Spring break, part 2

So, after we got home from Williamsburg, I immediately set out to bake cookies for Daniella's annual Passover extravaganza celebration at her apartment. The next day, Friday, we got up early and hit the road by 10:30, despite my misgivings that it was too late by that time to hope to get to Daniella's by 5, but we arrived at 5:30 after stopping at the public library near the apartment to change.

As usual, the food was fabulous and everyone seemed to like my cookies. Rachel wore her Colonial outfit (we will also use it as the basis of her Halloween costume this year, since she says she wants to be Betsy Ross) and we had a great time with Mom, Dad, Daniella, Valerie, Jim, Amy and Darryl. Rachel even got to answer one or two questions and wanted to jump in a couple of times as Daniella was working her way through the Seder!

That night Drew and I slept over while Rachel and Valerie had a sleepover in Valerie's room. I read them a few books and sang a song or two, then the adults stayed up way too late talking. Luckily I had taken a sleeping pill, so I actually got a decent night's sleep.

The next day Daniella made an amazing matzo-brei with raisins and walnuts that was out of this world, and we went to Mom and Dad's house for swimming and an early dinner at a great restaurant nearby. Unfortunately I was trying to observe Passover's dietary rules (which collapsed two days later when I realized I had to have fiber-based cereal or I'd have intense gastric pain) so I couldn't eat quite what I wanted, but the food was delicious nonetheless. Rachel kept coming over to give kisses and hugs to Grandma and asked how Grandpa was doing, and they seemed to have some nice talks at the other end of the table.

Then it was time for goodbyes and our trip to a hotel in New Jersey so we could get a head start on leaving the next morning in time for me to work a 3:30 p.m. Sunday shift. Barely made it in time, but I did, and so that was the end of our vacation. It was a grand one!