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very true. Meanwhile I am hearing from people like my son, who might hold his nose and vote for Trump – because of how antisemitic the Dems are now. Even the old Rabbi – with whom I had a huge argument because he badmouthed Melania Trump – is very upset with the Dems. He’ll never vote Trump- but if he is upset- that says a lot!

I find having a puzzle in rotation at all times to be very soothing.

it helps to have a dedicated table. It also helps to have friends who share puzzles and the ability to pick up puzzles from thrift stores. So far I’ve been lucky

I bought this full price, because its a photograph, the color changes can be very subtle – so yeah, this one was a challenge. I need to see if Julie has finished it, cuz it would be good for Elks family.

From Julie, an easy one, the color blocks are very defined, being a simple drawing helps.

This one didn’t take long at all.

And its done!

This one is only 500 hundred pieces. Simple. While working on it I have been listening to the book -When the World came to Town by Jim Defede, written shortly after 9/11. I had seen the musical that was based on this book – Come from Away. also good. Of course the book was better, I’d still recommend the musical.

Done! that little item in the upper right hand corner? My speaker for listening to the book.

This is a thrift store find, so still hoping all pieces are here. it’s tea cups. Also, very clear color blocking, so this is a very relaxing one.

Leah

Every year they have this classic car show. I had no idea, but was happy to go, even if parking was difficult

I like this truck, so many are beautifully restored and painted in colors that never existed when the card came off the assembly line. So this sort of captured my heart.

Like this deep royal blue.

Or this two tone blue. the old geezer in a blue shirt just photo bombed.

Then there is fire engine red.

With a cute model right next to it.

Or how about this bright sparkling orange. The owner was cleaning as I walked by, Many of the cars have the engines open and they are pristine.

A red woody, a large station wagon with wood panels, perfect for hauling your surfboard to the beach.

A deep maroon woody.

A green one.

How about bright sunshine yellow!

A glow in the dark dune buggy.

I saw a lot of beautiful hood ornaments. No one does this anymore

I’ll end where I started, a beetle that has been through the ringer – actually looks like it had many coats of paint, but instead of adding another, it simply remains as a testament to all the paint that was applied over the years.

Leah

This is so true, and it’s not about large groups that ignored us. It’s about the individuals that kept silence. I’m tired of the saying – then they weren’t real friends. They were friends – they just failed miserably and in my case, they have moved to the category of former friends – it hurts, it’s sad – but that is life.

We are always the canary in the coal mine – we know it, some other people know it – most don’t and are shocked when their lives are disrupted – it’s not fair! Get used to it – it’s going to get much worse.

We spent a weekend up at Elk and Mandys’ Airbnb in Big Bear. of course, a picture with an owl.

Enjoying coffee at Mandys’ favorite coffee shop, Moonridge coffee. I am knitting, Joel is enjoying the company of a bear. We met some nice people who warned us about a car show in the village – more on that later – parking was a bear!

This house still has the same owners as 4 years ago, when we came and took the boat trip. They have updated the sign.

The kids were quite well behaved on the trip. an hour and a half is a long time. here is the small observatory looking like a robot. The captain-tour guide mumbled the whole time! All the celebrities he mentioned are dead – no celebrity owns property here anymore. The one fun thing was that Mel Blancs’ son, Noel, inherited the house and the voice. So when the boat goes by he comes out on his porch with a megaphone and regales us with the voices his father and then he did.

Plenty of bears in Big Bear.

We went to the Discovery center – they were celebrating Smokeys’ 80th birthday. They do need to change the slogan ‘ Only you can prevent forest fires’ doesn’t make sense – sure, we can prevent man made fires – but many are natural and actually part of the eco-system. Oh well, Charities and campaigns never die – they just reinvent themselves.

First, making a bird feeder out of a large pinecone with peanut butter and seeds – it went into the backyard up at the house. Then panning for gold, I mean pyrite.

We had dinner and dancing at the western restaurant Wyatts – since the weather was gorgeous, everyone was outside.

There was corn hole, and no that cute kid isn’t Eyal.

Sure was cute!

I danced with Einav (no picture) Abba Yishai danced with her.

It is clear to see who is the better dancer.

