult to understand- but fortunately as a more common Yiddish dialect- I have some experience with it. It was a marvelous evening, so much food, so many Yiddish songs, so many compliments (I've never been complimented on my beauty so much) and so much friendship. Two friends of his came to dinner too, two women he knew from a now defunct Jewish organization in Berlin. They were adorable and spent an half hour arguing over the safety of my taking the metro home at 12.30 when our evening came to end. Eventually, it was decided I'd be okay- but I'd have to call when I got in. As it was close to 1.30am when I did get home, I thought it best to call when I woke up the next day. Well, at 9.30am I was awoken by a call from my Yiddish friend to make sure I had arrived safely. It was adorable, and I think I have made some new friends.