Two odd phone calls

[gnomi]

Last night seemed to be the Night of Odd Calls.

First, at around 8:30 PM, the phone rang. It was my Ima, which wouldn't be so odd, except that Ima and Abba (hereinafter lc/lc) are in Jerusalem right now, so 8:30 PM our time is 3:30 AM their time. This is not a usual "Ima and Abba make phone calls" time. We had the following conversation:

Me: Uh... Isn't it 3:30 AM?

Her: Yes, but I woke up, and I figured I'd call to make sure you got home OK.

Me: I said when I talked to you earlier [lc/lc had called me at 3:30 PM my time, just as I was leaving the office due to inclement weather and nasty travel conditions] that I'd drop you e-mail. And I did.

Her: Yeah, but it'll be a good six hours before we read e-mail, and we figured you'd be around.

Me: That's very nice. Go back to sleep.


Then, about ten minutes later, the phone rang again. This time it was Mr. Cohen, our landlord.

Him: How's the new stove?

Me: It's wonderful, what I've used it for so far.

Him: You haven't used it much?

Me: Well, the stove came on Wednesday last week, and we were away for Shabbat, and we're going to be away this Shabbat and next Shabbat, so I really haven't been doing much cooking [also, I didn't say, we're still eating the food people so kindly brought us]. But I've used it to heat stuff up, and it works beautifully.

Him: You haven't been cooking for Shabbat. Do you make Chul?

Me: Chul? Like cholent? I make cholent.

Him: Yes, cholent. You have the oven at what, 225?

Me: Actually, I usually make it in my electric crock pot.

Him: (horrified) Electric??!?

Me: Mm, yes. I put the meat, potatoes, beans, water in the crock pot, turn it to low, and it's ready for lunch.

Him: What time do you usually eat lunch on Shabbat?

Me: Uh... Noonish?

Him: OK, so. You put it in the oven before Shabbat starts, and it'll be fine at lunch time.

Me: And the meat doesn't get all weird?

Him: I do the meat first. Before it goes in the oven.

Me: Oh, so you brown it first? I learned cholent-making from my mother, and she never has time before Shabbat to brown the meat, so she tosses it in un-browned.

Him: It seals in the juices; the meat is very good that way. Do you put an egg in yours?

Me: Not usually. Though we have friends who do. Kishke, too.

Him: Mm, yes. I put egg, but not kishke.

Me: I should try an egg next time.

Him: OK, so all is good?

Me: Yes... [pause] Did you call for anything else, or just to check on the oven?

Him: No, just to check on the oven.

We hung up soon thereafter, and mabfan and I had a good giggle about our landlord giving cooking tips.

Comments

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

At least they were positive odd phone calls...