Illustration by Denis Shifrin

HOLIDAY TIME

With the school summer holidays coming up, a suggestion where to take the children and grandchildren:

Recently I visited the printing presses of Yedioth Ahronoth in Rishon le Zion with my grandchildren.  This is interesting both for adults and children (above the age of 7).  The visit takes about 1 l/2 - 2 hours.  It has to be booked in advance and the cost is NIS 10 for subscribers to the newspaper and NIS 20 for others.  This is also a good idea for a simple birthday outing for a group of children.  Contact www.visit.yedioth.co.il  tel: 03 963 2251 

ON BUYING A GAS RANGE

My suggestion when buying a gas stove or just the range is that you carefully check the width size of the largest pans that you might be using together at one time.   Best thing is to actually take these pans with you before buying a new gas stove or range and see how they can fit on the different size heaters.   An effort before buying will save you a lot of daily frustration. 

EATING OUT

I am not sure how many people will agree with me on this subject. I like eating lunch out from time to time, particularly on a Friday or Saturday.    Wonderful not to have all that preparing, clearing up and washing up and be able to sit quietly at the table after the meal while someone else also prepares the coffee or tea.  However, that is not the point I want to make.   Very often the quantity of food that the restaurant puts on my plate is beyond my capacity to finish at one meal.  I was brought up on the concept of "waste not, want not" and today's acceptance of the "doggie bag" (taking home uneaten food) just fits this bill.   However, I was taken aback recently thatmy friends were shocked and embarrassed when I asked that the lovely freshly baked uneaten rolls be added to my "takeaway".   The waitress saved me, by saying quietly to no one in particular, "we throw away all uneaten food from the table." 

SURPRISE – BUDDING POTATOES

Recently I was sent a short list of hints and when I replied that I would try one of them out, the sender replied that they were a joke.   Pity I can't find the email, but I did remember one of the hints and tried it out and surprise, surprise …. I put a few apples (I used cooking apples) amongst my potatoes and sweet potatoes and believe it or not four weeks later there is not one single bud on any of the potatoes. 

PHONING

Do you notice that it does not matter how long you  have waited on the phone to talk to a specific person after getting through to the right extension, if you do not reply immediately when that person finally condescends to answer they put the phone down on you. 

INSURING A HEARING AID

If you have a hearing aid, which is a very expensive item nowadays, do you know that you can insure this together with the contents of your home insurance.  However you have to supply the insurance company with a receipt showing the cost of the item, or a certificate stating its value – this can be supplied by the clinic that sold you the hearing aid.  Unfortunately insurance companies do not give coverage for multifocal glasses. 

CLING

I find that the cling nylon often clings more to my fingers than to the dish that I want to cover with same.  I have now started to use the larger thin nylon bags, approx. 35 x 40 cms or even larger as well as those bags which we get from the "Supers" to put over a dish of food - much simpler and easier.  Maybe slightly more expensive but less messing around with cutting the cling and how often does part of the strip rip.