seder (the après post)

Was amazing. Had the best time. Needed a full day to recover.

I got to K's at about 4:30, and he helped me make more chicken soup and set up the apartment over a glass of a surprisingly good 2.50€ wine until he had to leave for a family thing at 6. Harry got there soon after and was totally grossed out by the matzah ball making process. Technically, everyone was supposed to arrive 7:30, but I knew that most people would be late and so didn't expect to start until 8:00 at the earliest. Boy, was that optimistic.

Nellie came at 7:30, Laura soon after. (Laura and Harry, who are absolutely heroic, ran out to five (FIVE!) different stores to try to find horseradish, but were unsuccessful. Poo.) Rob showed up at around 8, Jed at 8:30. By then I was getting pretty antsy, as I was expecting four more kids. Two called out sick about 15 minutes later, which was pretty disappointing, and two got the directions totally wrong and ended up at the complete other end of town, and so understandably gave up. I was kind of frustrated - I had planned for 7, accepted 10, and then hosted only 6 - but, on the bright side, had enough food for everyone.

Regardless of cancellations, the company was amazing. Nellie and Rob, who are both Jew"ish", had been to seders before, so they helped me lead the thing. We did an abbreviated version of the service bit; we told the story, prayed over the seder plate nonsense, the wine, the washing of the hands, etc. Then we ate. Yum, if I do say so myself. The matzah balls were a bit heavy, but the brisket and gravy were delicious and the charoset pretty much divine. (Betsy's New Trademarked Charoset: prunes, apricots, raisins, cherry jam, walnuts, pears, red wine, and salt. Don't forget the salt!)

K and his mother and two of his sister's friends showed up just after we finished eating - by the way, K, I'd marry you just to have her as my mother-in-law - and joined us for wine, dessert, and the ending prayers. (Elijah got to drink out of a "happy birthday" mug. And by Elijah, I mean me.) Mama K and the girls left soon therafter, but K stayed; after all, it was his apartment. We sat around for another hour and a half, delicately eating sorbet out of the container, scarfing down macaroons, and dutifully finishing the wine. It was really cool: we talked about everything from the role of the US Supreme Court to France's elections and immigrant "problem." I love having intelligent friends. Jed and Laura fled at about 12:30 to catch the last métro, and, after doing a whirlwind clean-up, Nellie, Rob, Harry, and I split a cab back to our hood. Unfortunately, all the left-overs are still at K's, but I plan on busting in tomorrow and stealing them back. (Muahaha.)

All in all, I think it went really well. The food was delish, the Jewishness interesting, and the company stellar. Can't wait to throw another dinner!