Next post, cars

Leah

This birthday was a few days ago. Not only does the world not care, but Josh Shapiro, gov. of PA renounced all kinds of things he said in the past and distanced himself from Judaism – in order to get the nomination. He didn’t get it of course, that doesn’t bother me – he’d be the court Jew – bending over backwards denouncing us at every turn.

I know, this is from the Babylon Bee, but they get right to the truth with their humor.

A week ago I went looking for a 1930s dress for Shira’s Bat Mitzvah party. Look at the beauty I found, along with a wonderful purse with a lucite clasp. Not great pictures, I’ll get better ones later.

Shira wants the Katherine Hepburn look. So we went back to Playclothes, the wonderful vintage store in Burbank. I didn’t get a picture of Shira in the outfit we found. It’s a white tuxedo like shirt and high waisted blue pants. She may add a vest, and I need to hem the pants

The store that houses Playclothes used to be a molding store – so the ceiling is rather incredible. that is just the bones of the place.

As much as possible they try to arrange things by era. they have a lot of 60s and newer, it’s getting harder to find the old stuff. so it is rather a miracle that the first dress I tried was the one I bought! It took Shira a few more tries.

There is a ton of wonderful costume jewelry as well.

I bought these two pairs of earrings for my outfit, we shall see which one I choose. The problem is they aren’t for pierced ears… I don’t want to lose one.

Hats of all kinds

Weird manikins that take you by surprise.

A cute couple!

great furniture.

A lot of dishes, I prefer to dig around Thrift shops for these, but when it comes to a specific vintage look, there is no place like Playclothes.

Went downtown with a friend to find some silk. the garment district is in very sad shape. It’s depressing. We found silk for her as well as I bought some new silk georgette. I use it for an ironing cloth. especially if I am ironing silk or my cross stitch. It is so strong and really prevents burns or staining. The only reason I need to replace my old piece (at least 12 years old) is that I had cut it by accident. So the piece on the left is the new one. I had to buy a whole yard, for $12, I have cut it in half, this might last 20 years…

Leah

Goodbye to bad garbage.

Two evil terrorists in one day, one in Beirut, one in Teheran. This is a huge warning to Iran – we can take out people in the middle of your capitol, right when you are inaugurating a new president.

For fun, I went with Yoch and the littles to the Bunny museum in Alta Dena.

Huge mural outside.

The museum is in a building that once was an art gallery, I do like this handicap parking sign.

there is a Little Free Library, the books don’t have anything to do with bunnies. Also, it’s hard to see, but the grid is made of lego painted black.

Inside it is chock full of bunnies! The story is that the couple who started this while dating and calling one another Honey Bunny. then they started gifting each other bunnies daily, first the museum was in their home, then it moved to an empty art gallery – which has much more room. Most of the museum is just a jumble of rabbits, they are divided by category when possible.

Like the musical area

Of course Alice in Wonderland

A Carrousel bunny

There is a dark room with less friendly bunnies. There is also a room with two live bunnies and two cats, who get along very well. The cats like to be petted, the bunnies – not so much. although Eyal was able to pet one.

I asked about the Japanese tradition of Rabbit in the moon, rather than the man in the moon. They did have a few examples

A Jackalope, look closely, there are antlers.

They had some examples of balloon rabbits, but none of Koontz Balloon rabbits, he has two styles. I get, very expensive

I LOVE this, not a quilt, looks like punch needle embroidery. Having foxes and birds only makes it better.

Here is the quilt block, two bunnies!

A tray with a very elegant Tudor bunny with his weasel. Yes, there are a lot of didactics around, being with kids, I didn’t read many of them, also, it was so overwhelming with 46,000 object….

A lot of dishes, this is just one display, I really like the one on the right on the bottom row, Bunny with shotgun.

Anyway, a fun unique place to visit in the LA area.

Leah

First response to the murder of 12 Druze children in Madjal Shamas.

I know, there is the sense that at some point Israel will be at war with Hizbollah, but with the massive vacuum in American leadership (is Biden POTUS, is Kamla -which means withered in Hebrews – so I’m going with that version of her name. Meanwhile Israel is hitting hard at the leadership. And of course because of that vacuum – no hostages deal. so painful.

