Happy Easter, aka Laundry Day at Cindy's

This morning is Easter, for those celebrate.  I hope all who are celebrating have a wonderful day.

It is Passover Day 6 for us.  Mark is making matzo meal pancakes, using a new recipe that swaps out finely ground almonds for a lot of the matzo meal, thereby cutting the carbs considerably.  They taste great.

Soon we will be taking our laundry up to Cindy's house to do it.  We got lucky and she is going to be home this afternoon.  It will be nice to see her again.

Our time here has been fabulous.  In fact, it's been so great and so busy that I have not taken the time to write a blog.  Our seder in this little extended stay hotel was great.  We had Lowell, Emily, and Cindy here.  Emily and Cindy had never attended a full seder like this before, and I think it has been around 8 years or so since we had Lowell at a seder.  Since he was the youngest one at the table, he sang the Four Questions.  I have to admit it brought a tear to my eye to hear him do that!

We had the second seder at the Oresky's house, which had been our tradition.  It was magnificent!  it was so great to see all of his kids, his extended family, and even our old friend Neil.  We stayed until after midnight just talking with Saul, Phyllis, and Neil after everyone else had gone home or off to bed.  It even SNOWED that night!  I went out and looked at the little bit on the cars.  It has literally been four years since we saw or touched snow.  Fun.

On both Shabbats, I had a chance to go play Mah Jongg after services in the home of good friend Robin.  I forgot to take the camera the first time, but yesterday I did take a few pictures.  Only Arlene, Robin, and I played, but we all won at least two games and had a great time.

Even though Mark and I tried to plan the healthiest Passover dinners ever and we have taken a 30 minute walk every day, I have gained a lot of weight.  I love matzo with margarine, and we had leftover desserts from the seder that I finished off little by little.  Tomorrow is Monday, so I will do an official weigh-in then, but I weighed 242.5 when I left a week ago Wednesday.  This morning I was 251.  I have undone everything I did a month ago.  Can we all say Yo-Yo?

We have three more nights here and one night on the road, arriving home late Thursday night.  I am sure there will be a few more pounds on by the time I weigh myself at home next Friday morning.  Then I have to get back on track.  As always, there will be many challenges facing me, even after we get home, including a trip to Vero Beach for four nights, a NARFE convention with two nights in a hotel, a flight back up to MD for the wedding shower, Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend, and more.  My plan is to do my best.  I really don't want to show up at Lowell's wedding weighing more than I did at Evey's back in 2011.  For her wedding I was 245.  I had hoped to be 200 for this one, but that can't happen anymore.  I'm hoping for something in the mid-230s, or at least 245!  We shall see.

Here's a few pictures from this week.

On the night we arrived in Maryland, we met Lowell and Emily at a vegan restaurant, Great Sage.  Fabulous food!

Outside of TownePlace Suites by Marriott, near the BWI airport. Our room is the window the one the right of the top floor with the brick front, just over the lobby entrance. 

Our lovely little kitchen that was so easy to make kosher for Passover.

Breakfast at IHOP last Monday with Jeff and Armin Rosen, before Passover started that night.

Six of us at IHOP

The first seder night.

During the week, we met Lowell one day after work.  We enjoyed watching them play with their dogs.

Yesterday at Robin's house for Mah Jongg

Me and Arlene

Robin is always a great hostess.

After playing, I changed my clothes, and we walked the 1.5 mile path around Greenbelt Lake.  It was finally WARM!

Mark said he was going to use his dad's favorite pose!