The media isn’t hiding anything anymore. Yesterday the headline in the WaPo was Israel attacks Lebanon (apparently for no reason) with an image of the funeral in Madjal Shams. They knew exactly what they were doing – smearing and lying about Israel – today they apologize – of course too late and they know it.

I hadn’t been to a bead show in years! So now that I am beading again, it was time to go. Omg! tables full of trays of pearls!

Brightly colored semi precious stones!

And brightly colored glass beads! Overwhelming to say the least. I was looking for a frog – Shira still loves frogs and wants me to make her a necklace for her Bat Mitzvah. So as I’m going around the tables, I see a table with all kinds of copper pendants – very whimsical and cute. I pick up a frog – at the same time the owner is talking to another customer about all the cat pendants she has. She says: I’m going to show that guy who complained about women and cats. She doesn’t even have the decency to say JD Vance. So I drop the frog and move on, I’ll give my business to people who don’t bring up politics- like the Chinese and Indian vendors.

I found a very cute frog – with articulating legs. Then I went and looked for beads to make the chain.

A combination of beads, a few tiny silver charms and a beautiful clasp.

Here it is, I will probably give it to her early, in case it matches what she wants to wear at the Bat Mitzvah itself.

I also found this modern iteration of the Hamsa, came home added a few beads and another simple necklace.

wearing the pendant, my neck and face should not be enlarged in a photo, so you aren’t seeing them

I found this incredible Art Deco pendant, I got some beads and soon will be making this into a necklace as well.

This has been quite a beast of a puzzle, because it’s a photograph, the shading is very subtle, it is taking a while.

by the end, I divide by color and shape and just start fitting pieces in until they fit. My friend Julie wants this one! Great! she will have it.

Leah

Images of 7 of the 12 Druze children murdered by a Hizbollah rocket on Saturday. The first thing Biden had to say was – don’t respond! I’m not even sure these are all Israeli citizens – since the Druze community in the Golan heights has the choice to stay Syrian or become Israeli – doesn’t matter, Israel will take responsibility for protecting people within its borders.

Meanwhile, I can no longer trust any of the major news outlets, they don’t report news – they editorialize. Some kids killed in the ‘occupied’ Golan – no mention of Hizbollah or that these are Druze. Not Jews, not Arabs, Druze – look it up.

Netanyahu gave an excellent speech before the Joint House session. Who wasn’t there? Kamla (which means withered in Hebrew – which is why I’m going with this spelling now). Her job as VP is to provide over this session – instead she met with some sorority sisters in the midwest. The destruction outside is horrible, but only 24 policemen were stationed there. They burned the American flag, not the Israeli one – in case you aren’t paying attention.

I am saving this image! because it is iconic, and the FBI tried to say that it wasn’t a bullet that hit Trump – so what killed and wounded the others? They do this so the Dems can have a talking point, also you can’t Google Trump shot – it goes nowhere.

palate cleanser, adorable grandkids

Cam built a bubble machine, it works, but the bubbles are very small.

Photobomb!

Einav turned 5! Time is just flying by.

It took her a while to blow out the candles, Eyal was trying to help and was asked not to. Why he is holding a rock is beyond me – he wasn’t hitting anyone with it.

First thing in the morning, on her birthday she got a homemade cupcake.

At camp Eyal was supposed to get dressed up as a silly character, he thought that meant as an old man.

He achieved both, except his is so adorable and not looking old at all.

Leah

It happened, 8 years of calling Trump Hilter and someone tried to take him out. Thank God, I mean – God for the miracle that he tilted his head at the right second. Also sort of grateful for this amazing image. I know, the Dems and media are trying to erase it from our memory – so don’t be surprised if I continue to share it from time to time.

For all those who say Trump staged the shooting. Why don’t you talk to the widow and orphans of Corey Comperatore? Heck, potted plant Biden could’t even say his name, which means it wasn’t spelled out for him on the teleprompter. Another man is fighting for his life and others are wounded, but not as seriously.

Anyone on the left paying attention? November is going to be very ugly – I expect Los Angeles to be burning – cuz that is what the left does. Also, no way a 20 year old misfit did this by himself – also erasing all signs of social media before hand. I have no idea who is behind this (Antifa? BLM?) but I don’t believe that Oswald was the planner of the Kennedy assassination either – it takes a lot of planning. but much easier for the media to make this go away if they say misfit lone wolf.

Lets get back to chickens, we had dinner here. They used to do deliveries in this car. No more deliveries – that is the job of door-dash these days.

I made my Kauai chicken, from a pattern called ’emotional support chicken’. hate that name, but it is a great pattern. didn’t buy from Ravelry, went straight to the source, The knitting Tree in Los Angeles.

I used leftover yarn, I am running out of leftover yarn.

Burt gave me this chicken, he doesn’t know he is getting one from me and Aytan, next time I go there.

Yup, I have a flock, no the yarn one doesn’t live outside.

I love his face

Also enjoying the fountain.

Leah

I have a wonderful pot shop with many cacti as well. It’s called Jackalope, they used to sell furniture and knickknacks – now it’s just pots and cacti. so imagine my delight seeing this.

and this!

but wait! there is more!

The flowers last a day or two, the fruit a little longer.

I should have taken a picture of the rows and rows of colorful pots. I didn’t. another time.

This is what I bought for my yard to replace the plastic pot I made into a fountain. this one is the reservoir for a fountain, so maybe next year I’ll get a real fountain to place in it. right now, it’s a fountain when the sun shines.

They had two of these adorable chickens. I bought one for me and one for Burt and Marsha, when Aytan gets back from camp, I’ll have him give them their chicken.

Went to see Mike Rowe’s excellent movie: Something to Stand For. it was only playing at Universal CityWalk. Really worth seeing, it was only in select theaters for two weeks. I’m sure it will be streaming somewhere soon.

Citywalk has been through so many iterations, I remember when it was new and shiny. then it became a hangout for a rowdier crowd. So the parking rates shot up, now the parking rates are very reasonable, but some of the shine is off – big chains, both restaurants and shops. Throughout it all, Kong is still here.

This was fun to watch, go flying! yes, there was a line.

Leah

Yesterday was the 4th of July. no pictures, busy living life. we got together with 35 of our close friends for a lovely bbq. Our hosts, Bunny and Tom, he is 92, she is 85, and with the help of all of us, they had an amazing party. I don’t dare call today, I think they are probably still sleeping! We ate, we talked, we sang patriotic songs.

Then on the way home, we drove up along Mullholland Dr. to see the Valley ablaze with ‘independent fireworks”. It was hard to drive , the narrow road was packed with cars and people standing there watching the lights flash and the boom-boom-boom! We were by far the oldest people there. The noise went on all night, it sounded like someone was using our street as a launching ground – around midnight. This morning the haze of smoke is laying low over the city.

Its been a while since I’ve shared the puzzles I’ve done, there may be repeats, I don’t know.

Julie and I share puzzles, she gave me this one, 299 dogs and a cat.

the puzzle went to the boys, and their dad said, no looking at the picture. They did it!

A few years ago a friend gave me this puzzle. Took a while for me to start it.

It is always easiest to start with the brightly colored areas.

and it’s done!

A fun one with national parks.

Not my usual 1000 piece, only 500, but something of a challenge.

I gave it to the boys, I think they are on a puzzle hiatus.

another one from Julie.

Yoch and Einav admiring a puzzle.

these kind of puzzles are OK, I enjoy the process, I sort of hate that it is a hodgepodge of images.

Unlike this one, that is from a real Dutch painting. I found this at a thrift store and was a little surprised – pleasantly of course- that there were no missing pieces.

I loved this because of the subject matter, it was challenging. but in a good way. Julie is working on this now, she did say that a challenge is good after simple puzzles.

The last piece to go in was an edge piece. I had some edge pieces in the wrong place, all that black!

My latest, a fun easy puzzle, it is so easy to look at the puzzle pieces and not exactly where they go. Unlike the NYC Library, where there were many many similar areas of the puzzle.

I’ve just heard of another Torah Minyan congregant who is into puzzles, I need to talk to her and see if she wants in on the puzzle rotation.

Leah